Loving Jesus - Pastor Tim
Loving Jesus
Pastor Tim Spirk
Love isn’t just part of our faith—it’s the foundation of everything.
Scripture tells us that “God loved the world so much that He gave” (John 3:16). Love compelled God to act. Love always does. Real love moves, sacrifices, and gives. It doesn’t stay theoretical.
Jesus made it clear that love is the lens through which all of Scripture is understood. “The whole Law and the writings of the Prophets depend on these two commandments”—to love God and love people (Matthew 22:40). Everything flows from love. Without it, faith becomes hollow, obedience becomes mechanical, and devotion becomes duty.
Jesus Himself demonstrated the fullest expression of love:
“The greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all” (John 15:13).
Love isn’t proven by words alone—it’s revealed through surrender.
When Love Grows Cold
In Revelation, Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus—a church planted by Paul, rich in teaching, strong in discernment, and faithful in doctrine. Yet Jesus says something startling: “I have this against you…” (Revelation 2:2–5).
They hadn’t abandoned truth.
They hadn’t compromised doctrine.
They hadn’t stopped serving.
But they had left their first love.
The word love here is agape—a deep, reverent affection marked by awe, wonder, and wholehearted devotion. And the word left means a voluntary release—something once treasured that was slowly neglected.
Somewhere along the way, the church in Ephesus allowed religious duty to replace relational devotion.
Jesus calls them to remember—to memorialize the early days when their hearts burned with passion, when their love for Him was fresh and alive. Just as monuments were built in Scripture to remind God’s people of His mighty works, Jesus was inviting them to remember the fire that once defined their walk with Him.
Without repentance, Jesus warns, spiritual drift leads to spiritual decline. Revelation later echoes this danger, describing the tragedy of becoming lukewarm—not cold, not hot, just indifferent (Revelation 3:15–16). A divided heart is always at risk of complacency.
Loving Jesus First
When religious leaders tried to trap Jesus by asking Him which commandment mattered most, His answer was simple and unwavering:
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” (Matthew 22:37–38).
This is complete devotion.
Undivided loyalty.
A surrendered life.
To love Jesus is to make Him our supreme priority—our emotions, our intellect, our will, and our physical lives all aligned around Him.
The psalmist captures this kind of love beautifully:
“My love for you has my heart on fire! My passion for your house consumes me!” (Psalm 69:9).
A Call Back to First Love
Jesus isn’t calling us to try harder—He’s calling us back.
Back to awe.
Back to wonder.
Back to love.
When love for Jesus is restored, everything else realigns. Obedience becomes joyful. Worship becomes alive. Service becomes an overflow, not a burden.
May our hearts burn again with love for Him—and may we never settle for faith without fire.
