Rekindling Our First Love Through the Holy Spirit
Summary
In our journey through Acts 19, we explore the profound beginnings of the church in Ephesus, a story that resonates deeply with our own spiritual journey. The church in Ephesus, which later receives a powerful letter from Paul, is a testament to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the importance of maintaining our first love for God. As we delve into Revelation 1 and 2, we see a vivid image of Jesus among the seven golden lampstands, representing the churches. This imagery reminds us that Jesus is present with us, illuminating our path and calling us to be the light of the world.
The church in Ephesus was commended for its perseverance and doctrinal soundness, yet it was warned for abandoning its first love. This serves as a cautionary tale for us today. We must not let our faith become a mere routine or a set of rules. Instead, we are called to rekindle our passion for God, to be filled with His Spirit, and to let His love overflow in our lives. The Holy Spirit is not just a theological concept but a living presence that empowers us to fulfill our commission to share the love of God in Christ.
Acts 19 shows us the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. Paul encounters disciples in Ephesus who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. This encounter highlights the necessity of the Spirit's indwelling presence for true transformation. The Spirit empowers us to live out our faith boldly, to perform extraordinary acts of love and service, and to be witnesses of Christ's love and power.
Our commission is to share the love of God in Christ by the power of His presence in the Holy Spirit. This is not just about personal salvation but about being part of God's mission to illuminate the world with His love and truth. We are called to be filled continually with the Spirit, to hunger for more of God, and to live out our faith in a way that points others to Jesus.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Presence of Jesus Among His Churches: Jesus is depicted as walking among the seven golden lampstands, symbolizing His presence with the churches. This imagery reminds us that Jesus is with us, illuminating our path and calling us to be the light of the world. We are not alone; His presence empowers us to fulfill our mission. [04:53]
2. The Warning to Ephesus: The church in Ephesus was commended for its perseverance and doctrinal soundness but warned for abandoning its first love. This serves as a cautionary tale for us today. We must not let our faith become a mere routine or a set of rules. Instead, we are called to rekindle our passion for God and be filled with His Spirit. [07:40]
3. The Role of the Holy Spirit: Acts 19 highlights the necessity of the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence for true transformation. The Spirit empowers us to live out our faith boldly, perform extraordinary acts of love and service, and be witnesses of Christ's love and power. Without the Spirit, we are like empty lampstands. [20:50]
4. Our Commission: Our commission is to share the love of God in Christ by the power of His presence in the Holy Spirit. This is not just about personal salvation but about being part of God's mission to illuminate the world with His love and truth. We are called to be filled continually with the Spirit and to hunger for more of God. [23:58]
5. The Power of God's Presence: The power of God is in His presence, which comes through the love of God in Christ. This is not about religious association but about a relationship with the King of glory. We are called to worship God in spirit and truth, rooted in His Word and desiring His presence. [40:16]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [04:53] - Jesus Among the Lampstands
- [07:40] - Ephesus' First Love
- [16:38] - The Nicolaitans' False Gospel
- [20:50] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [23:58] - Our Commission
- [27:09] - The Gospel and the Holy Spirit
- [40:16] - Spirit and Truth
- [50:21] - Transformation in Ephesus
- [55:00] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Acts 19:1-7
- Revelation 1:10-20
- Revelation 2:1-7
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Observation Questions:
1. In Acts 19, what was the initial understanding of the disciples in Ephesus regarding the Holy Spirit, and how did Paul address this? [20:50]
2. Describe the imagery of Jesus among the seven golden lampstands in Revelation 1. What do these lampstands represent? [04:53]
3. What commendations and warnings does Jesus give to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2? [07:40]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in the transformation of believers and the church? [23:58]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for a church to abandon its "first love," and why is this significant for believers today? [07:40]
2. How does the presence of Jesus among the lampstands in Revelation 1 provide comfort and challenge to the church? [04:53]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Holy Spirit empowers believers to fulfill their commission? [23:58]
4. How does the sermon interpret the relationship between doctrinal soundness and love in the context of the church in Ephesus? [16:38]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal spiritual journey. Have you ever felt like your faith became routine or a set of rules? How can you rekindle your passion for God? [07:40]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit. What steps can you take to seek a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit in your daily life? [23:58]
3. Consider the imagery of Jesus walking among the lampstands. How does this image influence your understanding of Jesus' presence in your life and church? [04:53]
4. The church in Ephesus was commended for its perseverance but warned for losing its first love. How can you ensure that your love for God remains vibrant and central in your life? [07:40]
5. The sermon discusses the power of God's presence. How can you cultivate a relationship with God that goes beyond religious association to a deep, personal connection? [40:16]
6. How can you actively participate in God's mission to illuminate the world with His love and truth? Identify one specific action you can take this week. [23:58]
7. Reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. Are there areas where you need to rely more on His power and presence? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in those areas? [23:58]
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus' Presence Illuminates Our Path
Jesus is depicted as walking among the seven golden lampstands, symbolizing His presence with the churches. This imagery serves as a powerful reminder that Jesus is with us, illuminating our path and calling us to be the light of the world. We are not alone in our spiritual journey; His presence empowers us to fulfill our mission. The church in Ephesus, as described in Revelation, is a testament to this truth. Jesus' presence among the lampstands signifies His active involvement and care for His church, guiding and sustaining it through challenges and triumphs. As we reflect on this, we are encouraged to recognize His presence in our lives and to let His light shine through us. [04:53]
Revelation 1:12-13 (ESV): "Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest."
Reflection: In what ways can you be a light in your community today, reflecting the presence of Jesus in your actions and words?
Day 2: Rekindling Our First Love
The church in Ephesus was commended for its perseverance and doctrinal soundness but was warned for abandoning its first love. This serves as a cautionary tale for us today. We must not let our faith become a mere routine or a set of rules. Instead, we are called to rekindle our passion for God and be filled with His Spirit. The warning to Ephesus is a reminder that our relationship with God should be vibrant and heartfelt, not mechanical or obligatory. It challenges us to examine our hearts and to seek a renewed passion for God, allowing His love to overflow in our lives. [07:40]
Revelation 2:4-5 (ESV): "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to rekindle your passion for God and return to your first love?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of the Holy Spirit
Acts 19 highlights the necessity of the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence for true transformation. The Spirit empowers us to live out our faith boldly, perform extraordinary acts of love and service, and be witnesses of Christ's love and power. Without the Spirit, we are like empty lampstands, lacking the light and power needed to fulfill our calling. The encounter in Ephesus where Paul meets disciples who had not yet received the Holy Spirit underscores the importance of the Spirit's presence in our lives. It is through the Spirit that we are equipped and empowered to live out our faith in a transformative way. [20:50]
Acts 19:2-6 (ESV): "And he said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' And they said, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' And he said, 'Into what then were you baptized?' They said, 'Into John's baptism.' And Paul said, 'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.' On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying."
Reflection: How can you invite the Holy Spirit to empower you today to live out your faith more boldly and authentically?
Day 4: Our Commission to Share God's Love
Our commission is to share the love of God in Christ by the power of His presence in the Holy Spirit. This is not just about personal salvation but about being part of God's mission to illuminate the world with His love and truth. We are called to be filled continually with the Spirit and to hunger for more of God. This commission challenges us to look beyond ourselves and to see our role in God's greater plan. It invites us to actively participate in sharing His love and truth with those around us, empowered by the Spirit to make a difference in the world. [23:58]
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Reflection: Who is one person you can reach out to today to share the love and truth of God, and how will you do it?
Day 5: Worshiping in Spirit and Truth
The power of God is in His presence, which comes through the love of God in Christ. This is not about religious association but about a relationship with the King of glory. We are called to worship God in spirit and truth, rooted in His Word and desiring His presence. This call to worship goes beyond rituals and traditions, inviting us into a deep, authentic relationship with God. It encourages us to seek His presence daily, to be grounded in His truth, and to let our worship be a genuine expression of our love and devotion to Him. [40:16]
John 4:23-24 (ESV): "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper, more authentic worship experience with God today, focusing on spirit and truth?
Quotes
"All right. Why? Well, we are continuing through the book of Acts this morning in our series called Commissioned. And so we've come to Acts chapter 19, which is actually the account of how the church in Ephesus was planted. Again, as we've walked through Acts, we've seen how all of these early churches that are connected to many of the New Testament letters or books, like Ephesians, like Corinthians, like Philippians, there are all these churches that we get to see how they started." [00:00:53] (33 seconds)
"And so this is a powerful story because it actually touches on so many practical aspects of what it means to follow Jesus as his people and even as a church. So the church at Ephesus is where the book of Ephesians comes from, which is one of those theologically packed letters in the entire Bible. If you've ever read it, you know this. If you haven't, I encourage you to do so. It is awesome." [00:01:26] (26 seconds)
"And so we're going to look at Acts chapter 19 this morning. But before we do, I want to let scripture kind of pull back the spiritual veil a bit and take in a sort of prophetic vision of what's actually going on, what's actually taking place in Ephesus and even in our own world today in our own church. All right. So we're going to put on some spiritual glasses right now. We're going to dive into Revelation chapter one. You ready? Are you ready? You're not ready. I don't think you're ready for this one. All right, here we go. Revelation chapter one, verse 10." [00:02:05] (33 seconds)
"Now get this in your mind's eye. Okay. Seven golden lampstands. So envision something like seven menorahs. You've ever seen a menorah? It's one of those things that they have like the seven different arms and they've got flames coming out of the top of them. And they're full of oil and they fuel the flame that lights up the dark, right? And so we're going to see that each of these lampstands actually represents a specific local church." [00:03:15] (29 seconds)
"And the number seven is a very spiritual and powerful number. It's a significant number in the Scriptures that does often mean seven and just seven, but it often, especially in Revelation, transcends the number seven in itself and points to purity, completion, perfection, wholeness, totality. And so this letter to these seven churches isn't just to these seven churches. It's through these seven churches to all of the churches that have ever existed and ever will exist. Hello, Rosen Church. There's power in that." [00:04:53] (37 seconds)
"And so I want you to see that Jesus walks among us. God with us, Emmanuel. So remember, this is not a future view of what will happen one day. This is an account of what was happening in the first century church 2,000 years ago, and this is the same Jesus who walks in our midst today. Now, what does that look like? What do you mean? Let's keep reading. Verse 17." [00:05:29] (32 seconds)
"Write, therefore, the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to come or to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Okay, so, again, catch this imagery because it's painting a picture that applies to us today. These seven lampstands represent each local church. They're full of oil, right? And throughout Scripture, oil represents the Holy Spirit anointing, his presence." [00:06:20] (43 seconds)
"And then these are surrounded or surrounding, I should say, the Savior King Jesus himself. He's in the midst of these lampstands. Chapter 2 is going to even tell us that he walks among them. So Jesus didn't just refer to himself as the light of the world in Matthew 5. He says he refers to, specifically, his spirit-filled church as the light of the world. You. You are the light of the world." [00:07:03] (37 seconds)
"guys don't be deceived those who are quick to criticize others are quick to criticize themselves and those who are quick to criticize themselves are quick to criticize others it's that pride shame spectrum and it's all they can see they miss the point criticism listen is the primary concern of someone who's missing the point of the gospel it's not wrong to discern good from evil we've just had jesus commend them for this beautiful praise god but without love it's just empty and ultimately self-serving so jesus says i have this against you that you have abandoned the love you had at first" [00:10:58] (47 seconds)
"and if it ever is i pray quickly that we would repent quickly and return to this first love of god and look at the mercy of god like he doesn't say i am removing he says i will if you don't he gives them the mercy says look to me follow me pay attention but the answer isn't just to try harder the answer is to receive his spirit his presence his love his power his oil of the spirit verse 6 again we've got like a little commendation sandwich happening here okay he then says verse 6 yet this you do have you hate the works of the nicolaitans which i also hate strong words makes sense the nicolaitans were people who were openly indulging in things like sexual immorality without any type of shame or or anything like that and they were calling themselves christians and saying well it's fine we have license to do this because of the grace of god and we can do whatever we want and we don't want the things of the lord we want the things of this earth that are contrary to what he says and they were kind of preaching this false gospel they were" [00:15:22] (76 seconds)
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