The Way of the Transformed

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Matthew 22:34–40 NIV84

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

1. Transformation starts because we love God

Agape love is unconditional love

We should not wait to love God until He meets our demands

We love because He first loved us

Love compels us to give ourselves

Love does not manipulate

2. The heart is the center of transformation

The heart is the center of all operations of human life—spiritual activity, thinking

The heart is the home of the personal life

Matthew 5:8 NIV84

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

The pure in heart see God

Matthew 12:33–34 NIV84

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Your speech reveals what is in your heart

The overflow of your heart opens your mouth

Whatever you feed yourself in excess is seen in your speech

Proverbs 4:23 HCSB

23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Prov

Proverbs 23:7 NIV84

7 for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

Proverbs 4:23 NCV

23 Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.

Protect what goes in

What goes in will determine your boundaries

Your heart shapes your life

3. Your lifestyle reveals your love for God

The word for soul comes from the Breath of Life

Also means physical life

It is your earthly existence in contrast to your supernatural existence

What are your doing in your life?

Jesus was ridiculed because He was a friend of sinners

We are in the world but not of the world

We need to reach the sinners not the Christians

Offer your life as a living sacrifice

Here am I Lord, send me

4. Your thoughts reveal your love for God

Your mind contains the activity of thinking

Your thoughts shape your attitude

Philippians 2:2 NIV84

2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Philippians 2:5–6 NIV84

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

Philippians 2:6 NIV84

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

The enemy thought he could be like God

God is able to exceed your thoughts

Fill your mind with God’s Word

5. The transformed love the neighbor

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care

We are called to reach sinners

We must live such good lives that people want what we have

People should be able to see a difference in your lifestyle

Live what you preach

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