Following Jesus: But What Happens When I Blow It? Series

Note: (Edited from a sermon preached in August 2022 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO)

Introduction: One reality few of us as believers want to admit is that first, we were born sinners. Paul wrote “All have sinned and come short of God’s Glory (Romans 3:23, paraphrased)” and none of us would have to look very far to see living proof of this! The second is that there are times when we sin, even after Jesus Christ has saved us from our sins. Some believers teach there is a place of “sinless perfection”—and, frankly, I wish it was true!—but for most of us, even believers, yes, we’re going to sin. David did it (oh, did he ever); Simon Peter did; and even James and John were guilty of sins. In a word, they blew it!

So, then, what happens when I blow it? Now, the text for this message does not really apply to a single individual; rather, it’s written to an entire church. Even so, there’s a message for each person who has become a believer in Jesus.

Text, Revelation 2:1-7, KJV: 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

1 First step: recognize

Thoughts: We’d need to take a look at the Church in Ephesus before going any further. Acts 19 has the story how Paul came to Ephesus, teaching and preaching, and making many disciples. Later he wrote them a letter, giving them additional information and instructions. But by now, maybe a generation or so later, some things have changed—and not for the better.

And the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t pull any punches. He told them exactly what was wrong/

The Ephesians had done much good, and Jesus commends this, but the bad which had taken place outweighed the good. These believers had left their first love.

This is what the Lord condemned.

The question is, though, when and how did these Ephesians recognize what they had done wrong? Or did they ever figure it out? They hadn’t lapsed back into idolatry (and there were any number of idols in Ephesus), rejecting their new faith. The Old Testament, by the way, has almost too many times to count when Israel did this, turning their backs on God and worshiping idols of almost any and every variety. These Ephesian believers had not even fallen into loose living, as was the case in Corinth. They had, though, left or, as we might say, abandoned their first love, the love they had for Jesus at the beginning of their new lives as believers.

That was bad enough, and, they blew it.

So again, did they recognize it? There isn’t any mention of this in the Scriptures but some literature of a later period, such as the Epistles of Ignatius, hints at what did happen.

Now, besides these believers in Ephesus, other saints of Old and New Testaments alike, sinned and, yes, “blew it”! Some, like Simon Peter, knew immediately he’d blown it when he heard the rooster crow (see Matthew26:69-75, for example) after he had denied Jesus three times. Philip may never had realized he’d blown it when, as Chuck Swindoll mentions in one of his books, Jesus asked him where they would find food for the 5000 men listening to Jesus. Philip replied by guesstimating how much they would need. Maybe it came clear to him when Andrew brought the boy with the snack which was enough for everyone, and then some (John 6)!

No matter what, though, recognizing “I blew it” is only the first step. Some go only this far, and some don’t even get this far, but that’s not enough. There’s another step to go.

That step is repentance.