Active Love: The Call to Complete Obedience
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound relationship between the love of God and our obedience to Him. We often claim to love God, but true love for Him is demonstrated through our obedience to His commands. This obedience is not just about following rules but is a heartfelt response to His love for us. God’s love is active; He loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for our sins. In return, our love for God should be active and complete, encompassing our heart, soul, and mind.
We delved into the scripture where Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This means our love for God should be all-encompassing, affecting every part of our being. It should be evident in our actions, thoughts, and emotions. When we love God deeply, it transforms our relationships with others, leading us to pursue peace and build bridges rather than harbor hatred or resentment.
We also examined the story of Saul, the first king of Israel, who disobeyed God by partially following His instructions. Saul’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of partial obedience, which is essentially disobedience in God’s eyes. God desires complete obedience, as partial obedience can lead to rejection and loss of blessings. Saul’s failure to fully obey God’s command resulted in God regretting making him king, highlighting the seriousness of disobedience.
Furthermore, we discussed how disobedience can lead to spiritual consequences, such as curses and spiritual dryness. It is crucial to align our lives with God’s Word, as His commandments are not burdensome but are meant to guide us into a life of blessing and fulfillment. We are reminded that our love for God should be reflected in our love for others, as seen in our willingness to forgive and help those in need.
In conclusion, we are encouraged to examine our lives and ensure that our love for God is genuine and complete. We must strive for total obedience, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us live according to God’s will. Let us keep ourselves in the love of God, seeking His mercy and grace to lead us into eternal life.
Key Takeaways:
- True love for God is demonstrated through complete obedience to His commands. Partial obedience is equivalent to disobedience and can lead to spiritual consequences. We must strive to align our lives with God’s Word and follow His instructions fully. [50:57]
- Loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind means submitting every part of our being to Him. This love should be evident in our actions, thoughts, and emotions, transforming our relationships with others and leading us to pursue peace. [33:54]
- The story of Saul serves as a warning about the dangers of partial obedience. God desires complete obedience, and failure to fully follow His commands can lead to rejection and loss of blessings. [51:58]
- Disobedience can lead to spiritual dryness and curses. It is crucial to align our lives with God’s Word, as His commandments are not burdensome but are meant to guide us into a life of blessing and fulfillment. [01:08:08]
- Our love for God should be reflected in our love for others. We are called to forgive and help those in need, seeing them through God’s eyes and building bridges rather than harboring hatred or resentment. [38:40]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[16:34] - Praise and Worship
[26:32] - Introduction to the Message
[30:37] - Love and Obedience
[31:21] - The Greatest Commandment
[32:42] - Loving God Deeply
[33:54] - Heart, Soul, and Mind
[35:13] - Beyond Offerings and Sacrifices
[38:40] - Love for God and Others
[47:17] - Saul's Partial Obedience
[50:57] - Consequences of Disobedience
[51:58] - God's Regret Over Saul
[53:39] - Obedience Over Sacrifice
[56:40] - Judging Prophecies
[01:06:37] - Penalties of Disobedience
[01:14:57] - Call to Repentance and Obedience
[01:19:25] - Prayer for Grace and Guidance
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 22:37-38 - "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." [31:21]
2. 1 Samuel 15:1-23 - The story of Saul's partial obedience and its consequences.
3. 1 John 4:19-20 - "We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar." [38:40]
Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus identify as the greatest commandment, and how does it encompass our entire being? [31:21]
2. How did Saul demonstrate partial obedience to God's command, and what were the consequences of his actions? [50:57]
3. According to 1 John 4:19-20, how is our love for God connected to our relationships with others? [38:40]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between love and obedience to God? [30:37]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind influence our daily decisions and priorities? [33:54]
2. In what ways does Saul's story serve as a warning about the dangers of partial obedience? How can this apply to modern believers? [51:58]
3. How does the sermon explain the connection between our love for God and our love for others? What practical steps can believers take to reflect this love in their relationships? [38:40]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the spiritual consequences of disobedience, and how can believers avoid these pitfalls? [01:08:08]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Are there areas where you might be practicing partial obedience? How can you strive for complete obedience this week? [50:57]
2. Consider your interactions with others. How can you demonstrate your love for God through your relationships, especially with those you find difficult to love? [38:40]
3. Identify a specific commandment or teaching from the Bible that you find challenging to follow. What steps can you take to align your actions with God's Word? [01:08:08]
4. How can you actively submit your heart, soul, and mind to God in your daily life? What changes might you need to make to ensure that your love for God is all-encompassing? [33:54]
5. Think of a recent situation where you felt tempted to disobey God's command. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience to help you in future situations? [01:06:37]
6. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you in living according to God's will? What practices can you incorporate into your life to strengthen this reliance? [01:19:25]
7. Reflect on a time when you experienced spiritual dryness. How might disobedience have contributed to this, and what steps can you take to restore your spiritual vitality? [01:08:08]
Devotional
Day 1: Complete Obedience as True Love
True love for God is not merely a verbal declaration or an emotional feeling; it is demonstrated through complete obedience to His commands. This obedience is not about legalistic rule-following but is a heartfelt response to the love God has shown us. God’s love is active and sacrificial, as seen in His giving of Jesus for our sins. In return, our love for Him should be active and complete, encompassing every aspect of our lives. Partial obedience, as illustrated in the story of Saul, is seen as disobedience in God's eyes and can lead to spiritual consequences. We are called to align our lives fully with God's Word, striving for total obedience and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us. [50:57]
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (ESV): "And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.'"
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you are practicing partial obedience? What steps can you take today to fully align this area with God's commands?
Day 2: Loving God with Our Entire Being
Loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind means that our love for Him should permeate every part of our being. This love should be evident in our actions, thoughts, and emotions, transforming our relationships with others. When we love God deeply, it leads us to pursue peace and build bridges rather than harbor hatred or resentment. This all-encompassing love is a response to the greatest commandment given by Jesus, which calls us to submit every aspect of our lives to God. By doing so, we reflect His love in our interactions with others, fostering a community of peace and understanding. [33:54]
Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (ESV): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart."
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate your love for God in your daily actions, thoughts, and emotions today? How can this love transform your relationships with those around you?
Day 3: The Dangers of Partial Obedience
The story of Saul, the first king of Israel, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of partial obedience. Saul disobeyed God by only partially following His instructions, which led to his rejection as king and the loss of blessings. God desires complete obedience, as partial obedience is essentially disobedience in His eyes. This story highlights the seriousness of disobedience and the spiritual consequences that can follow. It is a reminder that God’s commands are not burdensome but are meant to guide us into a life of blessing and fulfillment. [51:58]
1 Samuel 15:10-11 (ESV): "The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 'I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.' And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you partially obeyed God. What were the consequences, and how can you learn from Saul's story to pursue complete obedience in the future?
Day 4: Spiritual Consequences of Disobedience
Disobedience to God can lead to spiritual consequences such as curses and spiritual dryness. It is crucial to align our lives with God’s Word, as His commandments are designed to guide us into a life of blessing and fulfillment. When we stray from His path, we risk experiencing spiritual dryness and missing out on the blessings He has in store for us. By striving for obedience and seeking His guidance, we can avoid these negative consequences and live a life that is pleasing to Him. [01:08:08]
Deuteronomy 28:15 (ESV): "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you feel spiritually dry? How can aligning your life more closely with God's Word help you overcome this dryness and experience His blessings?
Day 5: Reflecting God's Love in Our Relationships
Our love for God should be reflected in our love for others. We are called to forgive and help those in need, seeing them through God’s eyes and building bridges rather than harboring hatred or resentment. This love is a testament to our relationship with God and should be evident in how we treat others. By extending forgiveness and compassion, we demonstrate the love of God to the world and fulfill His command to love our neighbors as ourselves. [38:40]
1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive or help. How can you extend God's love to them today, and what steps can you take to build a bridge in that relationship?
Quotes
1. "You know there are times that we feel we are doing something as Christians for God yet we are we may be doing it passionately and we think that we have done so well we think that you know it is a demonstration of our love for God we are loving God too much or something like that but by the end of today's message it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will begin to stick to your heart and begin to give you more insight and understanding into what it means to love God praise God God the love of God goes with what obedience to love God means simply means to obey God when we are talking about loving God simply means of obeying God." [30:37] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "And see that when you are loving him, it's not just a matter of love as in just love like that, but a love that comes from deep within, from your heart. And out of the heart, what? Flows the issues of life. So when he says love the Lord from your heart, it means love God from your innermost being. Love him from deep within. From your inward man. Love God. So, your love for God goes beyond just saying it by words. But it is something that is, you know, it is coming from inside of you. Others may not understand." [32:42] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So the love of God goes beyond rent offerings and sacrifices it is very easy to maybe if somebody someone is going to they can just buy the animals and whatever for you to be made when themselves are not connected to God when themselves are not affectionate towards God when themselves don't have the love towards God they don't have that deep sense of love towards God and the things of God and so the scripture is saying that what it doesn't matter you can give the best offerings and sacrifices but it will mean nothing without deep sense of love towards God and deep sense of love like I said earlier means that you want you you know you totally surrender and submit everything to him your mind your heart your soul you know your strength everything is you know left at his disposal you tell him that God I love you so much I am ready to do whatever you want me to do I am ready to worship you I am ready to pray until my my sweats turn into blood praise God that's what it is and so this is what God expects of us to love him with all our heart." [35:13] (88 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We love him because he first loved us if a man say I love God and hated his brother so you see where the love of God will lead to because when you love God your relationship with others will always be one of you know pursuing peace not one of carrying and fighting but one of building bridges one of doing the best you can because the scripture says pursuit peace in all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord and so that this verse of scripture first John 4 19 and 20 will love him because he first loved us so we are loving because we have experienced God's love if you are going to experience God's love you will not know how to love your brother but you have experienced God's love you know that even when you have been offended you will know when to say I have forgiven you and let go because God God loves us that he brought Jesus and through Jesus he forgave us so having experienced that forgiveness out of the love of God through his only becoming that Jesus Christ we will be able to forgive others." [38:40] (81 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "So someone said, has the Lord, as great, he said, has the Lord as great delight in bread offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than fat of rams. Praise the Lord. So the love of God calls for total obedience to God's voice and his word. And listen, when you talk of the voice of God, don't be deceived into thinking that people just come and say, oh, I had a dream and God said that, God said that. Anything in this dispensation that somebody tells you God said must be weighed by the word of God, must be measured. Use the word of God to judge it, to make sure that what they are telling you is not just their own agenda or just their own mind." [53:39] (59 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Partial obedience means incomplete obedience to God's instruction. Now, if I love God, I might repent and obey him. The scriptures we read earlier. If you love me, obey my commandments. That's, it's a simple instruction. And the commandments now is the word of God. So, my lifestyle must mirror the word of God. Zero. Nothing more, nothing less. There are some who take part of the word of God and they are so consumed about it and say all kinds of things. And that's what they are confused about. And the other portion, they regret. You will have somebody who will say, oh, you know, you don't have to really go to church or something, something and stuff. Like that. You know, you just said that, what? You know, you can worship anywhere you are. Yeah, that is true. But that is half -truth. The other half -truth is that God also wants meeting together. Praise the Lord." [59:39] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Disobedience is fighting God. Such battle can never be won. Amen. Disobedience means you are not obeying God. You are not fighting God. You are challenging the authority and the audacity of God. And nobody can fight God and win. If you fight God, you will lose. Even before you started the fight. Remember Moses. When God told him. Deuteronomy chapter 20 verse 10 and 12. When God told him, Strike. He said, speak to the rock. Because the first time they put it in water. God told him to strike it with your rod. Strike. He said, speak to the rock. Because the first time they put it in water. God told him to strike it with your rod. Strike. He said, speak to the rock. Now another time God said, now speak to the rock. Moses out of anger just struck the rock. And the water came alright. But God said, because you have done this, you are not going to the promised land. Amen. Because you have done this, you are not going to the promised land. So you cannot fight God and win. God is always in charge. He is always in control." [01:09:31] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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