Mark 12:28-31
The First Commandment
Lesson Thesis: Jesus identified sincere love for God as the first commandment of God’s law.
Lesson Purpose: to teach Christians to live by the motivation of true love for God
INTRO:
I. Love God with all your heart - soul - mind - strength – Deut 6:4-5 – Do we live each day aware of the command to love God with all our being?
II. The First of all the Commandments
A. The Scribe’s question – the Lord’s answer
B. Summary of the first 4 of the 10 Commandments
C. Matt 22:38 – the first and great commandment
D. Love For God is “Great” Because...
DISCUSSION:
I. GOD IS THE HIGHEST ONE WHO CAN BE LOVED
A. Many have never developed beautiful character because they have never really loved God
B. God’s greatness makes Him worthy of our greatest love
C. I John 4:19 – We love him because he first loved us
II. LOVE FOR GOD IS THE BASIS OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
A. Jesus is the divine proof of the love that God has for us
1. John 3:16
2. John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life...
B. What evidence is there that we love Him in return?
1. Eph 5:25 – Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it
III. LOVE FOR GOD EXPRESSES MAN’S HIGHEST IDEALS
A. Psa 73:25-26 – Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever
B. Paul is an example of man’s great love for God and the capacity of love to elevate man to his highest ideals – He transformed from murderer to preacher of the gospel because he loved God
1. Rom 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God
2. Gal 6:14 – But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world
3. I Cor 8:3 – But if any man love God, the same is known of him
4. Nothing but the love of God could have made Paul the great Christian he was
IV. LOVE FOR GOD IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF HUMAN LIFE
A. People refuse to obey God’s other laws because they don’t love Him in first place – If love for God isn’t first, nothing else will be worth much
B. No love can be put before our love for God – Matt 10:37 – He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me
C. I John 2:15 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him
V. LOVE FOR GOD BRINGS MAN THE GREATEST BLESSINGS
A. When our love leads us to offer our lives to God, then God’s love brings the forgiveness of our sins
B. Psa 145:20 – The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy
C. Psa 37:4 – Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart
CONCLUSION:
I. LOVE FOR GOD HAS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
A. Jesus outlines the requirements of love for God when He gives the dimensions of it in Mark 12:29-30 – all your heart - soul - mind - strength
1. Mind – Think what could be done for God if the best minds among us truly loved God
2. Heart – Batsell Baxter told of David Lipscomb weeping at Lord’s table
3. Soul (whole life) – Rom 12:1 – be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
4. Strength – I John 1:18 – My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth
II. LOVE FOR GOD MUST BE AN OBEDIENT LOVE
A. Man’s greatest privilege is returning a part of God’s love to God – That is done by DOING what God wants man to do.
B. John 15:10 – If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love: even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love
C. II John 6 – And this is love, that we walk after commandments
1. Hear the gospel of Jesus
2. Believe the truth about Jesus
3. Repent from your sin and toward Jesus
4. Confess your faith in Jesus
5. Be baptized into Jesus
6. Walk in the Light and be saved by the blood of Jesus