As I prayed in 2025 for 2026, I felt prompted to reintroduce us to God and to help us foster a stronger relationship with Him. This led us to spend a few months learning about the attributes of God. Then we took a moment to stand in awe of God’s handiwork in creation, strengthening our faith in Him as Creator. During the summer, we explored stories in the Bible where people had experienced God and how we can experience Him in our everyday lives. Lastly, we spent the past six weeks learning how God is our faithful Shepherd, providing, protecting, and prospering us through every season in life. We have learned a lot about the incredible ways God is good to us.
David said in Psalm 23:5 …My Cup Overflows.
Jesus said, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
We have lived and thrived off God’s goodness and mercy, but we should let it overflow into the lives and world around us for His glory.
Title: Love God and One Another
Mark 12:28-34 NLT
From the overflow of God’s love, we love God.
“The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God”
Allegiance to God alone and no other gods. Allegiance to God and no other people or idols that replace God.
“With all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”
Heart: Our desires, affections, and decisions; where our love for God takes root.
Soul: Our entire life and being; who we are and how we live in relationship with God.
Mind: Our thoughts and understanding; how we know God, understand His Word, and align our thinking with His truth.
Strength: Our energy, abilities, and resources; what we use to honor and serve God.
Love for God is a grateful, joyful, and tangible devotion to Him alone; above all others and all things in our lives.
I think Romans 12 captures what it means to give your all in loving God…
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
I urge you…in view of God’s mercy…
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
1 John 4:9-10 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice…holy and pleasing to God…this is your true and proper worship
The proper response to the mercy, grace, and goodness that God has shown us is to give our lives to worship, love, and serve God. Christ gave his all; we should give our all.
Paul says in a particular condition too: A proper offering is a Holy life and one that pleases God; not ourselves, nor what the world wants.
Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…
“Roman Christians faced strong pressure to adopt the idolatry, immorality, social ambitions, and emperor-centered loyalties of their surrounding culture. Believers belong to Christ’s kingdom and must not allow the world’s values to shape their worship, conduct, or moral judgment.” -BereanBibleStudyNotes
Keep your mind heavenward and fill your mind with Christ.
Colossians 3:1-4 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Colossians 3:16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives…
Colossians 2:3-4 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
This not only helps you think and live differently than the world, but it helps you discern and follow God’s will for you as a follower of Christ.
Ephesians 5:10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Colossians 1:9b-10 We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God
We could have easily skipped over verse two and missed the connection. In the same way we would want to bring joy to our spouse or a friend, we want to do what pleases God. We should carefully determine what pleases the Lord and then walk in it. To love God is to think of Him and what brings Him joy.
From the overflow of God’s love, we love one another.
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Jesus makes a critical distinction here. Jesus wants his pattern of love to be how we love. What a high standard and goal. Jesus demonstrated selfless or sacrificial love.
John 15:12-13 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus gave his life to serve and then gave it up on the cross to save. We can’t say we love God and then speak ill, lie, gossip, offend, attack, or cheat others.
1 John 4:19-21 We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Love is not sinning against your fellow believer or citizen
Romans 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love is also kindness and goodness towards your fellow believer or citizen
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
True love is resilient, but it doesn’t mean we have to be a doormat or victim of abuse.
Love is actively showing goodness and mercy to others. Love that is life-giving.
1 John 3:16-19 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples…
1 John 4:11-12 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
God’s love can be seen and experienced through us. What are people experiencing in our presence?
Application
Love God with your whole life
How would you know if you are giving your all to God? Evaluate your devotion to God. Does your heart desire God? Have you given your soul, your life to God? Do you think about God in your day-to-day life? Do you give your energy and strength to serve and do His will on earth?
It’s a high standard but a worthy one. God shouldn’t get a portion or compartment, but our whole lives. Our home life, marriage life, family life, friend life, work life, social life, recreational life, financial life, thought life, and physical life…Every part!
How is that worked out in practical ways? Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
That’s part of being in a relationship with God or anyone. We learn how to love God with our whole life. As you live your day-to-day life, you love God with all your mind, by keeping in mind what would please God and bring Him glory.
Sincerely love one another
Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Romans 12:9 NLT Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them…
Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
It’s hard to show sincere, genuine love from a distance or by passing one another at church.
Love for one another is meant to be experienced in Biblical fellowship and friendship. We need Godly friends, where the overflowing goodness and mercy of God can pour out and encourage each other. In these moments, we can express genuine care, celebrate life, share joyful moments, and go through trials together.
I heard someone recently say, “I am seen, but I’m not known.” The desire was real and deeper than being seen; the desire is to be known. This is the same longing that I have had for our church for over a decade now. And it’s why my wife and I made it a point to lead small groups and spend quality time with fellow followers of Jesus.
I want to see us develop Biblical fellowship and friendship where we don’t just see, but we know each other; and know how to care, help, and encourage one another.
Unfortunately, some of us may be content with just being seen on Sunday, and then you're good at home all week, but that is not giving you the opportunity to know and be known, to love and be loved. You may say you are okay and don’t need to be known and loved, but the overflow isn’t just for you; it’s for others too.
“The good men do lives after them.” -Sir Alfred Tennyson
The overflow of God’s goodness and mercy to us should pour out on the lives around us.
Let’s go out of our way to show kindness and goodness to one another.
Let’s show God we love Him even in our social life by pursuing and developing Biblical fellowship and friendship.
Salvation Prayer
Jesus, I know that I am a sinner in need of Your grace. Today I confess You as my Lord and put my trust in You alone. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again. Thank you for forgiving me and making me new. Lead me as I follow You from this day forward.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discussion
David confidently declares, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” How does this challenge the way you typically approach life? Do you tend to expect God’s goodness or anticipate that something will go wrong? What influences your expectations?
Pastor Ryan says, “Our confidence isn’t that everything will be good, but that God will be good to us in everything.” What is the difference between these two perspectives?
How can we trust in God’s goodness when He does not answer a prayer the way we hoped or change a difficult situation?
Pastor Ryan explained, “Mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don't deserve.” How do you see both mercy and grace in your own life?
Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us that God’s mercies never cease and are new every morning. What does it look like practically to live each day with confidence in God’s mercy rather than being weighed down by guilt, regret, or past mistakes? Is there something from your past that you need to surrender to God?
David declares, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” What does it mean to you personally to belong to God’s family and live in His presence today? How should this reality influence your priorities, relationships, and daily decisions?
Read 1 Peter 1:3–9 or Revelation 21:1–4. How should the promise of eternity with God change the way we face suffering, uncertainty, and even death? What would look different in your life if you lived with greater confidence in this eternal hope?
How can we pray together for you today?
If Jesus isn’t the shepherd of your soul, the Savior and Lord of your life, are you ready to make that decision today?
The most important decision you will ever make!
If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life, we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and, when you’re ready, say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways, and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!