Dangerous Prayers: Abandoned Love

From Rick: We are honored you have joined the Crossroads Community Church Family for worship this March morning!  Our prayer is that you personally encounter Jesus Christ though singing, praying, and encountering His Word –not just by hearing, but by Responding.  We ask you fill out a Communication Card if you have a prayer request or if God worked in your life today.  Let’s seek Jesus together this morning and leave differently than when we came in! 

Matthew 22:34-40
 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: ³⁶ “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”  ³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the greatest and most important command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Psalm 37:7a
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

Luke 24:13-35

 Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. ¹⁵ And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. ¹⁶ But they were prevented from recognizing him. ¹⁷ Then he asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. ¹⁸ The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked them. So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, ²³ and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.” ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. ²⁸ They came near the village where they were going, and he gave the impression that he was going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him, “Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?” ³³ That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Luke 24:35
Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Revelation 2:1
 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

Revelation 2:2-3
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Revelation 2:4
 But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.

Revelation 2:5b
I will come and remove your lampstand from it’s place.

Look again, V-2-3:  I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. ³ I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary.

Those things are __________ Evidence of Love.  You can do those things ______________ Love.

3 Steps Back to Jesus

Step 1:  ____________________.

2:5:  Remember then how far you have fallen;

Step 2:  ____________________.

2:5: Remember then how far you have fallen; repent……

Step 3: _____________________.

2:5: Remember then how far you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first.

Have a Blessed week!   You are SENT.

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who will I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me.