February 11, 2024
“What’s your life for?”
29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:29–31 (NASB1995)
The Idea
If you want to find what your life is for, if you want to find the deepest level of meaning, purpose, and fullness and joy in your life – do this: Learn to love God with everything in you.
Make this first
I. Love Christ First
“… and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ “
Mark 12:30 (NASB1995)
4 Stages of Devotion:
(1) "I’m doing whatever I want to do, no matter what God wants."
(2) "If God will give me what I want first, then I will give Him what He wants."
(3) "I will give God what He wants first, the in faith believe that He will give me what I want."
(4) "I will give God whatever He wants, regardless of whether He gives me what I want."
II. Love Like Christ
1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Ephesians 5:1–2 (NASB1995)
Two Applications:
1. How should my devotion to Christ affect my relationship to money, wealth and possessions?
2. How should my devotion to Christ affect who I am?
“For the love of Christ controls us … and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him … “
2 Corinthians 5:14–15 (NASB1995)
I want to be an offering, given fully to Him.
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