Go! And Love With All You Are - Mark 12:29–30 Series

Go! And Love with All You Are - Mark 12:29–30

Introduction

Today, we continue our “Go! And…” series with a message that takes us to the very heartbeat of God’s commandments—straight from the lips of Jesus Himself. This isn’t just another rule; this is the foundational call of our faith.

Title: Go! And Love with All You Are

In a world of distraction, division, and dilution of truth, God calls His people to radical, undivided love for Him. Today’s message is a call to full-surrender devotion, to love the Lord not with part of who you are, but with all that you are.

Mark 12:29–30 (NLT): “Jesus replied, ‘The most important commandment is this: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”’”

In Mark 12, Jesus is responding to a scribe who asked, “Which is the most important commandment of all?” This was not a mere theological exercise—by Jesus’ time, the rabbis had identified 613 commandments in the Torah! Yet Jesus, full of divine wisdom, cuts through the complexity with clarity and quotes the Shema—the ancient daily confession of Israel from Deuteronomy 6:4–5.

Let’s look at each phrase:

1. “The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.”

Jesus affirms monotheism—that there is only one God, and He is Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is a bold proclamation in a pluralistic world.

Hebrew word “echad” (?????) — means “one” or “united one.” This is not solitary isolation but a unity of being—perfectly fulfilled in the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus is proclaiming that God is not an option among many, He is the only true and living God.

2. “Love the Lord your God…”

The Greek word for love used here is “agape” (???p?)—not emotion-driven, but volitional, covenantal, self-giving love. This is not shallow affection; it is devotion with action.

II. Loving with All That We Are

Jesus lists four spheres of love—heart, soul, mind, strength—not as compartments, but as a holistic call to love God with every fibre of our being.

A. Love Him with All Your Heart

The “kardia” (?a?d?a) refers not merely to feelings but the core of your identity—your will, emotions, and desires.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT): “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Max Lucado says, “God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.”

When our hearts are surrendered to God, even when the road is tough, we walk with purpose.

Give God not just your Sunday worship, but your deepest affections, your motivations, your ambitions.

B. Love Him with All Your Soul

The “psyche” (????) is the essence of life—our eternal, God-breathed self.

Genesis 2:7 (NLT): “Then the Lord God formed the man… and breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Charles Stanley once said, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”

When we entrust our souls fully to the Lord, we live with eternal assurance, even in earthly uncertainty.

Love Him even when your soul is weary. Worship through pain. Trust Him beyond understanding.

C. Love Him with All Your Mind

The “dianoia” (d?????a) is your intellect, your reasoning, your thoughts.

Romans 12:2 (NLT): “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

Tim Keller reminds us, “The Gospel is not just the ABCs of Christianity, but the A to Z.”

Loving God with our mind means letting the Gospel reshape every thought—not just how we begin in faith, but how we live each day.

Immerse yourself in Scripture. Test your worldview through the lens of God's truth, not the world’s logic.

D. Love Him with All Your Strength

The “ischys” (?s???) represents capacity, capability, energy—your doing.

Colossians 3:23 (NLT): “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

John Piper wrote, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

When we use our strength to honour God in every action, our lives become worship.

Your job, your parenting, your service—pour it all out for God’s glory.

Supporting Passages and Themes:

1. Deuteronomy 6:4–5 – The origin of the Shema.

God’s covenantal command to Israel to love Him wholeheartedly.

2. Matthew 22:37–40 – Jesus links love for God to love for others.

“The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

3. 1 John 4:19 (NLT)

“We love each other because He loved us first.”

The cross is the reason and power behind our love.