Sunday Sermon: Returning to Our First Love – A Heart of Thanksgiving
December 14, 2025, | Month of Thanksgiving.
Key Bible verse: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first.” Revelation 2:5
Introduction
The month of December invites us to a spirit of gratitude and reflection. As we prepare to close another year, we are reminded that true thanksgiving is not just an expression of words but a posture of the heart—a heart that remembers, repents, and returns to its first love, Jesus Christ. In Revelation 2:4-5, Christ speaks to the church at Ephesus, commending their good works but confronting them with a serious truth: “You have left your first love.” These words echo through generations, calling each of us to examine the depth of our devotion.
When we first encountered Jesus, our hearts burned with love, joy, and excitement. Every prayer, every act of worship, and every expression of service overflowed with gratitude. Yet over time, life’s distractions, disappointments, and demands can dim our passion. We may continue the motions of faith while losing the intimacy of fellowship with God.
In this season of thanksgiving, God calls us to remember where we once stood—to recall the freshness of our faith, the tenderness of our devotion, and the fullness of our gratitude. Like refined silver in Zechariah 13:9, our trials can purify us, restoring what has been lost. Let us, therefore, return to our first love—seeking to love Jesus with renewed zeal, joy, and thanksgiving.
1: Remember Your First Love
To “remember your first love” means recalling the intimacy and fervor that once defined your relationship with Christ. Revelation 2:5 invites us to “remember the height from which you have fallen.” This is not a command to dwell in guilt, but an invitation to remember the joy, faith, and gratitude that marked the early days of your salvation. Think about when you first encountered Jesus—the awe you felt, the peace that flooded your heart, the excitement to serve and worship Him.
Over time, our passion can fade amid the pressures of daily living. We can serve without love, work without worship, and believe without joy. But God reminds us today that our relationship with Him must never lose its warmth. Remembering our first love revives our hearts and redirects our focus. Gratitude grows as we recall His faithfulness in our past and His presence in our present.
This remembrance is not merely nostalgic—it rekindles thanksgiving. It reminds us that our salvation is not earned but gifted. When thankfulness fills our hearts, love for Jesus returns to the center of our lives. As we look back with gratitude, we find renewed strength to move forward in love. In this season, let your thanksgiving begin with remembering: “Lord, You first loved me, and I am forever grateful.”
2: Repent and Be Refined
The second part of Jesus’ message to Ephesus is clear: “Repent.” Repentance is not condemnation; it is correction born of love. When God calls us to repent, He is inviting us to deeper intimacy. Zechariah 13:9 says, “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name and I will answer them.”Refinement is not punishment—it is preparation. Through testing, God removes impurities, pride, complacency, and compromise that cloud our devotion.
If your spiritual passion has waned, let repentance lead you home. The refining fire may feel intense, but within it lies God’s mercy and restoration. Just as silver shines brighter after being purified, so too will our hearts reflect His glory after refinement. Every struggle, delay, or disappointment can become a divine tool to cleanse our spirit and deepen our gratitude.
Thanksgiving grows stronger in a heart that repents. When we realize that even our failures become opportunities for God’s grace, gratitude replaces shame. True thanksgiving is born not from a perfect life but from a purified heart. As God refines and restores us, we begin to shine—not by our effort, but by His grace. Let this season be a time to say, “Lord, refine me. Remove the dross and renew my spirit.”
3: Return to Your First Works
After remembering and repenting, Jesus commands, “Do the things you did at first” Revelation 2:5 . Returning to our first works means rekindling the simple acts of faith that once sustained our relationship with God—daily prayer, sincere worship, heartfelt service, and grateful obedience. When love grows cold, one of the best ways to restore it is to act in love again.
The early believers in Ephesus were known for their devotion. Over time, they maintained work but lost the warmth behind it. The same can happen today: duty replaces delight, and routine replaces relationship. But thanksgiving restores the heart. Gratitude draws us to action—to serve not out of obligation, but out of devotion.
Returning to your first works is a call to consistency. Spend time in His Word. Sing songs of praise even when life feels heavy. Serve others with compassion. Each act of obedience rekindles intimacy with Christ. As you do the things you did at first, your joy will return, your prayer life will deepen, and your gratitude will multiply. Thanksgiving, then, becomes not just an annual moment but a continual lifestyle of worship and service, reflecting a heart that has truly returned to its first love.
This Week’s Declaration
This week, I declare that my heart will burn again with love for Jesus. I will remember where I have fallen, repent of complacency, and return to my first works. I will embrace God’s refining fire, trusting that He is purifying my life for His glory. My faith will not be lukewarm; my gratitude will overflow. I am God’s child, redeemed and restored by His grace. I declare that this season of thanksgiving will birth renewal in my spirit. My heart belongs fully to Jesus, my first and everlasting love. I will walk in joy, gratitude, and devotion this week.
This Week’s Reflection
As we reflect on this week’s message, let us consider how easily we can drift from our passion for God. The call to remember, repent, and return is not a rebuke but a renewal invitation. When God refines us, it’s because He sees potential. The fire is not meant to destroy but to purify. In moments of testing, He draws us closer to His heart. The more we remember what He has done, the softer our hearts become. Thanksgiving flows naturally when we revisit our first love and recognize His ongoing faithfulness. Let this week be one of renewal—where prayer regains priority, gratitude becomes our language, and worship springs from love.
Self-Examination
Take a moment to search your heart today: Have you lost the excitement of your early walk with Jesus? Has busyness, comfort, or compromise drawn you away from Him? Are you still serving with love or merely out of routine? The Lord is inviting us to pause and reflect. Remember when prayer was your joy, not your duty; when worship moved your heart; when sharing the gospel filled you with excitement. Those are the “first works” Jesus is calling us back to.
Ask God to show you the areas where your love has grown cold. Be honest about the distractions or disappointments that have affected your passion. Then invite the Holy Spirit to rekindle that flame. Let repentance lead to restoration, and let thankfulness mark your renewed walk with God. True growth begins with humble reflection. As we examine our hearts, may our love be refined, our faith renewed, and our thanksgiving deepened.
Conclusion
The message to the church of Ephesus still resonates today: Remember, Repent, and Return. This is not a message of condemnation but of restoration. God longs to restore us to the joy of our first love, where our hearts overflowed with gratitude and our lives radiated with faith. He refines us through trials not to break us, but to beautify us. Thanksgiving becomes complete when we’re renewed in spirit, cleansed of complacency, and revived in love.
As we conclude, let us make a conscious choice to realign our hearts. Let gratitude reignite our devotion. Let the lessons of this year remind us that every trial carries refining grace. And as we give thanks this month, let us not forget to thank God most of all for the gift of relationship—our first love, Jesus Christ. May our hearts forever burn with love, and may our lives reflect His unending grace.
Altar Call
If today’s message has touched your heart, and you sense the Lord calling you back to your first love, take a step of faith. He stands ready to welcome you with open arms. Whether you’re returning from weariness, distraction, or disappointment, His mercy is waiting. Today is your moment to say, “Lord, I return to You.” Let this be a new beginning—a day of repentance, renewal, and restored intimacy with Christ. As you come before Him in gratitude, He promises to rekindle your heart and renew your spirit. Come and let the fire of your first love burn again.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love that never fails. Today, we remember the joy of our first love for Jesus. Forgive us for the times we have drifted, grown complacent, or allowed the cares of life to dull our devotion. Lord, refine us in Your fire—remove every impurity that keeps us distant from You. Renew our hearts, strengthen our faith, and restore our passion for Your Word and Your presence. Help us to walk daily in gratitude and obedience. As we give thanks this season, may our thanksgiving overflow into worship and service. Reignite our hearts with love for You, and let us live each day with renewed joy and zeal. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
God bless abundantly.