Love me Love me not 1

Read with me in Mark 12:28-34    

                                                                                     

The Greatest Commandment

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

A man who loves God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength will never take God’s name in vain.

He will never place anything above God in his affections.

He will remember the Lord’s Day and keep it holy.

If you love your neighbor as yourself, you won’t lie to him.

You won’t steal his possessions.

You won’t cheat him in business.

You won’t violate his marriage.

When you love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll never do anything to intentionally hurt him.

This week I want to look at two loves.

First of all what it means to love God and secondly what it means to love our neighbor because all moral responsibility hinges on these two affections.

Love for God
God isn’t just someone we worship and serve. He’s someone we know. We have a relationship with Him. He has shared his life with us.

Love Him Passionately – “with all your heart”
 “Your heart” speaks of emotion
There are times when you laugh out loud with God.
There are times when you weep before Him and you know He understands your sorrow.
There are times when you shout and rejoice with Him.
We need to be careful that our relationship to God doesn’t become routine.

“All” your heart speaks of exclusiveness
Loving God with all my heart means that my first loyalty is to Him.

Greater Things Are Still To Come!