Beware Of Loveless Obedience To God

NR1-37 & NR7-19 & RIG-05 & DWM-34 &  WFF-48 & WWJ-29
Short Clip

The first thief that steals our personal Sabbath rest is loveless obedience to God. When Jesus said that all the Law was fulfilled by love, He meant it. In our text Jesus reminds the loveless obeyers (the Pharisees) in v. 27 of the original purpose of the Sabbath was for man. And in v. 28 that we must obey our Lord Jesus as Lord over the Sabbath. This morning, this side of the Cross how can we do that? We learn this by listening to Jesus, Turn back to Matthew 22 for a moment. He said all of God’s Law was fulfilled by love:

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38 “This is the first and great commandment.39 “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’40 “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Does that mean He was doing away with the 10 Commandments for His disciples, the Church, and us today? No! Christ fulfilled them! Love is God’s standard and He doesn’t change! Christ was pointing to God’s love behind the law. Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Now, we need to practically apply the Ten Words or commandments. Turn for a moment to Exodus 20:3-17 and let’s see #4 commandment in context of love and why all 10 still reinforce God’s love. Now, if we love God we should do these things for Him!

Now here’s the hard part. Do we spend more of our focus on improving our minds and bodies or souls? It’s so easy to get into the run-us-and-the-kids-to syndrome that they are too tired to be in God’s presence. What are you teaching by your example about loving God?

1. LOVE FOR GOD GUARDS HIS PLACE IN OUR LIVES: so as His children we remain true to Him (Commandment #1) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (v3). Love is loyal, not fickle. God is just saying, “Will you love Me enough to not leave Me for some other god? Love doesn’t make other gods or turn its back on the one, true God…it’s loyal.