Love Jesus Totally

This was originally a sermon I preached on January 17th, 2021.

Two weeks ago, we discussed God’s grace. Far from being some intangible, nebulous thing grace is a very tangible and very practical reality we encounter from God. Grace trains us to grow in righteousness and godliness. Last week we discussed idolatry. While we specifically focused on the idol of politics and love of country over love of God and neighbor, the same general discussion could be had about any idols we face.

            

When preparing for those previous two sermons as well as this one, I was unaware that I would end up preaching three times in a row. If I had I probably would have made them more overtly connected, but one thing I would not have changed is the order. Too often we treat grace as merely a response to sin and, while it is certainly that, it is much more.

            

God’s grace always comes first, before any human action can even take place. It is God’s ever-present grace that gives us life and enables us to discern right from wrong. Even if sin had never entered the world and humanity had never fallen, we would still need God’s grace.

            

This leads us to this week’s lesson. How does God’s grace equip us to overcome idolatry? What exactly are we being trained to do by grace that enables us to resist false gods and idols? The answer is an old one; to love God totally.

            

Mark 12:29-30, quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5, states, “Jesus answered, “The most important is Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”” This is, as Jesus himself says, the greatest command.

            

The answer to idolatry, and the thing God’s grace is constantly teaching us how to do, is to love Jesus totally. The only way to not worship other gods is to devote ourselves entirely to Jesus. We must do this with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, meaning our entire being.

            

So, what does it mean to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? I have never met anyone who does this perfectly, by which I mean all four equally. All of us tend to be stronger in one or two of these areas while struggling in another. We all are, after all, made differently and it is understandable that given our differences that each of us would love and encounter God in unique ways.

            

Heart – What does it mean to love the LORD our God with all of our heart? The heart refers to our emotions. To love God with all our heart is to have our heart be shaped after his and to feel genuine excitement and passion for Christ. It means looking at the world with the eyes of Christ, with all the compassion, mercy, and even sorrow at sin that entails. It is primarily based on emotions and is felt often times through ecstatic worship, relationships, and experiences.

            

This is the way that some of us primarily encounter and love God. This is experiencing God’s love and feeling his presence. I would say that most contemporary worship music is aimed right here, at the emotional level. Most mission trips, youth or otherwise, are aimed here; at having an emotionally connective experience with God and others. This is where the language of “being on fire for Jesus” comes in. Our “heart people” want to feel Jesus more.

            

Soul – What does it mean to love the LORD our God with all of our soul? The soul is a little trickier to define, but I think the soul is the center of our being that is restless for God. To love God with all our soul is to be at rest in Jesus. It is to have our whole being in alignment with God and centered on Christ. This is primarily experienced through prayer, devotion, meditation, and more contemplative worship.

            

This is, again, the way that some of us primarily encounter and love God. This is fully resting in God’s presence and trusting in his love. Our “soul people” know that no matter what emotional turmoil, tough questions, and hard situations they face if they remain centered on Christ and focused on his presence they can make it. They do this through daily prayer, affirmations, and regular devotionals. Our “soul people” want to rest in Jesus more.

            

Mind – What does it mean to love the LORD our God with all of our mind? The mind is logical, rational, and curious. To love God with all our mind is to continually seek out more knowledge about Jesus. It is done through the study of Scripture, theology, history, and more.

            

This is, again, the way that some of us primarily encounter and love God. This is constantly seeking to expand our understanding and intellect concerning God. Our “mind people” want to know Jesus more.

            

Strength – What does it mean to love the LORD our God with all of our strength? Our strength is what we do. It is our actions and how we live. To love God with all our strength is to imitate what Christ did and constantly seek out opportunities for service and action.

            

As we have established, this is how some of us primarily encounter and love God. They see the face of Jesus in the people they serve and in the situations they are in. These are the doers of the group. Our “strength people” want to imitate Jesus more.

            

Every single one of us is called to love Jesus with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is not an option. However, God has gifted each of us differently and we all think, feel, and act differently. It should not come as a surprise that each of us more readily and easily loves and encounters Jesus in some ways over others. As most of you have probably figured out by now, I am definitely one of those “mind people.” Nothing helps me love and appreciate God more than a deep dive study. I encounter God far more easily in ancient tomes written by long dead Christians than I do through music or nature or even service.

            

What I am definitely not is a “heart person.” I have never once in my entire Christian life ever felt the presence of God. I have never felt that “on fire for Jesus” feeling that I know so many others feel after trips, rallies, and concerts. For a long time, I actually thought that I was a bad Christian or that God didn’t love me because I didn’t experience God that way.

            

I think that is more common than we might think. Too often we compare our love for God against others and vice versa. I think that when we teach and preach the greatest command, most of us subconsciously default to our own primary way of loving and encountering Christ. Then we look at others who might default differently than us and assume either they or we are not doing it right.

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul talks extensively about the church as the Body of Christ. We are all part of one body, yet are all unique members with different tasks. The eye cannot tell the ear “I don’t need you” just because the ear doesn’t do the same thing. Likewise, the ear cannot say “I don’t belong here” just because the ear doesn’t do what the eye does.

            

I think this applies here, especially because there is something remarkably interesting about the greatest command, something I never see mentioned when this is taught. It was not given to individuals but to the community.

            

As I’ve said we all must love Jesus totally, heart, soul, mind, and strength. But the same must also be true of us as a community. This means that we all need our “heart people” to help us feel the love and presence of God. This means that we all need our “soul people” to help us rest in his presence and stay focused on his Spirit. This means that we all need our “mind people” to help us dig deeper into the knowledge of God. This means that we all need our “strength people” to help us do as Jesus did and serve wherever we can.

            

God’s grace is training us to love Jesus totally, both as individuals and as a community. It is this total love and devotion to Christ that enables us, with God’s help, to defeat idolatry. Wherever you are right now with your love for Christ, be you a heart, soul, mind, or strength person, we are glad to have you here. We need you. So long as you are answering the call of grace and growing more and more like Jesus you are on the right track.

            

Here is your challenge for this week. Do some self-reflection and figure out which way you most easily love and encounter God and which of the four you are least. Then, because we are called to do this as a community, find someone in this body who’s strength is your weakness and talk to them about it. Ask them to share how they love and encounter Christ. This may mean you have multiple discussion partners, but that’s a good thing.