27 Jun The Biblical Principle of First #4

Biblical Principle First Overview

In this powerful fourth installment of the Biblical Principle of First series, Pastor explores the fundamental kingdom principle that governs our relationship with God. Drawing from Revelation 2:2-5 and the church at Ephesus, he reveals how Christians operate under two kingdoms – earthly and heavenly – each with distinct economies. The sermon emphasizes that God’s kingdom operates on a ‘give and it will be given’ principle, contrasting sharply with the world’s work-and-pay system. The central message focuses on maintaining our ‘first love’ relationship with Jesus Christ, avoiding the trap of serving God without intimacy. Through the lens of redemption, we learn that just as God gave His firstborn Son to redeem the unclean, we must give our first and best to Him – our time, attention, and devotion. The pastor challenges believers to practice God’s presence daily, starting each morning in prayer and communion before engaging worldly responsibilities. This isn’t mere religious routine but the key to experiencing divine strength, blessing, and multiplication in every area of life.

Biblical Principle First Outline

• 0:00 – Two Kingdoms Operating System: Introduction to functioning under both earthly and heavenly government systems with different economies.
• 3:00 – The Principle of Giving First: Biblical foundation of offering the first and clean to God for redemption of the rest.
• 6:00 – Kingdom Economics vs World Systems: Contrasting God’s give-first principle with the world’s work-and-pay system.
• 10:00 – Jesus as the Ultimate First: Christ as the clean sacrifice given first to redeem all unclean humanity.
• 14:00 – The Ephesus Church Warning: Analysis of Revelation 2:2-5 about leaving first love despite faithful service.
• 18:00 – Returning to First Love: Steps to remember, repent, and return to intimate relationship with God.
• 22:00 – Redeeming Time Through Morning Prayer: Practical application of giving first part of each day to God in prayer.

Scripture References

Revelation 2:2-5, Proverbs 3:9-10, Psalm 5:3, Mark 1:35, Matthew 6:6, Luke 10:38-42

Key Takeaways

• Christians must operate under both earthly and heavenly kingdom principles, each with different economic systems.
• God’s kingdom operates on giving first to receive blessing, while the world operates on work-first-then-pay systems.
• Jesus Christ is the ultimate ‘first’ – the clean sacrifice given to redeem all unclean humanity.
• It’s possible to serve God faithfully while losing intimate relationship with Him, as seen with the Ephesus church.
• Returning to first love requires remembering past intimacy, repenting of current priorities, and doing first works.
• Redeeming time begins with giving the first part of each day to God in prayer and communion.
• Being consistently late damages credibility and reflects poor stewardship of the time God has given us.

Biblical Principle First Notes

The Biblical Principle of First reveals a fundamental truth about kingdom living that many Christians miss. As believers, we exist within two distinct governmental systems – the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. Each operates with completely different economic principles, and understanding this distinction is crucial for spiritual success.The world’s system follows a work-and-pay model where effort precedes reward. You labor first, then receive compensation. This creates a buying-and-selling mentality focused on personal gain. However, God’s kingdom operates on the principle of giving first, then receiving multiplication. This explains why Jesus was angered by the money changers in the temple – they were applying worldly economic principles in a heavenly space.The principle of first appears throughout Scripture. God requires no other gods before Him – He must be first. In Old Testament sacrificial systems, the first clean animal was offered to God, which redeemed all the unclean animals, allowing them to receive the same blessings. This foreshadowed Christ, who as the perfect ‘first’ sacrifice, redeemed all unclean humanity.The church at Ephesus demonstrates a critical warning for modern believers. They maintained impressive service records – working tirelessly, testing false apostles, persevering through hardship. Yet Jesus confronted them for abandoning their first love. This reveals that faithful service without intimate relationship creates lukewarm Christianity that God finds nauseating.Returning to first love requires three steps: remember where you’ve fallen from, repent by changing your mindset and priorities, and return to first works. Like Mary choosing to sit at Jesus’ feet while Martha was ‘cumbered about much serving,’ we must prioritize relationship over religious activity.Redeeming time practically begins each morning. David declared his voice would be heard by God each morning, directing his day toward the Lord. Jesus consistently rose early, departing to solitary places for prayer before ministry demands began. This morning communion provides supernatural strength for daily challenges and opens the door for God’s secret blessings to manifest openly throughout the day.

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