First Love Never Dies

Revelation 2:1-7

Questions to ponder?
What is first love?
Why do we say it is?
Does it really die or
does it never dies?
What then are the
signs of a dying love?
Why should we keep
our first love?
Why should we
restore it if its already
been lost or dying?
Revelation 2:4
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken
your first love. [NIV]
But I have this complaint against you. You
dont love me or each other as you did at
first. [NLT]
Ngunit ito ang ayaw ko sa inyo: ang pag-ibig
nyo sa akin nagyon ay hindi na tulad ng dati.
[Ang Salita ng Diyos]
What is first
love?

Why do we say
it is first love?

FIRST LOVE ?
It is the devotion to
Christ that so often
characterizes the new
believer: fervent
personal, uninhibited,
excited, and openly
displayed.
It is the honeymoon
love of the husband
and wife.
Just as when a
man and a woman
fall in love,
so also new
believers rejoice at
their newfound
forgiveness and
relationship with
God.
While it is true that
mature married
love
deepens and
grows richer,
it is also true that
it should never lose
the excitement
and wonder of
those
honeymoon days.
Those Honeymoon Days [v.2-3]
2 I know all the things you do. I have seen
your hard work and your patient endurance. I
know you dont tolerate evil people. You have
examined the claims of those who say they
are apostles but are not. You have discovered
they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered
for me without quitting. [NLT]

Pahayag 2:2,3 [Ang Salita ng Diyos]

2 Alam ko ang mga ginagawa nyo pati na ang
pagsisikap at pagtitiyaga ninyo. Alam ko rin
na hindi rin ninyo kinukunsinti ang
masasamang tao. Sinisiyasat ninyo ang mga
nagpapanggap na apostol, at napatunayan
ninyong mga sinungaling sila. Tiniis ninyo ang
mga kahirapan dahil sa pananampalataya
nyo sa akin, at hindi kayo nanghina.
Does first love
really dies?

When a husband
and wife
begin to take each
other for granted,
and life becomes
routine,
then the marriage
is in danger!
The Forsaken Love! [v.4]
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken
your first love. [NIV]

What then are
the signs
of a dying love?
The Careless Ephesians Church!
This busy, separated,
sacrificing church really
suffered from heart
trouble- they had
abandoned their first love!
[v.4]
They just displayed
works... labor... and
patience [v.2], but these
qualities were not
motivated by a love for
Christ.
They had fallen and had
not lived-up to its heavenly
position in Christ! [v.5]
What do we
ought to be?
1 Thessalonians 1:3
As we pray to our God and Father about you,
we think of your faithful work, your loving
deeds, and the enduring hope you have
because of our Lord Jesus Christ. [NLT]
Ephesians 6:24
Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus
Christ with undying and incorruptible love.
Amen. [Amplified Bible]
The Sad Truth!
When we lose sight of
the seriousness of sin, we
begin to lose the thrill of
our forgiveness.
We also lose our zeal for
God and we become too
busy with our life. And if
we do serve God, were
acting out with wrong
motives!
We then cease to be an
effective church!
2 Peter 1:8,9
8 For if you possess these qualities in
increasing measure, they will keep you from
being ineffective and unproductive in your
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But if anyone does not have them, he is
nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that
he has been cleansed from his past sins. [NIV]
Do we love God
with the same
fervour as when
we were new
Christians?
Do understand these...
Our service to God must be motivated by love,
or it wont last!
What we do for the Lord is important, but so
is why we do it!
It is possible for us to serve, sacrifice, and
suffer for Christs sake, yet not really him!
Labor is no substitute for love, neither is
purity a substitute for passion. We must have
them both in order please God.
Why should we
restore it
if its already
been lost?

And how?

Revelation 2:5a
Remember the height from which you have
fallen! Repent and do the things you did at
first. [NIV]

Alalahanin ninyo kung gaano kayo nanamlay
sa pananampalataya. Magsisi kayo sa mga
kasalanan ninyo at gawing muli ang dati
ninyong ginagawa. [Ang Salita ng Diyos]
1. Remember!
We must literally
keep on
remembering what
we have lost and
cultivate a desire to
regain that close
communion once
again.
2. Repent!
We must repent-
change our minds-
confess our sins to
the Lord.
1 John 1:9
3. Repeat!
We must repeat the
first works, which
suggests restoring the
original fellowship that
was broken by our sin
and neglect.
This means: Prayer,
bible reading and
meditation, obedient
service, and worship.
Why then
must we
maintain
our first
love?
To him that
overcomes!
Believers who
remained true to the
Lord, no matter what
others may do. And
whose faith has given
them victory.
1 John 5:4,5
4 For every child of God defeats this evil
world, and we achieve this victory through our
faith.
And who can win this battle against the
world? Only those who believe that Jesus is
the Son of God. [NLT]
And because God
promised us his
blessings!
Our Present and
Future Blessings!
[v.7]
We have eternal
abundant life (John
3:16, John 10:10),
and enjoy this
blessings now,
And we shall enjoy it
in greater measure
in eternity (Rev.
22:1-5)

Conclusion:
To overcome is
to be victorious
by believing
[in Christ],
persevering,
remaining faithful,
and living as one
who follows Christ.
Such a life brings
great rewards!