Do you enjoy making sure the production aspect of each service runs smoothly? As a Media Assistant, you’ll be responsible for managing the Audio/Mix, Video, Lighting, and Projection. Specifically, your job is to ensure slides are timely and accurately displayed, microphones are up and running on time, the sound is on and mixed, etc.
Requirements: Technological aptitude, some computer experience, attention to detail and time management skills preferred.
Commitment: Showing up 1 hour before the Sunday service and staying until the finish — We also need assistants for Tuesday evenings
Contact: Sue Bauman
Last Sunday we began Chapter 2 of Revelation and the seven letters to the seven churches. The One Who walks among the lampstands with a penetrating gaze, had this word of warning to the Christians at Ephesus:
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore 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 ESV)
We would do well to heed those words ourselves. Jesus has three simple directions for those of us, who have abandoned our first love: Remember, repent and do.
1. Remember what it was like when you first believed in Jesus , but not in a nostalgic way.
- The Bible came alive to you, because it was God’s love letter to you – you devoured it.
- You spent time in worship and prayer – and, you expected results
- You couldn’t get enough fellowship! Bible study, praying together, spending time with one another…
- Sharing your faith was a challenge, but it was exciting
2. If you no longer love like that, it’s time to repent
- Robert Mounce writes The present imperative, ”remember,” stands in contrast to the aorist imperative, ”repent,” and suggests a continuing attitude over against a decisive break.
- So, we repent… we make a break, turn and head in the opposite direction. We stop settling for less love, less Bible, less prayer and less fellowship.
- We take on a continued attitude of remembering… we retrace our steps back to the time when we first loved
3. We do those things we did when we first loved Jesus
- The works of love are too numerous and various to list, but they flow from the same source – the Gospel. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:16–19 ESV)
- Doing love… the works of love, are works of faith… “Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”” (John 6:28–29 ESV)
- What do works of love look like? Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7 ESV)
I would like to suggest a book to help you return to the love you had first. Love or Die by Alex Strauch “examines this alarming rebuke of Jesus Christ to Hs church” and presents “practical ways to cultivate love in the local church.” This was used as a study guide in the women’s Bible study on Tuesdays. I received a number of very positive comments, but more importantly, I’ve seen the works of faith and love abounding.