Matthew 22:37-40
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.”

Loving God Looks Like Obedience

John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commands.”

John 14:21
“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me . . .

• Command – authoritative prescription

Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV)
²⁴ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Proverbs 24:16

• When we fall, we don’t give up, we grow up.

Ephesians 5:15-17
¹⁵ Be very careful, then how you live – not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore, don’t be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.

• What would be your greatest reward in life?

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

• What would be your greatest regret?

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy . . .

• What is the wisest thing to do right here?

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom . . .

Matthew 22:39
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

• God loves you and He wants you to love you.

1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.

• Agape (love) – is a decision not an emotion

Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Loving Others Looks Like How Jesus Loves Us

John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

• What does love require of me?

1 John 4:8, Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

• When we love well, we look like God to others.

John 3:16

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails . . .