WHEN LOVE GROWS COLD.
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Icebreaker: Hot or Cold?
From the list below, ask life group members to quickly respond by saying “HOT!” if they love it, or “COLD!” if they don’t.
Coffee or iced coffee?
Summer or winter?
Hot Cheetos or cold ice cream?
Beach vacation or mountain cabin?
Hot weather workouts or cold weather workouts?
Camping or staying in a hotel?
Soup or Ice Cream?
Hot Chocolate or Iced Tea?
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Announcements
PRAYER NIGHT
Thursday, September 18th - 6:30 PM
National City Campus/North Park Campus/Tijuana Campus
YOUNG ADULTS WORSHIP NIGHT
Thursday, September 25th - 7 PM
National City Campus
LEGACY MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT CLASSES
Monday, September 29th - 7 PM
National City Campus
NORTH PARK PRAYER NIGHT
Saturday, October 4th - 7 PM
North Park Campus
BAPTISMS
Sunday, October 5th
National City Campus
MAN CAMP
Thursday, October 9th - Saturday, October 11th
Whispering Winds Camp 17606 Harrison Park Road Julian, CA
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
Thursdays - 7 PM 8:30 PM
National City Campus
How We Lose Our First Love.
1. When You Lose Your Why, You Lose Your Way.
The church in Ephesus was known for its endurance, discernment, and faithfulness to truth. They were doing good things, but their why had faded. When our motivation shifts from love for Jesus to simply “doing what’s right,” our works become heavy instead of joyful. Losing your why doesn’t always look like sin. It can often look like exhaustion, frustration, or simply going through the motions.
Jesus is reminding you today that He doesn’t just want your service; He wants your heart.
Reflection Question:
What motivated you to follow Christ when you first began your journey? Has that “why” changed over time?
Are there areas in your life where you feel weary or worn out from doing good things? How can you reconnect with the original purpose?
How can remembering your “why” help you endure current challenges and hardships?
2. When You Lose Your Way, You Leave What You Once Loved.
Revelation 2:4 tells us: “You have left your first love.” Love is not lost by accident. It’s left by choice, even if it’s through slow drift. The more we let distractions, comfort, or worldly pursuits pull us, the less room we leave for Jesus at the center. What once burned brightly can grow dim if it’s not tended to. This is why Scripture warns us about being lukewarm (Revelation 3:15–16) and about loving the world more than God (1 John 2:15).
The truth is, we may still look like believers on the outside and still have hearts that aren’t in love with Him on the inside.
Reflection Question:
Are there areas of your faith or life where your passion for God has grown lukewarm? Why?
What worldly distractions or desires might be drawing your heart away from God?
How can you guard against falling in love with the temporary things of this world instead of your eternal first love?
Reflect on someone in Scripture (like Demas) or history who left their first love. What lessons can you take from their story?
3. When You Leave Your First Love, You Fall From Grace.
The Bible gives both a warning and an invitation in Revelation 2:5: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.” Falling from grace can mean living in obvious sin and it can also mean living in self-reliance instead of Spirit-dependence. When we leave love, we start living in our own strength, and eventually the light of our witness grows dim. But Jesus provides a way back: remember (where you were with Him before), repent (turn your heart fully back to Him), and return (do the things you once did when love was fresh). Grace is not gone. It has not left you. it’s waiting to restore you when you take that first step back toward your first love.
Reflection Question:
Are there habits, attitudes, or actions in your life that have caused you to drift from God’s grace?
How does repentance restore your relationship with God and rekindle your passion for Him?
How do Jesus’ interactions with Peter (John 21:15-17) illustrate the restoration that comes when we return to Him?
THIS WEEK’S DECLARATION:
“This week, I declare will not lose sight of my why. I will choose again to follow Jesus with a heart full of love and devotion, not empty routine. I will not allow distractions or the love of the world to pull me away from my first love. I will remember the joy of my salvation, repent of any drift in my heart, and return to the passion I once had. I will pursue Spirit-filled passion, devotion to God’s Word, and a life that exalts Jesus above all else. I will walk in radical repentance, live with generosity and service, and keep the flame of love for Jesus burning strong. My heart will not grow cold and I will remain faithful, steadfast, and fully alive in the grace of God. This week, I walk in love, I live in grace, and I shine with the light of Jesus Christ. He is my first love today and every day.”
