Do We Truly Love God

Let us pray: Father, coming as humbly as we know how…I have heard your voice speaking to me and Lord I ask that you grant me utterance now to speak your word. Create in your children clean hearts that they may have planted in their soil…seeds this day…that will grow high and bear great fruits. I ask this in the name of your precious son: Jesus. Amen

In the name of Jesus who loves me and who I love; I say to my brothers and sisters this day “God is Good” and “All the time my God is Good” Now, now, now we can say it louder than that church!!!

Maybe just maybe: I’m the only one: in here this day who knows that God will be there.

Maybe: I’m the only one that experienced some trial and tribulations in life.

Maybe: I’m the only one that knows that I can call him in the morning, at noontime, and at the midnight hour.

Maybe: I’m the only one: who knows that him as my bright and your morning star

who knows him as my Lilly in the valley and that he has made a way for me when I thought there was no way. Do you love him??? Huh??

So I say again…as our parents use to say with fire shut up in my bones: In the name of Jesus who loves me and who I love; I say to my brothers and sisters this day “God is Good” and “All the time my God is Good” Give God a handclap of praise….isn’t he worthy…huh?

Our focus text for this morning comes from the second book of the New Testament…a book containing 16 Chapters and 678 verses. Go with me to the gospel of Mark 12: 29 – 31. We will visit several scriptures to day from Mark, John, Matt, 1 and 2 John, Malachi, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, the Psalms, and the book of Hebrews. Again of focus text is Mark 12: 29-31. Now let me set the scene for you of what was happening at the this time in the beginning of Mark 12 prior to our focus text. Mark 12 finds Jesus speeking the parable of the vineyard and the people and they sought to lay hands on Him, but they…the word says that multitude feared, for they knew He (being Jesus) had spoken the parable against them .. in the parable of the vineyard. So they left Him and sent to Him some of the Pharisees and others to catch Him in His words. So they tried to use scripture to trick Jesus. They tried to trick him with the principle of paying taxes to ceasar. After a little bit of discussion Jesus said not being fooled, “Why do you test Me? “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Then they tried to trick him with a riddle of shorts. Dealing with the teachings of Moses and resurrection when a husband dies and leaves a wife with no children. So they try to trick Jesus with a story of seven brothers and one wife. Again after a little bit of discussion Jesus sets the record straight by answering in part to them, 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

Which brings us to our text. I am reading from the King James version as you are hearing the words being spoken.

29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

I came here this day to ask a question? Do you love our heavenly father…do you love him…do you love God? Lets go to school this day and ask ourselves this question. I remember as a child I would play the word game that my dad is better than your dad. Y’all remember. It didn’t take much to start it but it would go back and forth between children then and still today. My dad is better than your dad..nu uh..my dad is better than yours…well my dada is taller…mine is larger…mine is smarter…and the list goes on and on. Now why did I engage in this argument of who’s father was best? In part, because of my love for my father….and that love was so profound that even the mention that someone else’s father was equal or better would start a war. When was the last time you stood up for your heavenly…..the eternally merciful….the one who allows grace to run like rivers over your life? Huh!! After walking with God on this topic…that this is a question that we must all answer individually and collectively as Christian brothers and sisters….Do you love our heavenly father?