THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

INTRODUCTION

Intro / hello / interact / funny story

Matthew 22:37–39 NLT

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.’

Pray

HOW TO LIVE A LIFE THAT MATTERS

1 Cor. 13:1-3

Without love we are nothing - nothing we do (even faith-filled efforts) amounts to anything without love.

We need love.

What is “Love?” - Define love

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 TPT

4 Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. 5 Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. 6 Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. 7 Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Reread

Matthew 22:37–39 NLT

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.’

Explain context - Religious crowd testing Jesus with complicated questions about the law. Jesus simplifies by sticking to the law of love.

Pull out principles from this event

Break down Matt. 22:37-39 - “The Greatest Commandment” 1. Love God • Affections, attention & energy 2. Love Yourself • Acceptance, forgiveness, compassion, affirmation 3. Love Others • Put others interest above our own. See the one in front of you & love them.

HOW DO WE FULFILL THE GREAT COMMANDMENT?

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19 NLT

19 We love each other because he loved us first.

We must receive & walk in His love for use on a daily basis. ⁃ Romans 5:8 - God demonstrates his love for us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. ⁃ It’s not our strength but his

HOW DO WE LIVE WHAT WE BELIEVE?

⁃ We must slow down, rest, seek silence & solitude, practice sabbath

⁃ Slow down & seek God - 20min a day in the psalms, utilize a daily reading plan through your fav bible app, cut unnecessary activities & habits from our life. Seek times to be alone & think about God & the good He’s has done in our life. Find time to practice sabbath; set periods of time where you intentionally “do no work” and enjoy the pleasures & relationships God has put in your life (time with family is huge!)

⁃ As we reconnect with God & our soul, we slowly can begin to see love become natural. First we slow down, then we receive, the we give.

⁃ We must realize that Christ did the hard work, by bridging the gap between God and man with His own life offered as a sacrifice on our behalf. our job becomes simply to respond to him.

If we want our actions and our lives to matter, the only thing that will ever make a bit of difference is this question, did we love? How do we love? Reconnect to God & join in what he’s doing.