WEBVTT

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 So Matthew 22, it's conflict isn't it? A conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day.

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! We're not sure in verse 33 whether it's the same day as the previous section or whether it happened in one or two days.

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 But it's pretty soon after. The Pharisees, those religious leaders, they come to Jesus with questions and their questions are designed to trap him.

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 And that's the aim in these questions. And they want to find a charge against him, to arrest him and have him crucified.

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 And so within this week of Passover, eventually we're going to see that they managed to do it.

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 But in this section, Matthew 22, we've seen three areas where they've come and they've tried to set their traps.

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 They've come with their questions. Sometimes they've come or they've sent their Sadducees to come or they've sent their disciples to come.

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 But the three questions, the first was political. I do remember it. It concerned, do we pay our taxes for Caesar or not?

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 The second question was theological to do with God. What about the resurrection, Jesus, that you've been speaking about?

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 What about people getting married in the resurrection? Isn't that a silly idea?

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 And the third question is a biblical question. And it deals with the whole question of the law.

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 The law of God. Do you remember the Pharisees? They were experts.

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 They were students of God's law.

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 And the man that they now called upon to be the questioner of Jesus was undoubtedly a skilled Old Testament lawyer.

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 He was a lawyer.

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 He was somebody who knew the law of God thoroughly.

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 He was a man of some intellectual substance.

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 And the question that he asked Jesus at this point was not really one of those great intellectual questions.

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 It was an old chestnut.

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 And for the question he asked Jesus was one that was trundled out again and again in the Sunday schools of the day, the rabbinic schools.

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 They looked upon the laws of God as being able to be differentiated.

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 They can be.

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 The law of God, some laws are weighty.

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 Others of them are lighter.

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 And so in chapter 23 and verses 23, he says to the Pharisees,

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 You have neglected some weightier matters of the law.

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 I think it's quite important to see that there are certain laws of God which are more weighty than others.

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 That's how they thought.

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 Some of the laws weighed more heavily.

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 Some of them were lighter.

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 Some of them were more important.

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 Some of them were less important.

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 And so they come to Jesus and they say to Jesus,

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 What is the most important?

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 And they hoped, of course, that he would give an unorthodox answer.

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 And that they would be able to trap him.

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 They'd be able to take him to the Sanhedrin.

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 And they would say to him,

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 Here is somebody who's teaching heresy.

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 He's not orthodox.

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 Now they were in the midst of this.

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 When Jesus replied without hesitation.

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 And his reply is one that no one could take exception to it.

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 In fact, Mark tells us in his account,

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 He responded and said,

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 Master, you have answered well.

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 Bravo.

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 Good answer.

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 He congratulates Jesus.

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 And the answer is in verses 37 to 40.

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 Jesus said to him,

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 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

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 with all your soul,

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 and with all your mind.

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 This is the great and first commandment.

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 And the second is like it.

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 You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

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 And on these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.

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 Now the words come from what is undoubtedly

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 one of the most familiar parts of the Old Testament to Jews.

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 Deuteronomy 6,

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 when they got up in the morning,

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 they would have talked about it.

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 They were among the most copied words

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 in the whole of the Old Testament.

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 They were among the most frequently spoken words.

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 Because every single Jew

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 had to repeat these words twice every day.

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 Not only so,

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 but they would write them on tiny little pieces of paper.

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 Tiny little post-it notes.

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 They would put them into a little container.

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 And they would bind the container

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 around their left wrist.

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 And then they would get another little container.

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 And they would have written it down.

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 And they would put the piece of paper

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 in that little container.

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 And then they would bind the container

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 to their foreheads.

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 They were called phylacteries.

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 And you remember Jesus mocked them about this.

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 He said you go around with these large phylacteries,

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 large containers over your head,

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 or your arm,

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 and yet you ignore the very words.

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 I've never spoken in them.

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 I've written on this little post-it note,

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 this little parchment,

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 were these words of great significance.

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 The Shema.

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 Hear, O Israel,

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 the Lord your God is one God.

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 And you shall love the Lord your God

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 with all your heart,

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 and with all your soul,

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 and with all your mind.

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 And you shall love your neighbour as yourself.

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 And so Jesus is setting out these words

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 as the answer to the question.

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 What is the greatest commandment?

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 And then he says these words.

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 These words which have prior claim

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 on every man and woman and boy and girl.

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 Love the Lord your God.

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 It's the first and the greatest commandment.

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 So clearly this morning,

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 if these are,

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 the great summary,

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 if this is,

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 the great and most important words

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 that God speaks for his people,

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 we've got to ask,

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 what does it mean?

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 And I want to say,

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 you mustn't imagine

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 that you will jump immediately

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 to the right meaning.

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 When God speaks about loving him,

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 don't think that you jump

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 to the right conclusion.

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 Because as we think about

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 how the word love is used,

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 it is used, isn't it,

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 in the most extraordinarily wide way

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 in our time.

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 So we say to somebody

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 about a TV programme,

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 I love it.

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 We see that somebody

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 after church has got new shoes.

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 And we say to them,

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 I love your shoes.

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 You go to someone's house

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 for dinner

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 and they're having

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 roast beef

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 and you say,

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 I love roast beef.

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 We use the word

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 in the most extraordinary way,

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 don't we?

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 And so the word love

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 can be on the lips

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 of somebody

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 who is about to commit

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 grave sin

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 in the eyes of God.

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 And they will say,

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 I love you.

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 And yet what they're about

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 to do is sinful.

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 And when they say,

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 I love you,

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 what they mean is,

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 I love me

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 and I want you.

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 And it's possible

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 to distort the language

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 that God gives you

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 in a frightening way.

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 And love in our culture

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 is used, isn't it,

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 for the most sublime

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 and the most beautiful

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 of things

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 in our society,

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 but also some of the

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 most appalling things.

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 And some of the most

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 degrading things.

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 And some of the most

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 damaging things

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 and hurtful things.

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 And so five things

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 I want us to see

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 about this important passage.

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 I want you to know,

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 first of all,

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 that it's a commanded love.

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 Isn't that interesting?

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 A commanded love.

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 Did you notice that?

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 Jesus says,

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 love the Lord your God

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 with all your heart

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 and with all your soul

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 and with all your mind.

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 This is the first

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 and greatest commandment.

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 So it's a commanded love.

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 It's in the imperative.

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 Jesus is urging

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 a duty upon you.

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 And of course,

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 our reaction to that is,

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 is this, isn't it?

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 How on earth

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 can you command

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 anybody to love?

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 How can you command

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 someone to either

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 love God

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 or our neighbour?

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 And the reason that we think

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 it's really odd,

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 isn't it,

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 is quite simply

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 because we

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 immediately

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 associate the idea

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 of love

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 with a romantic feeling

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 or an emotional experience.

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 Some people occasionally

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 come to see me

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 when their marriage

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 is in difficulty

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 and they will say,

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 I just don't feel

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 like I love her anymore.

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 What's our answer to that?

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 Our answer to that

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 is what is that

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 going to do with it?

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 Because love is not

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 an emotional experience

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 or a romantic feeling.

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 What does the Bible

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 teach us about love?

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 The Bible teaches

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 the biblical emphasis

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 on love

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 is not the way we feel

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 but on the way

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 that we live.

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 On how we relate

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 to God

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 and to other people

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 and who is first

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 in our lives

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 and how we treat people

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 in the light of that.

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 It's rather a way

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 of living

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 and it's a question

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 of whom you are

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 living for.

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 Who is indisputably

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 first in your life?

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 And when the Bible says

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 you shall love the Lord

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 your God

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 with all your heart

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 and all your mind

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 and all your soul

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 it is really simply saying

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 God must be first.

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 He must be first

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 in your life

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 and in all your actions

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 and in all your thinking

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 and in all your motivation

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 and in all your planning

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 everything.

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 God first.

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 That is what love

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 for the Lord your God

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 really means.

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 With all your heart

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 and soul and mind.

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 And when the Bible

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 speaks of loving God

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 that is why

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 it can be commanded.

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 I cannot be commanded

00:10:09.779 --> 00:10:10.579
 to have

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 a certain emotional

00:10:12.199 --> 00:10:12.899
 feeling for you.

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 Can I?

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 Although I will have it

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 undoubtedly

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 but I can't be commanded

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 to produce it.

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 But what I can be commanded

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 to do

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 is I can be commanded

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 to put you

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 before me.

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 To think about you

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 before I think about myself.

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 To live for you

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 before I live for me.

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 I can be commanded

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 therefore

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 to be

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 what Paul calls

00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:39.899
 in 2 Timothy

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 chapter 3

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 a lover of God

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 rather than

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 a lover of self.

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 And it's this duty

00:10:47.839 --> 00:10:49.079
 that Jesus is quoting from

00:10:49.079 --> 00:10:50.120
 in the Old Testament Scripture.

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 You shall love

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 the Lord your God

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 with all your heart

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 and with all your soul

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 and with all your mind.

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 So it's a commanded love.

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 This is the first

00:11:05.419 --> 00:11:06.279
 and the greatest commandment.

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 Now notice in the second place

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 it's a committed love.

00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:10.940
 It's a committed love.

00:11:12.620 --> 00:11:14.060
 Loving the Lord your God

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 the whole of the Bible

00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.919
 is set within the context

00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:18.759
 of something like

00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:19.740
 a marriage proposal

00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:20.360
 from God.

00:11:21.740 --> 00:11:23.200
 That God makes

00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:25.580
 to men and women

00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:26.379
 and boys and girls.

00:11:28.620 --> 00:11:29.899
 What God does

00:11:29.899 --> 00:11:30.960
 according to the Bible

00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.080
 is He comes to you

00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.220
 and He says to you

00:11:33.220 --> 00:11:33.919
 this morning

00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.659
 I want you to be mine.

00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:38.799
 I want to be your God.

00:11:40.319 --> 00:11:41.419
 And I want you

00:11:41.419 --> 00:11:42.879
 to be my people.

00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:45.860
 And this is the God

00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:47.220
 of covenant love.

00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:49.340
 He comes to us

00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:50.139
 and He makes

00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:51.680
 His proposal to us

00:11:51.680 --> 00:11:54.379
 and what He wants

00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:55.300
 to say to us

00:11:55.300 --> 00:11:55.620
 is

00:11:55.620 --> 00:11:57.320
 He wants to say to us

00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:58.220
 I want to commit

00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:00.100
 myself absolutely

00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:01.620
 for eternity

00:12:01.620 --> 00:12:03.279
 to you.

00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:06.540
 For richer,

00:12:06.700 --> 00:12:07.160
 for poorer,

00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:07.700
 poorer

00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:09.300
 in sickness

00:12:09.300 --> 00:12:10.340
 and in health.

00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:13.379
 and I want you

00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:14.860
 to commit yourself

00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:15.899
 for eternity

00:12:15.899 --> 00:12:16.480
 to me.

00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:17.060
 It's the love

00:12:17.060 --> 00:12:17.519
 of commitment.

00:12:17.780 --> 00:12:18.320
 That's Christianity.

00:12:20.379 --> 00:12:21.139
 It's the thing

00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:22.300
 on which marriage

00:12:22.300 --> 00:12:23.080
 relationships

00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:24.259
 are modelled on.

00:12:25.700 --> 00:12:26.259
 And that is why

00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:27.320
 Paul is able to say

00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:27.660
 it's the

00:12:27.660 --> 00:12:29.560
 love your wives

00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:30.000
 husbands

00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:31.000
 as Christ

00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:31.700
 loved the church.

00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:32.720
 So how did Christ

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:33.460
 love His church?

00:12:33.580 --> 00:12:34.160
 Think about that.

00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.899
 did He feel

00:12:37.899 --> 00:12:38.819
 emotional

00:12:38.819 --> 00:12:40.819
 about the church?

00:12:42.959 --> 00:12:44.240
 I'm sure He did.

00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:46.719
 But what's the

00:12:46.719 --> 00:12:48.100
 primary evidence

00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:49.559
 of Jesus

00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:50.519
 loving the church?

00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.620
 The primary evidence

00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.379
 of Jesus loving

00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:54.799
 the church

00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:55.379
 is that He

00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:56.360
 denied Himself

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.019
 and He

00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:59.299
 offered Himself

00:12:59.299 --> 00:13:00.379
 up on the cross

00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:00.860
 to purchase

00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:01.759
 a people for God.

00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.039
 He loved the church.

00:13:05.100 --> 00:13:05.620
 What does it mean

00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:05.960
 by that?

00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:06.580
 That He had warm

00:13:06.580 --> 00:13:07.319
 feelings towards

00:13:07.319 --> 00:13:07.659
 the church?

00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:07.840
 Well,

00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:09.720
 yes.

00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:11.039
 But that's a small

00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:11.439
 part of it,

00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:11.779
 isn't it?

00:13:13.659 --> 00:13:14.679
 He loved the church

00:13:14.679 --> 00:13:16.000
 by sacrificing

00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.360
 Himself for them.

00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:17.720
 It's a love

00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:18.200
 of commitment.

00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:21.279
 And there never

00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.559
 has been a commitment

00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:23.439
 like the commitment

00:13:23.439 --> 00:13:24.419
 that Jesus showed

00:13:24.419 --> 00:13:25.500
 when He loved the church.

00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:29.740
 There is,

00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:30.179
 isn't there,

00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.100
 in our culture,

00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:32.120
 a love that stops

00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:32.940
 short of commitment.

00:13:35.340 --> 00:13:35.840
 And so commitment

00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:36.980
 is not very popular.

00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:39.540
 Lots of people

00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:40.540
 want to step back

00:13:40.540 --> 00:13:41.220
 from commitment.

00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:45.139
 I want a relationship

00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:47.720
 but no commitment.

00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:50.899
 A lot of people

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:52.120
 are saying that then.

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.000
 They're saying,

00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:54.259
 aren't they,

00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:55.340
 that I want the benefits

00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:55.980
 of a relationship

00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:56.779
 without commitment.

00:13:58.259 --> 00:13:58.680
 The commitment

00:13:58.680 --> 00:13:59.460
 is a price

00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:00.920
 too high to pay.

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:01.759
 I'm not ready

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:02.259
 for commitment.

00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:07.840
 Some people say,

00:14:07.920 --> 00:14:08.139
 isn't it,

00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:09.540
 sometimes I'm

00:14:09.540 --> 00:14:10.340
 in a relationship

00:14:10.340 --> 00:14:12.279
 but I don't want

00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:13.540
 anything serious.

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.300
 I just want us

00:14:16.300 --> 00:14:17.120
 to be good friends.

00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:17.820
 Have you heard that?

00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:18.740
 Maybe you've experienced

00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:19.040
 that.

00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:22.720
 There are people

00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:23.659
 in churches this morning

00:14:23.659 --> 00:14:24.220
 and they come to

00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:25.200
 Jesus Christ like that.

00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.480
 It's just possible

00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:29.520
 that that's you

00:14:29.520 --> 00:14:30.060
 this morning.

00:14:31.300 --> 00:14:31.879
 And you've been

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.440
 living like that

00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:32.879
 for many,

00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:33.680
 many years.

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:36.620
 And what you're saying

00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:37.240
 to the Lord Jesus

00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:37.540
 is,

00:14:37.680 --> 00:14:37.940
 well listen,

00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.500
 I'm happy to come

00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:39.240
 to church

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:41.020
 but I don't want

00:14:41.020 --> 00:14:41.700
 anything serious.

00:14:43.180 --> 00:14:43.920
 I just want us

00:14:43.920 --> 00:14:44.540
 to be good friends.

00:14:44.539 --> 00:14:48.000
 Jesus says to you

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.519
 this morning,

00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.480
 look away

00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:50.519
 to the cross

00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.319
 and you see

00:14:52.319 --> 00:14:53.539
 how I gave myself

00:14:53.539 --> 00:14:54.399
 for sinners.

00:14:55.819 --> 00:14:56.339
 And you will see

00:14:56.339 --> 00:14:57.360
 that I just don't

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:57.919
 want to be your

00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.639
 good friend,

00:14:58.740 --> 00:14:59.259
 I want to be

00:14:59.259 --> 00:14:59.980
 your saviour.

00:15:01.219 --> 00:15:01.980
 I want to be

00:15:01.980 --> 00:15:02.579
 the Lord and

00:15:02.579 --> 00:15:03.500
 master of your life.

00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:04.099
 I want to be

00:15:04.099 --> 00:15:05.379
 everything to you.

00:15:05.839 --> 00:15:06.899
 All that I have

00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:08.240
 am I give to you.

00:15:08.319 --> 00:15:09.199
 All that I have

00:15:09.199 --> 00:15:10.360
 I share with you.

00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:13.240
 This love

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.700
 is a commanded love

00:15:14.700 --> 00:15:15.560
 but it's a committed

00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:16.240
 love.

00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:18.620
 And God is wanting

00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:19.680
 you to say to him

00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.220
 this morning,

00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:22.840
 you are my everything.

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.580
 You rule in every

00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:26.340
 part of my life.

00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:29.759
 It's a commanded love,

00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:30.440
 it's a committed love.

00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:31.860
 Notice in verse 37

00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:32.620
 it's a comprehensive

00:15:32.620 --> 00:15:33.039
 love.

00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:36.259
 It's a comprehensive

00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:36.659
 love.

00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:40.139
 And so what could

00:15:40.139 --> 00:15:40.860
 Jesus have said?

00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:41.480
 He could have said

00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:41.899
 couldn't he,

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:42.539
 when he comes to

00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:43.179
 the Old Testament,

00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:43.939
 he could have said

00:15:43.939 --> 00:15:45.519
 love the Lord your God.

00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.240
 And he didn't just

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:50.639
 say that.

00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:53.039
 Nor does he say

00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:53.939
 love the Lord your God

00:15:53.939 --> 00:15:54.720
 with all your heart.

00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.980
 He could have said that.

00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:58.240
 We say that,

00:15:58.299 --> 00:15:58.460
 don't you?

00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:59.199
 I love you with all

00:15:59.199 --> 00:15:59.699
 my heart.

00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:02.539
 What the Bible says

00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.500
 and what Jesus quotes

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.279
 and singles out

00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:05.080
 as the most important

00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:05.679
 commandment is

00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:06.480
 love the Lord your God

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.319
 with all your heart

00:16:07.319 --> 00:16:10.019
 and with all your strength

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:12.360
 and with all your minds.

00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:14.919
 Just notice how the

00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:15.840
 phrase, the whole phrase

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:16.620
 is repeated each time.

00:16:16.699 --> 00:16:17.340
 Nothing could be more

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:17.799
 comprehensive.

00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:21.960
 So one of the

00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:23.360
 illustrations that I

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.039
 think we can use is

00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:24.819
 that of an insurance

00:16:24.819 --> 00:16:25.659
 policy if you've

00:16:25.659 --> 00:16:26.419
 insured a car.

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.980
 And there's loads of

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:29.600
 different insurance

00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.360
 policies out there.

00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:31.759
 But in my mind,

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:32.620
 my simple mind,

00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.379
 there seems to me

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.259
 there are two options

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:35.980
 for insurance.

00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:38.840
 There's one which is

00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:39.860
 third party fire and

00:16:39.860 --> 00:16:40.620
 theft, isn't there?

00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.360
 And that is limited.

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.980
 You know that if an

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:46.659
 accident happens,

00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:47.940
 well, you're not

00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:48.879
 insured because all

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.240
 you're insured are for

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:51.560
 is third party fire and

00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:51.960
 theft.

00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:53.120
 It's limited.

00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:56.259
 But the other form of

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.100
 insurance is what?

00:16:57.180 --> 00:16:57.840
 It is fully

00:16:57.840 --> 00:16:58.360
 comprehensive,

00:16:58.620 --> 00:16:58.940
 isn't it?

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:01.759
 And the fully

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.759
 comprehensive covers

00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:04.819
 everything, or at least

00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:05.180
 it should.

00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:11.640
 That's the difference,

00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:12.079
 isn't it?

00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:13.519
 One is limited.

00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:15.220
 One covers everything.

00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:18.180
 At this level, what

00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:19.160
 Jesus is speaking is

00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:19.900
 fully comprehensive.

00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:22.860
 He's saying there is

00:17:22.860 --> 00:17:24.019
 absolutely no area of

00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.220
 your life that may be

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.120
 excluded from it.

00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:27.360
 And so your personal

00:17:27.360 --> 00:17:28.460
 and private life,

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:31.259
 your thought world,

00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:33.460
 your actions,

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:36.120
 your motives,

00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:39.200
 your internet browsing,

00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.120
 your relationships,

00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:41.279
 your business,

00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:42.740
 your professional life,

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.600
 those things that are

00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:44.600
 said in secret,

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:46.079
 those things that are

00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:47.140
 said in public,

00:17:47.660 --> 00:17:48.660
 your sex life,

00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:50.259
 every area of your

00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:50.640
 life.

00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:51.819
 You will love the Lord

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.740
 your God with all your

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:54.500
 heart and with all your

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:56.579
 soul and with all your

00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:56.700
 mind.

00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:57.480
 mind.

00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:00.980
 And again, Bible words

00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:01.580
 have final meaning.

00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:02.660
 So we think, how does

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:03.860
 the Bible use these

00:18:03.860 --> 00:18:04.319
 words?

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.700
 What is the heart?

00:18:12.100 --> 00:18:13.600
 In the Bible, it is

00:18:13.600 --> 00:18:15.900
 not primarily the seat

00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:16.620
 of emotions.

00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:20.100
 We say, you've broken

00:18:20.100 --> 00:18:20.480
 my heart.

00:18:20.580 --> 00:18:20.779
 What is that?

00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.319
 It's kind of feelings of

00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:23.600
 kind of broken emotions.

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.740
 It's much more than

00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.339
 that in the Bible.

00:18:28.419 --> 00:18:30.199
 So we use the phrase,

00:18:30.379 --> 00:18:31.419
 get into the heart of

00:18:31.419 --> 00:18:31.799
 the matter.

00:18:31.899 --> 00:18:32.579
 I think that's helpful.

00:18:33.459 --> 00:18:35.019
 It's this core of

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:35.539
 everything.

00:18:36.219 --> 00:18:37.399
 It's the core of

00:18:37.399 --> 00:18:38.759
 someone's life and

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.179
 being and personality.

00:18:40.619 --> 00:18:41.959
 It refers to the will

00:18:41.959 --> 00:18:42.899
 and to the motivation.

00:18:44.399 --> 00:18:45.699
 So we do use it in this

00:18:45.699 --> 00:18:45.799
 way.

00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:47.159
 We say his heart is not

00:18:47.159 --> 00:18:47.519
 in it.

00:18:49.639 --> 00:18:50.459
 And so they're not

00:18:50.459 --> 00:18:51.399
 wholehearted.

00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:56.920
 It's the core.

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:59.400
 It's the citadel of

00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:00.300
 someone's being.

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.560
 It includes their will.

00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:05.160
 Soul.

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:07.460
 It's probably nearest in

00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.200
 the Bible's terms to the

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.080
 emotions we feel.

00:19:11.320 --> 00:19:12.640
 It's concerned with those

00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:14.000
 areas with how we

00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:15.160
 perceive things and how

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:16.320
 we understand things with

00:19:16.320 --> 00:19:16.759
 feelings.

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:19.100
 So do you remember how

00:19:19.100 --> 00:19:19.880
 Jesus used the word?

00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:20.820
 He says in the garden of

00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:21.859
 Gethsemane, he says my

00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:24.220
 soul is deeply troubled

00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:26.059
 to the point of death.

00:19:26.419 --> 00:19:27.740
 And it's in that sense

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:28.799
 that this word is used.

00:19:30.399 --> 00:19:31.799
 The mind is used to

00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:33.419
 convey intellectual life

00:19:33.419 --> 00:19:34.299
 and the strength of

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:35.720
 conviction which put

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:37.519
 thoughts into action.

00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:40.119
 And so when you say,

00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:41.399
 I've made up my mind,

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.000
 that's what I'm going to

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:43.819
 do, that's biblical.

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:48.500
 It's thoughts into action.

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.019
 So do you see what Jesus

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:52.319
 is saying?

00:19:52.379 --> 00:19:54.119
 There is no area of life

00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:55.480
 that is untouched by this

00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:55.799
 love.

00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:02.679
 It covers everything.

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.599
 This love is not only a

00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.720
 commanded love, a committed

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:09.000
 love, a comprehensive love,

00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:10.200
 but there's two other

00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.980
 things that we need to

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:11.740
 note about it.

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.660
 They've both got C's in

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:15.240
 them but they're not as

00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:15.400
 good.

00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:16.619
 Alright, so the first is

00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:18.319
 this, this love has a

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:19.019
 criteria.

00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:22.559
 And the second is if

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.099
 any question, the question

00:20:24.099 --> 00:20:24.920
 doesn't begin with C.

00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:26.160
 But it sounds the same.

00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.920
 What's the criteria of this

00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:29.599
 love, fourthly?

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:35.759
 There's a criteria of this

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.819
 love which can tell you

00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:38.019
 whether your love for God

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:38.879
 is genuine or not.

00:20:40.679 --> 00:20:41.980
 How do you know this

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.000
 love for God which you

00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:43.659
 have sung about this

00:20:43.659 --> 00:20:44.359
 morning and which you

00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:48.039
 have professed, how can

00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:48.839
 you tell that it's real?

00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:52.339
 The criteria is in verse

00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:52.759
 39.

00:20:53.419 --> 00:20:54.480
 It's the second commandment

00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:55.419
 that goes along with it.

00:20:56.740 --> 00:20:57.679
 It is to love your

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.819
 neighbour as yourself.

00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:01.619
 In other words, Jesus is

00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.599
 saying there is a sign and

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:03.679
 there is a proof of whether

00:21:03.679 --> 00:21:05.000
 you really love God.

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.960
 And it's this, will you

00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:09.079
 love your neighbour as

00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:09.599
 yourself?

00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:14.000
 Let me clarify this for

00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.240
 you.

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:15.920
 There's one commandment

00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.859
 there, not two.

00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:19.059
 Jesus does not say the

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:19.759
 second commandment is love

00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:20.319
 your neighbour and the

00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:21.079
 third commandment is love

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.539
 yourself.

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:23.200
 It's a comparison, that's

00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:23.920
 what Jesus is doing.

00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:25.500
 It's obvious.

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.059
 And he's saying we all

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:31.339
 know what it is like to

00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.240
 love ourselves.

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.519
 No one needs to teach

00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.400
 us what self-love looks

00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:37.799
 like.

00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:40.039
 No one needs to teach

00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:41.160
 you, whether you're

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:41.960
 willing to admit it or

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:43.460
 not, what self-interest

00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:43.940
 is like.

00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:46.799
 Where you put yourself

00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.740
 first in your sense of

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:49.299
 priorities.

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:52.759
 That is something that is

00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:54.700
 ours by reason of our

00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.680
 fallen nature.

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:58.519
 But Jesus says the

00:21:58.519 --> 00:21:59.160
 difference between

00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:01.220
 biblical love and that

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:02.100
 kind of love is that I

00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:04.299
 replace myself with my

00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:04.700
 neighbour.

00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.779
 And that I love my

00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:08.720
 neighbour rather than

00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:09.680
 loving myself.

00:22:12.080 --> 00:22:13.160
 Jesus is saying you need

00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:14.840
 to look at the basic

00:22:14.840 --> 00:22:16.220
 tendency of your own

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.259
 heart to love yourself

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:18.600
 and to serve yourself

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:20.000
 and live under your

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:21.180
 self-interest and your

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.680
 self-absorption.

00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:24.120
 And you want to take

00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:25.719
 that tendency and you

00:22:25.719 --> 00:22:27.339
 want to fit it in to

00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:28.479
 the whole realm of your

00:22:28.479 --> 00:22:29.139
 attitude to your

00:22:29.139 --> 00:22:29.399
 neighbour.

00:22:32.099 --> 00:22:33.279
 The thing I will do for

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:35.359
 my neighbour, the way

00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.219
 that I will react to

00:22:36.219 --> 00:22:37.379
 him, the place that I

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.799
 will put him or her in

00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.359
 is the place that I

00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:41.039
 used to keep for

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.579
 myself.

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.279
 And so if you think

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.219
 that your tendency is

00:22:46.219 --> 00:22:47.239
 not to put yourself

00:22:47.239 --> 00:22:51.399
 first, let me tell

00:22:51.399 --> 00:22:52.779
 you, you've not even

00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:54.940
 begun to understand

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:55.420
 yourself.

00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:57.879
 You've not even begun

00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.779
 to understand yourself.

00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:02.859
 The Bible is not

00:23:02.859 --> 00:23:03.480
 telling you, don't

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.279
 misunderstand this, the

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.039
 Bible is not telling

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:05.879
 you to despise

00:23:05.879 --> 00:23:06.299
 yourself.

00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:09.319
 What it's speaking

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:10.180
 about is the place

00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:11.000
 that we give to

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.639
 ourselves.

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.500
 And that, says

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:14.779
 Jesus, has to be

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.559
 changed around.

00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:18.279
 And as we love

00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:20.099
 ourselves, so we

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:21.079
 will love our

00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:21.359
 neighbour.

00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:23.500
 And that would be

00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.919
 the criteria of our

00:23:24.919 --> 00:23:25.699
 loving God.

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:29.059
 Let me read you

00:23:29.059 --> 00:23:29.919
 these words from 1

00:23:29.919 --> 00:23:31.299
 John 4 verse 19.

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:33.299
 Where it says this,

00:23:33.439 --> 00:23:35.539
 we love because he

00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:36.879
 first loved us.

00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:39.719
 If anyone says I

00:23:39.719 --> 00:23:40.879
 love God and hates

00:23:40.879 --> 00:23:42.619
 his brother, he is a

00:23:42.619 --> 00:23:42.939
 liar.

00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:44.919
 For he who does not

00:23:44.919 --> 00:23:45.719
 love his brother whom

00:23:45.719 --> 00:23:46.459
 he has seen cannot

00:23:46.459 --> 00:23:47.359
 love God whom he has

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:47.839
 not seen.

00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.519
 This commandment we

00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.179
 have from him.

00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:52.539
 Whoever loves God

00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:53.859
 must also love his

00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:54.839
 brother and sister.

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:57.220
 It's really, really

00:23:57.220 --> 00:23:57.939
 simple logic.

00:23:58.139 --> 00:23:58.659
 You can understand

00:23:58.659 --> 00:23:58.899
 it.

00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:01.879
 I've not seen God,

00:24:02.099 --> 00:24:02.359
 have I?

00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:03.459
 Neither have you.

00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.439
 But I have seen my

00:24:05.439 --> 00:24:05.659
 brother.

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:09.079
 How can I say I

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:10.799
 love God whom I've

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.500
 not seen, but I

00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.500
 don't love my

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.419
 brother whom I have

00:24:16.419 --> 00:24:16.759
 seen?

00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.619
 So can you see it?

00:24:19.679 --> 00:24:20.379
 It's really simple

00:24:20.379 --> 00:24:20.859
 isn't it?

00:24:20.919 --> 00:24:22.740
 How brotherly love

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:24.019
 and sisterly love

00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:26.299
 is the criteria of

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.179
 love for God.

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.059
 And so that's the

00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:31.599
 criteria given to us

00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:33.179
 by Jesus in the

00:24:33.179 --> 00:24:33.899
 second commandment.

00:24:34.179 --> 00:24:34.759
 Love your neighbour

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.619
 as you love yourself.

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.459
 And so finally let's

00:24:37.459 --> 00:24:38.179
 finish with a question.

00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:41.379
 And the question is

00:24:41.379 --> 00:24:41.819
 this.

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.679
 How on earth can I

00:24:44.679 --> 00:24:45.079
 do it?

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:44.659
 How on earth can I

00:24:44.659 --> 00:24:45.079
 do it?

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:48.859
 And how can

00:24:48.859 --> 00:24:49.819
 anyone do this?

00:24:51.419 --> 00:24:52.559
 How can I love the

00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.399
 Lord my God with all

00:24:54.399 --> 00:24:55.500
 my heart, with all my

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.639
 soul and with all my

00:24:56.639 --> 00:24:56.859
 strength?

00:24:56.919 --> 00:24:57.720
 And how can I love my

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.559
 neighbour as myself?

00:24:58.879 --> 00:25:00.399
 How can anyone live

00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:00.679
 like this?

00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:01.220
 Because it's not

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:02.299
 native to me, is it?

00:25:02.399 --> 00:25:02.879
 Or to you.

00:25:03.899 --> 00:25:05.480
 It's not natural for me

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:06.339
 to love God with every

00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:07.399
 fibre of my being.

00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:09.379
 And to put him

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:10.899
 unreservedly first in

00:25:10.899 --> 00:25:12.419
 every area of my life.

00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.240
 Because I want to be

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:13.940
 first in my life.

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:17.820
 You know that battle

00:25:17.820 --> 00:25:18.259
 don't you?

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:20.920
 I've had this discussion

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:21.420
 many times.

00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:23.560
 You discuss with

00:25:23.560 --> 00:25:24.620
 somebody the demands

00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:25.340
 of the Lord Jesus

00:25:25.340 --> 00:25:26.200
 Christ and what does

00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.039
 it come down to?

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.660
 For some of you this

00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:30.279
 morning, what is

00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:31.300
 stopping you from

00:25:31.300 --> 00:25:31.940
 committing to the

00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:32.860
 Lord Jesus Christ?

00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:34.539
 It's really simple

00:25:34.539 --> 00:25:35.019
 isn't it?

00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:35.980
 You want to be in

00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:36.600
 charge of your own

00:25:36.600 --> 00:25:36.960
 life.

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:40.680
 And that is a

00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:41.680
 natural response.

00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:44.320
 And so how can we

00:25:44.320 --> 00:25:45.420
 love, how can we

00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:45.960
 live this way?

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:46.880
 How can we love

00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:47.360
 this way?

00:25:47.600 --> 00:25:47.920
 Well there's two

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.400
 answers to that

00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:48.820
 question.

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.180
 And this Pharisee,

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.300
 this lawyer who

00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:52.980
 asked Jesus the

00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:53.600
 question didn't see

00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:54.240
 any of them, either

00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:54.519
 of them.

00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:58.000
 The first is this,

00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:58.700
 that the Pharisee

00:25:58.700 --> 00:25:59.660
 who didn't ask,

00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:00.860
 even ask, how can

00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:01.440
 this happen?

00:26:01.560 --> 00:26:02.500
 He needed to look

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:03.759
 at his own soul.

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:05.960
 And he needed to

00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.440
 see that his

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.980
 natural tendency was

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.180
 to love and serve

00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:10.259
 and worship and

00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.060
 honour himself

00:26:11.060 --> 00:26:12.200
 rather than God.

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:15.180
 There are a

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:15.800
 hundred different

00:26:15.800 --> 00:26:16.519
 areas, aren't

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:16.940
 there, where I

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.740
 want to exclude

00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.120
 him.

00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:20.640
 And this

00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:22.100
 comprehensive love

00:26:22.100 --> 00:26:22.860
 for God is

00:26:22.860 --> 00:26:23.460
 something that even

00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:24.259
 when I try to do

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:24.920
 it, I cannot do

00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:25.140
 it.

00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:27.019
 But you see,

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:27.740
 had he just

00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:29.440
 listened to

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.279
 Jesus, this is

00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:33.539
 precisely why Jesus

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.279
 was standing in

00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:34.779
 front of him,

00:26:34.820 --> 00:26:35.160
 isn't it?

00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:38.259
 this is why the

00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:38.840
 Lord Jesus had

00:26:38.840 --> 00:26:39.340
 come into the

00:26:39.340 --> 00:26:40.700
 world, in order

00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:42.160
 to take hard

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.800
 hearts like that,

00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:45.400
 hard, cynical,

00:26:46.600 --> 00:26:47.400
 pharisaical,

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:48.600
 religious hearts

00:26:48.600 --> 00:26:49.880
 and break into

00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:52.100
 them, and bring

00:26:52.100 --> 00:26:53.180
 into those hearts

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:54.540
 an altogether new

00:26:54.540 --> 00:26:55.480
 dimension of life

00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.519
 which was recreated

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.600
 by Jesus Christ.

00:26:57.599 --> 00:26:59.599
 that would enable

00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.259
 him to live for

00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:00.539
 God.

00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:03.399
 Paul caught it

00:27:03.399 --> 00:27:04.379
 when he said to

00:27:04.379 --> 00:27:04.899
 the Corinthians,

00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:06.039
 he died, that is

00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:06.519
 the Lord Jesus,

00:27:06.659 --> 00:27:07.539
 for all, that they

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.519
 who live should no

00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.379
 longer live unto

00:27:09.379 --> 00:27:10.279
 themselves, but unto

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:12.079
 him who died for

00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:12.919
 them and rose again.

00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.740
 He needed a new

00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:14.159
 heart.

00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.420
 He needed a new

00:27:16.420 --> 00:27:17.560
 nature, that man.

00:27:19.360 --> 00:27:20.300
 And he stares, he

00:27:20.300 --> 00:27:21.240
 says to Jesus, do

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.100
 you remember, Mark?

00:27:22.340 --> 00:27:22.880
 Good answer.

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.400
 Bravo, Jesus, well

00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:25.720
 done.

00:27:27.040 --> 00:27:27.580
 If he had been

00:27:27.580 --> 00:27:28.340
 nearer, he'd have

00:27:28.340 --> 00:27:29.100
 patted him on the

00:27:29.100 --> 00:27:29.720
 back and said,

00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.380
 well spoken.

00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.420
 And it's possible

00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.140
 for you to do that

00:27:35.140 --> 00:27:35.740
 this morning, it's

00:27:35.740 --> 00:27:36.980
 possible in 2020 for

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.800
 you to say to Jesus,

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:38.900
 very good, excellent

00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:39.600
 teacher, we need

00:27:39.600 --> 00:27:40.360
 more of this kind

00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:40.779
 of thing.

00:27:41.560 --> 00:27:42.880
 Well spoken, Lord.

00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.560
 And inwardly say,

00:27:45.840 --> 00:27:46.860
 I will not be moved.

00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:50.420
 And the revolution

00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:51.420
 that Jesus Christ was

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:52.759
 waiting to break into

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:54.060
 that man's life, as

00:27:54.060 --> 00:27:54.920
 far as we know, never

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:55.259
 happened.

00:27:57.300 --> 00:27:58.620
 And what he needed to

00:27:58.620 --> 00:28:00.680
 do, and only God

00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:01.680
 knows whether he ever

00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:02.519
 actually did it, was

00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:04.060
 to go to the cross

00:28:04.060 --> 00:28:06.480
 and learn something

00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:07.900
 about that love, which

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:08.840
 is prior.

00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:13.019
 The love of Jesus

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:14.759
 Christ for him, the

00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:16.480
 love of God in giving

00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:17.879
 and not withholding

00:28:17.879 --> 00:28:18.480
 his son.

00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:21.559
 The love that caused

00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.519
 him to come down

00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:23.720
 into this world, to

00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:25.519
 take upon him the

00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:26.420
 immense and

00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:27.900
 immeasurable burden

00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:29.920
 of our sin.

00:28:31.339 --> 00:28:32.519
 And to bear it in

00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.779
 his body by dying

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.440
 on the tree.

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.559
 Because the

00:28:37.559 --> 00:28:38.200
 testimony of the

00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.900
 New Testament and

00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:39.579
 the testimony of this

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.480
 church is that we

00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:41.039
 love him.

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:43.839
 We love him.

00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:44.799
 Are you able to say

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:45.399
 that this morning?

00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.779
 We love him.

00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:49.799
 We love God.

00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:53.039
 But why do we love

00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:53.200
 him?

00:28:55.139 --> 00:28:56.659
 Why do we love God

00:28:56.659 --> 00:28:57.339
 this morning, those

00:28:57.339 --> 00:28:57.779
 of us who do?

00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:59.039
 How did that happen?

00:29:00.379 --> 00:29:01.279
 How did it come

00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:01.539
 about?

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.460
 Well, you know, don't

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:05.960
 you, we love him

00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:08.980
 because he first

00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:09.539
 loved us.

00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:12.900
 And it is when you

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:15.019
 gaze on the dying

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:16.579
 love of God in

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.380
 Jesus Christ

00:29:17.380 --> 00:29:20.120
 that that love for

00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:22.539
 him and for others

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.059
 is born.

00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:25.799
 Let's pray.

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