INTRODUCTION (SECURE ATTENTION) & BACKGROUND OF THE PASSAGE:
PRAY before starting the sermon.
ILLUSTRATION: {Many years ago a shabbily dressed boy trudged several miles through the snowy streets of Chicago, determined to attend a Bible class that was conducted by D. L. Moody.
When he arrived, he was asked, "Why did you come to a Sunday school so far away? Why didn't you go to one of the churches near your home?"
He answered simply, "Because you love a fellow over here."}
As we hear that story, we need to ask ourselves whether others can say the same about our families and our church.
We all struggle with loving God and loving others.
But love is the greatest need of humans and it also the greatest obligation of humans.
Would you take God’s Word and turn your Bibles with me to MARK 12:28-34 (READ)?
I have entitled today’s sermon as: “THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT.”
As mentioned in the last two sermons, Jesus was continuously opposed by the religious authorities.
In 11:27-12:44 (refer), we read about the opposition Jesus encountered from the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes.
In 12:13-17 (refer), the Pharisees along with the Herodians test him about taxation; in 12:18-27 (refer), the Sadducees test him about the resurrection; and in 12:28-44 (refer), one of the scribes test him on the interpretation of Scripture.
In the passage that we read, we see that:
CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE TEXT: When the Scribe asks Jesus as to what the greatest commandment is, Jesus responds that loving God and others is the greatest commandment.
FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS: Already included.
THE PURPOSE BRIDGE: To encourage the members of EAGC to love God and to love their neighbors.
CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: I have used inductive proposition for this sermon.
I. A SCRIBE ASKS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO JESUS.
Read verse 28.
The scribe was glad that Jesus affirmed the resurrection which the scribes taught.
The scribes were the teachers of the Law.
They were theologians during Jesus’ time.
The scribe probably wanted to test Jesus and see if Jesus would leave out any of the important aspects of the Law of Moses.
The Jews held Moses in high esteem and they wanted to see if Jesus would go against Moses’ Law so that he can be criticized as a heretic.
Though the scribe’s question and response are somewhat sincere, the parallel passage in Matthew 22:35 (refer) reveals that even this scribe wanted to test Jesus.
Now during Jesus’ time, Jews had a tendency to do 2 things.
One, they would add countless rules and regulations and thus expand the Law.
On the other hand, they also discussed as to what is the essence of the Law.
They attempted to summarize the whole Law into one sentence.
Scholars say that the Law consists of 613 commandments, out of which 365 of them are negative and 248 of them are positive.
David reduced these 613 commandments to 11 commandments in Psalm 15:1-5 (refer).
Micah reduced them to 3 commandments (read Micah 6:8).
So, the scribe asks an important question to Jesus: what is the most important commandment?
II. JESUS’ RESPONSE TO THE SCRIBE’S QUESTION.
Refer verses 29-31.
Instead of belittling some of the laws and giving prominence to others, Jesus defines the essence of the Law.
In response to the scribe’s question, Jesus cites 2 commandments from the Old Testament and puts them together.
A. Love God with everything.
Read verses 29-30.
First, he quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (refer).
The statement, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” is the basic creed of Judaism.
It is known as ‘Shema’ which is the Hebrew word for ‘hear.’
It is the first word of the sentence in this verse.
These words were recited by Jews once in the morning and once in the evening.
Every synagogue service begins with this statement even today.
This statement is the basis for the teaching of monotheism.
When Jesus quoted this commandment as the most important of all the commandments, Jews would have readily agreed with him.
The Bible says that we have to love God with our whole being: all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.
Four times, Jesus uses the phrase ‘all.’
Our love for God cannot be half-hearted.
We have to love God with everything!
Read Luke 14:26—Our love for God should be so strong that in comparison with our love for God, our love for others should look like hatred.
Loving God is what defines a believer.
Read Psalm 97:10a.
Read 1 Cor. 8:3; in contrast read 1 Cor. 16:22a.
We can obey God without loving, but when you truly love God, it naturally leads to obedience.
Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (refer to John 14:15)
B. Love others as yourself.
Read verse 31.
So, Jesus gave two commandments when the scribe asked him as to what the greatest commandment is.
In the Ten Commandments, the first four are about loving God and the rest of the commandments are about loving our neighbors.
He goes on to quote Leviticus 19:18 (refer) and says that along with loving God, we must love our neighbors too.
As Leviticus 19:18 says, instead of carrying grudges or taking revenge against our neighbors, we must love them.
Many people carry a lot of grudges against each other.
Some even take revenge by harming others.
ILLUSTRATION: {On February 18, a couple called Soumya and Reema got married in Odisha.
Five days after their wedding, they received a parcel as a wedding gift.
When the couple opened the parcel, it exploded.
Soumya and his grandmother were killed due to the blast.
And the bride suffered serious injuries.
When the police investigated the matter, they came to know that a college lecturer by the name, Punjilal Meher, planned this evil act.
He was replaced by Soumya’s mother as the principal of a college.
So, Punjilal wanted to take revenge and wipe out the entire family.
Meher took seven to eight months to prepare a bomb through the information available on the internet.}
Instead of taking revenge, we must love our neighbors.
In Luke 10:25-37 (refer), Jesus defines a neighbor as anyone whom God brings in front of us.
We cannot love God without loving our neighbors.
You can’t fulfill one without fulfilling the other.
Warren Wiersbe says that we have to live “not by rules but by relationships.”
Read Romans 13:8, 10.
Read Romans 15:1-2.
Read Galatians 5:14.
Read 1 John 3:14-18 (verse 14 is so strong and so convicting); 4:8, 20-21.
If you follow both these commandments, you would have followed all the commandments in Scripture.
Read Luke 6:35—I saw this only recently. There are rewards in heaven when we love our enemies!
What are the implications of these commandments?
If we truly love God and others, we will be actively engaged in evangelism.
If we truly love God and others, we will be quick to forgive.
If we truly love God and others, we will help those in need.
If we truly love God and others, we will bear others burdens.
III. THE SCRIBE AGREES WITH JESUS’ RESPONSE.
Read verses 32-33.
It’s comical that the scribe passes judgment on Jesus by saying, “You are right, Teacher.”
The scribe agrees that loving others is more important than religious ceremonies.
The scribe says this in the context of Jesus cleansing the Temple and before his announcement of the destruction of the Temple (refer 13:2).
Read 1 Sam. 15:22.
Read Hosea 6:6.
When we love one another, we offer a sacrifice which is pleasing to God.
IV. JESUS AFFIRMS THE SCRIBE.
Read verse 34.
Jesus saw that the scribe’s answer was wise and affirmed him by saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
He was not in the kingdom, but he was not very far from it.
He didn’t come under the rule of God completely, but he was very near it.
In order to be in the kingdom, it’s not enough to agree with Jesus’ teachings, but we must submit to him.
We can be born in a Christian family, come to church every week, hear powerful sermons every Sunday, serve the Lord, and still be far from the kingdom.
We must submit to Jesus.
This scribe was knowledgeable.
Mere knowledge of the Word will not save you, submission to God’s Word saves you.
Sincerity will not save you; submission to Christ as your Lord will save you.
After Jesus answered all the questions of the opponents well, “no one dared to ask him any more questions.”
CONCLUSION (INCLUDING THE PROPOSITION, REVIEWING THE MAIN POINTS [OPTIONAL], AND ACTION STATEMENTS):
CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: Love God and love people.
Some of you are not far from the kingdom, but you are not totally inside the kingdom as well.
You can be an inch away from heaven and still perish unless you submit your life to Christ.
Why don’t you submit your life to Christ today?
When you do that, you’ll be able to truly love God and others.
For those who are saved, this sermon is a reminder that we need to passionately love God with all our being and we need to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Let’s live a life of love.
Let us not hold grudges against others.
Let’s not withhold forgiveness towards others.
Let us love.
Let’s ask God to pour out his love into our hearts through his Spirit (refer Rom. 5:5).
IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SAVED, REPENT AND GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS RIGHT TODAY!
