Text: Luke 10:25—37

Topic: What it means to love God

Introduction:

• The story of the good Samaritan

Our sinful hearts keep us from loving God.

• If we don't know how to give or receive love, we can't experience all God has for us.
• Illustration: Bias in the "bowls" ball is similar to the bias in the human heart.
• Something has to happen in our hearts to make it possible to love.

Through the sacrifice of Christ, God gives us a heart transplant.

• Ezekiel 26:36
• Illustration: Brother donates his kidney, but the transplant was unsuccessful.
• On the operating table of the cross, God offered us the heart of his son.
• 2 Peter 1:4

A new heart makes it possible to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength.

• Loving God with all your heart means you are no longer hardhearted.
• Loving God with all your soul means God is real to you all the time and everywhere.
• Loving God with all your mind means using your intellect in seeking after God.
• Loving God with all your strength means loving your neighbor as yourself.

My love for God is measured by my actions.

Our love for God is shown when we care for the person in the ditch.

• We must overcome the risk factor.
• Illustration: Briscoe loaned her guest the car, and she hitched a ride.
• We must get close enough to be moved by compassion
• We must deal with the fear of inadequacy.
• Illustration: Poem about Grandma being "off her rocker."

Conclusion:

• Get down into the ditch and do something about the love for God you say you have.