Sermon 021896

Mat. 22:34-40                       The Great and First Commandment - II                           2/18/96

ABCC

I.  Review of the Great & 1st Commandment                                                                    # 512

    This is the great & 1st purpose in life.  You will not & cannot have real purpose in life if

     you do not love God!  Without love for God, your goals, priorities, motivations,

     achievements….are all wrong  - it is unacceptable to God & TOTALLY IN VAIN!!

     (Eccl. 2:10-11)

MOST OF THIS SERMON WAS PREACHED EXTEMPORANEOULY.  I SENSED GOD PROMPTING ME TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THE GREAT & FIRST COMMANDMENT, RATHER THAN MOVING ON THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT - WHICH IS WHAT I HAD PREPARED FOR IN THIS SERMON.

A.  Involves a personal relationship between an individual & the Only True God

B.  Involves genuine conversion of a sinner = “..love the Lord your God”

    C.  Involves a radical change in the will, emotions, intellect & attitude = ready to obey

    D.  Involves ongoing validation or evidence = FRUIT (Lk. 9:23; Jn. 14:15)

Obedience to this command benefits your whole being (body, soul, spirit), assures you the highest quality of life on earth, & secures your destiny w/Christ- “You shall love…”