Love the Lord Thy God
And They Remembered His Words 2021 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 218 viewsA message that explores how to love God.
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5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Pre-Service Ice Breaker
Pre-Service Ice Breaker
A minister told his congregation, “Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you to all read Mark 17.” The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, “Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying.”
Introduction
Introduction
In the Spring of 1971 there was a song that appeared on the Top 40 charts by two different artists at the same time. The first Helen Reddy to the song to #13 on the charts and Ylvonne Elliman took the song to #28 on the American Top 40. The song was from the 1970 Album and 1971 Rock Opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The song was a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene. Some of you have already realized that the song I am toaking about is “I don’t know how to love Him.” If like the character in the Rock Opera you are not sure how to Love God, then our message today will help you.
Throughout 2021 we are, as a congregation memorizing a passage of Scripture each week. Each Scripture is presented with a Theme to help us in the process of memorization. During the month of January our theme was Salvation and all of our memory verses centered around this theme.
During the month of February, the month of Valentine’s Day our theme is Love. We begin this theme with a passage of Scripture from Deuteronomy chapter 6.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 form what is referred to as “The Shema” a daily prayer in Ancient Israelite tradition. It’s the equivalent to the Lord’s prayer in Christian tradition. The Shema gets its name from the first Hebrew Word in the prayer in
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
The English word “Hear” renders the Hebrew word “Shema” in traditional Jewish prayer. The command in verse 5 is so important that in the New Testament when Jesus is asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5. He says this is the first and greatest commandment. Let’s look at it together today and learn the components of a love that honors God.
Loving God with all our Heart
Loving God with all our Heart
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
What does it mean to Love the Lord your God with all your heart?
It refers to the very first statement in the Shema. Hear, O Israel the Lord your God is one Lord.
Notice the word used LORD. This is the Tetragrammaton YHWH. This is Jesus! Jesus is God!
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
The first of the 10 Commandments. If we are to Love God, we are to love no other Gods. Have you placed other Gods ahead of Jesus? Fame, wealth, health, self.
John writes to the church in Ephesus in
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
God is our first love.
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Loving God with all our hearts is to love him intensely.
Loving God with all our Soul
Loving God with all our Soul
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
What is a soul?
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The very self of the person.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Loving God with all our soul means sincerely, most lovingly, obediently.
Loving God with all your Might
Loving God with all your Might
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Loving God with all our might is to love him all our capacity. with every possibility of our nature. It means we will do what he has called us to do.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Maybe today, like Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar you would say, “I don’t know how to Love him.” I would say to you that God has promised he will help you.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Today we have looked at a Scripture that guides us in this quest. I challenge you to join us in memorizing and practicing this truth. Let’s Love God with all our heart, all our soul and all our might.
It begins first with a relationship with him. You can never love someone you don’t know. To know God it is a simple as A,B,C.
If we know him we should tell others about Him. We should feed his sheep.
Let us pray.