Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Anger
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Analytical
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Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Introduction: October 6, 1993 would be one of the worst days of my life, at least I thought so at the time.
I poured my bowl of Cheerios and turned on Sports Center.
Then my little heart was broken, as my favorite player, Michael Jordan, announced his retirement.
It was such a shock to my system.
He had just one his third consecutive NBA title.
He was the Finals MVP and should have won the regular season MVP after averaging 32.6 points per game.
He was on top of the basketball world.
From the outside looking in it seemed as if everything was going right for Michael Jordan.
But everything wasn’t okay with Jordan.
Inwardly he was miserable.
As he announced in his retirement he had lost a love for the game.
Though he still looked the part he wasn’t able to play with passion and love anymore.
And so he walked away from it to pursue his childhood dream of playing baseball.
The Church at Ephesus had a similar problem.
From the outside looking in it certainly seemed like they were a solid church.
They were fighting heresy.
They were working hard.
They were patiently enduring trials.
But they had one problem.
But it was a big one.
They had grown cold in their love for Jesus.
Transition: So what do we do when we find ourselves like the church at Ephesus?
I.
When our love is growing cold we must remember
Forsaking your first love usually happens by a subtle drift.
Awake: The Call to a Renewed Life
To be used with:
Session
Two:
Return to Your First Love
Seldom is it one moment.
It’s like the frog on a kettle.
Sermon Title Possibilities:
When Love Grows Cold; Or, Is Dutiful Obedience Enough
Scripture:
If you turn up the heat in increments it will never know it is being fried.
In the same way the Ephesians likely became distracted putting out fires.
©LifeWay Christian Resources www.biblestudiesforlife.com
Things like combating the Nicolatian heresy and enduring persecution would certainly be draining.
They likely didn’t even fully realize they had a problem.
But Jesus cuts straight to the heart and calls them to remember the height from which they had fallen.
Newlyweds are a lot like new believers.
Their naivety is something we smile at.
But there may
Newlyweds are a lot like new believers.
Their naivety is something we smile at.
But there may also be an ache when we see the way they look at one another.
also be an ache when we see the way they look at one another.
It brings us back to our newlywed
It brings us back to our newlywed experience.
experience.
In many moments like this our passion for our spouse grows.
The same thing
In many moments like this our passion for our spouse grows.
The same thing happens when we are around new believers.
happens when we are around new believers.
It is easy to forget what it is like to be so excited
It is easy to forget what it is like to be so excited about reading parts of the Bible we’ve never read before.
about reading parts of the Bible we’ve never read before.
Being around new believers is a great
Being around new believers is a great way to remember.
way to remember.
Application: What about you?
Do you remember when you first came to Christ?
Has your
Application: What about you?
Application: What about you?
Do you remember when you first came to Christ?
Has your
Do you remember when you first came to Christ?
Has your affection for Christ grown cold?
affection for Christ grown cold?
How can you intentionally spend time with new believers?
How can you intentionally spend time with new believers?
II.
When our love is growing cold we must return
When we think of a need for repentance we seldom think of repenting for our lack of affections towards the Lord.
towards the Lord.
But repent we must.
Twice in verse 5 Jesus calls the church at Ephesus to
repent of having forsaken their first love.
I love what John Stott says on this point:
How sane and matter-of-fact is this word of Christ!
So many of us admit our present state,
but wait for some emotional upheaval to set us right.
We are like children who fall in a
puddle and sit in the mud waiting for someone to pick them up.
But they should get up at
But repent we must.
once.
So should we, just as soon as we are conscious of having fallen1.
Application: How do you repent of cold affections?
The same way you would repent of adultery
Twice in verse 5 Jesus calls the church at Ephesus to repent of having forsaken their first love.
and murder.
is a great guide.
Own up to the seriousness of the situation, get out of the
I love what John Stott says on this point:
mud puddle, and run to Christ.
How sane and matter-of-fact is this world of Christ!
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