THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 3-26-17

LESSON TITLE: “LOVE FOR GOD”

WELCOME

TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.

IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY MORNING! I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD. IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE THIS MORNING TO AGAIN STUDY GOD’S HOLY WORD AND TO SING PRAISES TO HIS MATCHLESS NAME. LET’S EACH DO OUR PART THIS MORNING IN MAKING THIS TIME OF OFFERING ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. WILL YOU GO TO GOD IN PRAYER WITH ME AT THIS TIME.

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO SERVE YOU. AND FATHER, WE ASK THAT THIS DAY ON THE LORD'S DAY WE MIGHT WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AND ALWAYS GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT GIFT OF JESUS WHICH MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE AND GIVES US HOPE, NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE BUT THE LIFE TO COME. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN

I HAVE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO BEGIN WITH THIS MORNING, “IN WHAT DO YOU PUT YOUR HOPES AND TRUST IN THIS LIFE?” TOO MANY PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE WORLD AND THE THINGS OF IT. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO TRUST IN THE ONE THING THAT WILL NEVER LET US DOWN. OUR FIRST SONG TODAY ANSWERS THIS VERY QUESTION, SO WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEED TO TRUST IN GOD, LET ME ALSO ASK HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE DAILY TRIALS OF LIFE? SOME CHOOSE TO LOOK AT THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WHILE OTHERS CHOOSE TO FACE THE ISSUES OF LIFE IN A POSITIVE WAY.

I READ A STORY ONCE OF A MAN WHO WAS SHIPWRECKED AND ALONE ON A REMOTE ISLAND. AFTER A WHILE, HE WAS ABLE TO ORGANIZE HIS LIFE FAIRLY WELL, AS HE BUILT A HUT, MADE TOOLS, AND DID HIS BEST WITH THOSE THINGS SALVAGED FROM THE SINKING SHIP. ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING THINGS HE PRAYED FOR EVERY DAY WAS TO BE RESCUED AND SAVED FROM THE LONELY FATE HE HAD SUFFERED. JUST AS THINGS SEEMED TO BE FALLING INTO A SATISFACTORY DAILY ROUTINE, HE EXPERIENCED A MAJOR SET BACK, WHEN ONE DAY HE RETURNED TO HIS HUT, FINDING IT HAD BURNT TO THE GROUND WITH ALL THE THINGS HE HAD WORKED SO HARD FOR TO MAKE HIS LIFE EASIER WHILE ON THE ISLAND. WHAT A BLOW IT WAS TO HIM AND WHAT A DEVASTATING EVENT. WHAT MORE COULD NOW HAPPEN TO THIS MAN WHO HAD AGAIN LOST EVERYTHING HE HAD WORKED SO HARD FOR? I’LL TELL YOU WHAT COULD HAPPEN. HE WAS RESCUED. A NEARBY PASSING SHIP SAW THE SMOKE AND INVESTIGATED TO SEE WHAT IT WAS FROM. YOU SEE BRETHREN, A GREAT CATASTROPHE, TURNED INTO ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS IN HIS LIFE.

NOW I ASK YOU, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE GET DEPRESSED, MAD, AND LOOK AT THINGS IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WHEN THIS WORLD SEEMS TO BE LETTING US DOWN. JUST WHEN WE THINK THINGS MIGHT BE LOOKING UP, SATAN HITS US WITH ANOTHER CRUSHING BLOW WHICH WE AUTOMATICALLY REACT TO IN A VERY NEGATIVE AND ANGRY WAY. DO WE REALLY SEE WHAT’S DOWN THE ROAD? DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE?

HOW OFTEN WE FORGET THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF PAUL IN ROMANS 8:28, WHERE HE SAID, “AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” DO YOU BELIEVE THIS PROMISE OF GOD - I DO! I HAVE SEEN IT TO BE TRUE, TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN MY LIFE.

WHY NOT LOVE GOD AND BE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, BECAUSE, AS WE HAVE SEEN, ALL THINGS WILL BE TO YOUR GOOD IF YOU ARE STRIVING TO LIVE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD. WHAT A WONDERFUL BLESSING? YOU CAN COUNT ON GOD, HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS!

OUR STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD TODAY WILL AGAIN FOCUS ON OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “I PRAY THAT YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND STILL MORE AND MORE.” OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS MORNING IS, “LOVE FOR GOD.” AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, WE WILL RETURN TO LEAD OUR STUDY OF THE MORNING. AS FAR AS OUR SPEAKER, WE ARE AGAIN HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER BRENT GREEN WITH US. BROTHER BRENT IS THE MINISTER FOR THE HWY 13 CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BOLIVAR AND HE IS ALSO A FULL-TIME INSTRUCTOR AT THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF MISSOURI. WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US THIS DAY. NOW, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION, AS WE SING OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER - THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “TO CANAAN’S LAND I’M ON MY WAY.”

LESSON

BRENT GREEN

IN OUR WORLD TODAY, LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT SO MANY TIMES IS ABSENT. WE WATCH THE NEWS, WE SEE ALL THE CRIMES, WE SEE ALL THE HATE THAT IS SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD. BUT LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE IN OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS. EVEN MORE SO LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD ABOUND IN OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS.

AS WE THINK ABOUT LOVE ONCE AGAIN LET'S REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWN TOWARDS US. THERE IN JOHN 3:16 - FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. WHAT GREATER EXPRESSION OF LOVE COULD THERE EVER BE THAN THE LOVE THAT GOD SHOWED WHEN HE GAVE THAT SON? AND AS HE GAVE HIS SON JESUS, IT WAS TRULY THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN AND EVER WILL KNOW. THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 8, GOD DEMONSTRATED THAT LOVE FOR THE WORLD WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. THAT'S THE GREAT LOVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN SHOWN FROM GOD. EVEN MORE SO, THERE IN FIRST JOHN FOUR VERSES 7 AND 8, WE ARE TOLD THAT GOD IS LOVE. BY HIS VERY NATURE HE IS LOVE AND THAT'S WHAT HE HAS SHOWN TOWARDS US. SO WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE AS CHRISTIANS? WHEN WE SEE HATE IN THE WORLD, SHOULD WE RESPOND WITH HATE? OR SHOULD WE RESPOND TO GOD AND TO THOSE AROUND US WITH THE VERY LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWN TOWARDS US? AND OF COURSE, THE ANSWER IS WE MUST LOVE AS GOD HAS LOVED. BUT SPECIFICALLY WE NEED TO HAVE A LOVE FOR GOD. SOMETIMES WE THINK ABOUT LOVING THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD OR WE THINK ABOUT EVEN LOVING OUR BRETHREN OR THOSE AROUND US. BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE A LOVE FOR GOD AND THAT SHOULD BE THE PROPER RESPONSE TO THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWN TOWARDS US. AS WE CONSIDER THAT LOVE WE ARE TO HAVE FOR GOD WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMANDMENT THAT DOES TRANSCEND THE DISPENSATIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD TO HIS PEOPLE. NO MATTER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME YOU STUDY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OR THE NEW, GOD'S PEOPLE ARE TO LOVE HIM. LET'S THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO FULFILL THAT COMMANDMENT TO LOVE GOD.

A LOVE FOR GOD IS A COMMANDMENT. THAT WAS TRUE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. YOU CAN FIND PASSAGES LIKE PSALM 31 IN VERSE 23 WERE DAVID IS SAYING, “OH LOVE THE LORD, ALL YOU HIS SAINTS.” THOSE WHO ARE GOD'S PEOPLE, DAVID WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE TO LOVE GOD FOR THAT IS OUR COMMANDMENT TO DO SUCH. BUT AS IS PARAMOUNT, NOT JUST THE WORDS OF DAVID, BUT EVEN IN THE LAW ITSELF, WE FIND THE NECESSITY FOR GOD'S PEOPLE - THE OLD TESTAMENT - TO LOVE HIM. I WANT YOU LOOK WITHIN YOUR BIBLES TO DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 6. AS THE LAW WAS GIVEN THROUGH MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI, MOSES WOULD REPEAT THAT LAW TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL BEFORE THEY ENTERED INTO THE PROMISED LAND. AND THIS IS WHAT WE FIND IN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 6 BEGINNING IN VERSE FOUR. IT SAYS, HEAR O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD. THE LORD IS ONE. YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. AND THESE WORDS WHICH I COMMAND YOU TODAY SHALL BE IN YOUR HEART. YOU SHALL TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY TO YOUR CHILDREN. YOU SHALL TALK OF THEM WHEN YOU SIT IN YOUR HOUSE, WHEN YOU WALK BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU LIE DOWN, AND WHEN YOU RISE UP. YOU SHALL BIND THEM AS A SIGN ON YOUR HAND AND THEY SHALL BE AS FRONTLETS BETWEEN YOUR EYES, YOU SHALL WRITE THEM ON THE DOORPOST OF YOUR HOUSE AND ON YOUR GATES.” WHAT WAS THE PREMIER COMMANDMENTS OF THE OLD LAW? WHAT IS IT THAT MOSES REMINDED ISRAEL THAT THEY NEEDED TO HEAR AND LISTEN TO AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOW IN THEIR LIVES? THAT COMMANDMENT THAT THEY SHOULD LOVE THE LORD THEIR GOD WITH EVERY FIBER OF THEIR BEING; WITH THEIR HEART, SOUL, STRENGTH, EVEN WITH THEIR MINDS. THAT THESE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE TO LOVE GOD AS HE HAD LOVED THEM.THEY WERE TO GIVE HIM THEIR ALL AND SUBSEQUENTLY THEY WERE TO TEACH THAT COMMANDMENT TO THEIR CHILDREN. THAT'S HOW THE NEXT GENERATION WILL LEARN OF THIS GREAT COMMAND. AND WHEN WERE THEY TO TEACH IT? WHEN THEY GOT UP IN THE MORNING. WHEN THEY WENT TO BED AT NIGHT, WHEN THEY'RE IN THE HOUSES, WHEN THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE HOME - ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAYS OF THEIR LIVES THEY WERE TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THIS GREATEST COMMANDMENT OF ALL - TO LOVE GOD.

AS IT WAS COMMANDED HERE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THUS IS THE CASE FOR US STILL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 22 THE QUESTION WAS ASKED OF JESUS - WHAT IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT OF ALL? AND JESUS WOULD RESPOND BY ANSWERING THAT QUESTION AND RESTATING WHAT WE'VE JUST SEEN THERE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. MATTHEW CHAPTER 22 AND VERSE 37, JESUS ANSWERING THIS QUESTION SAID TO HIM, “’YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT.” WELL, JESUS ACTUALLY QUOTED THERE FROM DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 6 AND GAVE TO US UNDER THE NEW LAW THE VERY COMMANDMENT THAT WE MUST STILL FOLLOW. AND THAT IS TO LOVE GOD. AND TO LOVE HIM HOW? ONCE AGAIN WITH ALL THOSE QUALIFIERS GIVEN THERE WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, WITH ALL OF OUR SOUL, WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL OF OUR MINDS. WITH EVERY FIBER OF OUR BEING, STILL WE ARE TO LOVE OUR GOD. AND SO AS JESUS GAVE US THAT COMMANDMENT, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TO ABOUND TO. ABOUND OUR LOVE FOR GOD AS HE COMMANDED US TO DO SUCH. THIS ISN'T THE ONLY PASSAGE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT OF COURSE. WE CAN FIND ALSO OVER IN SECOND THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 3. A PASSAGE THAT THERE ALSO WOULD REMIND US OF THE NEED WE HAVE TO HAVE A LOVE FOR GOD IN OUR LIVES, SPECIFICALLY HERE, IN OUR HEARTS. SECOND THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE FIVE READS, “NOW MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD AND INTO THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST.” WHAT'S THE HOPE HERE OF PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS? WHAT'S THE VERSE SPEAK OF? THAT OUR HEARTS MIGHT BE DIRECTED INTO THE VERY LOVE OF GOD. AS GOD HAS SHOWN US LOVE WE ARE THEREFORE TO RETURN THAT AND SHOW HIM A PROPER LOVE AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES UNDER HIM EVERY SINGLE DAY. ALSO IN THAT SHORT EPISTLE OF JUDE, THAT ONE CHAPTER BOOK, WE FIND A GOOD VERSE THERE AT JUDE IN VERSE 21 IS WHAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT TO FIND THERE FOR US AGAIN THIS PRINCIPLE OF SHOWING A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD TODAY. JUDE 21 READS, “KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST UNTO ETERNAL LIFE.” IT MIGHT BE THAT AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS WE LOVE GOD AND WE GAVE HIM OUR ALL, EVERY FIBER OF OUR BEING. BUT MAYBE WE STOPPED IN TIME. MAYBE WE DIDN'T GIVE GOD 100% OF OUR LOVE. MAYBE WE DIDN'T GIVE HIM OUR LIFE AS WE SHOULD. MAYBE WE STOPPED DOING WHAT THE SCRIPTURE COMMANDS CONCERNING OUR LOVE FOR GOD. WHAT DOES JUDE 21 REMIND US OF? THAT WE ARE TO KEEP, AS THE VERSE SAYS, KEEP OURSELVES IN THAT LOVE OF GOD. MEANING WE MAINTAIN THAT PRINCIPLE OF OUR LIFE, MEANING WE CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATHWAY OF LOVING GOD WITH ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE COMMANDMENT AS IT WAS OF OLD IS STILL A COMMANDMENT TODAY. THE COMMANDMENT TO HAVE A LOVE FOR GOD. AS WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMANDMENT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE TO BE SAID ABOUT THAT WORD COMMANDMENT, AS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THAT NECESSITY OF LOVING GOD AS THE SCRIPTURES TOLD US TO HOW WE SHOW THAT LOVE FOR GOD.

WHAT MUST WE DO IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT COMMANDMENT? WELL, TO SHOW LOVE FOR GOD IS TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. WE FIND WORDS THROUGHOUT THE NEW AND THE OLD TESTAMENT ONCE AGAIN THAT WOULD REMIND US OF THESE THINGS. LET US LOOK FIRST AGAIN IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. BECAUSE AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE TO KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, IT REALLY PROVIDES US A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE OURSELVES ARE STILL TO DO TODAY. ONCE AGAIN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 10, WE FIND THIS COMMANDMENT GIVEN HERE TO ISRAEL AS TO WHAT THEY WERE TO DO IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD'S COMMANDS.

DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 10 BEGINNING THERE IN VERSE 11, THERE IT SAYS, “’THEN THE LORD SAID TO ME, ‘ARISE, BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY BEFORE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY GO IN AND POSSESS THE LAND WHICH I SWORE TO THEIR FATHERS TO GIVE THEM.’ ‘AND NOW, ISRAEL, WHAT DOES THE LORD YOUR GOD REQUIRE OF YOU, BUT TO FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD, TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS AND TO LOVE HIM, TO SERVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD AND HIS STATUTES WHICH I COMMAND YOU TODAY FOR YOUR GOOD?’”

THE GREAT PROMISE THAT GOD HAD MADE TO HIS PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO THE LAND OF CANAAN. THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. FINALLY, THEY WERE OUT OF THE BONDAGE IN EGYPT NOW READY TO INHERIT THE LAND THAT FLOWS WITH MILK AND HONEY. AND AS HE TOLD THEM TO GO IN AND POSSESS THAT LAND, WHAT WAS THE REQUIREMENT? WELL, THEY ARE TOLD THERE TO LOVE HIM. BUT TO GO ALONG WITH THAT HOW WOULD THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT LOVE? HOW WOULD THEY SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR GOD AS HE HAD SHOWN HIS LOVE FOR THEM BY ALL THAT HE HAD DONE FOR THEM? WELL, NOTICE THE LANGUAGE THERE OF THOSE VERSES. THAT THEY WERE TO FEAR HIM. THAT THEY WERE TO SERVE HIM AND WALK IN HIS COMMANDMENTS. FOR ISRAEL TO LOVE GOD - WHAT DID THAT MEAN? THAT THEY WOULD BE OBEDIENT TO HIM. THAT THEY WOULD KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND BY DOING THAT THEY WOULD SHOW THEIR GREAT LOVE FOR HIM. THERE ALSO IN DEUTERONOMY, JUST A CHAPTER LATER IN CHAPTER 11, WE ALSO READ THERE IN VERSE ONE. IT SAYS: “’THEREFORE YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD AND KEEP HIS CHARGE, HIS STATUTES, HIS JUDGMENTS, AND HIS COMMANDMENTS ALWAYS.” YOU SEE AGAIN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LOVE FOR GOD AND THE KEEPING OF HIS COMMANDMENTS? THERE'S EVEN ANOTHER QUALIFYING WORD AT THE VERY END OF THAT VERSE. HOW OFTEN WERE THEY TO BE OBEDIENT? HOW OFTEN WERE THEY TO KEEP HIS STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS? HOW OFTEN WERE THEY TO DO THOSE THINGS TO SHOW THEY HAD A LOVE FOR GOD? AND THE WORD IS ALWAYS. THERE WAS NEVER A DAY WHERE THEY COULD SAY, “WELL I'M CLOCKING OUT TODAY. I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOVING GOD AND OBEYING HIM ON THIS DAY.” NO, IT WAS A DAILY THING THROUGHOUT THE DAYS OF THEIR LIVES, THEY WERE TO ALWAYS OBEY GOD AND THUS THEY WOULD ALWAYS HAVE A PROPER LOVE FOR HIM.

EVEN AS WE CONSIDER ISRAEL, THERE'S ANOTHER PASSAGE I THINK THAT STANDS OUT. A FEW YEARS LATER IN THE LIFE OF JOSHUA NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE IN JOSHUA CHAPTER 22. WE FIND THERE IN VERSE FIVE JOSHUA'S REMINDER AGAIN TO THIS SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE. JOSHUA WAS THE ONE WHO, AFTER MOSES LED ISRAEL INTO THAT PROMISED LAND, HE WAS THEIR LEADER AND HE WAS WITH THEM. AND THROUGHOUT THE FINAL YEARS OF HIS LIFE, AS HE KNEW THE END WAS APPROACHING, HE GAVE THEM THIS SOLEMN REMINDER. JOSHUA 22:5, HE SAYS TO ISRAEL, “’BUT TAKE CAREFUL HEED TO DO THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LAW, WHICH MOSES WHO SERVED THE LORD COMMANDED YOU, TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD. TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, TO HOLD FAST TO HIM, AND TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL.’” IT'S A REPETITION OF THE LAW GIVEN THERE DEUTERONOMY 6 OF THE REMINDERS AND THE FURTHER ADMONITIONS GIVEN IN DEUTERONOMY 10 IN VERSE AND ALSO CHAPTER 11. IT'S THE WORDS HE REPEATED THAT ISRAEL MIGHT BE REMINDED OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO OBEY GOD. AND THROUGH DOING SUCH, THEY WOULD BE FOUND TO BE SHOWING A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD ONCE AGAIN. BUT THOSE WORDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT VERSE, “TAKE CAREFUL HEED.” DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT. DON'T OVERLOOK THAT PRINCIPLE. DON'T SOMEHOW GET BUSY FARMING OR TAKING CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONES OR WORSHIPING GOD BECAUSE ALL THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, VERY MUCH SO! BUT TAKE CAREFUL HEED THAT YOU DON'T FAIL IN YOUR OBEDIENCE TOWARDS GOD. WHAT A GREAT NEED IT IS AS WE SEE ONCE AGAIN THROUGH THE OLD LAW TO LOVE GOD BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS.

BUT DOES THIS STILL APPLY TO US TODAY? ALMOST CERTAINLY IT DOES. ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR PASSAGES IS UTTERED THERE BY JESUS IN JOHN CHAPTER 14 AND VERSE 15. HE SAID, “IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.” DO WE HAVE A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD TODAY AS CHRISTIANS? ARE WE SHOWING HIM THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE THAT WE LOVE HIM? DO WE USE THE LANGUAGE WE ARE TO USE? DO WE TAKE THE ACTIONS WE ARE TO TAKE? DO WE DO WHAT HIS WORD COMMANDS US IN OUR DAILY LIVES? IF WE ARE, THEN WE ARE SHOWING A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD IN OUR LIVES. AND PRAISE BE TO GOD WHEN THAT IS THE CASE IN THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS WHO LOVE THEIR GOD. SO LOVING GOD IS A COMMANDMENT. AND LOVING GOD IS SEEN WHEN WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. BUT HOW MUCH OF GOD SHOULD WE LOVE? WELL, SO OFTEN AS WE THINK ABOUT LOVING GOD WE MAY NOT BREAK IT DOWN AND LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF LOVE AS IT RELATES TO THE GODHEAD. BUT IF WE ARE TO LOVE GOD PROPERLY THEN WE NEED TO LOVE THE FATHER, WE NEED TO LOVE THE SON, AND WE NEED TO LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.

LET'S THINK ABOUT THE LOVE THAT WE HAVE FOR GOD. ARE WE LOVING GOD IN HIS ENTIRETY? WE NEED TO HAVE A LOVE FOR THE FATHER. LOOK WITH ME AT ANOTHER PASSAGE WE FIND IN HEBREWS THIS TIME, HEBREWS CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 10. WHAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE MIGHT SHOW A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD THE FATHER? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TIMES IN THIS LIFE WHEN CHILDREN DO THINGS WITH THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEM. MAYBE NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS OR THAT'S THEIR FIRST DESIRE OR THE WAY THEY LIKE TO USE THEIR TIME BUT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD DO IT AND THEY MUST DO IT IN ORDER TO SHOW PROPER LOVE FOR THEIR EARTHLY PARENTS. WELL DON'T WE HAVE A HEAVENLY FATHER? AND AS HIS CHILDREN DO WE NEED TO WORK FOR HIM AS HE IS CALLED US TO? HEBREWS CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 10 SAYS, “FOR GOD IS NOT UNJUST TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND LABOR OF LOVE WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN TOWARDS HIS NAME AND THAT YOU HAVE MINISTERED TO THE SAINTS AND DO MINISTER.” WHAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST WAYS WE CAN SHOW OUR LOVE FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER? IT'S TO DO HIS WORK. TO DO THE LABOR OF LOVE. TO BE ENGAGED IN THE MINISTRY THAT HE'S CALLED US TO BE ENGAGED IN. AS WE DO THAT, WE SHOW A LOVE FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. ALSO WE SHOW LOVE FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, GOD THE FATHER, WHEN WE KEEP OURSELVES FROM THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. THERE IN FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 2, WE'RE GIVEN A WARNING ABOUT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. THERE IN VERSE 15 OF FIRST JOHN 2:15 IT SAYS, “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM.” WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IF WE WANT TO SHOW A LOVE FOR THE FATHER WE CANNOT LOVE THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. EXPLAINED TO US THERE IN VERSES 16 AND 17 AS BEING THE THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYE, THE PRIDE OF LIFE - THOSE THINGS ARE NOT OF THE FATHER. WE MUST REMOVE THOSE FROM OUR LIVES IF WE WANT TO SHOW A PROPER LOVE FOR GOD THE FATHER IN THIS LIFE. WE MUST LOVE THE FATHER, AS FIRST JOHN 4:19 SAYS, “BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”

AS WE LOVE THE FATHER, WE MUST ALSO LOVE THE SON. WE MENTIONED THERE IN JOHN 14:15, JESUS SAID, “IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A LOVE FOR JESUS, THE SON, MENTIONED. THERE IN THAT SAME CHAPTER JOHN 14 JUST A FEW VERSES LATER WE FIND THESE WORDS - JOHN 14 AND VERSE 23 SAYS, “JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, ‘IF ANYONE LOVES ME HE WILL KEEP MY WORD AND MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM AND HE WILL COME TO HIM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM.’” WELL, JESUS SAYS IF ANYONE LOVES ME. THAT AGAIN IS THAT LOVE FOR CHRIST THAT WE ARE TO HAVE IN THIS WORLD. IF WE HAVE THAT PROPER LOVE FOR CHRIST THEN WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE FATHER WITH US AS WELL. THAT REQUIREMENT THEREFORE TO LOVE JESUS AS HE ONCE AGAIN HAS SHOWN HIS LOVE IN GIVING HIS LIFE FOR US. WE ALSO NEED TO LOVE JESUS SINCERELY, EPHESIANS 6 AND VERSE 24.

WHEN GOD IS TO THAT PRINCIPLE, THAT THERE IS THE NECESSITY, NOT JUST TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS, BUT TO SHOW HIM THAT PROPER LOVE. SO AS WE LOVE THE FATHER, AS WE LOVE THE SON, WE MUST ALSO LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE AND THE THINGS THAT HE HAS CONTINUED TO DO AS HE'S GIVEN US THE WORD OF GOD. AS HE HAS PROVIDED A DWELLING PLACE THAT IS WITHIN OUR HEARTS FOR HIMSELF. AS HE'S GIVEN THE GIFT OF SALVATION AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS, LET US LOVE HIM AS WELL. TO LOVE THE FATHER, TO LOVE THE SON, TO LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO LOVE GOD!

CLOSING COMMENTS

AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST AND CHOOSING TO GIVE THIS TIME TO HIM. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR!

NOW, LET ME ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

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MAY WE LEARN TO LOVE GOD AS HE HAS LOVED, FOR CERTAINLY THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, STRIVE TO IMITATE HIS PERFECT EXAMPLE! ARE YOU PROVING YOUR LOVE FOR GOD IN YOUR DAILY ACTIONS?