Putting Into Practice - Love - Part 1
Matthew 22:36-40
Pastor Don Jones
Introduction
I want to start today by telling you about some changes to our normal order of worship following the message. First, I apologize to our first time attenders and to our non-members. This message is meant exclusively for members. But for those of you considering joining this church, you might want to listen closely to what is said. Second, for the third time in 23 years of ministry, there will be no formal invitation. There will be an invitation, but not in the usual sense.
Lastly, you will be given a chance to "put into practice" what you hear, but it is up to you and you alone to take action. You must make your own decision. I am going to warn you now that I am going to step on your toes. Some might leave feeling like I have stomped on them. Remember this; I am telling you what scripture says, nothing more - nothing less. Jesus, the greatest preacher and teacher of all time, had multitudes stop following because of what He told them. So if you get mad and don’t come back, I’m sorry, but I do not want you to be on the wrong track without someone warning you.
Some of you may be so angry you will call for my resignation. I gave it to the Personnel chair just in case you want a feel good pastor you can find one with no argument from me. If you want me as a loving pastor expect the truth in love.
Prayer
Last week we looked at the foundational passage of this series "Put Into Practice". We examined the two builders in the parable of Jesus. The builders were the same. They both had heard the words of Jesus. The houses were the same, Integra block, 2000 sq. ft. 3 bdrm. 2 1/2 bath, with a tile roof. The torrents were the same. The exception was that the wise builder might have even experienced a greater storm. The ONLY difference was that the wise builder heard the words of Jesus and "put them into practice." He actually acted on what he heard. As James would say, he was a hearer and a doer.
So if you really want to know why you might have problems in your life, marriage, with your children, at your work, maybe unhappy in your personal life. Let me be blunt. You’re not putting into practice what God’s Word says. Unless you have a rock solid foundation built on the Word you can expect to get demolished in life or at least tossed around in life. Jesus said,
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Start Here
Today’s passage is the starting point, the narrow gate, when talking about a foundation built upon the Rock. Why, because it is where Jesus commands us to start. It is the first step in putting the words of Jesus into practice. Matthew 22:36-40 says, a Pharisee, an expert in the law, approached Jesus with a question and asks,
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?¡¨
Jesus replied: ¡§¡¥Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.¡¦ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ¡¥Love your neighbor as yourself.¡¦ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.¡¨
Jesus summed it all up in what we call the "Great Commandment". As a matter of fact, He says everything flows from these two commands. If I could go out on a limb this morning, I would say that the entire Bible is centered and based on this command from Jesus. So when we talk about practicing the words of Jesus we must start here. This is what we must start doing immediately.
Love the Lord, How?
So what is it we do first? The first part of the great commandment is, "love the Lord your God". When Peter had denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked him a simple but pointed question. He said, "Peter, do you love me". He didn’t talk about Peter’s denial or any of his many failures; He simply said "do you love me". Peter said "yes" each time he was asked and Jesus finally gave him the task of feeding the sheep.
It is a command. It is not optional. The construct of the Greek and even the English translation indicates it is non-negotiable. Love the Lord. There is no pro noun "you" in the sentence because it is a command statement in the Greek. We are to do it.
I asked one of our WW II service men one night what would have happened to them if they had refused a direct order in a combat situation during that time of war. The sentence is death by firing squad or death by hanging, the key word being death. It was and is a severe penalty during a severe time. The penalty for refusing this Great Command carries the same penalty. I John 2:3-6 says,
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ¡§I know him,¡¨ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God¡¦s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Mark Twain used to love to go fishing. He enjoyed the time of fishing because he could just relax. But he never liked to catch fish because then he would have to handle them. He would have to take them off the hook, clean them, and then put another worm on the hook and do it all over again.
So, he would take his line and drop it in the water. There would be a bobber and about a foot below it, there would be some weights. But he never put a hook on the line because he never intended on catching anything. He just wanted to look like he was fishing. Mark Twain is like a lot of Christians I know, some in this building. (Bruce Ball - SC)
Did you notice the command says "Love the Lord your God". That little word "your" implies a personal relationship and lordship in your life. That personal relationship is attained through a grace relationship with the Son, Jesus Christ.
Our first act of love toward the Lord, God Almighty, is to receive His Son, Jesus Christ. I John 5:11-12 says,
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Through Christ and Him alone we love God and thereby obey the first part of the Great Commandment. If you have not demonstrated your love for God by receiving His Son I urge you to do so today. Jesus said in John 14:6,
¡§I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know„T my Father as well.
Through our lordship relationship with Jesus we can begin loving the Father. It is attained no other way. It is a free gift from God out of love for us.
How are we to love the Lord our God? We are to love God with all we are and all we have. This is what is meant by loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. All of it, everything is His. Romans 12:1 says we are living sacrifices.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God¡¦s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God¡Xthis is your spiritual act of worship.
We are to crawl on the alter before God and sacrifice our desires, our will, our lives before Him to do with as He pleases. He is to be absolute first in our lives. No one or nothing is to be put before Him. Loving God involves doing or practicing the following: worship, corporate worship, giving from your wealth, giving of your time, each day doing as He pleases, and giving all we are and all we have to Him. Jesus said in John 14:13,
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
I want to share something with you this morning. I want to help you define biblical love. For some reason, we have muddled the meaning of love. First, we all know about lust. Lust wants to have someone because the hormones have been set off and begin raging inside. Men have a "testosterone overload" and women, well, they are just women and I will not attempt to explain. If you wish, talk to my wife after service.
Of course there is that friendship love that we have with most people. Our acquaintances and our close friends usually fall into this category. They are the people we get along with and those we don’t, we simply avoid. Friendship describes this type of love.
But the love that Jesus is talking about is far more than lust and friendship it is true love. No, I am not talking about some overwhelming sensation or feeling that we have all had at one time or another I am talking about real love.
Real love is first and foremost a conscious decision, a choice. We decide we are going to love. Let me give you an example. In 1971 at a basketball game, while drunk with a lip of Copenhagen, I stole a nice looking clarinet player’s ID card. She turned out to be Deb. While she was ignoring me, I was copying down her address and phone number. Over the course of the next 5 years we dated off and on. We wouldn’t talk to each other for 6 months at a time. I dated others and so did she. After I had chosen to attend Grand Canyon College and rededicated my life to Christ, we decided to get engaged. From that point on there were no others, it was all about her.
I chose her to be my wife and she chose me to be her husband. In 1977 we said "I do" at 1st Southern in Glendale. Pastor Jim Harvey said "till death do us part." We have been together for almost 30 years and have known each other for 36. Amazingly we are still married even though I have been a jerk to her more times than I can count and honestly she could have picked someone better.
But we made a choice in love to be true to each other till death. It was a commitment. The oogy feelings were gone long ago but the choice has remained the same. If there is one concept of love I could get across to all future married couples it would be that love is a choice not a feeling. Loving God is a choice, not a ritual, not a feeling, not even sacrifice, it is a choice to put him first above all others because He is God. I Samuel 15:22 says,
But Samuel replied ¡§Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
In the strongest possible terms I encourage you to quit playing at Christianity and church and make that commitment today. Love the Lord your God with all you are and all you have and start today.
We are not going to have an invitation today because I believe there is a decision to be made. Take the time this coming week to decide if you are willing to give it all for God. If you are not them perhaps you might consider staying home next week. If you are willing to make that choice to love the Lord with all you are and all you have then come and commit next week. Make that conscious choice to follow Him and Him alone.
Oh, and by the way, if you know that someone has something against you or you are holding on to a grudge against someone, take care of it before you come back next week. The message will focus on loving your neighbor, the second command. Lay down your pride at the alter and make amends as scripture says. Truly show your love for the Lord and your personal relationship with Jesus by living your life in love.
If you have invited Jesus Christ into your life please see me today or call me this week. Each individual in this room needs to determine whether you love the Lord or are you just playing the game?
Prayer
