Because of the Love of Jesus - Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34 3.22.20 Intro: What is the meaning of life? We all ask this in some form or another with some degree of knowledge of God, worldview and societal norms. What is my purpose? Do I have a purpose? Am I an accident or a mistake, or just comic goop? Statement rather than question: I’m just trying to find myself. That’s what’s right for me? Do whatever makes you happy… Cringe worthy one…“You do you Boo...“ For me this question was answered on April 19th 2007 at the Summit to summit retreat. Praying and asking God what he wanted out of my life? My purpose. This is the conversation of Jesus that answers one of life’s biggest questions. Recap: Jesus being questioned by Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, Scribes, Herodians, Elders, Chief priests. It’s a debate of debates; they are all trying to discredit Jesus. He is taking it on. Frontal assault of authority, he comes back with a parable, they try a flank attack with flattery and he Coin (mic.) drops their hypocrisy. They ask an ingenious theological question and he tells them just how wrong they are. But now … something fresh… something of substance… OUTLINE: The words of the Scribe. The answer of Jesus. The warning of Christ. WORDS OF THE SCRIBE: Scribe: a man learned in the Mosaic law and sacred writings, an interpreter and teacher called to examine difficult subtle questions - Consulted by Herod in Matt 2 for the location of Jesus birth - High water mark by Jesus in Matt 5 for righteousness with Pharisees - The people compared Jesus to scribes-teaching/ authority in Matt 7 SCRIBES ARENT CHUMPS this one comes to Jesus with the best understanding of Gods law from a cultural worldview built on the most influence of Gods guidance in world history and he hears Jesus answer well and asks … V28 WHICH COMMANDMENT IS MOST IMPORTANT? 613 Commands in the OT – 365 Negative – 248 Positive V32 After Jesus answers it shows his wisdom: You are right, your answer is Much more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. The point to make is that Jesus is having a dispute. There is in the crowd a scribe who is listening, asks a good question and then agrees with the Biblical answer. Church, have conversations in public, keep having biblical conversations in public, talk about what the bible says in public. People will be listening, the person engaged with may dispute you but there are others listening. Seek out opportunities to encourage people this week with biblical hope. The bible talks about plagues and it talks about the world being shaken up. These things are not strange to us as believers. Our lives are not shaken, we still have hope, we have peace. We have the answers that our community needs. They are listening. THE ANSWERS OF JESUS: V29 Jesus straight up answers the question. Deut 6:4 The Shema & Lev 19:18. Orthodoxy before Orthopraxis. Belief before doing. JDV - “Listen, O’ called out redeemed people of the TETRAGRAMATRON, the Existent one, The One True God, Our ruler, judge and divine one, YHWH is Number 1. “ GOD is Infinate, Immutable (never ∆), self sufficient, omni –present/potent/cient, wise, just good faithful merciful gracious loving holy and glorious. Were only going to look specifically at one characteristic of God – Love Love being defined as agape love – affection that we’re willing to die for.*Gods love handout* Church if it is at all a question, please o please know, “God loves you.” Right now in this season, in the midst of the crazy, He loves you. From this Truth about God we can then move on into the rest of Jesus’ answer V30 With all that God has poured into you, filling you, working in you, abiding in you, LOVE Him back! To the point that we would rather die than to live without him- agape 4 areas of life working them backwards Strength: (es-hoos) simpliest idea- physical bodies, strengths, abilities, voices • Mind: (dee-an-oy-ah) brain power, facility of understanding/desiring, worldview and life • exp. How people think – algorithims – boxes, from a loving home, abusive home etc. • Soul: (psoo-kay) The breath of life-part that doesn’t dissolve in death and designed for • everlasting life. The Piece of our lives where God aids supernaturally with: • peace in the midst of fear • wisdom in the midst of confusion • faith in the midst of doubt • The part of the human agent that is brought from death to life by the breath of • God. Heart (car-dee-ah) The center and seat of life where all thoughts passions, desires, • appetites affection, purposes and endeavors come together. The driving force of life where whatever you trust in or are committed to the most • lives Idols reside – Money, food, work, new age spiritualism, buddha, • Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding • Prov. 3. Where your treasure is there will you heart be also Matt 6. • Where has this past weeks events revealed you heart to be? What is compelling your decisions and actions? Stock market, fear, food, family, love, hope, peace, prayer, God? V31 The second is like it: Lev 19:18 How do we love ourselves? Eph 5:29 In the passage where Paul is talking about how husbands should love their wives as their own bodies, he says “No one hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes. • • Basic Idea: We get hungry we eat, Sleepy we go nap, Cold we put on a jacket, headache we take an aspirin, we take care of ourselves, this is basic idea of how we should treat another. Hungary? Feed them. Hurting? Help them. Cold? Clothe them. Just as you would to your self or your spouse or your sibling, you do to your neighbor. As you would have someone else do to you, do to them, right, the Golden Rule. This is the idea of how we love someone as ourselves. Within the Church: a special thing happens in the church. Agape Spiral. 1 John 4:12b “if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected • in us.” Opposite is “circling the drain” “spinning out of control” EMS “death spiral” Gal • 5:14-15 “if we bite and devour one another, watch out that were not consumed by one another.” Lots of examples of Christians without love. can be used like clanging cymbals. • As Christians we have the opportunity to love people so much, in word and deed. • The gospel, Hope, kindness. Within the church we build one another up in the love of God and then we bust out the doors with a radical care and tangibile love to our neighbors The good Samaratian. Calculated Risk, Cost of time money and energy yet loving • neighbor. V34 THE WARNING OF CHRIST The scribe is listening, but he is not there yet. He’s not in the kingdom! Jesus says he’s not saved! Matt 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven, (what’s the summation of his will, Filled with Gods love we: Love God and love others). On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew’s gospel adds an other statement that marks doesn’t, On these two commandments hang all the other commandments. The Fact of the matter is that we don’t love God, we don’t love others like we should. We hold other things in our hearts as the number 1 in our lives. We reject God we run from God we refuse him. Yes we in our sinful selves are enemies of God who loves. While we were dead in our trespasses and sins… Jesus Hung, Jesus was loved by the father perfectly, was filled fully in God, Loved the Father completely, In Jesus heart was only the Father in the seat. He hang on the cross for my sin, He hung on the cross bearing our hatred and rejection of the Father, He was punished for us. SO that we can be filled with his perfectness. Jesus fulfilled the Law of God in his perfect love of the Father and at the same time his perfect love for us so we can be born again! Praise GOD! CONCLUSION We must check our hearts this morning. ASK yourself, Is the love of God filling me? Are my decisions and actions being run through the fountain of Gods love for me? Is the love of God real? If the answer is no, Please, O Please don’t leave this time until God has filled your soul with his love and REKINDLED the fire. If this is a first, grow in the Love of God he is here and he loves you. If the answer is yes, Fan the love of GOD into a wildfire and operate with bold confidence in the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. Do not underestimate the power of the blood through you as you go out in Love. BENEDICITON 1 John 5:20-21 “And we know that the Son of God has come and given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little Children, keep yourselves from idols.