Introduction

Matthew 22:36-40

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

The lawyer in this passage asked this question in order to try and trap Jesus.

However, Jesus did not give him the satisfaction.  Jesus was telling these men that love was the greatest commandment.  This tells us that love should be our motivating factor for serving God.

We must ask ourselves if we really love God because this is our greatest commandment today.

 We will discuss three points today:

1. Why I love God.

2. What does it mean to love God?

3. How can I better love God?

Body

I.   Why I love God.

A. Because he first loved me (1 John 4:19 "We love Him, because He first loved us.” John 3:16)

B. Because God loves even those who don't love him (1 John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  So what does this tell us:

1. We are also commanded to love even those who don't love us (Matthew 5:43-48. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hatethineenemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.   For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  This is something that is not easy for us to do.  It is easy to love someone who loves us also.  This does not mean that we are to love their actions; we can love the soul but hate the sin.

C. Because God demonstrates His love for us.

1. Romans 5:8  "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. 1 John 4:10  "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

D. Because He is the true and living God (1 Thessalonians 1:9 "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

1. These people realized that Paul's God was different.

2. God is the only constant in a world that is always the same, never changing.

a. Malachi 3:6 "For I am the Lord, I change not..."

b. Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and for ever."

II.  What does it mean to love God?

A. If we love God, we will keep His commandments.  John 14:15 "If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

1. We won't try to make up laws of our own that we like. Matthew 15:9  "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

2. We won't mind keeping His commandments. 1 John 5:3  "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”

B. If we love God we will not love the world.  1 John 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”  A lot of times people fall because they love the world more than God.  Nothing in this world should stop us from striving to please God.  We must love him more than family. Matthew 10:37

C. If we love God, we will love in deed, and not only in word.

1. It is not enough just to pay lip service. Matthew 15:7-8  "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

D. If we love God, we will love the brethren. 1 John 4:20-21 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

III. How can we better love God?

A.  Get to know Him better through His word.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

This increases our faith in Him.  (Romans 10:17)

B.  Put His word into practice.

1.     Be doers of the word.   James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

2. The word can save our soul.  James 1:21 "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”

C. Be mindful of our blessings.

1. Remember that God will work everything out for the best.

2. Count Your Blessings:  When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed...

3. The blessing of heaven. (James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Conclusion

I. Do you really love God?

II. Do you:

A. Love him for the right reasons?

B. Put that love into practice?

C. Strive to grow in your love for Him?

III. Only those who love God will make it to heaven.

IV. If you've never obeyed the gospel, you either don't love God or aren't demonstrating it.