Sermon Tone Analysis

This morning I am going to touch on Mark 12: 28-34

Firstly like it or not we probably all have a moral idea of who should be in heaven and who should not for example not many would think someone like Hitler would be welcome in heaven, but we need to ask who is?

Some time ago Karon and I went to York for the weekend, and we decided at the last minute to visit the “Yorvik Centre.”

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived.

and it was extremely busy.

Undaunted though we joined the queue and slowly moved towards the front, but as we got nearer someone came out and put the barrier across.

The last visit was full, and they were now closed for the day.

Disappointed we resigned ourselves and walked away with several people who were also queuing behind us.

We were close but not close enough.

It didn’t matter if we were the first in line or last in line, we were close, but we were still outsiders.

We were close but not close enough.

As we think about the Gospel reading, we see Jesus has been harassed by various leaders about by who’s authority does he preach?

As usual Jesus gives an answer to which a question they consider is impossible to answer without dropping himself in it.

He runs rings around them.

Then we find a scribe, who would spend his time reading and building his knowledge of the laws approached Jesus and asks him which is the greatest commandment, to which Jesus actually gives two answers, 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

The second comes from Leviticus 19:18: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'

There is no commandment greater than these."

"Well said, teacher," the man replied.

"You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.

To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Then Jesus answers him, he has turned the whole question around to the scribe, rather than the scribe holding the authority over Jesus takes control when he responds with.

"You are not far from the kingdom of God."

In other words you have an understanding of the scriptures, you grasp the concept, but you’re not there yet!

There is an old saying I think from a quiz show from America “your close but no cigar”

"You are not far from the kingdom of God."

You are on the right track, but you are still outside.

It doesn’t matter if you a foot or 100 miles from the kingdom you are still outside.

The scribe would know all the commandments, but did he, live them?

Whatever the case after that no one else dared to challenged Jesus.

Jesus being a good Jew, he knew the law set down in Deuteronomy 4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This is called the Shema and every Jew knows it’s rather like how we know the Lord’s prayer.

We will say together the Lord’s prayer this morning, but do we take note of the words spoken?

All the Israelites would have known this commandment, but did they all live it?

I think sometimes when we repeat a phrase or prayer it can have a diminishing effect; we rhyme the words without them touching our heart.

The passage from Deuteronomy is one of the passages that the Jews have in the mezuzot the small box that is worn on the head or arm during morning prayer.

One issue we face with our english language we are limited with the word love, we have no other word to express a myriad of the meaning.

I love my wife, I love my car, I love my Children and love my grandchilden, one word love has to express all these varying emotions.

The meaning of love in the verses we have heard is not some emotional feeling, but a solemn pledge like swearing allegiance to a king.

willing to obey his covenants and be loyal to him, lay down your life for him.

The full meaning behind this is love God with everything you are: heart, soul, and strength.

In other words, Love God with your life.

This law handed down to Israel from God was the foundation of their faith.

Imagine you said to someone “I Love You” then they replied “I love you too”

But then they added, “now just to be sure how much do I have to love you?”

Would you have second thoughts about this person?

Would you wonder if they were the right person to get involved with?

This person seems to want to do the bare minimum.

Have you met people who want to know the minimum to do their work, and then when it comes to God, they want to do the minimum to get into heaven?

It is actully impossible to put a limit on love.

It’s a little like a kids book about the Large Nut-Brown Hare, and it’s called “Guess how much I Love You,” you may have read this to your grandchildren.

Which is great for kids as it’s fine to put a level of love like “I love you to the moon and back” it’s a good book to share with children.

As adults we can see that love isn’t something you can measure like that it’s far more complicated.

Many people think there is a sliding scale, good works weighed against bad works.

But when it comes to loving God and loving our neighbour, it is never about “how little can I give” it’s all about “how much we can give!”

And when it comes to heaven the maximum and minimum requirements are the same.

Eternal life is a gift of God, the maximum thing you can receive is God’s gift.

The minimum we can do is receive God’s gift.

No one can live up to the requirements needed, if we to take look at the Pentateuch, in the book of the law there are 613 laws given to men.

Can you imagine trying to keep all these laws?

Hmm did alright this week kept 611.

Ops not good enough.

God provided a solution to this problem through the teaching, life, and sacrifice of Jesus.

Its a free gift, how amazing is that!

In this day and age, where they say there is nothing for free, I think this runs counter to this.

God has no agenda other than this gift is for each one of us.

Forget all the commandments.

If you take my gift, then you will love me more than life itself.

And so, you will take on my mantel and love as I love.

God’s gift of life. of salvation though the sacrifice of his son, is 100% free and 100% compete,

So much else in life is about balancing up “what you pay” against “what you get”.

Four easy payments and you can have it now.

God's love, God's salvation, is different.

It's the greatest gift of all, and it's limitless, boundless, and overflowing – and it's free.

You don't have to give a thing in return.

But if you truly embrace it, you will find that you want to give everything.

And that's what the 'Greatest Commandments' (love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself) are all about.

It's not because the rest of the commandments don't matter – it's because if you are following 'the big two' or the 'golden rule' or whatever people want to call it – you will find that you're automatically following all the others as well.

If you love God with all of your heart, why would you want to take his name in vain?

If you love your neighbour like you love yourself, why would you want to lie to them?

And so on.

The 'big two' don't negate all the other commandments – they fulfil them.

We have a God who wants this personal relationship with us, not some distant presence, but someone who walks each day with us.

And it is absolutely amazing, the creator of everything wants to know you, wants to be with you, that is what is on offer.

It’s your choice.