Your love of God and Christ must exceed your past and peers.
Introduction:
Self-examination is one of the most important parts of the Christian life, and this sermon is for that, just as Joshua exhorted the church before his death to take heed to their love of God (Joshua 23:11).
The knowledge of God and His ways is a gift, and our character is discovered by our response to it, so after hearing for six sermons about God’s sovereignty in revealing truth, we should respond in love.
There is a great range in the love of God by those who profess to be Christians, from those who love Him far above anything else to those who love the things of earth more (Phil 3:18-19; II Tim 4:10).
By nature, we do not love God at all (Romans 1:30), for we are at enmity with Him (Romans 8:7).
And there is a great threat against us in these perilous times of loving pleasures more (II Tim 3:4).
Let us be as bold as Peter, but keep our profession, rather than prove otherwise (Mat 26:33; Jn 21:15).
God is love, so we show our greatest evidence of knowing Him by love in both directions (I Jn 4:8).
What Does It Mean to Love God?
The love of God and the fear of God, both described in the Bible, are practically identical; these two concepts are often repeated as commands and conditions in both testaments.
Loving God is doing all we can in thought, word, and deed to give Him glory and happiness.
Loving God is delighting in Him as the object of your pleasure and pursuit above all others, just as we choose spouses from the entire population of the opposite sex to delight in them.
Loving God is seeking His great pleasure by your eager faithfulness to please Him in all things, just as we want to be creative and constant in pleasing spouses by doing their desires.
The Lord Himself often compares our love for Him to our love of a lover, or spouse, in both testaments, which gives us considerable understanding of the nature of the relationship.
We want to learn everything we can about the other in order to please them in all things.
We are very perceptive and flexible to receive correction in order to please in all things.
We let nothing get in the way of spending as much time, effort, and expense as desired.
Every word that is exchanged is precious indeed and delighted in and remembered often.
Our waking actions and our sleeping thoughts are centered and focused on this person.
These descriptions of love could be multiplied indefinitely … do you love God this way?
Loving God is loving His works, for they reveal His accomplishments (Ps 77:10-14; 143:5).
Loving God is loving His character, for they are His great features (Jer 9:23-24; Micah 7:18).
Loving God is loving His kingdom, for it is His worship on the earth (Ps 84:10; Heb 12:28).
Loving God is loving His people; you cannot love Him without loving them (I John 4:20-21).
Loving God is loving prayer, for it is the intimate communion of fellowship (Luke 6:12).
Loving God is loving His rules, for doing His will proves our love (John 14:15,23-24; 15:10).
How Important Is It to Love God?
He created us for His own pleasure: we fulfill our destiny by loving Him (Pr 16:4; Rev 4:11).
We should love God above all else for the simple fact He is an infinitely perfect object for love, and this is true no matter how you consider Him in His nature, words, or works.
We should love God greatly for the simple facts He created us from nothing and gave us life.
We should love God for the natural kindness and mercy He bestows (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:17).
We should love God for the love He has for us by adopting us as sons (Gal 4:6; I John 4:19).
We should love God for sending His only begotten Son to die for us vile sinners (I Jn 4:10).
We should love God for faithfully forgiving frequent sins in spite of the above (Psalm 130:4).
We should love God for all He has in store for His children in eternal blessings (II Tim 4:8).
Do you love God enough to take your only begotten son like Isaac and burn him (Ge 22:12)?
A sinful woman loved Jesus very much for His forgiveness of her many sins (Luke 7:36-50).
Paul loved and served God with all His might over and above others, and it is this humble but honest ambition to excel for Jesus Christ that should drive us (I Cor 15:10; Phil 3:7-14).
How Much Do You Love God?
Would you simplify your life by altering your lifestyle to please God more (Luke 10:38-42)?
Is your gladness at assembling with saints to worship Him obvious (Ps 84:1-2,10; 122:1)?
If you are a child, do you love God enough to fully obey and honor your parents (Eph 6:1-3)?
Do you love God enough to run to Him for mercy whenever you are convicted of a fault?
How Can You Love God More?
If we love Him less than we have in the past or less than we should, we must confess it now!
If we love Him less than others, we need to ask why this is the case, and correct it now!
Do you know you loved God more in the past? Then be grieved and fearful, for the Lord of glory is measuring your loss of love (Rev 2:5). Remember, repent, and do the first works.
What else does God need to do to elicit your love (Is 5:4)? Or is the problem with you only?
Can you read His word more? Of course! Will you read His word more this coming week?
Can you pray more? Of course! Will you pray more as a true saint of God this coming week?
Can you listen to His favorite songs more? Of course! Will you listen to His favorite songs?
