Jump Start # 3142

Revelation 2:5 “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; for else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

Our verse today makes a major implication. Did you catch it? God says, “do the deeds you did at first.” Implied is that you are not doing them at the present. Currently, you are not acting like you once did. And, this is seen through several of these seven churches in Revelation. Ephesus had left their first love, which was the Lord. It’s rather hard to start a congregation when love for the Lord is missing. Sardis was called dead. Lifeless. You won’t get anyone to show up when they are dead. Imagine trying to start a dead church. “We are starting a  new church. Would you like to be a part of it? You never have to come. You don’t have to give. You don’t have to do anything. Stay just the way you are. Would you like to be a part of us?” Dead churches end. They do not start. And, then there is Laodicea. Lukewarm. Indifferent. Ephesus, Sardis and Laodicea all changed.

But, that’s true of most churches. In fact, that’s true of life. Things change. Little trees grow and become big trees. Puppies become old dogs. Babies are born. Later, they grow and move out of the house. We work. We retire. Life is very fluid and changing often.

What this presents to a spiritual leadership is how to navigate changes in the church. People move in. People move out. People die. Kids go off to college and do not come back, except for the holidays. People retire and the contribution changes. A cycle of many babies are born or a time of many seniors graduating. I have literally cried when some people moved. I wanted them to stay with us and to stay with me, forever. But things happened, opportunities opened, life changed and they moved.

How do we navigate through the changes in the church? This is something that is often tossed upon us without any time to think things through. This is not something that shepherds sit down and talk about. Maybe they should.

Here are a few thoughts:

First, it’s not the end, when changes come. A funeral. A family moves away. Yet, the work and the worship of the church carries on. There are people to be taught. There are people that need to be shepherded and led. Emotionally, we may hurt because some are gone, but our work carries on. God has provided all the tools necessary to do His work.

Second, often adjustments must be made. Sometimes that means knocking down walls to make larger classrooms. It may mean combining some classes because of dwindling numbers. It may lead to some empty classrooms. Leaders must be flexible. A congregation may have to tighten it’s belt financially. What was done last year may not be able to be offered this year. We do this personally. Our budgets may tell us that we can’t go very far for a vacation this year. We make adjustments. It may mean that we have to cut back on eating out or cancel some things because we can’t afford them. Many couples have a conversation about downsizing when the last child has moved out of the house for good.

The Joseph principle is a good one to remember. Through the good years in Egypt, they stored up grain. When the lean, famine years came, they not only survived, but they could help others. That helps us face coming changes that may take place.

Third, the history and cycle of a church can be good or it can be very sad. In my area, there was a time several decades ago that congregations numbered three or four hundred. Not today. Some of those congregations have closed the door for good. Others are struggling. A family can move in and turn everything positive and encouraging or a family can move in and get everyone to hating each other. Good leadership will notice these things and it will work hard to keep things right.

Loveless. Lifeless. Lukewarm. Those Revelation churches didn’t start that way. They changed. What helps is staying close to the word of God. Keep preaching lessons that are needful and practical. Keep returning to the book. Experience, faith and hope truly help.

Most older couples can look back and realize that they didn’t have much when they were first married. Cheap furniture. Going home to visit the family was the vacations. But today, it’s a different story. Things change.

Congregations change. Realizing this makes you count your blessings when things are going well. It makes you look at what really matters when things aren’t going well. Don’t take for granted that the way things are today will be the way they are in another decade. Look to make things better. Lay a foundation of legacy for others to follow. Don’t give up when things are tough.

There were a few at dead Sardis who continued to walk with the Lord. They did not die like the rest of the church. They made choices that reflected life and hope.

Navigating through the changes in a church. Such an interesting and needful topic.

Roger

Jump Start # 3025

Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

I’m back teaching in Revelation once again. Love that book. This time around it’s for our deeper Bible study groups. And, rather than walking through the whole book, we are only focusing upon the seven churches listed in the opening chapters. Our verse today comes from that section. It’s addressed to Ephesus. It’s the Lord’s solution to a heart that has become loveless. Ephesus wasn’t stuck. They weren’t dead. They were active. Trying apostles. There was deeds, toil and endurance that caught the eye of the Lord. Evil men, false doctrine and fake apostles didn’t stand a chance in this church. Doctrinally, Ephesus had it all right. Doctrinally pure. Straight as an arrow, one might say. But, there’s more to it than just that. They forgot the heart. Duty must spring from a heart that is willing and wanting, not because it has to.

There are some lessons for us:

First, much too often, a community offers a choice of two congregations. One is like Ephesus. They are doctrinally solid. They will not put up with any fudging the lines where God has drawn them. But, like Ephesus, this congregation lacks love. It’s all about black and white. It’s all about truth and error. And, that is all that matters to this group. But, across town is another church. They don’t always play by the rules. They do some things that are not supported Biblically. However, they sure have a spirit about them. Their singing is passionate. They grab a new face and make him feel so loved and welcomed. Busy in the community and busy during the week.

Often, this is the choice that our college students face. Doctrinally right, but loveless or, loving and not doctrinally right. One or the other. Loveless and pure or loving and not pure. Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t a congregation be both doctrinally pure and loving? Why can’t a congregation be busy in the community and busy during the week? A church that lacks love, drains grace from our hearts. It doesn’t take too long for such an atmosphere to turn us judgmental and against about everything. Fear and guilt hold everyone in place in a church that is more about doctrine than Christ. I’ve known places like that. I’ve seen the impact it has. I ran into someone who attended a church like Ephesus. She found out that we were having a guest speaker on a Wednesday evening. She just loved that preacher. She wanted to come so bad. I told her to “Come on.” She looked down and said, “I can’t. I’d get in trouble if I wasn’t at my home congregation on a Wednesday night.” I offered to write her a note of absence. She smiled and said, “I wish you could.” She knew. I knew. The spirit of Ephesus thrives today.

Second, Ephesus wasn’t always like this. Our passage brings out that powerful word, “Remember.” Remember how it was at first. Remember. Peter uses that word often. Jesus used that word when it came to the Lord’s Supper. Remember. How often and how easily we forget. Remember the joy of being a child of God. Remember how excited you were to learn, grow and share things with others. Remember. Often, when love goes, so does our remembering. It’s that way in a marriage. When the love dies, we forget opening car doors, writing silly notes, giving flowers and just sitting beside each other. We forget. And, when we forget, we tend to focus upon ourselves. How unhappy we are. How we get nothing out of worship anymore. How difficult it is to do the things we’ve always done. Troubles seem like mountains and blessings seem so rare.

Remember. It hasn’t always been that way. It wasn’t for Ephesus and it wasn’t for you. Love, passion, zeal have been replaced with discouragement, disappointment and defeat. Few things are right and everything is wrong. The loveless person is not a happy person. The loveless person rains on everyone’s parade. And, Heaven’s answer to all of this is to remember, repent and repeat what you once did.

Third, how does one fire up the engines that have gone cold? How do you rekindle the fire once it has all but gone out? How do you find love once it has slipped away? One thing is for sure, if you continue on the course you are currently on, you won’t find it. The direction you are headed is leading toward spiritual death. It’s not a matter of tossing in the book and forgetting doctrinal purity. That’s not the solution given to Ephesus. Evil men, false doctrine and fake apostles need to be tested, tried and tossed out. Embracing wrong isn’t the answer. Running to idols won’t get you closer to God. Do what you did at first, is the call from Heaven. It’s not less Bible and less worship, it’s more. That’s what we were like at first.

• Get to all the services—all of them
• Bring your Bible, a notebook, pen and come with a heart to learn.
• Change habits at home. Bring prayer back. Carve some time for just you, the Lord and the Bible.
• Start a journal of your daily Bible readings. What do you see?
• Get people into your home and have some real discussions.
• Get with the shepherds and your preacher and pick their brains. Bring questions to the table.
• Ask for studies during the week.

Before long, that ole’ engine will start sputtering, smoking and the next thing you know, it’s running and running well. Changes take place. Your outlook and your spirit changes. It can happen, because God said it can happen.

A loveless marriage ends in divorce and some just sit back and watch it happen. A loveless faith dies. A loveless church deteriorates. Don’t sit back and watch those things take place. Fight for your faith. Fight for your congregation. Don’t let the devil have it. Dig in. Hold on tight. Pull hard. Don’t give up. Give it all you got. And, when you do that, you’ll see compassion, love, commitment and joy returning. They don’t just come back like a lost dog. You’ve got to put your all into it to bring them back. But, they’ll come. They’ll come if you do your part.

Remember…that’s looking backward. That’s seeing how things used to be. That’s precious memories and fond times. That’s the way it ought to be. And, that’s certainly, the way it can be.

Roger

Jump Start # 2401

Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; for else I am coming to you; and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

The words of our passage today are sober, stern and serious. Change your ways, or else. And, the “or else” part isn’t good. God never makes idle threats. He never counts to three and then counts again. The words of our verse were sent to the church at Ephesus. They no longer were deeply in love with the Lord. They stood for truth, but something was missing in their hearts. And, when God is moved out of first place, we tend to go through the motions, and we tend to do things just because we have to.

If they didn’t change, their lampstand was going to be removed. The lampstand carries back to the Jewish worship in the O.T. It stood for God’s light, truth and fellowship. To have the lamp removed, is similar to turning off the lights. We turn off the lights, shut the door, and go home. But in this case, even though they might continue to meet as a church, what they were doing was no longer being recognized by God. He was finished with them if they continued on that course.

Ephesus got that way because the members got that way. There is always a connection between the way the members are and the way the church is. You cannot have a warm, loving church, when the members are cold and indifferent. You cannot have a strong church, when the members are weak. What the members are, the church becomes. For Ephesus, it was losing their first love. It happened to the members and then t happened to the church.

Now, Ephesus didn’t start this way. Back in Acts, when Paul first preached, good things happened. They received an inspired letter from God, we call it Ephesians. They had elders. But still, they lost their focus, and then they lost their love.

And, all of this reminds us that congregations can change through the years. Just recently I heard of three congregations that decided to close their doors for the last time. They had dwindled down so small that it wasn’t practical to continue to meet. Sometimes the area has a lot to do with that, especially in rural communities. Fewer are farming these days. The young move away and never come back. And, once thriving congregations, now have fewer faces. Every funeral within the congregation makes folks wonder just how long they can hang on. In other places, a lack of strong leadership hurt. Problems after problems plague the congregation and there never seemed to be any resolution. Rather than marching onward, the church seemed to drift. There never seemed to be any sense of direction, leadership or goals. Family after family left. Some, to find a congregation that had more kids. Some, to find a congregation that seemed to be on the ball. And, some congregations, have fought themselves to death. Trouble after trouble, and those that remained became weary of fussing, fighting, gossip and turmoil. So, the time came to close the doors.

But when a church stops, it doesn’t really impact the kingdom. God’s church is made up of the saved. We may assemble in this place and then that place, and none of that really changes God’s kingdom. This is a thought that we lose sometimes. We become wedded to a specific congregation and a specific place. Sometimes our forefathers actually started the congregation or helped build the church building. To close the doors, seems to fail and it seems we are letting our ancestors down. And, that sad truth can be seen in areas where there may be two or three congregations that are not very large. They all have their own church building which must be heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. They all have a preacher that must be supported. Yet, if those two or three congregations merged, they would have a larger pool of teachers, children, and even men to serve as leaders. But some would never dream of that. In their minds, to leave that place would be like leaving the Lord. So, they hang on, while the ship sinks. Discouraged. Slowly dying. They hang on, until death or poor health makes it necessary for them to finally close the doors.

Our commitment is to the Lord. We need to serve the Lord wherever we can. The life of a congregation can be up and down. Some soar and others sink. Some do well and some don’t do so well. The congregation is where we worship, connect with other saints, pool our energy and resources, love, work and fellowship. However, our time with a congregation and the life of a congregation often changes. Some move in and then move out. Young people go off to college, get jobs and some never come back. Our faith is tied directly to the Lord. A congregation helps us. And we need to be a part of a congregation, but the congregation does not determine our faith nor define our walk. Here’s what I mean. Things can be a bit touchy in the congregation. Tension and hurt feelings may be taking place. These things may be on my mind a lot. Many prayers may be going upward. But my faith does not have to suffer because my faith is in the Lord and not the wellbeing of a congregation. I own my faith. I determine whether or not I will be strong or not. The church can help, but my faith is independent of the church. If this wasn’t true, then we are putting our hope and future not in the hands of the Lord, but in the hands of those who lead the congregation. If they are corrupt, discouraging, indifferent, dead, then that will be my faith. I cannot have others determine what my faith will be. So, in places like Sardis, where the Lord called them dead, there were a few who were doing right. How could they? How could they do right in an atmosphere of death? The church did not define nor determine their faith.

We need to understand this and get this. Too many live their faith based upon what is happening down at the church building. So, if things are positive, optimistic and hopeful, you’ll find some whose faith follows that. However, if things are discouraging and dying, you’ll find some whose faith is that way. The members determine the atmosphere of the church. The church shouldn’t determine the atmosphere of our faith.

So, a congregation closes it’s doors. Historically, it’s sad. But nothing really changes. Those believers will move on to another place nearby and continue to worship and work in the kingdom. A church stops meeting, doesn’t mean we quit. For a number of reasons, it may be just time to get with another group and work with them. Our faith needs to be strong, no matter what.

We define our faith through Christ, not the church.

Roger

Jump Start # 2013

Revelation 2:5 “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place.”

The seven churches described in Revelation’s introduction were all different. Different problems. Different opportunities. Different challenges. A common word that is thread through most of the seven churches is repent. The new year is still fresh. Many are still on their resolutions, they haven’t given up on them yet. The very idea behind a resolution is change. I want to look better. I want to save more money. I want to read the Bible more. I want to spend more time with my family. Change. I want to do things better.

One of the things we learn from our passage is that a congregation can change. The Lord was counting on this. If there was no hope, no possible way of changing, why put out the plea to repent? Ephesus, which our verse today is talking about, could once again embrace in faith and passion their first love. They were guilty of leaving their first love. They could get it back. It was possible.

So, all around us, this sparks hope and a brighter future. Things do not have to stay the way they are. Change is possible. Things can be better. Dead churches can come back to life. Churches that seem to have lost their purpose, can find it again. Just this week I received word about a congregation that has appointed more elders and they are set on course to get back to the Biblical pattern of shepherding. This is a dramatic change and a bright future for that congregation. It’s a huge change for them and it will set forth a legacy of compassion, faithfulness and diligence that will help lives for a long time. Change, it’s possible.

How does a church change? How would a loveless Ephesus turn directions? How would a dead Sardis, find life? Here are some thoughts.

First, it doesn’t happen overnight. Patience, staying the course and influencing and teaching are important. We see things that are not right, and immediately we want to fix it. The expression “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” reminds us that people tend to get comfortable in their ways and change involves doing things that hasn’t been done. The easy thing to do is to do nothing. The easy thing to do is to wait for others to change things.

Second, change must come from within. Waiting for your Superhero to fly in and right all the wrongs is not going to happen. An idea can begin from a book, a visiting preacher, a conversation, but those ideas must hit the pavement and slowly, with the Bible, people must see a better way and a Biblical way of doing things. I have found in many places that people recognize that things could be better, but no one wants to do anything about it other than talk. Years roll by and things remain the same. Hearts become stubborn. People get used to what is going on and they give up on things ever being better. Change at Ephesus had to come from the members of Ephesus.

Third, threats and bombastic attitudes most often backfire. People need to see before they will change. They must understand why they need to change. They need to see in the Bible what they are missing. Forcing people to do what they do not want to do, leads to rebellion, mutiny and division. Keep teaching God’s way. Keep showing what is the better way. Keep bringing ideas. Keep encouraging. Show, one by one, how things can be. Just as false teaching can spread through a congregation, most times, not from the pulpit, but member to member, influencing one another, the same is true of truth. Showing and using God’s word, one by one, in classes, from the pulpit, the ideas get across. God told Ephesus to “remember.” That’s a great starting point. Remember how excited you once were about worship? Remember how you couldn’t wait to invite a friend? Remember how busy we once were in teaching, helping out and doing things? Remember. Remember those hours we poured in getting things ready for VBS? Remember getting down to the church building on a Saturday morning to clean it up and polish it before a special meeting? Remember? We can do that again. We’ve done it before. Will you help me? I’ll be there, will you come?

Fourth, don’t expect others to change if you are not willing to change and lead the way. Many will follow, but few will lead. Telling others what needs to be done doesn’t go very far. But rolling up your sleeves and doing what you can, often will get others to do the same. If Ephesus was to change, someone had to start it. Who would be the first to repent? Who would show others the way to follow? I have talked to elderships before, and they were not happy with the way they were doing things. Yet, no one would take that first step that leads to change. They were waiting for someone, but it wasn’t going to be any of them.

Fifth, expect some resistance. Some do not want to change. Some in Ephesus were probably happy with the things as they were. Why change? Change means doing things differently. Change means more work. Change means changing. Some will do all that they can to keep that from happening. They will challenge whether or not change is needed. They will question the direction that some want to go. They will fight, dig their heels in and resist. Some never will change. As the church gets back to where it should be with the Lord, some even in Ephesus, would hold on to not loving their first love. They are content with things just as they are. Those folks will miss out. They will not experience the depth of spiritual growth that others will know. Sometimes, in some places, the majority, at first, is content to keep doing what has always been done. No goals. No legacy. No plans. No challenges to improve. But, one by one, their eyes are opened and things turn. Repentance, change and doing things right is possible.

There are many places that are taking a serious look at what they are doing. They understand the difference between the Biblical model, which can never change, and the generational model, which is how the Biblical model is implemented. How often to meet on Sunday? How many Gospel meetings to have and what length they should be? Every year do the same or find better ways to connect, teach, and encourage.

Changing a congregation is possible. It must be changed for the right reasons and they must always be in line with what God says. But to sit on the sidelines with a hopeless spirit that nothing will ever change, is nether good nor right.

There is a story of Alexander the Great inspecting the troops on day. One soldier was not right. His uniform was messy and he wasn’t standing as he should. When asked his name, he proudly said, “Alexander, like yours.” He was told, either change your ways or change your name!

The Ephesians were told to repent.

Roger

Jump Start # 582

Revelation 2:5 “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

In this series of Jump Starts, we are looking at the pleas of the Lord to the seven churches. In identifying problems, the Lord offers solutions. It’s those solutions, or calls to repentance that we are focusing our attention on. Earlier Jump Starts, around # 290s, gave some overviews and thoughts about each of these seven churches. Those can be accessed from Jumpstartsdaily.com

Ephesus had left her first love. The church was still going onward. It was still exposing false teachers, holding worship and doing all the signs of an active church, but something was amiss under the hood. Internally, duty had replaced devotion. Have to had replaced want to. It’s a sad state when love is gone. That is true with a hobby, a marriage, or a church. Often, when love is lost, a person moves on. When golf is no longer any fun, the clubs gather dust in the garage. When love is gone in a marriage, a couple act more like roommates sharing an apartment than two who are supposed to be one. Often, one starts thinking about leaving. When a church forgets its love for Christ, sour attitudes start surfacing, things tend to bother people more, and folks start thinking more like the world than Jesus. It’s a terrible state to lose that love.

Can you ever fall back in love again? Many would say “No.” That’s why they give up on the hobby, the marriage, and the church. Jesus says otherwise. He doesn’t think it’s over. He tells Ephesus three key principles.

1. Remember. We often forget. We often only see things the way they are now. We forget how excited we were at first. We forget how great things were. This is true of the marriage that has lost it’s love. Remember dating? Remember planning the wedding? Remember the first home? Fixing it up. Most of us started out poor. Many of us struggled, but we were happy. We were in love. Remember? Remember what it was like to be a Christian? Remember how great it was to sing hymns? Remember going to people’s homes for singings, studies, and get togethers? It was amazing. Remember going to Gospel meetings? Every night. Tired as you were, it was great. What happened? The church still sings those same hymns. The church still has gospel meetings. What happened is that the newness has worn off. The old river of life keeps rolling along. Problems, kids, stress, work, bills have squeezed their way into our hearts and in the process, Jesus has been pushed out. Remember? That’s one of the keys. It’s not that you never had it, so you have to make believe or dream. You’ve been there. You were in love—in your marriage and with the Lord.

2. Repeat. Jesus said, do the deeds you did at first. It worked before, do it again. This is true in marriage and this is true with the Lord. I use this passage with couples who have forgotten. Remember, guys, opening the car door for your lady? Been a while since we’ve done that. Often we are sitting in the car waiting on them and then when they get in the car, we declare, “What took you so long?” One time, the wait was worth it. Remember, writing little notes and leaving them for the other to see? Remember, holding hands? Remember, seeing each other and smiling? Remember? How about with Jesus? Remember getting to the church building early? Remember sitting up close? Remember writing down nearly every word the preacher said? Remember going to a Bible Class like it was a college class? Sitting up front? Notebook opened. Studied ahead of time. Excited. Engaged. In tuned. Remember? Remember asking the preacher questions? Remember looking for books that would help you grow? Remember listening to tapes or cd’s of sermons in the car as we drove to work? We did all those things. We did them at first. Then we quit. The cd of sermons was replaced with the cd of the Eagles. We don’t have any questions any more and that is partly because we have lost the awe of God and the mystery of the spiritual things. Do the deeds you did at first. It works in marriage and it works with God.

3. Repent. Change. Don’t keep going the way you are headed. The direction you are on has taken your heart away from God. The more you stay on this course, the more you will become distant to God. Turn it around. Turn back and do the things you did at first. This is not something that someone can do for you, it’s what you must do yourself. You must turn your heart back to God. He deserves better from you and you are capable of more.

Three simple words: Remember, Repeat, Repent.  This will get the engines started again and turn a sour marriage around, it will bring life to a dead relationship with the Lord. These thoughts remind us that God wasn’t finished with the Ephesians. He hadn’t given up on them. He wanted them to love Him. The same goes for us. He’s not done with you and He wants you to have a vibrant relationship with Him. It can be done.

People don’t continue very long in a loveless relationship. Either they get the love back or they give up and move on. When we talk about the Lord, where are we going to move on to? There is no one else. There is no where else.

We sing, “O how I love Jesus, O how I love Jesus.” Give that some thought. Try singing that song today. Try finding your way back to the Lord. He’s looking for you.

Roger