Christian Life Church
February 14, 2024 - 7pm
Matthew 22:34-40 NIV “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Wednesday 6:30 PM
Love the Lord Your God February 14, 2024
Scripture
Matthew 22:34-40 NIV
“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
With what are we to love God? 3 things are specified:
1. With all your heart
Love God with a true-heartedness - which is void of hypocrisy and not in word only.
Love God with sincerity - which is void of a divided affection.
Psalm 86:11
“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”
You can’t love the Lord your God with all of your heart if you have a divided heart.
Be sure to love God in the way He teaches us to love Him, which is sometimes different from the way we want to show Him our love.
2. With all your soul
Love God with utmost fervor - with passion and enthusiasm.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Love God by giving Him your best, holding nothing back.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
Don’t just participate in the Christian life, compete (not against each other) to give your all, the very best you have to offer, in this Christian life.
3. With all your mind
Love God by putting intelligence into your affection towards the Lord.
Ephesians 1:17 NLT
“...asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”
We should learn to think critically and biblically.
Understand the difference between knowing of God and knowing God.
If the enemy is unsuccessful in keeping Jesus out of our heart, he will attempt to keep Him out of our minds.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power & of love & of a sound mind.”
Love God with all of your thinking.
Christian Life Lesson
Love for God should involve all that we have and all that we are.
Scripture
Matthew 22:34-40 NIV
“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
With what are we to love God? 3 things are specified:
1. With all your heart
Love God with a true-heartedness - which is void of hypocrisy and not in word only.
Love God with sincerity - which is void of a divided affection.
Psalm 86:11
“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”
You can’t love the Lord your God with all of your heart if you have a divided heart.
Be sure to love God in the way He teaches us to love Him, which is sometimes different from the way we want to show Him our love.
2. With all your soul
Love God with utmost fervor - with passion and enthusiasm.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Love God by giving Him your best, holding nothing back.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
Don’t just participate in the Christian life, compete (not against each other) to give your all, the very best you have to offer, in this Christian life.
3. With all your mind
Love God by putting intelligence into your affection towards the Lord.
Ephesians 1:17 NLT
“...asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”
We should learn to think critically and biblically.
Understand the difference between knowing of God and knowing God.
If the enemy is unsuccessful in keeping Jesus out of our heart, he will attempt to keep Him out of our minds.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power & of love & of a sound mind.”
Love God with all of your thinking.
Christian Life Lesson
Love for God should involve all that we have and all that we are.