The great command to love! (Matthew 22:34-40)

Matthew 22:34-40 “34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 M aster, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Jesus has just silenced an entire group of people and

What Love is?

Love is more than a feeling or emotion. It’s more than words!

This is how the Bible defines love

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is l • not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 t p Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Bear eth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity g . O . V never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be @ ‘ @ knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

Real love is from God because real love is God

A 1 John 4:16 “16 And we have known and z believed the love that God hath to us. God is ! love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

Jesus is the best example of love!

Romans 5:8 “8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

How crazy is it that God loves you?!

& Everyone!

John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We should love God!

We love him because he loves us!

1 John 4:10 “10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1 John 4:19 “19 We love him, because he first loved us.”

The Law is summed up in this because if we love him we will keep his commands!

John 14:15 “15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

How should we love him?

Jesus says “Heart, soul, mind

EVERYTHING WE HAVE!

We Should love people!

If we love God we will love what he loves

& God loves people

John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

If we love people we will too keep the law because sin usually involves taking advantage of other people.

Romans 13:9 “9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

2 Cor 5:14-15 “14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

Love should be at the center of all we do!