Sunday Preview

We are continuing our series on Revelation at Living Streams this weekend. My sermon Sunday is called, “Renewing our First Love” from Revelation 2.

Jesus appeared to the apostle John on the island of Patmos in great glory. He gave him specific messages for each of the seven churches in Asia. The Church in Ephesus was the first church to be addressed by the Lord. They were doing many things well, but they had one big problem: they were working really hard, but they had lost the love they had at the beginning.

Many married couples get so caught up in the work of shopping, cooking, cleaning, and providing for their children, that they lose the intimacy and the love that drew them together in the first place. The same thing can happen to believers and to churches as the years go on. This message from the Lord to the church in Ephesus is as relevant for us today as it was for them 2,000 years ago. Our lives get filled with a lot of things we feel are important, and we can easily forget about what is most important.

Jesus wants all believers to restore the love we have for God and each other. Serving him is not a matter of keeping rules and fulfilling responsibilities. The core of our relationship with the Lord is the love we share. He gives us permission and encouragement to focus on the things that allow love to blossom in our relationships. I hope this message will remove burdens and bring blessings to everyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.