Growing Your Love for God

Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28–34 (NLT)

28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.

33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

INTRODUCTION:

How is your love life with Jesus?

*Illustration: “knee-deep in love”

I-DEVELOP YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS IN YOUR PASSIONS (Mark 12:30 a)

Mark 12:30a (NLT)

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

(καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου.)

καρδίαa, ας “‘heart, inner self”

A. Reflect on the depth of his love for you.

(Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

(1 John 3:1)

1 John 3:1 (NLT)

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.

His love for you caused him to make you his child. (1 John 3:1).

1 John 3:1 (NLT)

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.

His love for you caused him to choose to adopt you (Galatians 4:5).

Galatians 4:5 (NLT)

5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

His love for you caused him to give his life for you (Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Reflect like David did (1 Chronicles 17:16)

1 Chronicles 17:16 (NLT)

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

B. Reserve time alone with him every day.

1. Time to share your heart with him. (Hebrews 4:15, 16)

Hebrews 4:15 (NLT)

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

2. Time to listen to him. (Psalm 46:10)

Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

Like a husband-and-wife must spend time together sharing from the heart and listening to each other.

C. Remember that he wants to be identified with you publicly.

Identify with him through worship (Hebrews 10:25)

Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Identify with him through witnessing. (Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 (NLT)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

identify with him through open confession. (Matthew 10:32 – 33)

Matthew 10:32–33 (NLT)

32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.

33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

II- DEVELOP YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS WITH YOUR PERSON (Mark 12:30 B)

Mark 12:30 (NLT)

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

(καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου.)

ψυχῆς = the essence of life in terms of thinking, willing, and feeling—‘inner self, mind, thoughts, feelings, heart, being

A. surrender to him in salvation.

Repent of your past sin. (Luke 13:3)

Luke 13:3 (NLT)

3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

Receive Christ as Lord and Savior. (John 1:12)

John 1:12 (NLT)

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

B. Surrender to his will for your life. (Romans 12:1 – 2)

Romans 12:1–2 (NLT)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

let your whole self upon the altar of living sacrifice.

Illustration: “an undying love”

III- DEVELOP YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS IN YOUR PSYCHE (Mark 12:30 C)

Mark 12:30 (NLT)

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

(καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου.)

διανοίας = the psychological faculty of understanding, reasoning, thinking, and deciding—‘mind.’

A. Spend time in God’s word.

Study it (2 Timothy 2:15)

2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Meditate on it (Psalm 119:148)

Psalm 119:148 (NLT)

148 I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.

Memorize it (Psalm 119:11)

Psalm 119:11 (NLT)

11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Apply it (Luke 6:46)

Luke 6:46 (NLT)

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

B. Seek to grow in your understanding of him instead of the ways of the world. (2 Peter 3:18)

2 Peter 3:18 (NLT)

18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

question –

“Do you want the one you love most to grow in their understanding of you and in a deeper relationship with you – or someone else?”

IV- DEVELOP YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS WITH ALL OF YOUR POWER (Mark 12:30 D)

Mark 12:30 (NLT)

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

(καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου.)

ἰσχύος = xceptional capability, with the probable implication of personal potential—‘capability, strength

A. Remember that you are important to him.

There is no such thing as extra parts to the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12 – 20)

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 (NLT)

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.

13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!

20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.

B. Find ways to serve the Lord you love. (Romans 12:3 – 8)

Romans 12:3–8 (NLT)

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,

5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.

8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Do everything you do as though for the Lord.

(Colossians 3:17)

Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Like you do for the one you love.

CONCLUSION:

Strive to develop your love for Jesus with all of your:

Passion

Person

Psyche

Power

Hymn: “My Jesus, I love Thee”

(B.H. #76)