“Loving God”
Preacher
Pastor John H. West

Date
January 3, 1999

Scripture Text
Mark 12:28-34

Note
Part one of series.  Continued in “God’s Command to Love Your Neighbor”

 

 We serve a God who deserves our love. You should be able to testify about the power of God in your life. We come through so many dangers in 1998 and have to say "Thank You Jesus."

God has been blessing us longer than just 1998. He has been blessing us our entire lives. If it had not been for the Lord on our side, we would not be here today.

  • God propped us up on every leaning side.
  • God built a hedge of protection around us so the enemy’s darts couldn’t penetrate
  • God woke us up this morning
  • God’s grace brought us.

We serve a good God. We serve a mighty God. We serve a loving God. We are not given a free ride through life. You cannot do everything you want the way you want. If you want to know the power of God, you need to understand that God has some requirements, some expectations, some commands for us. Some people think we can live any way we desire, then call on God. That is not true. You must meet God’s requirements. In every facet of life, there are requirements. Nothing is free. Likewise, with God there are requirements… there are standards. If we don’t meet God’s standards, God will have nothing to do with you. If we disobey God, He will leave us alone.

  • When Adam disobeyed, we were separated from God.
  • When David took Bathsheba, he was separated from God.

When we live by God’s commands and follow His teaching, God has a wonderful and abundant plan for our lives. When you obey the Lord, you will prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.

3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

What does God command of us? The old Jewish scribes had 613 individual requirements of God covering every aspect of life. They had laws for wearing fringes on your garments… others that are too numerous to remember. So, they wanted to cut the 613 down to the Ten Commandments. Then, in Micah 6:8, we see three laws:

Micah 6:8

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Jesus narrowed it down to two laws:

Mark 12:30-31

30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment

31And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

We have all the laws and requirements of God but in essence God has two:

  • Love God, and
  • Treat your neighbor as yourself.

If you do that, you will be on the right side of God.

Jesus didn’t give us a long list of do’s and don’ts. Some preachers tell their people what to wear. They have rules and requirements about superfluous details of life. But the most important thing is something they overlook. That is… do you love the Lord? God is in fact concerned about our lives… but the way to know God is not through rules and regulations. The way to know God is by loving God.

If you come to church to get something, then you have come for the wrong reason.

Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Don’t say, "Why do I have to go to church again?" or "It’s 12:50 and he’s not done preaching yet?" Don’t hate God. Love God.

Love is the reason why a wife slaves in the kitchen 3-4 hours for her family. A mother doesn’t have fun cleaning a dirty diaper. She does it out of love. We love God because He first loved us.

If you have a sin problem and you keep falling in the ditch over and over, don’t try to quit cold turkey. You need to turn the situation over to the Lord. Let Jesus’ love flood your soul like the sea billows roll. Let Jesus light up your life. Let Jesus give you control over it. Let Jesus give you deliverance from it.

This love is not theoretical. It is practical. It is real. It is down to earth. It is a special kind of love. It is not puppy love. It is not sentiment. It is a way of life. It glorifies God. In the Greek, it is called "Agape" love. We must have Agape for God. Some people only love God when their lottery ticket hits. You need to love God even if you don’t buy lottery tickets. Some people love God when they are doing well, but if they wind up in the hospital they curse God and die.

  • Love God with all your heart (the seat of our emotions and feelings)
  • Love God with all your soul
  • Love God with all your mind
  • Love God with all your strength

We make noise at football games, but we sit silently in the church. It is okay to express your emotions in church. We will shout and make all kinds of noise when the Eagles make a single touchdown. However, did you realize that:

  • Every day, when you wake up, God has scored a touchdown!
  • When you have food on your table, God has scored another touchdown!
  • When you drive safely on the highway, God has scored another touchdown!
  • When you go to bed at night, God has scored another touchdown!

BUT… you must know God. You can’t come to church, wave your hands, do the holy dance, and shout -- if you don’t know what the Bible says. Not if you do not know God. The thrust of our lives should be to please God. It is by Him that we live, move and have our being. It is by Him that we have talents and can do things.

We are blessed mightily by God, yet we are stingy with our gifts. You are asked to serve in a position in church but you say, "I respectfully decline." What if Jesus said, when He was about to carry your sins on the cross, that He "respectfully declined?" Where would we be then?

Jesus said, "Not My will… but Thy will be done."

Do you love the Lord?

  • I’m talking about the kind of love that you can’t reach
  • I’m talking about the kind of love that you can’t achieve
  • I’m talking about the kind of love that can’t be earned through hard work or discipline
  • I’m talking about the kind of love that is a gift from God

By grace are you saved through faith. It is a gift of God. Jesus is at the center of this love. Jesus puts love in your life. He puts joybells in your soul. Jesus leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus gives strength. Jesus helps us when no one else is around.

I am so glad we have Jesus on our side. We do not have to walk alone. God sits high and looks low. God is moved by our tears and has compassion for our needs.