2026: Back To The Basics (Do The Two)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
Matthew 22:37-39
Let's look at: Why Jesus, Why Love and Why Unity.
Why Jesus
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NKJV)
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
Understanding the Foundation
In the ancient world (and today), if the foundation of a building was off by even a few inches, the entire structure would eventually crack or collapse. Paul is making three major points here:
It is "Already Laid": Paul isn't saying he invented the foundation. He is saying that God has already provided it through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. A builder's job isn't to create
a new foundation, but to find the right one and build upon it.
The Exclusivity of Christ: Paul is very firm—there is "no other." You cannot build a Christian life or a church on good works, philosophy, political power, or even religious traditions. If the foundation
isn't Jesus Christ, the building won't stand the test of time (or the "fire" of judgment).
The Master Architect: In the verse right before this (v. 10), Paul calls himself a "skilled master builder". He says his primary job was to point people to Jesus so that their lives would be anchored to
the only thing that cannot be moved.
Why Love
1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (NIV)
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ( I am useless for to the cause of Christ)
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardships that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
1 John 4:8: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
1 Corinthians 16:14: "And do everything with love."
Colossians 3:14: "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Galatians 5:6: "...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through
love."
The Bible consistently teaches that our actions, no matter how "religious" or "good" they seem, are hollow without love.
In Revelation 2:1–7, Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus. He gives them a report card: they were doing almost everything "right" on the outside, but they had suffered a catastrophic
failure on the inside.
1. What they were doing right
The Ephesians were not "lazy" Christians. Jesus actually commends them for several impressive qualities:
Hard Work: They were physically and spiritually active ("I know your deeds, your hard work").
Perseverance: They didn't quit when things got difficult.
Doctrinal Purity: They had high standards. They "tested" false apostles and didn't tolerate evil people.
Endurance: They suffered for the name of Jesus without growing weary.
2. The Verdict: "You have forsaken your first love"
Despite their busy schedules and perfect theology, Jesus says in verse 4:
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first."
3. How was the first love forgotten?
Biblical scholars and the text itself suggest that the "forgetting" happened through a slow drift rather than a sudden rebellion. Here is how they lost it:
Duty over Devotion: They became so busy doing things for God that they forgot to simply be with God. Their service became a chore or a habit rather than a response to a relationship.
Truth without Love: Because they were so focused on "testing false apostles" and "hating the practices of the Nicolaitans," they likely became legalistic and harsh. They were so busy defending
the truth that they forgot to be kind or compassionate.
Mechanical Faith: They were "going through the motions." Their "works" were still there, but the motive (which should be love, as seen in 1 Corinthians 13) had evaporated.
Intellectualism: They were "doctrinally sophisticated but spiritually cold. " They knew the right answers, but their hearts were no longer "on fire."
4. The Remedy
Jesus didn't just diagnose the problem; He gave a three-step solution in verse 5:
Revelation 2:5 (NIV)
"Consider how far you have fallen! Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand
from its place." (Love by God in Action)
The Three Steps to Restoration
Jesus provides a practical "road map" for anyone who feels their spiritual passion or love has grown cold:
Remember ("Consider how far you have fallen"): This is a call to reflection. He asks them to look back at their early days of faith—the joy, the sincerity, and the deep affection they once had for God and
others—and recognize the gap between then and now.
Repent: This isn't just feeling bad; it’s a "change of mind." It involves admitting that being "busy" or "right" is not a substitute for being "loving." It is a decision to turn away from mechanical religion and
turn back toward a heart-relationship.
Do the things you did at first: Jesus tells them to go back to the basics. Instead of trying to manufacture a feeling of love, He tells them to return to the actions of love—the simple prayers, the humble service,
and the focused devotion they practiced when they first believed.
The Warning: The Lampstand
The "lampstand" represents the church's identity and its light in the world. Jesus warns that a church (or a believer) that has truth but no love eventually loses its influence. Without love, the "light" goes out,
and the witness becomes ineffective.
Why Unity.
Ephesians 4:1–3 (NIV)
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
(Jesus has expectations for us)
The "Unity of the Spirit"
Verse 3 contains a very important distinction: Paul does not tell the church to create unity. He tells them to "keep" (or preserve) it.
* Unity is a Gift: According to Paul, the Holy Spirit has already created unity through the cross.
* Our Job is Maintenance: We maintain that unity through the "bond of peace."
* "Make Every Effort": This phrase in Greek implies a sense of urgency and intense labor. Unity doesn't happen by accident; it requires work.
The Connection to "First Love"
If you look at these verses alongside the message to the Church in Ephesus in Revelation, you can see the irony. Paul wrote these words to the Ephesians decades before Jesus’ message in Revelation. Paul
warned them that a "worthy life" required humility, patience, and love. By the time of Revelation, they were still "working hard" (Rev 2:2), but they had lost the "bearing with one another in love" (Eph 4:2) part of the equation.
So, Living Word family. for 2026 let us strengthen the basics and allow God to be glorified in us and through us.
In Conclusion.
Which KNOW/NO will you choose in 2026.
No Jesus, No Love and No Unity which equals: No Hope, No Joy, No Freedom, No Grace and No Mercy.
or
Know Jesus, Know Love and Know Unity which equals Knowing Hope, Joy, Freedom, Grace and Mercy.
The Living Word Motto for 2026
Let Jesus, Love and Unity be THE fix in 2026
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