Title: Love God
In terms of content, everyone wants to be happy. People mainly seek happiness in three ways. Some people think that owning as much material as they want will make them happy. Most modern people live with this philosophy of life.
“If I could have a little more, I would be happy…” Others think that pleasure will make you happy. They pursue alcohol, drugs, and travel for pleasure. Others think that gaining fame and power will make them happy. We do everything we can to get people's recognition and popularity. But, saints, true happiness cannot be brought about by possessions, pleasure, or power. True happiness begins with understanding the purpose of life. I hope you understand who I am and what I must do. This is the first step to your happiness.
So, who are you and why do you live in this world? What is the purpose of life? Today's text shows us this clearly. It tells us who we are and what we do. It reveals the purpose of God who created us.
Let's take a look at the background of today's text. During the last weeks of His crucifixion, Jesus is challenged with questions from various religious leaders in the temple. The Pharisees and Herodians challenged Jesus over a tax question (Matthew 22:15-22). The Sadducees asked Jesus a question about the resurrection (Matthew 22:23-33). Jesus' answer surprised people. In today's text, the Pharisees send another scribe to test Jesus. Verse 36. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Here, the Law refers to the Pentateuch, that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. There are 613 commandments in the Pentateuch. Of these, 248 are commandments to do and 365 are commandments not to do. Which of these is the greatest commandment?
Without hesitation, Jesus answers immediately. What is Jesus' answer? Verses 37 and 39. “Jesus said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. … The second is like that, saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We call this Jesus' answer the “great commandment.” This great commandment is first, “You shall love God” and secondly, “Love your neighbor”. I'll do it.
Jesus answered by quoting a portion of the “shema” in Deuteronomy 6. Deuteronomy 6:4-5. “Hear, Israel. There is only one Jehovah our God; you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This is the Jewish Shema. This Shema is the first commandment recited by the children of the Jews. This is a commandment that every Jew recites morning and evening every day throughout their lives. The Jews considered this Shema a part of life, as if it were breathing. This was the purpose of the Jews' existence.
Jesus, who answered, “Love God,” explains the importance of this great commandment in verses 38 and 40. Verse 38. “This is the great and first commandment.” Because this is the greatest, it is the first commandment. There is no greater commandment than this. Verse 40. “These two commandments are all the law and the prophets.” All the laws and the prophets here emphasize the entire Old Testament. The fact that the two commandments Jesus spoke of are the principles of the Old Testament is the fundamental spirit of the Old Testament. All the commandments and prophets express the fundamental spirit of loving God and man. In short, the commandment “Love God” is the most important and great commandment.
Dear brothers and sisters, God created us. Based on the words of today's text, what is the purpose of God's creation of us? What is the one thing that the God who created us wants us the most? God wants us to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. God created us for this love relationship. Therefore, God invites us to this relationship of love. He seeks a loving relationship from us. To love God is the purpose of our life.
The reason life is all messed up and in chaos is because we don't understand this. No human life can be meaningful and happy unless its most important and fundamental purpose is fulfilled. Because on this great commandment we all depend. Everything in our religious life depends on this great commandment. It is in this loving relationship that we experience God and know His will. The happiness of our lives depends on this great commandment. Dear saints, I hope you believe that loving God is the most important thing in your life. I want you to know that there is nothing more important in your life than this. If this isn't set up right, nothing else will be worthwhile.
How, then, are we to love God?
Look again at verse 37. It means to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” It is to love God with all that we have. It is our earnest desire to give all we have to God. To love God is to give our hearts, our lives, and our intentions unsparingly.
Dear brothers and sisters, do you love God like this? To what do we live, giving our hearts, our lives, and our will? Are you God? Or is it something else? We are giving our hearts to more things than to God. We live by giving our hearts to many things, such as to my job, to my family, to my friends, to my hobbies, to sports, to my computer, and so on. There are many young people who go to the theater at night to watch a movie. It's easy to watch a movie for 3 hours without sleeping. However, praying with God and reading the Word of God is difficult even for 15 minutes. In this way, we do not love God with all our beings.
Everyone, do you love this worship service? do you adore Are you waiting for this worship service? If there is a problem with worship, there is a problem with the love of God. If you love God, you will enjoy worshiping Him. Be the first to worship. Success in worship. Everything you do will tire you out if you don't prioritize worship. “But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength, and they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary, they will walk and not get tired” (Isaiah 40:31).
Dear saints, do you truly love God with all your heart? Our God is a jealous God. No other competitors are allowed. “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). But when we only love God, God provides for all our needs because of his love for us (Matthew 6:31-33). Come to worship and praise. You will find new inspiration. Come to worship and love God. You will be refreshed to prepare for the week to come. To love God through worship is the primary purpose of our life.
What are the benefits of loving God through worship? There are many benefits. The benefits have already been mentioned. But the reward for our love for God is that God loves us and reveals Himself to us. In John 14:21, Jesus promises us. “He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” It is a promise of God's presence. If Jesus is with us, we can have eternal life and live an abundant life. The abundant fruit of life is guaranteed. You can be happy and content. You will live a life of eternal value and meaning.
We are going to finish the sermon by examining Moses in Exodus 33. The people of Israel who came out of Egypt made a golden calf and worshiped it saying it was God. A jealous God became angry and wanted to destroy all of this people. However, God's words and Moses' response are recorded in the process of hearing and pardoning Moses' intercession. In Exodus 33:1-3, He tells us to go to the land of Canaan, and He promises to subdue it according to God's promise. But he says he will not be with them there.
But look. When you hear that God will give you the land of Canaan where there is no presence, look at Moses' reaction. In Exodus 33:15, Moses prays, “If you would not go, do not send us up from here.” Rather than in a land flowing with milk and honey where God's presence is not present, we will be in the wilderness with God now. The land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, meant nothing to Moses. For Moses, only the presence of God was more important than anything else. Moses loved God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, as Jesus gave us the great commandment.
Dear brothers and sisters, I hope you will love God like Moses. I want you to give your heart to God, give your life, and give your will. Worship is an expression of our love to God. I wish you success in worship. This is the supreme purpose of our life. When we love God, God reveals Himself to us. He loves us. He is with us. I hope you will love God with all your being, confident that He will give us eternal life and abundant life.