Falling In Love With Jesus

Intro: What a question! What is the most important commandment of all? What is the most important thing that God has said to us!! What you must know is that the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees had not stopped with the law of God. There were 613 laws that were to be observed. 365 of those connected to the days of the year were don’ts, 248 were do’s. Some teachers of the law had said that the most important of all of these is to have tassels attached to the bottom of your robes!! (We are not much different than the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees)

If you have read the Gospels of Mark or Matthew you would know that this was not the first question given to Jesus. First the political question should we pay taxes? Give to God what is his and to Caesar what is his. Second the religious question about the resurrection. Jesus answered God is the God of the living not of the dead. You don’t even understand. Finally, what is the most important commandment?

Jesus effectively gave the Hebrew Shema(to hear) Deuteronomy 6.4 Hear O Israel: The Lord your God is one God, deuteronomy 6.5 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” This was placed in a little box that contained a Mizuza (a piece of parchment with scripture on it) on the doorpost of every home. Then Jesus applies the Bible to every-day living. He quotes Leviticus 19.18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We ask all kinds of questions, and discuss all kinds of things about God, religion, politics, etc. But what is the most important question we should be asking. What is most important to God!!

I. The Commanding principle of loving God

It seems to me many things are muddled in the church today. The focus of churches seems to be to not offend people. We need to become sensitive to the needs of people. To make places comfortable and welcoming. How on earth would Jesus have replied to such things today? The greatest of these is to love the Lord you God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Teaching the Bible should be central we should go deep, reaching out to people should be central we should go far, speaking out on issues we should speak loud. These place such an emphasis on doing, Jesus placed an emphasis on being.

The commanding principle is directing our heart toward the captain and creator of the universe.

What I believe the question and Jesus’ answer is really trying to get us to see is what type of person are we? I can think of at least four types of people that there are in the world.

A) Those that completely reject God

There are some in the world that don’t even entertain the possibility of God. They prefer to look to aliens as the intelligent designers of the universe. Psalm 14.1 calls them fools. It is almost like a disease today rejection of authority spreads like the plague. Love the Lord your God. It is a command. It is a rejection of God’s authority, but also a rejection of His grace. For the type of love that God calls us to is a decision of the will. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Those that hate God and reject loving Him stand condemned in the day of judgment because of their willful rejection.

B) Those that completely forget God

This group knows there is a God but neglect all he is and has for their life. Every other care in the world captures them. Not out and out haters and of God or at war with God but they care about as much for God as they do for the government. God is there but he is not acknowledged or submitted to. There is a lack of understanding of who God is and certainly no desire to surrender to the supreme of the universe.

C) Those that completely respect God

This group investigates the world. They dive deep into the oceans and see the majestic creatures of the deep. They dig deep into the earth and are amazed at its complex nature. They stare far into the stars and are overwhelmed with is vast size and complexity. They are overcome with the creations of His hands, but never overcome by His love in their hearts.

D) Those that completely reflect on God

This group studies manuscripts but never really surrenders to God. Whether professors or pastors, teachers in Sunday schools or seminaries, or just religious enthusiasts. They think on the things of God but never surrender to the overwhelming love of God. They know many facts about God, they can quote scripture and tell you historical background. However they have never been overcome by the amazing grace of God. Never in their life was a there moment when they were struck by the spirit of God that they were sinners sentenced to death and separation from God for ever. They are sincere in their studies but not saved by their faith.