The Cardinal Rule Series

A. Knowing what the most important rules are in any given context is very helpful.

1. What are the most important rules for the classroom?

a. Listen carefully. d. Raise your hand if you have something to say.

b. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. e. Show respect and kindness to your classmates

c. Follow directions. f. Do your best.

- Those are excellent rules and anyone following them will do well in school.

2. What are the most important rules for the workplace?

a. We’ve all heard the old saying: Rule #1: The boss is always right. Rule #2: If the boss is wrong, refer to rule #1.

3. Here are some not so good rules for the workplace.

a. If it buzzes, ignore it. f. If it speaks, take notes.

b. If it rings, put it on hold. g. If it’s handwritten, type it.

c. If it’s stuck, call the repairman. h. If it’s typed, copy it.

d. If it’s a friend, go to lunch. i. If it’s a copy, file it.

e. If it’s a boss, act busy. J. If it’s Friday, save it for Monday.

- Anyone who obeys those rules will likely not have a job for very long.

B. I know you will recognize these rules, they are most famous rules ever given to humankind.

1. You shall have no gods before me. 6. You shall not kill.

2. You shall not make any idols to worship. 7. You shall not commit adultery.

3. You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain. 8. You shall not steal.

4. Remember and keep the Sabbath holy. 9. You shall not bear false witness.

5. Honor your father and mother. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife

nor goods.

C. God gave those 10 commandments and the other 600 or so commands of law to the Jewish people through Moses on Mount Sinai.

1. And ever since those rules were first given, the Jewish people have shown the tendency to do two opposite things.

2. On the one hand, they have shown the tendency to take the God-given laws and expand them into thousands of manmade additional rules and regulations.

3. On the other hand, they have shown the tendency to try to boil all of God’s laws down into a single sentence or one general rule – and they would often debate about which is the most important of God’s commands.

D. Last week in our sermon from the Gospel of Mark, we saw how Jesus handled the questions of the chief priests, the teachers of the law, the elders, the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees.

1. This week, we pick up with the next story in Mark’s Gospel and see that a teacher of the law stepped forward and asked a question.

2. Mark wrote: 28 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?” (Mk. 12:28)

3. Unfortunately, like so many of the people in the Bible, we don’t know this man’s name.

4. The man asked a very important question and it appears that he wasn’t trying to trap Jesus, but sincerely wanted to know the answer.

5. Let me paraphrase his question: “Of the hundreds of commands in the Law, I want to know which is the greatest and the most important. Can you please tell me what it is?”

6. Isn’t that a question that all of us would have wanted to have an answer to?

7. A person can get lost in all the do’s and don’ts of religion and can easily miss what is most important of all – that’s true for Judaism and Christianity.

E. So, how did Jesus answer the man’s question?

1. Knowing that the man was sincere and not out to trap Him, Jesus gave him a direct answer.

2. Mark wrote: 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” (Mk. 12:29-31)

3. Brothers and sisters, this is one of the most important moments in Scripture.

a. Here we have the Son of God, Himself, telling us what God the Father considers to be the most important instruction He has ever given to His people.

b. For that reason, we should pay close attention and give it the greatest of priorities.

4. We notice that as Jesus answered the question, He actually gave two commands and listed them as first and second, but they are so interconnected that it is like they are one.