Called to Obey, Called to Care: Loving God and Loving Our Neighbour Like Moses
As we continue our journey through Jesus’ words in Luke 10:27, loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and loving our neighbour as ourselves, this week we turned our attention to the life of Moses. His story helps us see what wholehearted love for God looks like when it is lived out through obedience, courage, and compassion.
Martin reminded us that loving God is never just an idea or a feeling. According to Jesus’ own words in John 14:31, love for the Father is made visible through obedience. Moses’ life is a powerful example of this kind of love in action.
Loving God Through Obedience
In Exodus 3, we encounter Moses at the burning bush. What begins as an ordinary day ends with a holy encounter that changes the course of his life. God reveals His heart for an oppressed people and calls Moses to step into an impossible task: confronting Pharaoh and leading Israel out of slavery.
Moses’ first response is hesitation. He questions his ability and his worth. Yet despite knowing the challenge ahead, Moses obeys. His love for God is shown not through confidence in himself, but through trust in God’s promise: “I will be with you.”
Loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind does not mean the road will be easy. It means choosing obedience even when the calling feels costly, uncomfortable, or overwhelming. Moses understood the assignment, and he stepped forward anyway.
The question for us is simple but searching: do we take time to listen for God’s voice, through Scripture and the Holy Spirit, and how do we respond when He calls us to act?
Loving Our Neighbour by Defending the Vulnerable
Moses’ obedience to God was inseparable from his compassion for people. His calling was rooted in God’s concern for the oppressed Israelites. Moses loved his neighbour by standing in the gap, by refusing to ignore injustice, and by responding to suffering with action.
Throughout Scripture, God consistently calls His people to defend the vulnerable. From Proverbs and Isaiah to the words of Jesus Himself in Luke 4:18, the message is clear: loving God leads us to seek justice, rescue the oppressed, and care for those who cannot protect themselves.
This challenges us to reflect honestly. When we see vulnerability, injustice, or need around us, how do we respond? Loving our neighbour is not passive. It requires courage, sacrifice, and a willingness to step into difficult situations for the sake of others.
Living It Out Today
This sermon invites us to move beyond admiration of biblical characters and into imitation. Moses’ life asks us to consider how faith is worked out in real choices, real obedience, and real compassion.
As we reflect, we are left with three important questions:
How is God calling you to obey, even when it feels challenging?
How can your love for others be demonstrated through defending those who are oppressed or vulnerable?
What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your love for God and love others more intentionally?
Loving God shapes the way we love people. Like Moses, may we be a people who listen, obey, and act, trusting that God is with us as we love Him wholeheartedly and care boldly for those around us.