The Heart Of True Religion

The Heart of True Religion

Mark 12:28-34; James 2:14-17

If you could ask Jesus just one question, what would it be? Would you ask about your future, whether you’ll be happy, rich, poor, long or short life? Would you ask about heaven and maybe loved ones who have gone on before? Or would you want a certain problem solved that you’ve worked on for a long time and still haven’t been able to get the answer? Well, in Mark, chapter 12, a Scribe came to Jesus with a question that I think is probably the most important question of all. He asked, Mrk 12:28 …"What commandment is the foremost of all?" Of all the 613 commandments in the Jewish law, which one is the most important?

Now, remember what has been going on before he asked this question. The Lord had been dealing with confrontations from the religious leaders. The Pharisees and Herodians, two enemies who teamed up and combined forces to trick Jesus, tried to sweet talk Him with flattery to manipulate Him into saying something against paying taxes. The Sadducees tried to weave a ridiculous “what if” scenario in their effort to disprove the idea of a resurrection, and then this Scribe stepped forward with his question concerning the law.

1. Love God with Everything

In His sovereign wisdom, Jesus distilled the entire OT into two inseparable commands that supersede all other commands. Mrk 12:29-31 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; [30] AND YOU SHALL 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, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Now, I don’t think the Scribe was trying to trap Jesus with this question because we can see from his reaction that he didn’t recoil, argue, or walk off in a huff at being bested. What he did instead was affirm what Jesus said. Mrk 12:32-33 The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; [33] AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

So, the Scribe agreed and basically reiterated what Jesus had said, and because his response was honest, the Lord told him, Mrk 12:34 …"You are not far from the kingdom of God." You’re not there yet, but you are close. You see, the problem is that in this sense, “close” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. You can be “close” to the kingdom but still be miles from it. Beloved, intellectual assent to truth, even profound truth like this, stops short of the transformation that entrance into the kingdom requires.

Jesus boiled everything down to Love God and Love Others. The greatest commandments, and it sounds so easy, doesn’t it? It’s simple, yet so incredibly difficult. Living this out is where the challenge is.

The Greek word for love that’s used here, the love we are to have for God and our fellow man, is agapao. It isn’t a mere sentiment or fleeting emotion, it’s sacrificial, willful devotion that reorients the entire life. In other words, it means God first and anything else second. The Lord’s answer began with the Shema, which is a prayer that every faithful Jew would recite twice daily. Deu 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! [5] "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Heart, soul, and might (or strength), but when Jesus is quoted in Mark, the Lord adds “with all your mind” which is the inclusion of the intellect, the understanding, your thoughts. It means you think about God, you study His word, and you meditate on His truth. Your mind isn’t filled with worry, anxiety, or this world’s messages, but with God’s promises and His character.

And the others, heart, soul, might; well, the “heart” is the center of your emotions, affections, and desires. When you love God with all your heart then God is first place in your affections. He is the one you long for. Like David wrote, Psa 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.

Then, “with all your soul.” That’s your essence, your very life force. It’s means your identity is rooted in being a child of God. Your identity isn’t found in your job, your achievements, your relationships, or what others might think of you. Your identity first and last is Christian, child of God.