Love God, Love People
LOVE GOD
In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus is asked, “What is the Greatest Commandment?” He replies, “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.
The most important relationship in a Christian’s life is their relationship with the Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ. The pursuit of this relationship should be our primary focus. Growing in this relationship is accomplished in many ways:
Worship – praising God both corporately and personally with reverence and passion (Isaiah 6:1-8, John 4:23-24)
Prayer– communicating with our God to draw us closer to Him (Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:5-15)Bible Study – studying God’s word helps us learn more about Him (John 5:39, Deut. 8:3, Josh. 1:8)
Discipleship – following the lifestyle outlined by Jesus (Luke 9:23-24, Luke 14:27, John 8:31-32)
LOVE PEOPLE
In Matthew 22:39-40, Jesus continues his answer, and the second is like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
God’s love is to be shared. Loving Him creates a desire in us to love all of our neighbors. Sharing God’s love with others can be done in several ways:
Ministry– actively serving, supporting, and assisting individuals and families within our church body, our community, and our world (Galatians 6:2, Matthew 25:35-40)
Missions/Evangelism – sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in our community, and throughout the world (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
Unity– developing a oneness of spirit and purpose within our church body (Romans 12:4-8, Acts 4:32, 2 Corinthians 5:18)
Prayer– praying for, with, or on behalf of others (James 5:13-16)
Click on each scripture reference for the full scripture.