Sermon Notes

Sermon Notes

GO - Week 2

The Motivation behind your “Go”
Matthew 22:34-40

Setting the Stage- Matthew 22:34–35 

I. The Foundation of Our Going: Love of God (Matthew 22:36–38)

Heart – Our Desires & Affections
Soul – Our Identity & Life
Mind – Our Thoughts & Convictions
Strength – Our Body & Resources

Pulling It Together

  • Heart = what I desire.
  • Soul = who I am.
  • Mind = what I think.
  • Strength = what I do.

II. The Overflow of Our Love: Love of Neighbor (Matthew 22:39)

1 John 4:20–21 makes this unavoidable: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar… whoever loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others, the feet to hasten to the poor and needy, the eyes to see misery and want, the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.” - Augustine

III. The Integration of the Two Commands (Matthew 22:40)

IV. The Tone of Our Going: Love as Witness (Colossians 3:12–14; John 13:35)

Colossians 3:12–14 – Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and above all, love.
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

  • The Great Commission = the authority and mission of Jesus.
  • The Great Commandment = the motive and tone of Jesus.
  • Commission without Commandment = cold obligation.
  • Commandment without Commission = passive sentiment.


3-Day Devotional – “Go in Love”

Day 1: Loving God with All of Ourselves

Read: Matthew 22:36–38; Romans 12:1–2

Reflection: Jesus calls us to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is not about compartments but about every dimension of our lives being oriented toward Him. To love God with your heart means desiring Him above all else; with your soul, finding your identity in Him; with your mind, shaping your thoughts by His truth; and with your strength, offering your body, time, and resources for His glory.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, take my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to surrender every part of who I am to You.

Application Challenge: Choose one area today (heart, soul, mind, or strength) and intentionally practice loving God in it—for example, replace anxious thoughts with Scripture, or serve someone with your time as an act of devotion.


Day 2: Loving Neighbor as the Overflow of Loving God

Read: Matthew 22:39; 1 John 4:20–21

Reflection: Our love for God is invisible, but our love for people makes it tangible. The way you treat your family, coworkers, or even strangers reveals whether God’s love has truly taken root in your life. Augustine said love has “hands to help, feet to hasten, eyes to see misery, ears to hear sorrow.” When we love neighbors, we are putting skin on the invisible love of God.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, show me today who needs to see and feel Your love through me. Open my eyes to see them as You see them.

Application Challenge: Do one intentional act of love for a neighbor, coworker, or stranger—no strings attached—so that the invisible love of God becomes visible through you.


Day 3: Commission + Commandment Together

Read: Matthew 22:40; John 13:35

Reflection: The Great Commission (go and make disciples) and the Great Commandment (love God and neighbor) are inseparable. Without the authority of the Commission, mission feels optional; without the love of the Commandment, mission feels cold. Jesus sends us with both authority and sacrificial love. Our tone, posture, and kindness are part of the message. Love validates our witness.

Prayer Prompt: Lord Jesus, as I go today—whether to work, to school, or across the street—let me carry Your authority with humility and let my words be clothed in Your love.

Application Challenge: Look for one opportunity today to share Christ in both word and tone—not just by what you say but by how you say it.


5 Small Group Questions

1. Heart Check: Out of heart, soul, mind, and strength, which part of loving God do you find comes most naturally to you, and which part feels most challenging? Why?

2. Visibility of Love: How does the truth that our love for God becomes visible in our love for people (1 John 4:20–21) challenge the way you live at work, home, or in your neighborhood?

3. Overflow vs. Obligation: What’s the difference between trying to love neighbor out of guilt or obligation versus loving from an overflow of God’s love in you? How can we tell the difference?

4. Tone in Witness: Think of a time when someone’s tone or posture either drew you toward or pushed you away from Christ. What does that teach us about the importance of how we go with the gospel?

5. Commission + Commandment Together: Why do you think Jesus ties authority (Great Commission) and love (Great Commandment) together in His ministry? How can we hold both in balance as a group and as individuals?