Big Idea: wholehearted disciples pursue wholehearted love as a holistic vision.
The great commandment requires devotion of our entire persons entirely to God and tirelessly to our neighbors.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
And when the LORD your God brings you into the land… Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—
Love: Attention, Affection, Allegiance, Atmosphere, Attitude
Christian love uniquely reflects the heart of God and the heart of the Gospel
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
- 1 Corinthians 11:1
Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.
But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw (attention) him, he had compassion (affection). He went to him (allegiance)