Returning to Your First Love: Jesus Above All Else

Devotional

Day 1: Returning to Your First Love for Jesus

Jesus calls us to return to our first love, making Him the most important affection and priority in our lives above all else. When our love for Jesus is burning bright, it overflows into every area—our thoughts, our words, and our actions. It’s easy to get caught up in doing good things, standing for truth, and even serving faithfully, but if our hearts are not centered on loving Jesus, we miss the very heart of our faith. Ask yourself: is your love for Jesus as passionate and central as it once was, or has it grown cold or distracted by other loves? Jesus invites you to remember, repent, and return to the works and devotion you had at first, so that your relationship with Him is alive and vibrant. [50:46]

Revelation 2:2-5 (ESV)
“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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 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.”

Reflection: What is one practical way you can rekindle your love for Jesus today, returning to the passion and devotion you once had for Him?

Day 2: Seek First the Kingdom of God

Putting Jesus first means seeking His kingdom and righteousness above all else, trusting that everything we need will be provided. When we focus on Jesus and His priorities, our worries and anxieties about daily needs and the future begin to fade, replaced by a childlike trust in our Heavenly Father. The world tells us to chase after possessions, achievements, and pleasures, but Jesus teaches us that true fulfillment comes from making Him our greatest pursuit. As you go about your day, consider what it would look like to truly seek God’s kingdom first in your decisions, your time, and your heart. [51:15]

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you tend to worry or strive for control, and how can you intentionally seek God’s kingdom first in that area today?

Day 3: The Overflow of Love—Loving God and People

A genuine love for Jesus naturally overflows into love for others, shaping how we treat people and how we serve. Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When our hearts are undivided and pure toward Jesus, we find ourselves caring deeply for others, showing compassion, and seeking their good. This love is not just a feeling but is demonstrated in our actions, our words, and our willingness to put others before ourselves. Ask God to give you an undivided heart, so that your love for Him spills over into every relationship and interaction. [01:12:14]

Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV)
“And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Reflection: Who is one person you can intentionally show Christ-like love to today, even if it requires sacrifice or stepping out of your comfort zone?

Day 4: What You Behold, You Become

The more time you spend with Jesus—beholding Him in worship, prayer, and His Word—the more you are transformed to be like Him. Just as we become like those we spend the most time with, our character, attitudes, and desires are shaped by our closeness to Christ. If you want to become a person of peace, joy, and purpose, fix your eyes on Jesus and let His presence change you from the inside out. Intimacy with God takes time and intentionality, but He desires to be your closest friend and to shape you into His likeness. [01:23:14]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Reflection: How can you set aside intentional time today to simply be with Jesus, allowing His presence to shape who you are becoming?

Day 5: Living to Please God Above All

A heart that burns for Jesus moves beyond asking, “What can I get away with?” to asking, “What pleases God?” When Jesus is truly first, our desire shifts from following rules to pursuing what brings Him joy and glory. This affects the choices we make, the things we watch or listen to, the words we speak, and the way we live each day. Instead of living on the edge of compromise, let your love for Jesus motivate you to seek what honors Him in every area of your life. [01:39:16]

Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Reflection: Is there anything in your life—habits, entertainment, relationships—that you sense is not pleasing to God? What step can you take today to align your life more closely with what brings Him joy?

Sermon Summary

The call today is to return to our first love—Jesus. In a world full of distractions, achievements, and shifting priorities, it’s easy to let our love for Christ grow cold, even while we’re busy doing good things, standing for truth, and serving others. But Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus ring out to us: “You have abandoned the love you had at first.” The heart of our faith is not just right doctrine or moral stances, but a burning, undivided love for Jesus that overflows into love for people.

Ephesus was a city marked by spiritual darkness and pagan worship, yet God sparked a revival there. Even in the hardest environments, the gospel can flourish. But over time, the church in Ephesus became known for its endurance, discernment, and doctrinal purity—yet Jesus saw that their love had faded. He warns that without returning to that first love, even the most active church can lose the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Putting Jesus first is not about God’s insecurity or a demand for attention; it’s about aligning our lives with the only One who truly satisfies. What we behold, we become. The more we fix our eyes on Jesus, the more we are transformed into His likeness. The world offers us endless substitutes—pleasure, possessions, achievements—but none of these can fill the God-shaped hole in our souls. Only Jesus can.

We don’t know what’s best for us, but God does. When we seek Him first, everything else falls into place. He invites us to trust Him like a child, to rest in His provision, and to let go of anxiety about tomorrow. And as we draw near to Him, He teaches us how to love—not just with human affection, but with a supernatural, sacrificial love that comes from God Himself.

A practical litmus test helps us see where our love stands: Do we think about Jesus throughout the day? Do we seek His guidance in every decision? Does our love for Him overflow into how we treat others? Do we hunger for His Word and prayer? Do we long to obey Him, not out of duty, but out of love? And do we move from asking, “What can I get away with?” to “What pleases the heart of God?” Returning to our first love is not about legalism, but about a heart that burns for Jesus above all else.

Key Takeaways

1. An Undivided Heart for Jesus The call is to cultivate a pure, undivided heart—a love for Jesus that is not shared with the world or diluted by lesser loves. A pure heart means Jesus is not just a part of our lives, but the center. This undivided devotion is what God desires, and it’s the foundation for everything else in our walk with Him. [53:01]
2. The Danger of Loveless Orthodoxy It’s possible to be doctrinally sound, morally upright, and active in ministry, yet miss the heart of it all: love for Jesus and for people. Jesus warns that without love, even the most “successful” church can lose the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Our works must flow from love, not just duty or tradition. [72:51]
3. What We Behold, We Become The more we fix our gaze on Jesus—through worship, prayer, and time in His Word—the more we are transformed into His likeness. Our priorities, attitudes, and even our relationships are shaped by what (or who) we focus on. If we want to become like Christ, we must spend time with Him and let His love fill us. [83:14]
4. True Fulfillment Is Found in Christ Alone The world offers endless substitutes for satisfaction—pleasure, possessions, achievements—but none can fill the void in our souls. Only Jesus can truly satisfy and give us lasting peace and purpose. When we seek Him first, He provides everything we need, freeing us from anxiety and striving. [89:49]
5. Love for God Overflows into Love for People Genuine love for Jesus will always result in love for others. As our hearts burn hotter for Christ, we become less self-focused and more compassionate, patient, and sacrificial toward those around us. The test of our love for God is seen in how we treat people, moving from self-interest to a desire to please God in all things.

** [82:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[41:55] - The Meaning of Membership and Leadership
[43:21] - Worship: Jesus Is Worthy of It All
[45:25] - Church Updates and Building Vision
[48:03] - Words for the Year: Returning to First Love
[49:49] - From John to Revelation: Jesus’ Letters to the Churches
[50:46] - The Call to Repent and Return
[53:01] - What Is an Undivided Heart?
[55:07] - Ephesus: A City of Revival in Darkness
[58:38] - Navigating Halloween and Spiritual Discernment
[64:03] - The Gates of Hell and the Mission of the Church
[70:05] - The Ephesus Church: Strong in Doctrine, Weak in Love
[72:51] - The Lampstand: The Presence of the Holy Spirit
[74:36] - Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
[82:31] - Why God Wants to Be First
[83:14] - What We Behold, We Become
[88:42] - We Don’t Know What’s Best for Us
[93:47] - We Can’t Love Without God
[94:57] - A Litmus Test for Our Love for Christ
[99:16] - Moving from “What Can I Do?” to “What Pleases God?”

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Revelation 2:1-7 (ESV) — > “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. “‘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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 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. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) — > “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Observation Questions

According to Revelation 2:1-7, what were the strengths and weaknesses of the church in Ephesus? What did Jesus commend them for, and what did he warn them about? ([50:17])
In the sermon, what does it mean to have an “undivided heart” for Jesus? How is this different from just doing good things or having right beliefs? ([53:01])
What does Jesus say will happen if the church does not return to its first love? What does the “lampstand” represent? ([50:46] / [01:12:51])
In Matthew 6:33, what does Jesus promise will happen if we seek God’s kingdom first? ([51:00])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus cares so much about our love for him, even more than our good works or right doctrine? What does this reveal about God’s heart? ([52:38])
The sermon says, “What we behold, we become.” How does what we focus on shape who we are and how we live? ([01:23:14])
The church in Ephesus was doing a lot of things right, but their love had faded. How can a church or a Christian become “loveless” even while being active and correct? ([01:12:51])
The sermon mentions a “litmus test” for our love for Christ. Why is it important to regularly examine our hearts in this way? ([01:34:57])

Application Questions

The sermon gave a practical “litmus test” for our love for Jesus, including questions like: Do you think about Jesus throughout the day? Do you seek his guidance in decisions? Which of these areas do you find most challenging, and why? ([01:34:57])
Is there a specific distraction, achievement, or “lesser love” in your life that tends to take the place of Jesus? What is one step you could take this week to put Jesus back at the center? ([01:29:49])
The message said, “What we behold, we become.” What are you spending most of your time and attention on lately? How is it shaping you? ([01:23:14])
The sermon talked about moving from asking, “What can I get away with?” to “What pleases the heart of God?” In what area of your life do you need to make this shift? ([01:39:16])
When was the last time your love for Jesus overflowed into love for someone else in a practical way? Is there someone God is prompting you to love or serve this week? ([01:22:00])
The church in Ephesus was strong in doctrine but weak in love. Are there ways you have prioritized being “right” over being loving? How can you change that in your relationships? ([01:12:51])
The sermon encouraged us to trust God like a child and let go of anxiety about tomorrow. What is one worry or area of control you need to surrender to God this week? ([01:32:38])

Sermon Clips

We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Okay? We don't have to be afraid of that stuff. We don't walk by a demonic ... Somebody's got all kinds of demon stuff going on at their house. It's not like that stuff's going to jump out on us. We got the Holy Spirit living inside of us. We have authority in Christ. Satan and God are not on the same level. Do you understand that? Satan is a created being down here. God has given him permission because of sin to go around the earth, but then that's why Jesus came to give us authority over those demonic spirits. We have that authority, so we walk in that. [01:01:29] (40 seconds) #AuthorityInChrist

You don't have anything to be afraid. You know what I want you to do? I'm going to bring you to this place where there's all these evil spirits. I'm going to show they have no power, that I'm giving you the authority and the power. And you walk into dark places like this, and you bring the truth and the light. [01:05:56] (16 seconds) #WalkingInLightAndTruth

So here they are, this revival happening in this church, revival in a pagan environment. But something begins to happen in the church, something that the Lord notices. And he says, I know your works. I know your toil and your patient endurance and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but I've tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and I found them to be false. He says, I'm taking good note. You are really going after the doctrine and making sure things are true. [01:10:02] (35 seconds) #TrueDoctrineMatters

It's important to keep the main thing, the main thing, right? When we get the main thing off and we start focusing on auxiliary things, we start to go, you know, arrive. Let me tell you, let me ask you, do I have any people that love to make sourdough bread? Okay. Keep those hands raised up just so I know whose house to go to. Okay. All right. Got that on film. Okay, good. Okay. When you make sourdough bread, there's flour and water and salt, but what is the main thing? The starter. If you don't have a good starter, you got nothing. [01:14:24] (44 seconds) #KeepTheMainThingMain

Make the person of Jesus your most important love. I mean, I don't know if you've ever, met a young person who's in love. Do you have to, I mean, I usually don't have to pry out of them to make them start talking about their other person that they're in love with. It's not like, usually you're like, okay, can we talk about something else? That should be our love for Jesus. Man, I just, I can't stop talking about him. I've changed. what he's done in my life. Everything else is kind of like, yeah, okay, that's great. But Jesus. [01:18:20] (46 seconds) #LoveLikeJesusSpeaks

Our love for Jesus should be burning so hot that it looks like we don't love anybody else. Of course, Jesus is not saying, hate your mom or dad. We're supposed to love one another. He's saying, in comparison, that's how much you love me. [01:21:22] (22 seconds) #LoveForJesusFirst

So as our love for Jesus gets stronger and stronger, our love for people gets stronger and stronger. And we're like, stop even caring about ourselves. And we're like, I care about so many people. There's just something, the love of God compels me to love them. [01:21:56] (15 seconds) #LoveCompelsLove

The more we focus on Jesus, love on him, meditate, read his word, pray to him, worship him. The more we behold who he is in the cross, the more we become like him. So let me ask you the question, who do you want to become? Do you want to become a stressed out person, striving all the time, discontent, your broken relationship strung around, addicted, greedy, anxious, selfish, without purpose? Or do you want to become a person who's not going to be like Jesus? You make the decision. [01:23:37] (28 seconds) #IntimateWithGod

If you want an intimate friendship with God, it takes time. Some of you are like, I don't know if I really know the Lord real well. It takes time, time in. And here's the truth. He can be, come the closest friend that you've ever had or ever will have. It's up to you. The more you behold, the more you spend time in prayer, reading his word. Cause that's where his word is. Our, you know, he wrote it. He it's his language to us. Worship prayer, hanging out with one. The more you do that, you're becoming more and more like me and you're becoming best friends, becoming best friends. [01:27:43] (48 seconds) #SeekFirstKingdom

True selfless sacrifice. Official love originates from God. God is love. Without God inside you, you cannot truly love in the definition that he calls love. When he's first, you know what I'm talking about? You're like, you'll be in a store and all of a sudden you have this love for this person. You're like, you've never seen before. And it's like, your heart just, I just want to pray for them, man. Where did that come from? That's God. It's the spirit of Christ in you, your spouse and your children. There's a natural love, but then there's a God given. [01:34:11] (38 seconds) #PleasingGodFirst

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