Living the Great Commandment, pt. 5

In his continuing series on the Great Commandment, Alan taught about loving God with all your strength. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. Also included are some notes and links to verses mentioned in the message.

Living the Great Commandment (Part 5)

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28; John 13:34

Love God with all your strength/might/power

The Hebrew word for strength is meod, meaning “muchness” (Genesis 1:31 – tov meod: very good). We are to love the Lord with all of our meod – all of our “muchness.”

The Greek word is dunamis, meaning “power.” This is where we get the word dynamite.

When the Hebrew was translated into Aramaic, meod was often translated as “wealth or possessions.”

In Latin translations they use the word veritas, which means “truth.”

So, we are to love the Lord our God with ALL our strength, our muchness, our power, our wealth/possessions, and our truth.

1. Strength doesn’t mean our own power.
   • Psalm 33:16-17
     • Our power/efforts/strength must come from God, not relying on ourselves
   • 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
     • Power is perfected in weakness
   • Philippians 4:13
     • I can do all things (in my relationship with God) through Christ.
   • Our strength has to come through our reliance on God who strengthens us.
2. We have to be intentional (remember) to wait on God!
   • Moses has a tendency to go ahead of God.
     • It caused him to miss out on the Promised Land (Numbers 20:1-13).
   • Proverbs 10:29
     • Iniquity = leaving God out of the equation
   • Isaiah 40:28-31
   • Ephesians 6:10
     • Putting on the Armor of God begins with waiting upon God.
   • Waiting = actively trusting, praying, believing
3. Loving God with our meod means that we are to love Him with everything (even our possessions!)
   • Colossians 3:23
     • Love Him heartily/with enthusiasm
     • Greek = from the soul/breath/spirit/vitality
     • Latin (entheos) = God in you.
4. Christ alive to live in us gives us our strength.