1 00:00:00,260 --> 00:00:06,060 Now I think we can tackle this matter 2 00:00:06,060 --> 00:00:06,640 of Ephesus. 3 00:00:08,970 --> 00:00:11,390 We've been marching round Ephesus so far. 4 00:00:12,690 --> 00:00:14,770 Now we try to get inside. 5 00:00:16,350 --> 00:00:21,090 I'll just read a part of the message. 6 00:00:22,050 --> 00:00:24,110 The second chapter, the book of the Revelation. 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,900 These things saith he that holdeth the seven 8 00:00:31,900 --> 00:00:34,240 stars in his right hand. 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,560 He that walketh in the midst of the 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,980 seven golden lampstands. 11 00:00:40,460 --> 00:00:45,660 I know thy works, thy toil and patience. 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,040 But thou canst not bear evil men. 13 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,320 Didst try them which call themselves apostles, and 14 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:56,120 they are not. 15 00:00:56,940 --> 00:00:58,580 And didst find them false. 16 00:00:59,580 --> 00:01:03,420 Thou hast patience, and didst bear for my 17 00:01:03,420 --> 00:01:07,440 namesake, and hast not grown weary. 18 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:15,040 But I have this against thee, that thou 19 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,620 didst leave thy first love. 20 00:01:19,190 --> 00:01:27,470 Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, 21 00:01:28,190 --> 00:01:30,170 do the first works. 22 00:01:31,730 --> 00:01:36,070 Or else I will come to thee, and 23 00:01:36,070 --> 00:01:41,530 move thy lampstand out of its place, except 24 00:01:41,530 --> 00:01:42,430 thou repent. 25 00:01:42,430 --> 00:01:53,830 So what we have to do, seek 26 00:01:53,830 --> 00:01:57,230 the Lord's help to do, is to get 27 00:01:57,230 --> 00:01:58,790 right to the heart of that message. 28 00:02:00,030 --> 00:02:07,110 And find out what that thing was and 29 00:02:07,110 --> 00:02:12,290 is, upon which everything talked. 30 00:02:13,980 --> 00:02:23,960 For as we have seen, the continuance of 31 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:33,160 this vessel, as serving the Lord's 32 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:41,300 purpose, did not rest upon a number of 33 00:02:41,300 --> 00:02:45,440 quite good and commendable things. 34 00:02:47,010 --> 00:02:56,350 But it hung upon one thing, and that 35 00:02:56,350 --> 00:03:00,890 is called the first love. 36 00:03:02,250 --> 00:03:05,770 Thy first love. 37 00:03:09,650 --> 00:03:12,890 And we are going to ask the question, 38 00:03:13,370 --> 00:03:18,370 and seek in some degree to answer it. 39 00:03:19,190 --> 00:03:22,170 What is first love? 40 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,140 May I say here, before I go on 41 00:03:28,140 --> 00:03:32,440 with that, that it is not my thought 42 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:40,140 or expectation to make anything like an exhaustive 43 00:03:40,140 --> 00:03:42,020 study of these messages. 44 00:03:44,130 --> 00:03:46,870 Indeed I do not know whether I shall 45 00:03:46,870 --> 00:03:49,910 deal with all of them. 46 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:59,820 But whatever we do, we shall seek to 47 00:03:59,820 --> 00:04:04,100 get right to the heart of the message. 48 00:04:06,930 --> 00:04:13,380 And find out exactly what it is, that 49 00:04:13,380 --> 00:04:22,140 is that expression of Christ which is so 50 00:04:22,140 --> 00:04:29,790 vital, and so full of consequence, as to 51 00:04:29,790 --> 00:04:37,430 make this whole matter of continued ministry into 52 00:04:37,430 --> 00:04:38,510 a crisis. 53 00:04:40,430 --> 00:04:43,470 For there is no doubt about it, that 54 00:04:43,470 --> 00:04:46,170 we are in the presence of crisis when 55 00:04:46,170 --> 00:04:49,110 we are here with these messages. 56 00:04:49,830 --> 00:04:56,430 There is a real upshot of a very 57 00:04:56,430 --> 00:05:03,510 ultimate and utter character bound up with these 58 00:05:03,510 --> 00:05:03,990 messages. 59 00:05:04,990 --> 00:05:08,610 We want to find out what it is 60 00:05:08,610 --> 00:05:14,290 that carries so much with it, and means 61 00:05:14,290 --> 00:05:18,910 so much to the Church and to the 62 00:05:18,910 --> 00:05:19,230 Lord. 63 00:05:20,490 --> 00:05:23,690 I have said that expression of Christ. 64 00:05:25,250 --> 00:05:29,550 Here I ought to spend time in again 65 00:05:29,550 --> 00:05:30,490 approaching this. 66 00:05:31,310 --> 00:05:32,610 But I'll do no more. 67 00:05:33,270 --> 00:05:35,210 I've had a hint that I'm putting too 68 00:05:35,210 --> 00:05:38,370 much in, or trying to. 69 00:05:41,670 --> 00:05:45,290 But it is perfectly clear to the simplest 70 00:05:45,290 --> 00:05:51,470 reader that it is that portrait of the 71 00:05:51,470 --> 00:05:56,050 Lord Jesus in chapter one that is spread 72 00:05:56,050 --> 00:05:57,930 over these seven messages. 73 00:05:59,070 --> 00:06:03,910 You probably have noticed that something out of 74 00:06:03,910 --> 00:06:08,030 that description of the Lord Jesus is used 75 00:06:08,030 --> 00:06:13,610 in the introduction to every message. 76 00:06:14,330 --> 00:06:17,290 There is only one slight change. 77 00:06:18,670 --> 00:06:22,950 And that is to Philadelphia where instead of 78 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:27,130 who hath the keys of death and of 79 00:06:27,130 --> 00:06:30,190 Hades, the change is who hath the keys 80 00:06:30,190 --> 00:06:30,650 of David. 81 00:06:31,810 --> 00:06:38,670 With that exception, or change, every message contains 82 00:06:38,670 --> 00:06:42,030 something taken out of the description of the 83 00:06:42,030 --> 00:06:42,710 Lord Jesus. 84 00:06:43,090 --> 00:06:45,990 He that, and then you have something from 85 00:06:45,990 --> 00:06:49,790 the full portrait and presentation of Christ. 86 00:06:50,610 --> 00:06:55,130 Clearly implying that it is that which is 87 00:06:55,130 --> 00:06:58,090 of Christ that is governing in every case. 88 00:06:59,670 --> 00:07:06,010 All around, everywhere, every time, it's something vital 89 00:07:06,010 --> 00:07:08,010 of Christ that's at issue. 90 00:07:09,450 --> 00:07:11,750 That is the important thing to note. 91 00:07:14,660 --> 00:07:16,660 Now come to Ephesus. 92 00:07:18,020 --> 00:07:22,220 Of course Ephesus was the mother church of 93 00:07:22,220 --> 00:07:22,500 Asia. 94 00:07:24,770 --> 00:07:28,970 We know that to be so because it 95 00:07:28,970 --> 00:07:34,190 is said by Paul's three years there in 96 00:07:34,190 --> 00:07:38,850 Ephesus, all Asia heard the word, both Jew 97 00:07:38,850 --> 00:07:39,930 and Greek. 98 00:07:41,630 --> 00:07:46,970 And it was the mother church and the 99 00:07:46,970 --> 00:07:51,990 introduction, the message to Ephesus, the Lord describes 100 00:07:51,990 --> 00:07:57,010 himself as he that holdeth the seven stars 101 00:07:57,010 --> 00:07:59,790 and walketh in the midst of the seven 102 00:07:59,790 --> 00:08:01,250 golden lampstands. 103 00:08:02,050 --> 00:08:04,550 Ephesus is inclusive of all. 104 00:08:05,570 --> 00:08:07,450 Ephesus is comprehensive. 105 00:08:09,250 --> 00:08:12,950 And so what is said to Ephesus is 106 00:08:12,950 --> 00:08:14,750 not just said to Ephesus alone. 107 00:08:15,610 --> 00:08:17,050 It's to Asia. 108 00:08:18,450 --> 00:08:23,190 It is quite comprehensive, this message. 109 00:08:24,030 --> 00:08:27,110 And as we are able to put our 110 00:08:27,110 --> 00:08:30,870 finger upon this vital matter right at the 111 00:08:30,870 --> 00:08:34,770 heart of things, I'm sure without my pointing 112 00:08:34,770 --> 00:08:37,610 it out, we shall see that it is 113 00:08:37,610 --> 00:08:43,150 a matter that is in no sense exclusively 114 00:08:43,150 --> 00:08:47,550 local or of a particular period. 115 00:08:48,170 --> 00:08:52,330 It is something that is ever the period 116 00:08:52,330 --> 00:08:56,810 of the people of God. 117 00:08:57,530 --> 00:09:02,290 So we return to say, what is this 118 00:09:02,290 --> 00:09:07,610 thing called thy first love? 119 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:15,340 For the answer, of course, we have to 120 00:09:15,340 --> 00:09:20,620 or should go back to the great letter 121 00:09:20,620 --> 00:09:27,660 of Paul, which now bears the name, the 122 00:09:27,660 --> 00:09:29,160 letter to the Ephesians. 123 00:09:30,260 --> 00:09:32,980 We know it was a letter to more 124 00:09:32,980 --> 00:09:33,980 churches than Ephesus. 125 00:09:34,750 --> 00:09:39,700 That was one of the churches, perhaps the 126 00:09:39,700 --> 00:09:42,920 first one, which had a name put on 127 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,420 it in its circulation. 128 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,780 We can, for our purpose, speak of it 129 00:09:50,780 --> 00:09:56,000 as the letter to the Ephesians. 130 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,740 And if you call to mind the content 131 00:10:00,740 --> 00:10:06,080 of that letter, you will remember that it 132 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,320 has a very great deal in it about 133 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:09,840 love. 134 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Chapter 2, verse 4, for his great love, 135 00:10:20,180 --> 00:10:23,020 wherewith he loved us. 136 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:30,540 Chapter 5, verse 2, walk in love as 137 00:10:30,540 --> 00:10:34,020 Christ also loved us. 138 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:41,580 Chapter 5, verse 25, as Christ loved the 139 00:10:41,580 --> 00:10:47,140 church and gave himself for it. 140 00:10:48,140 --> 00:10:53,840 Chapter 3, verse 17, rooted and grounded in 141 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:54,380 love. 142 00:10:56,290 --> 00:11:01,010 Chapter 3, verse 19, the breadth and the 143 00:11:01,010 --> 00:11:03,770 length and the height and the depth. 144 00:11:04,910 --> 00:11:07,730 The knowledge surpassing love. 145 00:11:14,260 --> 00:11:16,540 It is not a long letter so far 146 00:11:16,540 --> 00:11:19,780 as compass of words is concerned. 147 00:11:20,390 --> 00:11:25,360 But what immense statements those are. 148 00:11:27,470 --> 00:11:32,630 What a tremendous love is represented there. 149 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:43,570 Yes, Ephesus was the church which had been 150 00:11:43,570 --> 00:11:48,190 given a ministry and revelation of love. 151 00:11:49,870 --> 00:11:52,430 The knowledge surpassing love. 152 00:11:54,910 --> 00:11:57,050 And Ephesus had responded to it. 153 00:11:58,910 --> 00:12:01,870 Ephesus had responded to it, there is no 154 00:12:01,870 --> 00:12:02,650 doubt about it. 155 00:12:03,030 --> 00:12:06,130 Read chapters 19 and 20 of the book 156 00:12:06,130 --> 00:12:09,550 of the Acts and see the response that 157 00:12:09,550 --> 00:12:10,770 they made to that love. 158 00:12:11,750 --> 00:12:14,990 And to the man who had brought the 159 00:12:14,990 --> 00:12:20,090 knowledge of that love to them, he bade 160 00:12:20,090 --> 00:12:21,010 them farewell. 161 00:12:22,750 --> 00:12:24,570 They knelt down together. 162 00:12:25,730 --> 00:12:29,750 He prayed and they wept much at his 163 00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:30,290 departure. 164 00:12:31,670 --> 00:12:33,450 It all is seen. 165 00:12:35,430 --> 00:12:38,510 Divine love reciprocated. 166 00:12:40,250 --> 00:12:45,610 Ephesus in a very real sense embodied love 167 00:12:45,610 --> 00:12:50,410 from God and returning to God. 168 00:12:51,410 --> 00:12:53,570 From Christ to Christ. 169 00:12:55,780 --> 00:12:59,140 Yes, that is all very true. 170 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,480 But you have got to add another word 171 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:09,800 alongside of that to be able to arrive 172 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:15,020 at the meaning of this there first love. 173 00:13:15,620 --> 00:13:18,320 And it is the other word which has 174 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,080 the largest place in that letter to the 175 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:21,660 Ephesians. 176 00:13:22,420 --> 00:13:24,080 And it is the word grace. 177 00:13:25,180 --> 00:13:26,060 Grace. 178 00:13:26,820 --> 00:13:29,260 I will not take the time to give 179 00:13:29,260 --> 00:13:34,200 you all the nine references or mentions of 180 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,300 grace in that letter. 181 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,740 But grace, grace is everywhere. 182 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,820 Grace is running through it all. 183 00:13:43,180 --> 00:13:44,940 It is all grace. 184 00:13:48,980 --> 00:13:55,480 Why was there such a response to the 185 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:56,460 love of God? 186 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:04,360 Because they recognized and were fully alive to 187 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:11,030 the fact how great grace there must be 188 00:14:11,030 --> 00:14:14,130 for such people to be loved in such 189 00:14:14,130 --> 00:14:14,510 a way. 190 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:28,840 This first love is no sentimental thing. 191 00:14:30,940 --> 00:14:33,540 Talk about first love, a good deal of 192 00:14:33,540 --> 00:14:38,300 sentiment bound up with that phrase as often 193 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:38,900 used. 194 00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:43,220 No, this is not something sentimental, this is 195 00:14:43,220 --> 00:14:45,000 a quality of love. 196 00:14:46,300 --> 00:14:50,260 The Lord helped me to show you that 197 00:14:50,260 --> 00:14:52,900 quality of this love. 198 00:14:57,030 --> 00:14:59,610 The Lord loved Israel of old. 199 00:15:02,530 --> 00:15:05,310 Oh, how the prophets declared that love. 200 00:15:07,010 --> 00:15:09,930 How the Lord made known his love for 201 00:15:09,930 --> 00:15:10,790 that people. 202 00:15:11,230 --> 00:15:12,910 There is no doubt about it. 203 00:15:12,910 --> 00:15:15,330 The Lord loved Israel. 204 00:15:18,470 --> 00:15:24,850 But Israel all too soon lost the sense 205 00:15:24,850 --> 00:15:29,990 of the infinite condescension of God to love 206 00:15:29,990 --> 00:15:30,230 them. 207 00:15:33,950 --> 00:15:38,390 The infinite condescension of God in choosing them 208 00:15:38,390 --> 00:15:42,470 from amongst all peoples of the earth. 209 00:15:43,530 --> 00:15:49,210 And all too soon Israel allowed themselves to 210 00:15:49,210 --> 00:15:54,670 feel that they were something and worthy of 211 00:15:54,670 --> 00:15:55,570 that love. 212 00:15:56,150 --> 00:15:58,830 And they became proud and they took the 213 00:15:58,830 --> 00:15:59,790 love for granted. 214 00:16:03,110 --> 00:16:07,250 The sin of Israel was just that. 215 00:16:08,530 --> 00:16:12,150 In the end, well, it was just that. 216 00:16:12,470 --> 00:16:12,850 That. 217 00:16:13,510 --> 00:16:14,610 They were the people. 218 00:16:15,830 --> 00:16:16,790 They were the people. 219 00:16:19,390 --> 00:16:21,870 Yes, they merited this. 220 00:16:22,130 --> 00:16:23,530 They were worthy of this. 221 00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:26,290 They were something to take account of. 222 00:16:28,270 --> 00:16:30,710 They were the people. 223 00:16:32,510 --> 00:16:33,570 God only loved them. 224 00:16:34,670 --> 00:16:37,150 That's how it came to be. 225 00:16:38,710 --> 00:16:40,610 That's how it came to be with Israel. 226 00:16:42,030 --> 00:16:46,430 And for that very reason, the covenant was 227 00:16:46,430 --> 00:16:51,740 broken and the Gentiles were brought in their 228 00:16:51,740 --> 00:16:52,160 place. 229 00:16:53,900 --> 00:16:55,760 And do you notice about the Gentiles? 230 00:16:57,140 --> 00:17:02,040 When the apostle turned to the Gentiles, when 231 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,400 the message went to the Gentiles, you always, 232 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:10,380 you invariably have this, the most wonderful thing 233 00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:13,500 that you can think of, that we should 234 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:15,520 be allowed into this. 235 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,740 Never was anything heard of like this. 236 00:17:22,300 --> 00:17:27,580 The Gentiles, the heathen, the people whom Israel 237 00:17:27,580 --> 00:17:32,840 called the dogs, brought right in, right into 238 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,640 the family and given all the privilege of 239 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:37,220 sons. 240 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:40,480 Most marvelous thing. 241 00:17:42,380 --> 00:17:48,160 It was the tremendous appreciation of divine love. 242 00:17:49,380 --> 00:17:50,940 You hear our brother's prayer tonight. 243 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:52,680 He might have known what I was going 244 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:53,020 to say. 245 00:17:54,140 --> 00:17:55,180 First love? 246 00:17:56,340 --> 00:17:57,140 First love? 247 00:17:58,080 --> 00:17:59,060 First love. 248 00:17:59,060 --> 00:18:01,460 Well, in this case, you see, it was 249 00:18:01,460 --> 00:18:02,040 like this. 250 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:04,160 It was like this. 251 00:18:05,780 --> 00:18:07,860 Here is a wife. 252 00:18:09,460 --> 00:18:10,720 Here is a bride. 253 00:18:13,580 --> 00:18:17,160 The church as the bride of Christ. 254 00:18:18,220 --> 00:18:23,280 Not saying, he's lucky to have me for 255 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:23,700 a wife. 256 00:18:25,060 --> 00:18:26,840 I'm quite worthy of him. 257 00:18:28,470 --> 00:18:31,350 He ought to be very thankful to have 258 00:18:31,350 --> 00:18:33,030 such a wife as I am. 259 00:18:34,010 --> 00:18:34,470 But no. 260 00:18:35,810 --> 00:18:38,050 It's the most amazing thing that he ever 261 00:18:38,050 --> 00:18:39,030 looked at me at all. 262 00:18:40,730 --> 00:18:43,090 That ever he should have given me a 263 00:18:43,090 --> 00:18:45,330 first thought, let alone a second. 264 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:48,860 I can never explain it. 265 00:18:49,860 --> 00:18:51,100 Never understand that. 266 00:18:52,260 --> 00:18:55,860 I'll never be able for all eternity to 267 00:18:55,860 --> 00:18:59,240 know why he thought of me, let alone 268 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:03,980 love me, and gave himself for me. 269 00:19:04,060 --> 00:19:06,120 You see, that's the spirit of the church. 270 00:19:07,260 --> 00:19:09,500 And that was the spirit of the Gentiles 271 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:12,680 when the Jews just took everything for granted. 272 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,940 It all became so commonplace with them. 273 00:19:18,380 --> 00:19:20,720 All that God had given to them and 274 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,780 shown to them, well, there is nothing now 275 00:19:24,780 --> 00:19:26,500 very wonderful about that. 276 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:31,320 It lost its lustre, its glory, its wonder, 277 00:19:31,820 --> 00:19:32,880 its amazement. 278 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:35,960 It's so commonplace now. 279 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:40,860 They can do as they like with it. 280 00:19:41,660 --> 00:19:43,060 Take it or leave it. 281 00:19:45,250 --> 00:19:46,910 Not so with the Gentiles. 282 00:19:48,110 --> 00:19:50,650 See them in the house of Cornelius. 283 00:19:52,210 --> 00:19:53,970 My word, what openness of heart. 284 00:19:55,090 --> 00:19:57,190 See them in Philippi. 285 00:19:57,810 --> 00:19:59,390 What openness of heart. 286 00:19:59,390 --> 00:20:02,390 How they just drink it in there. 287 00:20:04,420 --> 00:20:05,960 See them in Thessalonica. 288 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,260 Paul said, you receive the word not as 289 00:20:09,260 --> 00:20:11,320 the word of man, but as the word 290 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:11,920 of God. 291 00:20:16,220 --> 00:20:20,620 Whenever you move outside of Israel, you've got 292 00:20:20,620 --> 00:20:25,900 an intense appreciation, a tremendous wonder. 293 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,540 And coming back to Ephesus, come back to 294 00:20:29,540 --> 00:20:32,940 Ephesus, what have you got here in Ephesus? 295 00:20:32,940 --> 00:20:34,460 You have this. 296 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,900 Not a few of them that practiced curious 297 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:41,720 arts brought their books together and bound them 298 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,080 in the sight of all, and they counted 299 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,080 the price of them and found it fifty 300 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,240 thousand pieces of silver. 301 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:51,100 That's appreciation. 302 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:53,800 That's appreciation. 303 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:56,960 There's nothing commonplace there. 304 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,100 That's first love, dear friends. 305 00:21:02,850 --> 00:21:03,810 That's first love. 306 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:09,910 The peril is even in your labor and 307 00:21:09,910 --> 00:21:15,190 in your patience and in your conscientiousness and 308 00:21:15,190 --> 00:21:16,250 your sincerity. 309 00:21:17,310 --> 00:21:24,800 And all these works and things, the glory, 310 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,600 the wonder, the amazement of being saved at 311 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,920 all, has been lost. 312 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:40,640 And all this marvelous revelation that God has 313 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:48,420 given as to the church's election, calling, vocation, 314 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,980 destiny, what is called the eternal purpose. 315 00:21:54,580 --> 00:21:58,080 You can hear it without a thrill. 316 00:22:01,570 --> 00:22:05,760 You can have it all and it does 317 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,460 not stir you to the profoundest gratitude and 318 00:22:09,460 --> 00:22:09,760 worship. 319 00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:16,520 It's all so familiar with it. 320 00:22:17,380 --> 00:22:18,540 It's lost its wonder. 321 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,800 That's the horror. 322 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:23,740 That's the horror. 323 00:22:24,060 --> 00:22:25,980 I say that's the peril of the church 324 00:22:25,980 --> 00:22:26,640 at all times. 325 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,900 God has given so much. 326 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,620 Begin to make it or allow it to 327 00:22:32,620 --> 00:22:33,380 be commonplace. 328 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,120 Oh, we've heard that before. 329 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:36,680 We know all about that. 330 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,580 You can't tell us anything that we don't 331 00:22:39,580 --> 00:22:40,800 know in that matter. 332 00:22:41,420 --> 00:22:42,440 We've got it all. 333 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,840 And we are not on our faces before 334 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,700 God in the presence of it, saying amazing 335 00:22:52,700 --> 00:22:58,720 wonder, amazing wonder, that ever I should have 336 00:22:58,720 --> 00:22:59,660 a place in that. 337 00:23:03,770 --> 00:23:07,250 Consider from whence thou art fallen. 338 00:23:07,250 --> 00:23:17,640 The mighty price of 339 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:23,620 their earthly things became as nothing, nothing, when 340 00:23:23,620 --> 00:23:25,680 they saw the Lord Jesus. 341 00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:31,640 He brought all those things of value to 342 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:33,720 men and in this world by which they 343 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,120 had laid so great a store. 344 00:23:37,980 --> 00:23:43,260 Yes, a great price as things of this 345 00:23:43,260 --> 00:23:44,000 world go. 346 00:23:44,860 --> 00:23:47,520 And they burnt them in the sight of 347 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:49,260 all that rubbish. 348 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:51,060 We've seen Jesus. 349 00:23:56,140 --> 00:24:01,070 And not until you've seen Jesus has everything 350 00:24:01,070 --> 00:24:06,930 else become tawdry and worthless and no greater 351 00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:11,660 value than to go up in smoke and 352 00:24:11,660 --> 00:24:12,220 see him. 353 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,800 Oh, the revelation of Jesus Christ ought not 354 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:22,140 to be a teaching, a truth, an interpretation, 355 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:24,160 a book. 356 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:27,320 It ought to be a worship. 357 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:33,220 And when I saw him, I fell at 358 00:24:33,220 --> 00:24:35,980 his feet as one did. 359 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,320 You ever seen Jesus bring you down like 360 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:41,560 that? 361 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:50,360 Have you ever seen what he has given 362 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:54,660 to you to the point of making you 363 00:24:54,660 --> 00:25:00,620 say it's the most wonderful thing man could 364 00:25:00,620 --> 00:25:06,520 ever think of, that I, I should be 365 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,060 given that, that I should have a place 366 00:25:10,060 --> 00:25:10,400 in that. 367 00:25:11,580 --> 00:25:13,060 Do you see how we need to be 368 00:25:13,060 --> 00:25:13,420 recovered? 369 00:25:14,180 --> 00:25:15,540 Don't let us blame Ephesus. 370 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:19,500 This is our constant enemy. 371 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:22,500 It's my constant enemy. 372 00:25:23,780 --> 00:25:28,340 My continuous handling of these things through the 373 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:28,780 years. 374 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:34,280 Always, always dealing with these matters. 375 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:36,320 And ministering them. 376 00:25:37,500 --> 00:25:44,440 My, my abiding enemy is familiarity and association 377 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,520 with it all as with truth. 378 00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:48,220 As with truth. 379 00:25:49,740 --> 00:25:56,510 To lose the wonder when it is wonderful. 380 00:25:58,050 --> 00:26:00,210 And dear friends, that's your peril. 381 00:26:01,370 --> 00:26:05,370 When you continuously and repeatedly hear it. 382 00:26:06,290 --> 00:26:10,910 It should be as a song that has 383 00:26:10,910 --> 00:26:13,310 lost its enchantment. 384 00:26:16,980 --> 00:26:20,960 As a tale that is true, a familiar 385 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:21,780 story. 386 00:26:23,930 --> 00:26:30,890 Yes, a wonderful story about never bowing before 387 00:26:30,890 --> 00:26:32,890 God. 388 00:26:37,580 --> 00:26:38,580 That is our peril. 389 00:26:40,020 --> 00:26:42,820 That is first. 390 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,940 And now you can see that you may 391 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:50,280 have a lot of things. 392 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:51,660 Not that. 393 00:26:52,860 --> 00:26:54,660 A lot of good things. 394 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,360 Oh, it isn't that you're all bad or 395 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:00,520 we're all bad and there's nothing good to 396 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:01,720 be said about us at all. 397 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:02,860 There is a lot of devotion. 398 00:27:03,780 --> 00:27:04,980 And there's a lot of labor. 399 00:27:06,260 --> 00:27:07,200 A lot, yes. 400 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:12,120 But what he is looking for is that 401 00:27:12,120 --> 00:27:17,120 true heart appreciation of himself. 402 00:27:17,940 --> 00:27:23,100 What he has done and what he has 403 00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:23,380 given. 404 00:27:26,110 --> 00:27:29,570 You move into this book and you find 405 00:27:29,570 --> 00:27:32,630 that you move into a realm of worship. 406 00:27:33,690 --> 00:27:37,450 Unto him that loveth us. 407 00:27:38,430 --> 00:27:42,870 Loosed us from our sins in his love. 408 00:27:43,050 --> 00:27:44,350 Made us. 409 00:27:45,350 --> 00:27:46,570 Made us. 410 00:27:47,670 --> 00:27:48,330 Kingdom. 411 00:27:48,970 --> 00:27:50,630 Priests unto his God. 412 00:27:53,090 --> 00:27:56,570 What can you say other than to him 413 00:27:56,570 --> 00:27:57,690 be the glory. 414 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:02,080 To him be the glory. 415 00:28:06,430 --> 00:28:09,410 You move into chapters four and five and 416 00:28:09,410 --> 00:28:10,770 that's where you are. 417 00:28:11,770 --> 00:28:13,210 Church in heaven. 418 00:28:13,670 --> 00:28:15,070 A worshiping church. 419 00:28:16,610 --> 00:28:23,030 In true and full appreciation of the Lord. 420 00:28:26,010 --> 00:28:28,410 Now that's not overloading you in matter. 421 00:28:29,750 --> 00:28:33,270 But it is putting upon us a very 422 00:28:33,270 --> 00:28:35,430 great responsibility. 423 00:28:36,750 --> 00:28:39,630 I believe, dear friends, that this is just 424 00:28:39,630 --> 00:28:41,830 the word the Lord would say to us 425 00:28:41,830 --> 00:28:42,750 all at this time. 426 00:28:42,890 --> 00:28:44,610 And I am quite content to leave it 427 00:28:44,610 --> 00:28:45,310 there tonight. 428 00:28:46,690 --> 00:28:48,750 Having conference after conference. 429 00:28:49,630 --> 00:28:51,030 Conference after conference. 430 00:28:51,850 --> 00:28:55,070 If you saw my office, you would see 431 00:28:55,070 --> 00:28:59,950 a stack halfway up my own stature of 432 00:28:59,950 --> 00:29:03,210 reports of conferences over the years. 433 00:29:03,210 --> 00:29:10,180 You may have to ask with all that 434 00:29:10,180 --> 00:29:10,800 has been given. 435 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,960 The volumes, the volumes being given through the 436 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:15,320 years. 437 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:17,620 How much worship has it produced? 438 00:29:18,980 --> 00:29:22,840 How much of all that are we alive 439 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:28,260 to as to what the Lord has given? 440 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:30,680 Now please don't think that I am making 441 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:31,540 this personal. 442 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:33,160 I am only illustrating what I mean. 443 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:39,900 What we who are so privileged, not here 444 00:29:39,900 --> 00:29:40,240 only. 445 00:29:40,500 --> 00:29:43,100 We the church in our time who have 446 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:43,840 all this. 447 00:29:44,580 --> 00:29:48,060 So privileged to have the revelation of Jesus 448 00:29:48,060 --> 00:29:48,620 Christ. 449 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,220 All the cost to those first servants of 450 00:29:53,220 --> 00:29:54,840 the Lord to give us this. 451 00:29:56,020 --> 00:30:00,200 All the cost to the Lord himself that 452 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:01,360 we should have it. 453 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:06,260 Oh yes, what a price lies behind it 454 00:30:06,260 --> 00:30:06,540 all. 455 00:30:10,830 --> 00:30:12,250 How much do we value it? 456 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,960 How much do we worship in the presence 457 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:17,980 of it? 458 00:30:18,180 --> 00:30:20,500 How much does it really mean to us? 459 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,840 How much is teaching and truth and the 460 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:28,220 Bible? 461 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:35,400 How much does it really touch our hearts? 462 00:30:36,660 --> 00:30:37,700 That's the question. 463 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:42,800 And that is the meaning of first love. 464 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:44,820 First love. 465 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:46,580 Oh, the appreciation. 466 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:51,180 Whatever the Lord should have looked our way 467 00:30:51,180 --> 00:30:57,440 to say nothing of just lavished upon us. 468 00:30:58,000 --> 00:30:59,520 All that he's got to give. 469 00:31:02,930 --> 00:31:04,670 Well, there's the message. 470 00:31:05,610 --> 00:31:05,910 See? 471 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,350 We can understand now why it was that 472 00:31:10,350 --> 00:31:14,910 Lord could not be satisfied with a number 473 00:31:14,910 --> 00:31:16,470 of quite good things. 474 00:31:17,790 --> 00:31:22,530 If that one thing, the essence of all 475 00:31:22,530 --> 00:31:30,070 that was lost, was left behind, no wonder 476 00:31:30,070 --> 00:31:31,730 he says do the first works. 477 00:31:33,050 --> 00:31:34,230 Go back again. 478 00:31:35,330 --> 00:31:36,970 First works, there they are. 479 00:31:38,210 --> 00:31:40,750 Oh yes, there's no doubt about it that 480 00:31:40,750 --> 00:31:44,310 they made a marvelous and costly, as this 481 00:31:44,310 --> 00:31:47,470 world would think, response to the Lord. 482 00:31:47,770 --> 00:31:50,710 I love to read that story in Acts 483 00:31:50,710 --> 00:31:53,130 19 and 20 of Paul in Ephesus. 484 00:31:54,410 --> 00:32:00,050 Tremendous riot where they would fain tear that 485 00:32:00,050 --> 00:32:02,470 apostle's limb from limb. 486 00:32:03,990 --> 00:32:08,290 And some of these Ephesians said, are not 487 00:32:08,290 --> 00:32:12,170 only said but acted just for his preservation. 488 00:32:12,990 --> 00:32:13,910 Don't you go out there. 489 00:32:14,010 --> 00:32:14,690 You stay in here. 490 00:32:15,570 --> 00:32:16,950 We come between you and them. 491 00:32:17,630 --> 00:32:20,610 Would not allow him to go out to 492 00:32:20,610 --> 00:32:22,630 them in their wild rage. 493 00:32:23,330 --> 00:32:28,430 They wanted this man kept because for them 494 00:32:28,430 --> 00:32:31,490 he was God's channel of so much. 495 00:32:31,490 --> 00:32:34,890 It's all such a wonderful picture of how 496 00:32:34,890 --> 00:32:37,770 they appreciated what had come to them. 497 00:32:39,130 --> 00:32:41,110 Now the Lord says you've fallen from that. 498 00:32:41,890 --> 00:32:43,090 You've fallen from that. 499 00:32:43,490 --> 00:32:44,370 You've left that. 500 00:32:45,950 --> 00:32:48,610 You haven't given up Christian work. 501 00:32:49,890 --> 00:32:52,570 You haven't given up all Christian virtues. 502 00:32:53,750 --> 00:32:56,310 Lots of good things about you but that's 503 00:32:56,310 --> 00:32:57,250 the thing that matters. 504 00:32:59,430 --> 00:33:01,610 I need not add more words to this. 505 00:33:01,610 --> 00:33:06,290 You see, it's all the appreciation of the 506 00:33:06,290 --> 00:33:07,270 grace of God. 507 00:33:08,110 --> 00:33:09,970 The grace of God. 508 00:33:12,750 --> 00:33:15,250 Where should we be but for the grace 509 00:33:15,250 --> 00:33:15,810 of God? 510 00:33:17,210 --> 00:33:20,270 Oh, grace had no meaning for Israel. 511 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:23,740 They didn't feel the need of it. 512 00:33:23,740 --> 00:33:32,650 If they were selves of the people who 513 00:33:32,650 --> 00:33:37,530 really put supreme value upon grace. 514 00:33:38,610 --> 00:33:40,370 For the people who got it all. 515 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:44,640 The Lord make us people like that. 516 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,220 And stir our hearts and challenge us. 517 00:33:49,220 --> 00:33:53,500 Recover in us this first love.