Obeying the greatest commandments
     1.   The greatest commandment
               a.   Mt 22:37-38 “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.”
               b.   relate to God as a living person & with total abandon
                         i.   heart (affection), soul (will), mind (commitment, preoccupation)
                         ii.  relationship with God must take precedence over: sensual desires,
               ambitions to own or possess or control, and so on
                         iii. total commitment to God ends our search for self-identity (our culture is
               characterized by identity crisis)
                                   (1)  we know we belong — to God, he loves us unconditionally
                                   (2)  we know who we are — children of God, created in his image
                                   (3)  we know what we are — good & acceptable
                                   (4)  we know why we are — good destiny, to do his works
               c.   small group discussion (3 people per group)
                         i.   What’s the difference between loving God with your affection, will and
               commitment?
     2.   The second greatest commandment
               a.   Mt 22:39 “And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
                         i.   subtle: must have proper self-image or self-acceptance.
                         ii.  can only love/accept others to extent you love/accept yourself.
                         iii. proper relationship with God corrects your self-image.
                         iv.  proper self-image allows you to offer proper love/acceptance to others.
               b.   What are practical expressions of proper love/acceptance for others?
                         i.   Php 2:3 “in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
                                   (1)  Greek word means “to hold or have above”; to be superior to,
                    supreme (as with a king)
                                   (2)  not better as more qualified, but better as worthy of greater
                    attention or honor.
                                   (3)  not self-abasement, but honoring others.
                         ii.  1 Co 10:24 “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”
                                   (1)  covenantal relationship: covenant brother’s needs are at least as
                    important as your own
                                   (2)  person would give his life to defend his covenant brother, give all
                    he has to help him.
                         iii. Eph 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one
               another in love.”
                         iv.  Col 3:12  “Therefore, as God’s chosen (sense of belonging: God
               selected us for himself), holy (belonging to God only), and dearly love
               (our sense of belonging completely fulfilled in relationship with God, so
               here’s our response:), clothe yourselves (take on these new attributes)
               with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (love your
               neighbor as yourself, do unto others as you would have them do unto
               you).”
               c.   These things are to be expressions of God’s love for/through us. Without his
          love motivating them, these are “works of the flesh” and have no value.

Conclusion
     1.   1 Jn 4:19 “We love because he first love us.” — we can only love God and others if
     we first accept God’s love for us.
     2.   Because our sense of belonging is fully satisfied in our relationship with God the
     Father, we can now love God with total abandon and serve others in love.