Love God, Love God, Love PeopleLove People

Mark 12:28-34 Mark 12:28-34

The Meaning of LifeThe Meaning of Life• 28 28 One of the scribes came and heard them One of the scribes came and heard them

arguing, and recognizing that He had arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’

The Meaning of LifeThe Meaning of Life• 31 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR

NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31) (Mark 12:28-31)

Love God, Love PeopleLove God, Love People• 28 28 One of the scribes came and heard them One of the scribes came and heard them

arguing, and recognizing that He had arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’” (Mark 12:28-30)ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’” (Mark 12:28-30)

Love GodLove God• ““If you love Me, you will keep My If you love Me, you will keep My

commandments.” (John 14:15)commandments.” (John 14:15)

• “‘…“‘…YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’” (Mark 12:30)WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’” (Mark 12:30)

Shane and ShaneShane and Shane

Love PeopleLove People• ““The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR

NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)(Mark 12:31)

Love PeopleLove People• 7 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is Beloved, let us love one another, for love is

from God; and everyone who loves is born of from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. God and knows God. 8 8 The one who does not The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. love does not know God, for God is love. 9 9 By By this the love of God was manifested in us, that this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His one and only Son into the God has sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. world so that we might live through Him. 10 10 In In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. for our sins. 11 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)

Love PeopleLove People• 20 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his

brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. love God whom he has not seen. 21 21 And this commandment we have from Him, And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)

Love PeopleLove People• ““The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR

NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF...’” (Mark 12:31)NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF...’” (Mark 12:31)

Love PeopleLove People• We know love by this, that He laid down His We know love by this, that He laid down His

life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (1 John 3:16)for the brothers. (1 John 3:16)

• Jesus said in “This is My commandment, that Jesus said in “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)you.” (John 15:12)

Love PeopleLove People• But now faith, hope, love, these three But now faith, hope, love, these three

remain; but the greatest of these is love. remain; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)(1 Corinthians 13:13)

• “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44)

Love PeopleLove People• 4 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not Love is patient, love is kind and is not

jealous; love does not brag and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, arrogant, 5 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth… rejoices with the truth… (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)(1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

Love PeopleLove People• Above all, be zealous in your love for one Above all, be zealous in your love for one

another, because love covers a multitude of another, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

• ““By this all men will know that you are My By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)(John 13:35)

Love PeopleLove People• 1 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved

children; children; 2 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

• We love, because He first loved us. We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)(1 John 4:19)

Ceremonial vs. RelationalCeremonial vs. Relational

• 32 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; 33 33 AND TO LOVE AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:32-33)(Mark 12:32-33)

Not FarNot Far• When Jesus saw that he had answered When Jesus saw that he had answered

intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more would venture to ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:34)questions. (Mark 12:34)

Action StepsAction Steps1. Learn about love in the Bible. 1. Learn about love in the Bible.

Action StepsAction Steps2. Experience God’s love. 2. Experience God’s love. •““If you keep My commandments, you will If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10) (John 15:10)

3. Love God by renewing your commitment to 3. Love God by renewing your commitment to obeying His Word. obeying His Word. •““If you love me, you will obey my If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” (John 14:15)commandments.” (John 14:15)

Action StepsAction Steps4. Be proactive in loving people.

5. Let go of hurts, unforgiveness, and bitterness.

Love God, Love God, Love PeopleLove People

Mark 12:28-34 Mark 12:28-34