Untitled Sermon

LOVE GOD

· In overhearing Abouna this past Thursday at COCC question Jehovah witnesses about loving Christ as God or neighbor sealed the deal on topic of loving God

So, let’s look and read Deut 6:3-7. “Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LordGod of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 6:3–7, NKJV)

· We’ll focus on verse 5. How do we love God with our heart, soul and strength

· How to command Love. When we finally stand before Christ and see what He accomplished on our behalf, we will really love God our Lord with all our hearts

· Jewish philosopher Maimonides says “What is the love of God that is appropriate? It is to love God with an exceedingly strong love until one’s soul is tied to the love of God. One should be … like a person who is “lovesick,” whose thoughts cannot turn from his love for a particular woman. He is preoccupied with her at all times, whether he is sitting or standing, whether he is eating or drinking. Even more intense should the love of God be in the hearts of those who love him, possessing them always as we are commanded “with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 6: 5).”

· But Love is not that tingly emotional feeling we get, the Hebrew word for love (Ahavah) is beyond emotions and can actually mean to act lovingly toward or be loyal to. [Ancient near east treaties had one king swear to “Love” other king, though meaning to be loyal to]

· “How could God order people to “love” him in the sense of having a certain emotional response toward him? Actually, he didn’t. When the Israelites were commanded to love God as part of their covenant, we can read it as not so much about passionate feelings as much as an utter commitment to loyalty toward God, the one they obeyed. As Pastor Chuck Warnock puts it: Love meant action. Love meant living a certain way, a way that distinguished God’s people from all other people. Loving God meant worshipping the One, True God—not hedging your bet by making idols to the sun god, and the moon god, and the god of the harvest, and worshipping those, too.”

· As it’s beyond emotions, loving others must include actions, not just thinking nice things, buy by helping others in many ways we can

· Love others shed light when our Lord said “Love your enemies” with “do good to those who hate you” Luke 6:27. We live out loving enemies by treating them well, praying for them, not taking revenge, being kind to them no matter what

· Now back to Deut 6:5 “With all your heart”. When we think of heat, we think of emotions but in Hebrew the heart refers to your mind and thoughts: your rational thinking and reasoning. Hearts were seat of intelligence among ancient cultures because it’s only moving organ in body like when stressed, it beats faster

· So Deut 6:6 should be understood “These commandments are to be part of all your thoughts”. When I think of repentant Psalm 50 (51) where we implore God to “Create in me a clean heart” so clean mind / thoughts not to be perverse and able to be tempted

· So, when we read “heart” in Old Testament, consider it in terms of intelligence as well as our emotions. Also, memorization is one way to love God in hearts. Jewish boys by age 10 memorized first books of Moses (Torah) and by 14 whole Old Testament. How many of us have only memorized just several verses?

· Now back to Deut 6:5 “With all your soul”. When we say something like with our “heart and soul” it means we love with spirit and emotions so very emotional

· Here, soul means life as well. So here, we love God with all of your life, meaning every moment of every day, hour, minute, second throughout your life not just between work, sports, or friends. We are even willing to die for him as countless martyrs have showed their love

Just like how Greek has deeper meanings of love like philo and agape, Hebrew has a word for lifelong love that’s deeper than conceived in English “Hesed”. It’s a steadfast, rock-solid faithfulness that endures to eternity. A love so enduring that it persists beyond any sin or betrayal to mend brokenness and graciously extents forgiveness. I’ll repeat it. Look at Lamentation 3:31-32 “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies [unfailing love -hesed].” (Lamentations 3:31–32, NKJV)

· Hesed is to love as God loves. John Oswalt says “The word hesed … [is] the descriptor par excellence of God in the Old Testament. The word speaks of a completely undeserved kindness and generosity done by a person who is in a position of power. This was the Israelites’ experience of God. He revealed himself to them when they were not looking for him, and he kept his covenant with them long after their persistent breaking of it had destroyed any reason for his continued keeping of it…. Unlike humans, this deity was not fickle, undependable, self-serving, and grasping. Instead, He was faithful, true, upright, and generous—always.”

Hesed is not just feeling but action. In Gen 24:7 “And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy [kindness-hesed] and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”” (Genesis 24:27, NKJV)

· Because hesed is active, it’s translated as mercy or loving-kindness but neither do it justice to convey unswerving loyalty even to mot undeserving for Abraham’s servant finding a wife for Isaac (Rebeccah). Hesed is parent who spends day after thankless day spoon-feeding and wiping after disabled child

· Hesed is love that can be counted on decade after decade. It’s not about thrill of romance but security of faithfulness

· Now back to Deut 6:5 “With all your strength.” In Hebrew, it really means with all your very. Similar to English, like how are you, very well/good. But here think of it as with all your “oomph” (all your energy) and is commonly translated as strength or might

· Another interpretation of “very” is our money. As very can men “all your increase” Everything God has given you has “increased” you: your wealth, possessions, family, children and friends are gifts from Him.

· How to love God by money? Obviously by giving to poor or we’re undercharged an item at store or provided additional change, do we correct or are we honest in our tax preparation

· “A Modern Shema Rereading the text that Jesus considered the very essence of God’s Word, we can capture it in this modern way: “Listen up, Israel—The LORD is your God, he, and he alone!! You should love him with every thought that you think, live every hour of every day for him, be willing to sacrifice your life for him. Love him with every penny in your wallet and everything that you’ve got!””