Loving God and Loving Others in Times of Trouble

Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

The Pharisees tried to ensnare Jesus in His own words to find a pretense to condemn Him. They asked Him, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Frankly, I’m not sure what they expected Him to say in reply, but what He did say ensnared the trappers: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus reminded them of what must surely have been the very first lesson taught them as children, Deuteronomy 6:5, the foundation upon which all else is built. That foundation remains for us today: we love because God first loved us, and because we love Him we follow His commandments to love others as ourselves.

Join the conversation on Groundwork as Dave Bast and Scott Hoezee lead the discussion about what it really means to love God and to love your neighbors. The dialogue then transitions to a series about persevering in God’s love in times of trouble and testing.

Groundwork is a half hour radio and podcast Bible-teaching program that digs into tough issues from God’s Word. Dave and Scott guide listeners in thoughtful, yet casual conversations, leading them to a practical understanding of the Bible in today’s culture.

Love God. We use the word “love” pretty loosely. We say we love our children in one breath and then we say we love cheeseburgers in the next. And what about how casually we say how much we love God? What does it really mean to love God, and how is it both like and unlike other loves in our lives?

Love Your Neighbor. Jesus added a second part to His summary of the law that's just as important: to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. What did Jesus say that really meant?

Faith in Times of Uncertainty. We study 2 Chronicles 20:12 to find out how turning to the Lord and drawing on our in bad times can lead to transformed perspectives and renewed hope.

Deserve Death, Receive Life. Looking at everything going wrong in the world today, it’s easy to blame Satan or the world, but Romans suggests the root of the problem is internal to each of us. We study more deeply what the apostle Paul meant and the gracious "but" that gives us hope for receiving life instead of our justly deserved death.

Flaws Bring Us Back to God. Can any human being ever get along without God? Does something always throw back onto the mercy of God; something in life that reveals finally our need for God? 

Facing Tribulation. One of the less popular subjects of Christian teaching is the subject of suffering. Not just regular suffering, but specifically Christian suffering—the pain and losses we experience simply because of our obedience to Jesus.

Be sure to catch the conclusion of this series on March 20, God’s Rich Mercy and Great Love.

Groundwork is produced by ReFrame Media in partnership with Words of Hope. Subscribe to Groundwork at listentogroundwork.com, and follow us on Facebook.