ISSUES OF LIFE

 

Matthew 22:37-39 – The True Issues of Life – Dec 6, 2009

 

Intro:  Matthew was a man who believes that the real priorities of life came from a right relationship with God.  When he wrote this passage of scripture he reminded his audience that everything hung on these commandments.

 

Background

 

1.  An expert of the law asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment.  Jesus’ reply

     Was a simple one.  He reminded them of the Shammad, the quotation every Jewish

     Boy did at their Bar Mitzvah. 

2.  He reminded this expert of law something he already knew.  That is often what we

     preachers do.

 

1.  Jesus told the expert of the law that we are called to love the Lord with all our heart.

     We are to love him with every fibre of our being.  To make Him Saviour and Lord.

 

a.  Complete this sentence.  My greatest aim in life is.  How you respond determines the

     Guiding principle of your life.  Jesus stated that where your heart is, there is also your

     Treasure.  Who or what has your heart has you?  From the heart springs forth the

      Issues of life.  Webster’s dictionary says the heart is the seat of the emotions and

     affections.  Who or what has your heart has your plans and priorities.  They have your

     time, talents and emotions.  They guide where your place your affections and control

     your emotions.  The heart is where the intangibles such as love, joy, peace, patience,

     Mercy, forgiveness grace and faith live.  Communicated attributes of God given to

     Us.  If hatred, greed, unforgiveness, bitterness and envy are there then world, the flesh

     And the devil has your heart.  Is God the ruler of your Heart? 

b.  We are to love Him with all our soul,  The soul is your intellect, will and emotions.

     The soul is where the battle for control is won or lost.  Our will and emotions will

     Follow and do whoever has our soul.  There are four forces fighting for control of

     Our soul.  God, the world, the devil or us.    Three of these forces will lead us to a

     Lost eternity.  Letting God have control leads to salvation, righteousness, holiness,

     Love, mercy, grace, truth and eternal life with God.  In the present letting God have

     Your soul means abundant life now.

C,  We are to love God with all our mind.  The mind is where the thinking process is

     Done.  It is where memory, attention and intentions are housed and born.  It is where

‘    Thoughts are born, live and grow.   Who determines your thought life determines the

     Direction of your life.  Walking in the Spirit according to the Bible is submitting our

     Thought life to God.   For a moment I want

     You’re to be honest and examine your thought life.   Do you feel at times you are in a

     Battle?  Paul honestly dealt with this in Rom 7:14-21.  It is essential

     You love God with all your heart, soul and mind because Jesus said, “This is the

      First and greatest commandment.”

 

 

2.  Jesus then said the second is the like it, Love your neighbour as yourself.  You cannot

     Love others and the only true way to love yourself is loving God first.  Francis

     Shaeffer wrote, “If we do not show love to one another, the world has a right to

    Question whether Christianity is true.”

 

a.  God’s greatest aim in your life and ministry is love.  Paul wrote in 1 Cor 13:1-2, that

     Without God’s love flowing in and through us we receive nothing of value.  Produce

     Nothing of value and become nothing of value.

b.  HB London wrote.  “Without love, all that you say is ineffective, all that you know

     Is incomplete, all your believe is insufficient, all that your give is inadequate and all

     You accomplish is insignificant.”

c.  Love minus love = nothing.  Christianity is not a religion of beliefs.  It is a lifestyle of

     Love.  The sign of a true Christian is not a crucifix, fish or a bumper

    Sticker.  The sign of a true Christian is their love for God and for His people.  Gal 5:6

    says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.”

d.  The real enemy of love is busyness and distraction.  Running after the urgent and

     Crisis and not the real priorities and important.  Clear the clutter of your schedule and

    Let love be the order of the day.   More than video games, Ipods. Cell phones,

    Trampolines and the latest novelty toy, children need love.  More than a new pair of

    Shoes, dress or fine jewellery, wives needs love More than a new set of golf clubs,

    Skidoo, fishing pole or boat.  Husbands need love.

e.  For Christians, love is not an option  it is a command.  Sometimes difficult to obey.

     But God did not leave us helpless.  Paul writes, “The love of God is shed abroad in

     Our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”  Roman 5:5. 

d.  You can draw upon God’s love for you to love the unlovable.  EC. Mackenzie wrote,

     “The loneliest place in the world is the human heart when love is absent.”