Shema "LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH" Mark 12:28-31 It is important to get this “Greatest Command” correct! - We have looked at what it means to love God with all our HEART SOUL MIND - Today we are going to deal with the idea of loving God with all our STRENGTH. (The word is sometimes translated from the Greek dunamis.) - In the context of the Great Command the word is ischuos. .. Loving God with all our strength has nothing to do with how powerful or strong we are physically. .. It has to do with loving “exceedingly.” (very/much) .. It can literally be translated “muchness.” (from the Hebrew word ME’OD) God calls creation “good” six times—seventh time he says “ME’OD good” (Gen. 1:31) Flood waters in Gen. 7:18 were “ME’OD powerful” Cain was “ME’OD angry” with Abel (Gen. 4:5) Using ME’OD ME’OD intensifies the word to total capacity / Jacob became “ME’OD wealthy (Gen. 30:43) Israelite spies come back and say about the promise land “it is ME’OD ME’OD good” (Numbers 14:7) - How do we love God with all our “muchness?” — with all our ME’OD? - Practically we can love “exceedingly” or with all our “muchness” by considering these three things: 1. What we think about. 2. What we talk about. 3. What we are passionate about. - Loving God “exceedingly” or with all our “muchness” will be demonstrated in how we live our life. Luke 7:36-47 - Our “muchness” is in direct relation to how “much” we understand our forgiveness. .. forgiven little = love little .. forgiven much = love much Next Step: - What actions in my life demonstrate the “muchness” of my love for Jesus and his forgiveness given to me?