What is Love? Rediscovering Our First Love for Jesus

Today’s focus is on rediscovering the essence of love as revealed in Jesus Christ, especially as we reflect on 60 years of God’s faithfulness to our church family. In a world of shifting truths and cultural trends, God’s Word remains our unchanging foundation. We looked deeply into the book of Revelation, written by the Apostle John during a time of intense persecution, to see how Jesus reveals Himself not just as gentle and loving, but also as strong, glorious, and victorious. John’s vision on the island of Patmos reminds us that our circumstances do not define God’s character—He is always in control, always glorious, and always near, even in our darkest moments.

The letter to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2 is a powerful call to remember our first love. Jesus commends the church for its hard work, endurance, and sound doctrine, but He also warns that it’s possible to do all the right things and still lose the heart of it all—love. The danger is that we can become so focused on works, orthodoxy, and even holiness, that we forget the passionate, all-in love we had when we first encountered Jesus. Without love, all our efforts, knowledge, and sacrifices amount to nothing. Love is not just a feeling, but the main ingredient that gives meaning and power to everything we do as followers of Christ.

To recover and sustain this first love, Jesus gives us a simple but profound path: remember, repent, and redo. Remember the joy and gratitude of your salvation, the times when you were quick to forgive, serve, and worship. Repent—not as a performance, but as a realignment of your heart and mind back to Jesus. Redo the things you did at first, letting your actions flow from love, not obligation. This is how we keep our lampstand burning bright, so that our church is not just another club, but a true light to the city and the world. The call is to let the love of Jesus fill us afresh, so that we love God and people with renewed passion, and so that our lives and church shine with the light of Christ.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Character Is Not Defined by Our Circumstances No matter how isolated, persecuted, or weak we may feel, God remains glorious, strong, and in control. Our trials do not diminish His power or presence. Instead, He meets us in our exile and reveals Himself as the victorious King who has conquered death and the grave. This truth anchors us when everything else feels uncertain. [65:48]
• 2. The Danger of Losing Our First Love It’s possible to be diligent in service, steadfast in doctrine, and even holy in conduct, yet drift from the passionate love that once defined our relationship with Jesus. When love fades, our faith becomes mechanical and our witness loses its light. The heart of Christian living is not just right belief or right action, but a living, loving relationship with Christ that overflows to others. [83:04]
• 3. Remember, Repent, and Redo: The Path Back to Love Jesus’ invitation to the church is practical and restorative: remember the joy of your salvation, repent by realigning your heart, and redo the things you did at first. This is not about religious performance, but about returning to the simplicity and sincerity of loving God and people. When we do this, our faith is renewed and our light shines brighter. [100:56]
• 4. Love Is the Main Ingredient That Gives Meaning to All We Do Without love, our gifts, sacrifices, and even our most impressive acts of faith are empty noise. Love is what amplifies the gospel and makes our lives a true reflection of Jesus. The world is not changed by clever arguments or church branding, but by the authentic love of Christ flowing through His people. [89:36]
• 5. Spiritual Maturity Means Never Graduating from the Basics No matter how long we’ve walked with Jesus, we must never lose the wonder of His grace or the gratitude for our salvation. True maturity is marked by a continual return to the basics: remembering what God has done, sharing our testimony, and letting our actions be prompted by love. This keeps our hearts soft, our faith vibrant, and our church a beacon of hope. [96:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [49:57] - Celebrating 60 Years of God’s Faithfulness
• [50:43] - Shiloh’s Identity: Family, Healing, Spirit-Filled
• [51:51] - Rediscovering Love: What Is Love?
• [53:29] - The Importance of Context in Revelation
• [54:03] - Persecution and the Setting of Revelation
• [56:13] - The Blessing of Revelation’s Prophetic Word
• [58:14] - Avoiding Extremes: Revelation for Today
• [59:37] - A Fresh Glimpse of Jesus
• [62:20] - Jesus: Gentle and Strong Shepherd
• [66:09] - Glorious Jesus: The Vision of Revelation
• [70:30] - Jesus’ Words to the Church in Ephesus
• [73:06] - Ephesus: A Church in a Cultural Hub
• [76:19] - Hupomone: Triumphant Fortitude and Endurance
• [79:05] - The Value of Sound Doctrine
• [83:04] - The Warning: Losing Our First Love
• [85:37] - Loving God and Loving People
• [89:36] - Without Love, We Are Nothing
• [92:18] - Enjoying God: The Source of Endurance
• [96:05] - Remember, Repent, Redo: Returning to First Love
• [105:14] - The Lampstand: Keeping Our Light
• [106:25] - Prayer for Renewal and First Love
• [108:51] - Invitation to Return to Jesus

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.’”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV) — > If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
> And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
> If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Observation Questions

1. According to Revelation 2:2-3, what are some things Jesus commends the church in Ephesus for doing well?
2. What is the main issue Jesus has with the church in Ephesus, even though they are working hard and holding to sound doctrine? ([01:23:04])
3. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, what does Paul say about the value of spiritual gifts, knowledge, and sacrifice if love is missing?
4. What three actions does Jesus call the church to take in order to return to their first love? ([01:11:07])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think it’s possible for a church or a believer to be busy with good works and still lose their “first love” for Jesus? ([01:23:04])
2. What does it mean that “without love, our gifts, sacrifices, and even our most impressive acts of faith are empty noise”? How might this look in a church or in someone’s personal life? ([01:29:36])
3. Jesus tells the church to “remember, repent, and redo.” What might it look like to “redo the things you did at first” in your own walk with God? ([01:40:56])
4. The sermon says, “God’s character is not defined by our circumstances.” How does this truth help us when we feel isolated, weak, or discouraged? ([01:05:48])

Application Questions

1. Think back to when you first encountered Jesus or experienced the joy of your salvation. What were some things you did then that you might not be doing now? How could you “redo” one of those things this week? ([01:41:11])
2. The sermon warns that it’s possible to do all the right things but lose the heart of it all—love. Are there areas in your life or service where you’ve started to operate more out of obligation than love? What would it look like to realign your heart? ([01:23:04])
3. Jesus calls us to “remember, repent, and redo.” Is there an area where you need to repent—not as a performance, but as a realignment of your heart and mind back to Jesus? What would that look like for you? ([01:40:03])
4. The message says, “Without love, our gifts, sacrifices, and even our most impressive acts of faith are empty noise.” Can you think of a recent time when you did something “good” but your heart wasn’t in it? How could you approach it differently next time? ([01:29:36])
5. The sermon challenges us to let the love of Jesus fill us afresh so that our lives and church shine with the light of Christ. What is one practical way you can show the love of Jesus to someone in your life this week—especially someone who is difficult for you to love? ([01:26:34])
6. The church in Ephesus was commended for their endurance and sound doctrine, but they still needed to return to their first love. How can you keep your faith from becoming mechanical or routine? ([01:36:26])
7. The sermon says, “Spiritual maturity means never graduating from the basics.” What is one “basic” of the faith (like sharing your testimony, worship, or serving) that you want to return to with fresh passion? ([01:36:26])