Return to Main Page Kingdom of Right Relationships Part 2: Loving God the Father Matthew 22:34-40 Introduction: A. Living in Four Relationships B. The Most Important Relationship Ecclesiastes 3:11 Isaiah 57:15 C. The Commandment - Matthew 22:37-38 Love God as your very own God. 1. A loving relationship involves commitment and loyalty. 2. A loving relationship involves trust and respect for the person loved. 3. A loving relationship involves the giving and surrendering of oneself. 4. A loving relationship involves knowing and sharing. D. Love Commanded Is Controllable E. Whole Love- Matthew 22:37-38 The total personhood of each individual is to be involved in the fulfillment of this obligation “Heart” refers primarily to our emotional response. “Soul” includes the willful, decision-making part of us. “Mind” refers to the reasoning component of our love for God. F. Agape Love 1. Agape is self-giving love. It is love which desires only the highest good for its object. 2. Agape love is unconditional love - it loves no matter what is happening. I. Loving God the Father A. The Father’s Highest Good - John 17:1-5 Agape love seeks the highest good for the object of its love, so what is the highest good for God? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. 1. To glorify God forever. 2. To enjoy God forever B. Have Faith - Trust Him! - Hebrews 11:6 It is impossible to please God without faith. 1. The person who comes to God must believe two things. He must believe in God—that God is—that God exists. He must believe that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. 2. The only way to find out if faith is real is to go through a trial. *Loving God means to have faith in Him and to trust Him no matter what is happening in your life.* C. Worship Him - John 4:23-24 True worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth. The reason for worship: God desires worship, for He created man to worship and fellowship with Him. *Loving God means that we will worship Him no matter what is happening in our lives!* D. Enjoy Him - Psalm73:25 Psalms 108:7 “God has spoken in His holiness; I will rejoice”. Psalm 92:4 ⁴For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” *Loving God means that we enjoy fellowship with Him, especially when things are not going well in our lives!* E. Obey Him - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 Ezekiel 20:19 Psalm 33:5 - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 *The one who truly loves God is the one who truly obeys God, no matter what it costs him to do so!* F. Be Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) 1 Peter 1:15-16 - ¹⁵but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 3 reasons why believers are to live holy lives. 1. God is holy 2. God has called believers to be holy in all of life 3. Scripture demands holiness. Leviticus 11:45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7, 26 Amos 3:3 – “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Romans 7:15 “For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” *If we love God, then we must be Holy and desire to live Holy as God is Holy, no matter what is happening in our lives!* G. Love Others – 1 John 4:20 *If we love God, then we must love others no matter what they are like and no matter how they treat us!* H. How do we know that we really love God? 1. By responding to His love no matter what – 1 John 3:1-3 2. By meditating on God’s glory no matter what – Psalm 18:1–3 3. By our love for one another no matter what – 1 John 4:19-21 4. By loving what God loves no matter what – Psalms 119:72, 97, 103 5. By hating what God hates no matter what – Psalms 97:10 6. By grieving over sin no matter what – Matthew 26:75 7. By loving whom God loves no matter what – 1 John 5:1 II. Loving God the Son III. Loving God the Holy Spirit

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