Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

So as a disciple of Jesus the primary focus and vision of life should be growing in “All” love for God and “as yourself” love of neighbor.

The four spheres mentioned in the Great Commandment:
1. Heart (affections & emotions)
2. Soul (self-consciousness)
3. Mind (thoughts and imaginations)
4. Strength (body and action)

Jesus tells us two astounding things about these two commands:
1. Loving God is the first and great commandment.
2. Loving God and neighbor is the fulfillment of all commands (613) and prophetic focus.

In a few other places Jesus ties obedience to loving him.

John 14:15, 21 (ESV)
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

John 15:9-11 (ESV)
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

So how does obedience to commands connect to love of God?

It is not a declaration that “if we obey commands God will love us”.

Two ways that obedience connects to the love of Jesus and loving Jesus.
1. By your Fruit we know who you love
Obedience to Jesus is a true fruit or result of a heart that loves him.
2. Position to Receive
Obedience does not earn the love of Jesus but it does put you into the heart position to dwell in his love.