Most Important

Most Important
Words of Faith 3-4-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 12
[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.

All His earthly life, Jesus had recited the Sh'ma: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' This command defines our vertical relationship with God. Jesus then quoted Leviticus to name the second: 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' which defines our horizontal relationships.
Of course, no obedience to "law" justifies us, but these two are all we need as a guide when making decisions that we hope will honor God. Living these two commands out will not create righteousness, but when Righteousness is in us by grace, these are the ways that it will be lived out.
If we asked Christians to name the most important commandment, we might get various answers. Some might say "accept Jesus". Others would suggest "witness to others." Many would nod knowingly and turn to this passage or one of the others where Jesus talks about loving God and loving others. They would be gratified in having been "Biblically Correct." The problem is that the answer we give with our mouths is sometimes different from the answer we share with our lives.

Basically, Jesus said: Love God and then do whatever you want. If you love God and He abides in you, you will only want what He wants. Other commands become apparent. You will only love what He loves and hate what He hates. You will only desire what He desires. As you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart. He will provide you with new desires in your heart. He will give you love for those who seem unlovable. No one is truly unlovable because God has loved them at infinite personal cost. He puts that love in us.
As you reflect on your life, what is the greatest command that you practice? What is the principle that guides your spiritual life? By their actions, some would say: "Love myself and take care of myself and make sure that I am theologically comfortable and spiritually well fed." By their actions, others would say: "Serve my church with my tithe and time until I am too weary to pray." Still others, by their actions, would say: "Follow after the latest and greatest rumor of the move of God and stay there until the goosebumps go away." The problem is that none of that is in the Bible or part of His plan.
Love God with all your heart, your passion and devotion, and with all your soul, your volition and personality, and with all your mind, exercising your brain in study, and with all your strength, until there is no life left in your mind or body. Within those parameters, do whatever you like!
And love your neighbor. This is how we love God! To the least of these, give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, and visit those imprisoned.

Lord, I love You, but I need You to teach me how to love You more dearly, with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Teach me how to love others as I love myself. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.