The Way Of Jesus: Loving God Comes First

Contemporary Service

Welcome

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Special - First Things First - Lexi Weeks

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Worship - Heart Of God

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This Is Our God

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Reckless Love

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Teaching - The Way Of Jesus: Loving God Comes First - Matthew 22:34-40

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Closing Song - Less Like Me

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Traditional Service

Prelude

 

Call To Worship - Choir - Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is - 385

 

Blessing Of Tithes And Offerings, Doxology

 

Hymn - We Bring The Sacrifice Of Praise - 213

 

Welcome And Announcements - Bob Coffman - Worship Leader

 

Joys And Concerns

 

Hymn - Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus - 581

 

Scripture Reading - Matthew 22:34-40, John 15:1-8

 

Sermon - The Way Of Jesus: Why Loving God Comes First

 

Closing Hymn - Come Thou Fount - 11

 

Carrying The Light To The World

 

Benediction

Sermon Outline

The Way of Jesus - Loving God Comes First

Matthew 22:37-40, John 15:1-8

I. The series

a. A time of re-centering

b. To whom does the church belong?

c. If it’s ours we’ll make decisions based on our own preferences...

d. If it’s God’s church then we put His preferences first.

e. The mission: Love God, Love people, Make disciples.

f. Two key ideas...the great commandment and the great commission.

II. Matthew 22:34-40 - The Great Commandment

a. The first and greatest commandment...

b. Heart - Kardeeah - your thoughts and feelings

c. Soul - Psookay - our rational and immortal soul

d. Mind - Deeanoyah - imagination, understanding, understanding

e. We are commanded to love God with all of us...

III. John 15:1:8 - Abiding

a. Loving God can be tricky...1 John 4:20

b. How do we get to this place of loving God completely?

c. Do things? Come to church...tithe...serve

d. There is an easier way than earning it.

e. One word...Abiding.

f. What it highlights is our need to be quiet before the Lord.

g. When we bear fruit for the Kingdom of God we glorify God.

h. But bearing fruit is secondary to the primary aim...abiding.

i. Abide - Greek word - men-o - abide, continue to dwell, be present.

j. We are first called to love God, and then obedience flows from that.

k. Mark 1:35 - This is the way of Jesus.

l. Carve out time - sit in silence -begin with prayer - wait.

IV. Loving God comes first

a. In order to experience a vital spiritual life, we must abide.

b. In order to love God, we must learn to spend time with Him.

c. Deuteronomy 4:29

d. Following Jesus is about abiding not striving.

e. Christmas gives us a clue as to what God desires...Emmanuel.

f. It is God’s desire to be with you and to be with me.

g. The church is the way it is today...because God’s people have failed to cultivate a pure love for Him.

h. Matthew 6:33

i. We have not taught effectively the habit of abiding.

j. Create a daily rhythm...scripture and silence...

k. The way of Jesus begins with abiding. Making the time. Drawing near. Sitting in silence.