Jesus’ Word to the Church in NYC: Love Me Like You Once Did
The following is a summary of Rev. Dr. Jay Harvey’s sermon.
For many people, there is a tension between disillusionment with the institutional church and a growing spiritual curiosity. Many are leaving the church altogether, even as expressions of faith are appearing in surprising places—from football fields to podcasts to social media. Some speak passionately of Jesus, while others are leaving church—walking away, wounded, or bored. What explains the gap? Pastor Jay’s sermon on Revelation 2:1–7, the letter to the church in Ephesus, speaks directly to this divide. It reveals that the greatest threat to our spiritual vitality is not always outright rebellion, but the slow drift from love to cold belief in a set of doctrines or propositions. This message invites listeners to examine whether what they believe about Jesus is still connected to a deep, vibrant love for Him—and offers a path back to joy, intimacy, and enduring hope.
In this sermon, Pastor Jay opens Revelation 2:1–7, Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus, with a clear invitation: to examine whether our love for Christ has grown cold, even as we hold onto truth. He notes the irony of modern spiritual culture, where faith in Jesus appears to be growing in some unexpected public places—like college football—while widespread church disaffiliation continues elsewhere. These contradictory experiences suggest not different opinions about Jesus, but entirely different encounters with Him.
Jesus addresses the Ephesian church as one filled with admirable works: theological discernment, patient endurance, a rejection of false teaching. Yet He says, “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” Pastor Jay explains that this text challenges us to go beneath the surface of doctrine and ethics to ask: Do I still love Jesus?
He recounts how the early Ephesian believers were so captivated by Christ that they turned away from Artemis worship, even at great cultural and economic cost. Over time, that initial passion faded. Pastor Jay reflects on how love can wane in any relationship, and how Jesus calls us not merely to believe rightly, but to return to love—to remember, repent, and resume the works of love we once did.
The sermon closes with a reminder that obedience flows from love, and that Christianity is, at its heart, a relationship built on God’s initiating love for us. Pastor Jay draws attention to the promise Jesus makes to those who conquer: they will eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God. Like a patient awaiting discharge from a hospital, knowing joy is just ahead changes everything. This message, grounded in the Ephesians’ story, offers a way forward for anyone longing to rediscover their first love for Jesus and live with hearts rekindled by His goodness.