Revelation 2 First Love

Today on Mission 66, our teacher John Mathews takes us through

Revelation 2, where we learn the importance of maintaining our

“first love” for Jesus. The chapter contains letters to four different

churches in Asia Minor, each with its own set of challenges and

commendations. Jesus praises the church in Ephesus for their

hard work and perseverance but points out they have abandoned

their initial passionate love for him. Smyrna is commended for

its faithfulness amid poverty and persecution, while Pergamum

is called out for tolerating false teachings. Thyatira is recognized

for its works and love but reprimanded for tolerating a false

prophetess. The key takeaway is that our actions and endurance

must be fueled by a deep, abiding love for Jesus, who is our primary

reason for living faithfully. These letters remind us to self-reflect

and realign our hearts to Jesus, ensuring we’re serving him out of

love rather than obligation or habit.