CHRIST DESERVES OUR LOVE: “Do you love Me?” (Jn 21:17). This is the story of an assembly immersed in love. Paul reports: “I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints” (Eph 1:15). He reminded them that “God…is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us” (2:4). And he wanted them to be “rooted and grounded in love” and “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (3:17-19). With this endless resource of divine love available, he appealed to the believers to be “bearing with one another in love,” (4:2) “speaking the truth in love,” (v 15) and, by using their gifts for the benefit of others, would contribute to the “growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (v 16). He exhorted them to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us” (5:2) and to love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (v 25). Yet for all this—and here’s the shocker—the Lord had to say, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4). But there is hope! Remember! Repent!