Love God

Series:

Love is a 3-way street

1. Love God

2. Love Spouse (as yourself)

3. Love Neighbor

Intro

1. Think about love

a. what love is

b. how you act when you were (are) in love

2. Relate those feelings and action to God

People love lots of things – sports, cars, titles, social media, TV, video games, even ministry.

· The test of love - how long can you do without?

· How do you react when it’s broken, missing, or damaged?

Love God

1st greatest commandment

Background – debate about the afterlife – God of the living, not the dead

(NLT)

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.

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.

Cross reference

(ESV)

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

(NLT)

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.

35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

(NLT)

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27 The man answered, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

Parable of the Good Samaritan

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

Definitions

Commandment

1785 ἐντολή [entole /en·tol·ay/]

· 1 an order, command, charge, precept, injunction.

· 1a that which is prescribed to one by reason of his office.

· 2 a commandment. 2a a prescribed rule in accordance with which a thing is done.

· 2a1 a precept relating to lineage, of the Mosaic precept concerning the priesthood.

· 2a2 ethically used of the commandments in the Mosaic law or Jewish tradition.

Law

· Entire OT

· Jesus came to fulfill not abolish

You shall

· You = personal

· legally binding – command

Love

25 ἀγαπάω [agapao /ag·ap·ah·o/]

· to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly.

o Sounds similar to Agape – unconditional love – Love God no matter what

o IOW – You are to love God the way He loves you – unconditionally

The Lord

2962 κύριος [kurios /koo·ree·os/]

· he to whom a person or thing belongs

· One who has power of deciding; master, lord.

· the owner; one who has control of the person, the master.[1]

With ALL

3650 ὅλος [holos /hol·os/]

· whole, altogether, throughout, all, completely.

1 - Love God with Your Heart (Spirit-ual)

· Worship God in Spirit (your heart) and truth

2588 καρδία [kardia /kar·dee·ah/]

· the seat and the vigor and sense of physical life.

· 2b the center and seat of spiritual life.

· 2b1 the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors.

· 2b2 of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence.

· 2b3 of the will and character.

· 2b4 of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions.

· 1c the inmost part of anything, even though inanimate.

2 – Love God with Your Soul (Emotional)

· emotions (even men)

5590 ψυχή [psuche /psoo·khay/]

· the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing.

· the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)

3 – Love God with Your Mind (Mental)

1271 διάνοια [dianoia /dee·an·oy·ah

· “understanding” “imagination”

· the mind as a faculty of understanding, way of thinking and feeling, desiring

· thoughts, either good or bad.

Don’t just worship God with your mind only (at the expense of your emotions!)

4 – Love God with Your Strength (Physical)

2479 [ischus /is·khoos

· power, ability, force, strength, might.

· synonyms – 970, bia; 1411, dunamis; 1753, energeia; 1849, exousia; and 2904, kratos. See entry 5820 for comparison of synonyms.

How Is Your Love Life?

Acid test of Love

· How much you think about him/her (fired from job)

· Are you distracted in prayer?

· Have you been married to Jesus so long that you have become familiar? Lackluster

Love puts first things first

– there can only be ONE #1 – example of contractor intercom system

God loves you – God put YOU first

A person that loves God – will decide to put GOD first in their life

FIRST ministry is to God

· not religious works – vain repetition

· First love = Jesus

· “First” works flow from love FOR God – not just religious works FOR God

FOR vs FROM

· Don’t make the mistake of working FOR victory instead of FROM

· Working FOR approval

· Working FOR love

· Working FOR attention

You can tell who loves God in two ways

· living and giving

Attendance

· You spend TIME with the ones you love

· If you love God – you will spend time with Him

People come to church on

· Sunday morning – they love the church

· Sunday night – they live the pastor

· Wednesday night – they love Jesus!

Worship

How a person worships – hands in air or pockets

· Praise team – if you can’t worship God in the pew, you won’t be given the privilege of worshipping God on the stage!

· Worship begins at home!

Giving

Treasure is where your HEART is

· Honor with lips – “LIP” SERVICE - heart far from Me – hypocrisy

· Works vs heart – inner vs outer – root exposes the fruit – if you really love someone – it SHOWS because you GLOW!

[1] Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.