As many of you may know, part of being a pastor is studying and praying constantly. Well, during one of my study nights the following verses popped out at me:
‘He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the LORD . ‘
– Genesis 13:3-4
“…where his tent had been at the beginning…”
Church, have you ever been taken through a long journey via GPS? One that winds down crazy roads? Through tunnels? Down side streets? Only to put us right back where we started?! I hate that “recalculating” voice that comes on. Don’t you? Could be that I’m just directionally challenged. But we won’t talk about that. 😅
Abram ended up back where he started as well. Why? Well, it is very interesting that this happened right after the passages detailing how he took his fate into his own hands. He and his wife, Sarai came into a new region. Abram was scared that people would kill him to steal his beautiful wife. So, he lied. He had her say she was his sister and not her husband. What happened because of that? Pharaoh took Sarai. We don’t know if it was consenting, probably not. Then what? “…the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai…”
Abram wasn’t faithful to God or to his wife. He tried to save his OWN behind because he didn’t trust God through the process. And so, bad things came about because of his choices. And yet…he ended up right back at the beginning. “Where he had made an altar at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.”
Do you remember the first time you called on the name of our Savior? Do you recall encountering him truly for the first time?
The first time I believed was around 2017-2018. I grew up with it, the faith. But it was more of an inherited religion than my own true choice with understanding. When I was around 18-19 I left Christianity. Because of the hateful people. I thought they represented God. But I was wrong. God didn’t hate me or anyone. I began to do my own research for proof that Jesus existed. I found it. I believed.
But what about my first true encounter with the Lord? Well, I was at a church camp meet. If you’ve ever been to a revival service then you get the idea. Singing. Prayer. Intercession. High energy. Prophetic messages. That whole night I felt the Holy Spirit tugging me up to the altar. I fought it. But eventually the feeling was too strong. I didn’t have a choice. It was like I had tunnel vision. I finally made my way up there and dropped to my knees. I didn’t know what to pray for or even how to begin. So I just kept saying “Jesus” over and over again.
Suddenly, a feeling of peace and pure happiness came over me. It was so overwhelming that tears began to fall like rivers down my face. I felt so much love that it surpassed all knowledge and understanding. The next thing I knew was an Elder helping me up while I was laughing. I was amazed. Jesus. I felt him. I felt God. I felt the Holy Spirit! I would give almost anything to feel that again. But why can’t I? Why can’t we feel the first experience we had again? What is stopping us? Let’s look at our next reading of the night.
‘But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember, then, from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ‘
-Revelation 2:4-5
Sometimes we forget our first love. Our first experience with Jesus. We forget WHY we became a follower of Christ. Of the WAY. How do we get back to the beginning? First, we start with repentance.
Lexham Bible Dictionary defines repentance as “…an event in which an individual attains a divinely provided new understanding of their behavior and feels compelled to change that behavior and begin a new relationship with God.” The changing of one’s mind and turning around. It results in ACTION. What does repentance mean to you?
How else do we find our way back to our first love? “…do the works you did at first.” When you first believed and encountered God, what did you do? What changed in your life? How did you act?
When we first found faith we were on FIRE for it! We wanted to consume the Bible. We wanted to take part in everything. Small groups. Prayer. Worship. Volunteering. Intercession. But overtime, that flame dimmed. We need to stoke it!
‘ “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. ‘
-Matthew 7:1-5
We are often too busy looking at other people’s cups. Or any other sort of distraction. Spreading ourself too thin. Running on an empty cup. Getting caught up in drama. Social media. GOSSIP. We sometimes are so busy judging those in the world that we miss our own blessings. Right in front of us!
‘ “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. ‘
-Matthew 7:12
DO to others. Sounds like a form of works. Right?
What did we learn about our mission as followers of Jesus last week? What is our GREAT mission?
‘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 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”’
-Matthew 28:19-20
Distractions. They make us forget our first love. We get too busy judging others or allowing other influences to dim our fire for Jesus. Because of that, it causes us to not truly obey the Lord. It makes us go through the motions. Our heart isn’t in it. Or it makes us hateful. Angry. Mean. Rude. We begin to treat others and ourselves poorly. We stop obeying. Doing GOOD works.
‘ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’ ‘
-Matthew 7:21-23
Our heart and behaviors matter. How we treat people and ourselves matters! Saying we believe in Jesus isn’t the end. It is the beginning.
‘For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.’
-James 2:26
Faith without works is dead. We are saved by GRACE and because of that we produce GOOD FRUIT. Works! This good fruit is evidence of faith.
Obey Jesus and his great commission. Leave judgements up to him. Fight your way back to the beginning. Your foundation!
‘ “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” ‘
-Matthew 7:24-27
Build upon that foundation God gave you at the beginning. Get your cup filled up with that fire! Dance before the Lord like nobody’s watching! Pour out into others. Meet people where they are . Testify to the work God has brought you through and out of. Help others endure the wilderness and beyond. Find your first love again!
People will know you are a Jesus follower by your works. Your GOOD FRUIT. You are known by your fruit.
Amen!
Pastor Alex