Loving, Listening, Living God's Word: Pleasing His Heart

Matthew shows Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness, hungry after forty days, and pressed by the tempter to turn stones into bread. Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The Word sets the priority: obeying the Father matters more than satisfying the self. The Spirit leads, Scripture speaks, and Jesus trusts the Father. The greatest commandment then stands in the center: love the Lord with all the heart, soul, and mind, and love the neighbor as oneself. Love for God cannot be cut apart from love for his Word, because the Word is sweet like honey and, in John’s witness, the Word is Jesus, the One through whom all things were made and who became flesh.

God’s heart is pleased when his people love his Word. David sings, “Oh, how I love your law.” A modern David mirrors that song. He starts as an atheist with an empty heart, sits under the Bible for months, and finds new creation life. He keeps coming, keeps asking, keeps growing, and even brings his family. Jesus himself shows what love for the Word looks like. He quotes it, teaches it, obeys it, and fulfills it. His food is to do the Father’s will. In Gethsemane he prays, “Not as I will, but as you will.” Loving the Word means putting it first, trusting the Father, meditating on his promises, and walking in his ways.

God’s heart is pleased when his people listen to his Word. Adam and Eve stop listening and lose the garden. Israel forgets the Shema and chases idols. Jesus repeats, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Mary sits at his feet and chooses what is better. Listening is an attitude and a choice. Be still, and let his voice sink in.

God’s heart is pleased when his people live out his Word. James says, do not merely listen. Do it. Jesus lives the Father’s will, eats with sinners, teaches the kingdom, shows mercy, and comes not to condemn but to save. The wise hear and practice, building on the rock. Faith works through love in homes, at work, on campus, and in church. Remember grace. In Christ the old has gone and the new has come. Simple acts of love open doors for the gospel, and good deeds shine so the Father is glorified.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Love for God includes His Word Loving God cannot be split from loving Scripture, because the Word is not a thing but the Son who became flesh. Affection for Jesus shows up as affection for what he says, and as trust that his commands are life. Honey-sweet delight grows where the heart draws near to Christ himself in the text. [52:55]
• 2. Listening is a chosen posture Hurry does not hear. The heart that sits at Jesus’ feet learns to prefer one necessary thing over many urgent things. Attention is love in slow motion, and it trains the soul to recognize the Shepherd’s voice over all the noise. [64:30]
• 3. Obedience makes faith visible Hearing without doing builds on sand, but practiced truth settles a life on rock. Deeds do not replace faith, they reveal it, shaping habits that align with the Father’s will. In ordinary places, obedience becomes a quiet testimony that Christ is Lord. [68:49]
• 4. The Spirit grows hunger and endurance Desire for Scripture is a gift the Spirit gives, and he sustains it when the soul feels dry. Asking for help is not failure, it is the doorway into guidance, illumination, and steady companionship. Over time he turns duty into delight and seeds into fruit. [58:37]
• 5. Simple love opens evangelistic doors A cup of coffee, a shared meal, a patient ear, and a prayer can carry the weight of the gospel. Small, faithful acts make room for honest stories and honest questions. Hospitality becomes a bridge where Scripture can be heard and Christ can be seen. [70:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [48:46] - Prayer for understanding
• [49:01] - Title: Love, Listen, Live
• [49:22] - Text: Matthew 4:1-4
• [52:55] - Why love the Word: Jesus
• [54:06] - Story: David begins to hunger
• [56:07] - Jesus delights to do the Father’s will
• [58:37] - Believe and ask the Spirit’s help
• [60:47] - Keep going and grow together
• [61:59] - Shema and Israel’s forgetting
• [64:30] - Mary chooses what is better
• [66:24] - Do what the Word says
• [68:49] - Build life on the rock
• [70:51] - Simple practices open doors
• [73:35] - Shine your light and pray

1. What Old Testament passage does Jesus quote to resist the devil’s temptation, and what does it emphasize about priorities?
2. In the sermon, what example was given of someone who started as an atheist but grew to love God’s Word? What practical steps did they take? [54:06]
3. How did Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet contrast with Martha’s actions, and what does this teach about listening? [01:04:30]
4. What simple acts of love did David use to open doors for sharing the gospel with classmates? [01:10:51]

1. Why did Jesus use Deuteronomy 8:3 specifically to counter the temptation to turn stones into bread? How does this connect to the idea of trusting God’s provision?
2. The sermon says, “Loving the Word means putting it first, trusting the Father, meditating on his promises, and walking in his ways.” How does this redefine what it means to “love God” practically?
3. Why is Mary’s posture of sitting at Jesus’ feet described as “choosing what is better” in a world full of distractions? What does this reveal about the relationship between listening and love?
4. James 1:22 warns against being “hearers only.” How does the story of David’s evangelism through small acts of kindness demonstrate the link between hearing and doing?

1. What distractions or “urgent things” most often compete with your time in God’s Word? What is one practical step you could take this week to prioritize Scripture like Jesus did?
2. The sermon mentions creating habits to “cultivate hunger” for God’s Word. What habit (e.g., a daily verse, journaling, group study) could help you grow in delighting in Scripture, even when it feels dry? [58:37]
3. In what area of your life (home, work, relationships) do you find it hardest to “live out” God’s Word? What would obedience look like there this week?
4. Think of someone in your life who needs Christ. What small, intentional act of love (a meal, prayer, listening) could you offer to create space for gospel conversations? [01:10:51]
5. When have you felt spiritually dry or doubtful? How can you lean on the Holy Spirit’s help and community support to keep seeking God’s Word during those seasons? [58:37]