Stone One: Love God, Love Others
Pastor Miles
9/20/15
1. "Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples" is the irreducible core of following Jesus.
You can do more but not less.
"One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.""
Matthew 22:35-40 NIV
2. Connect with Lord at the heart level through Scripture. (Vertical practice)
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,"
1 Peter 2:2 NIV
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
Psalm 119:105 NIV
"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."
Luke 5:16 NIV
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
Mark 1:35 NIV
Do you have 7 minutes each day for quiet time?
1 minute - pray, quiet my heart and ask God to speak to me
3 minutes - read chapter in Bible or devotion
2 minutes - reflect on what God was saying to me
1 minute - pray, respond to what God was saying to me
3. Connect with others at the heart level through SASHET. (Horizontal practice)
We have to be honest where we're at. Let's not pretend.
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body."
Ephesians 4:25 NIV
"Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!""
John 11:35-36 NIV
Jesus felt sad! He grieved and wept.
"Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.""
Matthew 15:32 NIV
He felt compassion, tenderness.
""Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to."
Matthew 23:13 NIV
Anger.
"He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch.""
Mark 14:33-34 NIV
Anguish, distress.
Jesus verbalized his emotions.
SASHET
Sad
Angry
Scared
Happy
Excited
Tender
Don't negate their feelings.
Don't try to give advice. Don't try to fix the person.
Don't interrupt.
Just listen. Give your full attention. It's one of the greatest demonstration of love.
Be honest.
We start being honest by being honest with God.
