“Loving God Totally”
Mark 12:28-34 / various Jan. 15, 2006 Play
video
40 Years Back in the Gutter
• changed drunkard giving back God’s love to others
at rescue mission
What Matters Most to God
• ‘Shema’ declares loving God first priority (Deut
6:4f; Mk 12:29)
• love greatest, what counts; church rebuked for
falling from first love (1Cor 13:13; Gal 5:6; Rev 2:4f)
• God tests whether we love Him; properly ‘jealous’
(Deut 13:3; Jn 21:17; Ex 20:5; Deut 6:15; Ps 97:10)
• not loving the world, but have desires met in God
(Ps 73:25f; 1Jn 2:15f)
• not live for ourselves or “religiosity” / ritual
(2Cor 5:14f; Lk 11:42; Jn 5:39ff)
• love for God not rivalled by love for idols or
even relatives (Mk 12:32; 10:37f)
• Thomas willing to die with Jesus; needs God’s
operation on heart (Jn 20:25; Deut 30:6; 2Thess 3:5)
• Bonhoeffer’s 5 ‘deaths’ to: relationships;
success; flesh; love of money; physical life
Love’s Link with Obedience and Others
• loving God associated with keeping His commands
(Deut 7:9; 11:1; Josh 22:5; Jn 14:15,21,23)
• chief command? Love each other / neighbour (Jn
15:12; Mk 12:31; Mt 25:40)
• show love to God as help others; can’t love God if
no pity on needy (Heb 6:10; 1Jn 3:17; 4:20)
Positive Results and Rewards
• become known by God, “at home” (1Cor 8:3; Jn 14:23)
• enjoy access to God, joy, answered prayer,
protection (Is 56:6f; Rom 8:28; Ps 91:14, 145:20)
• heavenly reward: crown of righteousness / life,
the kingdom, unimagined blessings (2Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12, 2:5; 1Cor 2:9)
Love’s “Waste” for the Little
• elderly pensioner’s desire to meet President sadly
unwarranted
• Ford executive intervened, Reagan in compassion
took costly time
• our love for God in response to His mercy and
undeserved grace (Ps 116:1)
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