Sabbath afternoon Introduction

“The Shema” is one of the most important prayers in the cook of Deuteronomy chapter 6. This word shema is from the root, shama, which means “to listen” or even “to obey” – this word is also used all through out the Old Testament.

The first line of the Shema reads like this: Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai echad which means, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! {Deut. 6:4}.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." {AA 43.2}

This week’s lesson will show us the deep meaning of Love the Lord your God which had been written as the first speech that Moses gave to the children of Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land and the following line in this verse, is a powerful expression of truth that remains as crucial now as it was then. God’s people need to grow in the knowledge of truth.

Outline of the Study

Sunday: To Love God (Who should love God? – Deut. 6:1-2, 4-5)

Monday: To Fear God (Both loving and fearing God? – Deut. 10:12; Eph. 2;1-10; Deut. 5:15; Rev. 14:6, 7)

Tuesday: He First Loved Us (Why should we love God? – Deut. 4:37; 7:7, 8, 13; 10:15; 23:5; 1Jn 4:19; Eph. 1:4; Rom. 16:25; Phil. 2:8)

Wednesday: If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments (How can we show our love for God? – Deut. 5:10; 7:9; 10:12-13; 11:1; 19:9; 1Jn. 5:3; Jn. 14;150

Thursday: The First Commandment (How should we love God? – Mk. 12:28-30; Deut. 6:4; Rev. 14:12)

Friday: Further Study

Memory Verse

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5, NKJV).

Words of Assurance

Dedicate yourself to God in your youth. Love him and serve him. This is our earnest prayer. Render to God a life of cheerful, willing obedience. Tell the Lord your desires, and heartily repent of your sins. Seek his forgiveness with all your heart. Be in earnest and he will be found of you. He will bless you, and give you the sweet evidence that he accepts you. He will love you with more than a father or mother's love. We want you to be happy, and saved with the redeemed. {AY 47.4}

Prayer Thought

Willing Student in the School of Christ

The Lord will work with your efforts. As finite, sinful man works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, it is God who works in him, to will and to do of his own good pleasure. But God will not work without the co-operation of man. He must exercise his powers to the very utmost; he must place himself as an apt, willing student in the school of Christ; and as he accepts the grace that is freely offered to him, the presence of Christ in the thought and in the heart will give him decision of purpose to lay aside every weight of sin, that the heart may be filled with all the fullness of God, and of his love. {CE 111.1}

Young friends, seek the Lord with all your heart. Come with zeal, and when you sincerely feel that without the help of God you perish, when you pant after Him as the hart panteth after the water brooks, then will the Lord strengthen you speedily. Then will your peace pass all understanding. If you expect salvation, you must pray. . . . Beg of God to work in you a thorough reformation, that the fruits of His Spirit may dwell in you. . . . It is the privilege of every Christian to enjoy the deep movings of the Spirit of God. A sweet heavenly peace will pervade the mind, and you will love to meditate upon God and heaven. You will feast upon the glorious promises of His Word. But know first that you have begun the Christian course. Know that the first steps are taken in the road to everlasting life. {AG 318.4}

Sunday: To Love God (Who should love God? – Deut. 6:1-2, 4-5)

“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess.” (Deuteronomy 6:1)

God’s Command

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" [and] "thy neighbour as thyself." This is God's command. Jesus has given an additional requirement, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." We are not merely to love our neighbor as ourselves; we are to love one another as Christ has loved us. "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you," He declared "Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."{DG 90.1}

With All Our Hearts

God forbid that I should cease to warn you. Young friends, seek the Lord with all your heart. Come with zeal, and when you sincerely feel that without the help of God you perish, when you pant after Him as the hart panteth after the water brooks, then will the Lord strengthen you speedily. Then will your peace pass all understanding. If you expect salvation, you must pray. . . . Beg of God to work in you a thorough reformation, that the fruits of His Spirit may dwell in you. . . . It is the privilege of every Christian to enjoy the deep movings of the Spirit of God. A sweet heavenly peace will pervade the mind, and you will love to meditate upon God and heaven. You will feast upon the glorious promises of His Word. But know first that you have begun the Christian course. Know that the first steps are taken in the road to everlasting life. {AG 318.4}

Consider the following

God’s prescriptions were meant to be passed on from one generation to the next generation, so that “you, and your son and your grandson” would keep them (Deuteronomy 6:2).

God wants us to keep them too, so “that it may be well with you” (Dt. 6:3).

This is a personal command that each person must fulfill. I must love MY God with all MY heart, with all MY soul, and with all MY strength (Dt. 6:5).

Monday: To Fear God (Both loving and fearing God? – Deut. 10:12; Eph. 2;1-10; Deut. 5:15; Rev. 14:6, 7)

“that you may fear the Lord your God,” (Deuteronomy 6:2)

Those who Fear God Ought to Listen

Being thus invited to speak, "Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience." Then followed a wonderful discourse. He proceeded to give a history of the manner in which the Lord had dealt with the Jews from the time of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, and how a Saviour had been promised, of the seed of David, and he boldly declared that "of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: when John had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not He. But, behold, there cometh One after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose." Thus with power he preached Jesus as the Saviour of men, the Messiah of prophecy. {AA 170.3}

The Will of God

The apostle plainly outlined the attitude that believers should sustain toward the civil authorities: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." {AA 522.2}

Principles of True Righteousness

Shun those who are irreverent. Shun one who is a lover of idleness; shun the one who is a scoffer of hallowed things. Avoid the society of one who uses profane language, or is addicted to the use of even one glass of liquor. Listen not to the proposals of a man who has no realization of his responsibility to God. The pure truth which sanctifies the soul will give you courage to cut yourself loose from the most pleasing acquaintance whom you know does not love and fear God, and knows nothing of the principles of true righteousness. We may always bear with a friend's infirmities and with his ignorance, but never with his vices. {AH 47.4}

Consider the following

God asks us to fear Him even before asking us to love Him. What does fearing God mean?

Being afraid of Him since we deserve His punishment because we have sinned (Deuteronomy. 9:19; Psalm 119:120).

Admiring Him and respecting His authority, power, justice, and rectitude (Exodus 14:31; Psalm 47:2; 66:5).

In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul explained how fearing God leads us to love Him by His grace:

Although we deserve to be punished for our sins, God forgives us and gives us life (v. 1-5).

He transforms us by His power, and enables us to love and serve Him (v. 6-10).

We love and fear God at the same time for everything He has done for us “in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

Tuesday: He First Loved Us (Why should we love God? – Deut. 4:37; 7:7, 8, 13; 10:15; 23:5; 1Jn 4:19; Eph. 1:4; Rom. 16:25; Phil. 2:8)

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

We Love God, Because He First Loved Us

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

John is distinguished above the other apostles as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20). . . . He received many tokens of the Saviour's confidence and love. He was one of the three permitted to witness Christ's glory upon the mount of transfiguration and His agony in Gethsemane, and it was to his care that our Lord confided His mother in those last hours of anguish upon the cross.

John's was a nature that longed for love, for sympathy and companionship. He pressed close to Jesus, sat by His side, leaned upon His breast. As a flower the sun and dew, so did he drink in the divine light and life. {CC 315.3}

Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another--this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. Only in the heart where Jesus reigns is it found. "We love Him, because He first loved us." In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around. {AA 551.2}

The Golden Links of the Chain of Love

It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be destitute of love. If we love God because He first loved us, we shall love all for whom Christ died. We cannot come in touch with divinity without coming in touch with humanity; for in Him who sits upon the throne of the universe, divinity and humanity are combined. Connected with Christ, we are connected with our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of love. Then the pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life. We shall not wait to have the needy and unfortunate brought to us. We shall not need to be entreated to feel for the woes of others. It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as it was for Christ to go about doing good. {COL 384.3}

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

John is distinguished above the other apostles as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20). . . . He received many tokens of the Saviour's confidence and love. He was one of the three permitted to witness Christ's glory upon the mount of transfiguration and His agony in Gethsemane, and it was to his care that our Lord confided His mother in those last hours of anguish upon the cross.

John's was a nature that longed for love, for sympathy and companionship. He pressed close to Jesus, sat by His side, leaned upon His breast. As a flower the sun and dew, so did he drink in the divine light and life. {CC 315.3}

Consider the following

He had rescued them from slavery and loved them long before He told them to love Him (Dt. 6:5), even before they became a nation.

Our greatest motivation to love God is that He loved us first, “and given Himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2), even before we existed.

He first loved us, and withheld not from us His beloved Son, but gave Him from His bosom to die that we might have life. Love, true love for our fellow men, evinces love to God. We may make a high profession, yet without this love it is nothing. Our faith may lead us to even give our bodies to be burned, yet without self-sacrificing love, such as lived in the bosom of Jesus and was exemplified in His life, we are as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. {2T 115.2}

Wednesday: If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments (How can we show our love for God? – Deut. 5:10; 7:9; 10:12, 13; 11:1; 19:9; 1John 5:3; John 14:15)

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

Obedience Evidence of Connection

The promise is "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7. And John declares: "Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." 1 John 2:3-5. {COL 144.1}

One of Christ's last commands to His disciples was "Love one another as I have loved you." John 13:34. Do we obey this command, or are we indulging sharp, unchristlike traits of character? If we have in any way grieved or wounded others, it is our duty to confess our fault and seek for reconciliation. This is an essential preparation that we may come before God in faith, to ask His blessing. {COL 144.2}

Test of a Genuine Christian

The test of a genuine Christian is given in the word of God. Says Jesus, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. . . . If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me." {FE 125.2}

Abundant Promises to Ensure Success

There is a great work to be done by every son and daughter of God. Jesus says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever" (John 14:15, 16). In His prayer for His disciples, He says that He not only prayed for those in His immediate presence, but "for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). Again He said, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I" (John 14:28). Thus we see that Christ has prayed for His people, and made them abundant promises to ensure success to them as His colaborers. He said, "Greater works than these [those He did] shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12). {1SM 263.1}

Consider the following

What do the following verses have in common? Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1; 19:9.

Loving God is indissolubly linked to obeying Him. When we love God and understand what He has done for us, we express our love for Him by keeping His commandments because it pleases Him (John 14:15).

And Christ says to his disciples: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him." At noonday and in the night season the heavenly messengers walk among us, but their footsteps are not heard.

{YI, September 16, 1897 par. 8}

Thursday: The First Commandment (How should we love God? –Mk. 12:28-30; Deut. 6:4; Rev. 14:12)

“Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment.’” (Mark 12:29-30)

Principles of Acceptable Obedience

Many are ignorant of the sinfulness of these habits, and their certain results. Such need to be enlightened. Some who profess to be followers of Christ, know that they are sinning against God, and ruining their health, yet they are slaves to their own corrupt passions. They feel a guilty conscience, and have less and less inclination to approach God in secret prayer. They may keep up the form of religion, yet be destitute of the grace of God in the heart. They have no devotedness to his service, no trust in him, no living to his glory, no pleasure in his ordinances, and no delight in him. The first commandment requires every living being to love and serve God with their whole mind and strength. Especially should professed Christians understand the principles of acceptable obedience. {ApM 25.2}

First and the Great Commandment

Love, the basis of creation and of redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the guide of life. The first and great commandment is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Mark 12:30. To love Him, the Infinite, the Omniscient One, with the whole strength and mind and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being--the body, the mind, as well as the soul--the image of God is to be restored. {CT 32.1}

Consider the following

Jesus summarized the commandments by quoting the Shemá. Love is the key to obey God’s commandments (Mark 12:29-30).

This is a special kind of love. This love for God comes by knowing Him intimately and having a close relationship with Him. Our whole existence is imbued with this love: our heart, soul, mind, and body.

In the End Time, our loyalty to God will be challenged (Revelation 12:17; 13:15; 14:1, 4-5). Those who love God will remain obedient to Him, even when threatened with death.

Friday – Further Study

“The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore — humbled Himself to uplift fallen man; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father's face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary’s cross. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe. As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining in His countenance; as they behold His throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that His kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song: ‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His own most precious blood!’” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 651, 652.

Questions to Ponder

1. In Thursday’s lesson, In Mark 12:28-30 – What was the question asked about the “first commandment of all”? What does Jesus and from where does He get His answer?

2. Why should the truth about the cross be the foundation of our relationship with God?

3. How do we love God and fear Him at the same time, and why?

From the Pen of Inspiration

“Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another—this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power […] In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around.”

E. G. W. (The Acts of the Apostles, cp. 54, p. 551)