WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.799 Well, hello, hello, good morning, church. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:07.599 Uh I am super, super excited to be here this morning uh with y'all. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:17.359 This the house of the Lord is the best place to be on a Sunday, so I am so glad that you guys decided to join us here uh at First Baptist Tampa. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:20.640 I'm not normally up here on a Sunday morning like Darren was saying earlier. 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:30.640 Pastor Bob is uh ending his uh yearly trip where he gets away to plan out uh what the Lord has for us uh for the next year's sermons. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:32.960 Um so he'll be back next week, don't worry. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:34.719 I think he's preaching next week. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:35.759 He's preaching next week. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:38.719 So if you're worried about this week, come back next week. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:40.479 Uh see what we're really all about. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:46.880 Uh but it's always nerve-wracking, but uh such an honor to be able to preach to y'all on Sunday mornings. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.920 Uh I don't know if I'll ever fully get used to it. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:01:04.719 But growing up, uh, we would always uh watch a lot of the Rays games uh on TV, and I don't think I can ever get this out of my head, but during that time whenever they would call someone in from the bullpen to be brought in to pitch, it was sponsored by Metro PCS. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:13.280 So it was always so the commentators would go, now uh it's the Metro PCS call to the bullpen, and the coaches there, bringing the righty, bringing the lefty. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:17.280 We we were watching it, and that's just exactly how I feel this morning. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:22.079 I feel like I'm being brought in from the bullpen, sponsored by Metro PCS. 00:01:22.239 --> 00:01:25.840 Uh, not a sponsor, but it it fits. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:33.200 But all jokes aside, it really is uh an honor to be able to step onto the stage this morning uh to present God's word. 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:36.959 Uh, it's not something that I take uh very lightly. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:44.400 The love of God is the foundation of what we believe as Christ followers. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:50.799 To love God or to not is the choice that we all face as human beings. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:02:00.159 Every single person who has lived, who is living, or will live, has the choice between loving God or not. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:04.959 Any my my two-year-old knows four Bible verses. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:07.519 So that's pretty dope, if you ask me. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.360 But it's the cutest thing you ever see if she actually does them for you. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.439 She's kind of shy sometimes, but whatever. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.240 But she knows those four Bible verses. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:22.960 Without the love of God, her knowledge of those Bible verses really gets her nowhere. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:31.039 Now she's only two, but she must at one point in her life choose between loving God or not. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:35.919 The four verses that she knows right now were not carry her all the way to heaven. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.840 Just like Annie, we are all faced with that choice. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:47.680 And these verses that we are looking at this morning, we are taking once again a look into the life of Jesus. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.479 This is the Wednesday of Passion Week. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:55.120 This is all happening literally days before he is going to be crucified. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:05.199 And these last two passages that we were in with the book of Mark have been Jesus being questioned by the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Scribes. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:10.080 Last time, we saw how they were questioning Jesus on the resurrection. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:22.639 And then the time before that, they questioned Jesus on whether or not they should be paying taxes, each of which were attempts at catching Jesus off guard or wanting to make him slip up on his wording. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:27.680 These people, these groups of people, quite literally hated who Jesus was. 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:39.439 They wanted nothing to do with him because he was actively going against just about everything that they had leaned into so heavily that they have gone too far to back down now. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:46.879 They were the religious elite who decided just about everything in the culture and would not be stopped. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:52.159 So they were threatened, rightfully so, by the presence of Jesus. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:59.199 Because Jesus was calling people to him and not to the malarkey that they were trying to push. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:14.080 They wanted so desperately to change the view of the people on Jesus so that they think they so that they could claim him to be a heretic, to claim that he was a blasphemer, to get him arrested and out of the way. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:25.680 But their first two attempts on this day were answered by Jesus in such a wonderful way and such uh and said he uh and he said no wrong. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:35.199 He did not contradict anything that he had said while uh while he was talking uh with the law of Moses or anything that he has said before. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:38.800 And this passage this morning is no different. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:47.920 This is the the third and the final attempt of the day to catch Jesus off guard to try and make him say something that he really doesn't mean. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:55.439 This morning we're gonna continue in our series through the book of Mark with a very well-known passage of Scripture. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:01.600 So if you please will join me in Mark chapter 12, verses 28 through 34. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:08.399 And if you're using the Bible uh in the pew back in front of you, we're on page 910, 910. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:16.399 Once you get there, uh will you please join me in standing uh in order to honor the reading of God's word? 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:24.879 Mark chapter 12, verses 28 through 34. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:38.160 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:53.199 Jesus answered, The most important is Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:57.600 The second is this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:01.279 There is no other commandment greater than these. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.600 And the scribe said to him, You are right, teacher. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:23.040 You you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other beside him, 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 oneself, in much more than all who all whole born burnt offerings and sacrifices. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:29.920 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:35.439 And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.120 Let's pray. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:40.959 Lord God, you are good. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:45.600 Lord, we bring you all the praise this morning. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:52.879 Lord, I just ask as we we dive into your word, will you give me just a clarity of speech? 00:06:53.120 --> 00:07:02.879 And Lord, clarity of talk, Lord, but most importantly, get me out of the way and show yourself so clearly to them. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:11.439 Give us an understanding of your word, uh, of what you have this morning uh for us in Mark chapter 12. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.879 Lord, be with us as we dive into your word. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:16.000 Name I pray. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:16.879 Amen. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:25.839 So this morning, I want us to see three different things uh in these verses. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:32.399 The first is the challenge, the second is the command, and the third is the encouragement. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:40.879 We see the challenge of the scribe, we see the command of Jesus, and then we see Jesus end by giving an encouragement. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:46.879 So let's go ahead and dive in this morning, with point number one being the challenge. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.000 The challenge. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:55.199 We see uh this section of scripture open up and we immediately need to know what had happened before it. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:08:01.680 It says one of the scribes walked up uh and heard the dispute that was going on. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:07.360 The first thing that is important for us to understand is who is this scribe? 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:17.439 Now we we don't get a name, and that's totally normal within Scripture, but we know what kind of person he was based on his position alone. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.519 This scribe, like most of them, was a Pharisee. 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:30.240 Which means, uh, if you remember back to uh last time we were in Mark, he does not agree with the Sadducees about the resurrection. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:36.240 But specifically, the scribes during this time were the experts on the law. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:43.840 They were professional scholars specializing in the interpretation and application of the law. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:49.600 They knew the law backwards, forwards, upside down, and turned around. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:51.440 The law was their thing. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:53.519 Specifically the law of Moses. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:09:05.519 The law that these religious elite held over specific scriptures most of the time, especially the laws that they themselves had made as add-ons to the law of Moses. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:14.240 So the first person that we see in this passage is one of the most knowledgeable people in the world at the time in the law of Moses. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:25.759 And we know that he was at least not there for all of the two conversations about uh what they had just asked Jesus because it says that he walks up. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:28.639 He enters the scene at this moment. 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:36.240 Matthew 22, uh, Matthew tells us in Matthew 22 that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were gathered together. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:42.960 They had just been schooled two times in a row, and they were trying to figure out how they were going to attack this third time. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:49.519 For the football lovers out there, they were in the huddle sitting third and long after two straight sacks from the shotgun. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:54.320 They had no chance of getting the first down, but they were trying. 00:09:54.559 --> 00:10:02.480 They were trying to come up with the perfect play, the most perfect question in order to trick Jesus, even the slightest bit. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:07.360 They were putting all of their heads together, they were arguing over what they were going to say. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:12.639 I can imagine there was lots of, I told you that would have been easy, I knew we shouldn't have asked them that. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:16.240 Uh, no, that's that's silly, let's not ask him that question. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:17.120 Ooh, that's good. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.039 Let's let's work on that a little bit more. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:24.240 They were trying their hardest to trick Jesus. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:41.759 And this new scribe comes in and has probably been sitting on this question for a while now, partially, legitimately, but also he knew that it would be a difficult answer to get an actual right answer, or a difficult question to get an actual right answer. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:45.600 And I can imagine he posed the question and they all loved it. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:50.879 Because the very next thing that we see is him asking the question. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:11:05.039 So we have this scribe, expert of the law, who is trying to trick Jesus into blaspheming, trick Jesus into uh saying something wrong. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:08.480 That's the challenge. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:10.960 That's the challenge at hand. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:18.399 They want to find a question that will thwart what who Jesus is and what Jesus is doing. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.600 And they think that they have found the very question. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:25.039 Point number two is the command. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:26.320 The command. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:33.279 Right away in this section, we see that this scribe has thought he has tricked Jesus. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:34.559 He's got the question. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:41.200 And he asks, Jesus, what is the most important commandment? 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:46.960 What is the one greatest commandment of them all? 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:53.919 At first, this reads, uh, at first read, this does not actually seem like that bad of a question to ask. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:59.519 But when you understand that the context, you know the trickery that was going on behind it. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:05.360 They were wanting to catch Jesus uh saying something that went against the law of Moses. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:10.320 While these men, uh the Pharisees and the Sadducees, did not agree on everything. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:16.080 One thing that they definitely agreed on was the importance of the first five books of the Old Testament. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:23.440 The five books of Moses the five books of Moses were the only ones that were divinely inspired as far as they were concerned. 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:31.840 Meaning that the five books were of the utmost importance and the only ones they actually cared about reading or listening to. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:52.960 Their hope and their dream would be that Jesus was going to hear this question and give a commandment that was not found within the law of Moses, which would be Jesus showing that he thinks he is above Moses and specifically above the law of Moses, which would have been a very big deal back then. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:13:01.360 Because in the eyes of both the leaders, the religious elite, and the people and the people, Moses was the supreme figure in history. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:07.759 And to speak a law that was outside of the law of Moses would have been a crazy thing to do. 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:14.559 And would have definitely caused some sort of uproar amongst the people who had been listening in on that day. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.799 This question also has another layer to it. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:34.320 Remember, the law is the highest importance to the religious elite, and they had come to the conclusion that there were 613 laws that could be found in the Pentateuch, in which the first five books of the Bible. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:40.000 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy. 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:43.279 Jesus 13, or Jesus 13, wow. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:50.240 613 laws is a crazy amount of laws to try and keep. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:52.639 So they broke them down a little bit. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:14:03.919 They decided that there were 248 positive laws or laws with affirmations, and 364 negative laws or prohibitions. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.639 So do's and and don'ts. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.559 But that was not enough. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:13.120 They broke it down even further into heavy and light laws. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:21.279 Heavy laws being absolutely binding, something that you absolutely need to be doing, and light laws that were just a little less binding than that. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:26.240 Which when it comes to it, it's not necessarily wrong to do so. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:40.960 Jesus wasn't specifically condemning the breaking down and the characterization of laws, but they got to the point where they realized that they were completely incapable of keeping all 613 laws that they had set out to keep. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:44.799 Which seems a little obvious to us if you really think about it. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.600 We look at something called the Ten Commandments today. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:54.960 And I guarantee you that everyone in this room this morning has broken one of those commandments already today. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.240 And the day's already halfway, not even halfway done. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:59.600 It's 11:30. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.720 And there's only 10 for us to keep. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:06.720 Now they are trying to keep 613. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:23.600 Seeing the task at hand was too much, the rabbis only focused on keeping all of the heavy laws, ignoring the light laws, hoping that in keeping all of the heavy laws, it would be enough to please or to satisfy God. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:32.879 But they very quickly realized that once again that they were incapable of even keeping just the heavy laws. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.679 So they searched for a way to split it up again. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:47.120 They were constantly lessening the list of laws that they considered to be heavy or important, which they could not even keep those few laws that they ended up on. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:59.919 So they abandoned them all together and just focused on the man-made laws and regulations that they had created, which for them was a lot easier to follow and to keep and to uphold. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:08.480 Which is the exact issue that Jesus addresses with them multiple times in his earthly ministry. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:14.000 Because they did not actually care about Scripture or Jesus or the lost. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:21.039 They were only concerned with themselves, their position, their status, and the way people thought of them. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:37.440 All of that makes it even more interesting that the question that they landed on how to trick Jesus was a way of lessening the whole of 613 commandments into one commandment for them to follow. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:43.279 As long as you keep this greatest commandment, then you are good and nothing else matters. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:54.240 Their desire to trap Jesus and their desire to have the path of least resistance with the law led them to ask this third and final question of the day to Jesus. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:59.519 I want to challenge you this morning to take a moment and look inward. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:10.319 These men were so caught up in themselves that they were blinded to the fact that the Savior of the world was sitting right in front of them. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:12.640 And they fought against that fact. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.599 They chose not to see it as such. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:24.400 What in your life today is holding, that you are holding on to is causing you to fight against God? 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.240 To fight against Christ. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:32.400 What in your life are you trying to trick Jesus with to try and discredit him? 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:40.880 Are there things that we are being called to get rid of as Christians that you are holding on to or looking back towards? 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.039 The question has been asked. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.240 What is the most important commandment? 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:59.519 What is the the one that you think we need to be paying the most attention to? 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.920 Jesus answers. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.200 Doesn't hesitate. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:05.279 He jumps right into it. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:09.839 He straight up just quotes quotes scripture as his answer. 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:22.079 Jesus takes this challenge from the religious elite, the question that was meant to trap him, and he gives them what they were asking for, the greatest commandment, quoting directly from Deuteronomy 6. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:38.640 Says Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, 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. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:46.720 He gives them the most foundational commandment from the Old Testament, which is known as the Shema. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.599 This is something that everyone would have known. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.559 It was the daily ritual to recite the Shema. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:56.799 They would have known this like we know the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:05.920 This was a very important part of Scripture to everyone that was present, uh, that they held so dearly and they were supposedly following. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:09.519 To love the Lord with everything. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:17.839 This is really where I want to take a step out of walking through the story and really sit in for a few minutes. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:23.759 All of the context, all of the things that were said before this leads to this very moment. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.119 Jesus quoting from Deuteronomy. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:42.240 This specific verse speaks on a few different things that would have stood out to the people that were listening. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:44.480 And Jesus does it so well. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:49.039 Jesus says that we must love the Lord our God. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:20:05.519 This is not a love like a like a marriage one, it's not filio, which is a love of attraction, but it's agapeo kind of love, which is a love of intelligence, of the will, of purpose, of choice, of sacrifice, of obedience. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:13.920 The type of love that we are being called to have for our Creator is not one where we bat our eyes at him and just say thank you. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:17.359 But one where we buckle up and get to work. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:28.559 The type of love that we are being called to have for our God is one that takes hard work, is one that is difficult, uh, truly difficult for us to fully have. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:33.759 Because this type of love is based solely on who God truly is. 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:40.079 And the proper response to the genuine knowledge of God. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:49.839 Because if we truly are in love with Him, then there is no question on whether or not we have a gapeo love over the Philio love. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:57.839 When you properly love the Lord, you are constantly searching to extend your knowledge of him and his word and his works. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:06.400 It's kind of like when you first start talking to somebody that you want to date, and your only desire in the day is to find out a lot about this person. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:14.880 Find out their favorite cereal, find out where they grew up, what's their favorite day of the week, if they're a night shower person or a morning shower person. 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:19.599 It is an all-consuming desire for you to get to know who this person is. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:32.880 If you really think about it, that sort of desire comes along with the most by the will, by purpose, by choice, and by sacrifice. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:49.440 Maybe we're all all in on Sundays. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.200 Maybe when we have our our D group meeting, you're the best little Christian there is. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:55.759 But when you get in the car, what do you put on? 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.319 What are you reading at home? 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.599 What are you consuming on? 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.960 Online. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:04.559 Now, I'm not saying that you could never have a little bit of fun. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:08.240 I like watching a funny YouTube video as much as the next guy. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:21.200 But when I get the most distracted in what I am called to be doing, and that is loving the Lord with everything that I've got, when my outside time outside of church is majorly focused on things that are not of Scripture. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.200 I'm not even saying bad things. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:25.039 I'm saying disc off YouTube. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.920 I like to watch it. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:33.839 Maddie always pokes fun at me for this, but I also like watching the guys that like go to the restaurants to get the new food at the restaurants and they sit down and eat it and talk about it. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:35.039 Love those guys. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.559 Those are my favorite. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:41.440 But neither one of those are inherently bad. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:43.359 Not bad to watch. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:56.640 But whenever I am consuming them more than I'm reading my Bible, when I'm consuming them more than I am listening to the biblical podcast, when I am consuming them more than I am listening to worship music, my love for God seems to take a backseat. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:03.680 And that is quite literally the opposite of what is supposed to be happening. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:16.000 This morning, I really need you to reflect and determine what are the things in your life that you are pursuing that are pushing your love for the Lord on the back burner. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:18.240 They could be good things. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.200 It could be love for your family. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:24.079 They could be having fun with your children. 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:26.480 It could be going to a sports game. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:28.319 Or it could be sense. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:33.920 What in your life is causing you to push your love for God on the back burner? 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.640 Because we are called to love God first and foremost. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:42.960 But not only first and foremost, but all the way. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:47.920 With everything that we have and everything that we are. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:52.160 It's kind of like when you go to Jersey Mike's and they ask you if you want it Mike's way. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:53.839 Mike's way is all the way. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:55.519 We want it Mike's way. 00:23:56.240 --> 00:24:05.519 But Scripture says, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all of our strengths. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:10.000 We are being called here to love the Lord with everything. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:16.160 Not just with everything, but with all of everything. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:19.359 Every bit of us must be dedicated. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:26.319 It's more of the totality of our being than the specific individual aspects. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:34.400 Because in the culture back then, the heart was the very core of the person. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:35.920 It's the source of their thoughts. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.640 It's the words and the actions. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:42.319 And then the heart is truly who someone is. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:46.799 Then you add in the soul and you get the emotions in there. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:58.079 Then you add in the mind, and that embraces the will, your intentions, your purposes, and then you add in your strength, and it's the physical functions of the body. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:09.279 But all of these things, what's really important to understand, is that all of these things must be working in harmony in the direction of loving God. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:14.960 John MacArthur says this, and I think it's perfect, and I think you should write it down and remember it. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:19.680 So I'll talk slowly, or you can just copy it off the screen. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:30.559 But he says, genuine love for God is an intelligent love, an emotional love, a willing love, an acting love. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:37.920 In short, it is a comprehensive, all-consuming love and singular adoration. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:45.680 God's wholehearted love for believers must not be reciprocated with half-hearted devotion. 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:55.519 God's wholehearted love for believers must not be reciprocated with half-hearted devotion. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:11.519 Because of the love that God shows us, it is irresponsible and demeaning to return that all-powerful, all-encompassing love with fake or not full love in return. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:38.319 Because God did send his one and only son to live a perfect life, like we've been looking at in Mark, to die on our cross in our place for our sins, like we're about to see in the coming weeks, just to defeat death, defeat the grave, showing his power over Satan, gifting us all the opportunity to have eternal life with him if we just believe fully with our heart. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:53.680 It is ludicrous to know that, to hear that, and think that it's okay, that half-heartedness is what God is okay with. 00:26:55.279 --> 00:27:05.119 It's absolutely mind-blowing for us to be in the position that we are in today and think it is okay for us to not love the Lord with everything that we are. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:11.440 And yet so many of us are so comfortable with only giving a small portion of ourselves for Christ. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:15.920 You can have two hours on Sunday morning, maybe even Wednesday. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:22.000 Oh, and if there's a cool church event on another day, I might come if I don't have anything else going on. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:35.279 But we today can sit so easily every Sunday morning in church, hear God's word, hear the call to serve, and have zero drive to serve the Lord or his church. 00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:44.480 We can constantly be in search of our own desires and scoff at anything that goes against what we want or our schedule. 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:50.400 We are so comfortable as a society and a culture to ignore the things of God. 00:27:50.799 --> 00:28:01.519 We as Christians in this society so easily compartmentalize our relationship with God to when we're at church or when we read our Bible, if we read our Bible. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:08.799 So many people, that is what a relationship with God is. 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:12.160 One to pick up and put down like a book. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:14.319 When we want him, he's there. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:17.119 When we have the time for him, he's there. 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:19.440 When we need him, he's there. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:22.240 I can talk to him and I can get closer to him. 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:24.799 I can I can learn a little bit about him. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:28.880 But as soon as I don't want him anymore, I put him down. 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:34.400 As soon as that hard season of life is over, we put him down. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:37.519 Begin to search for ourselves again. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:46.079 So many of us do that. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:49.680 Either on purpose or not. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:53.359 But in reality, that is what is happening. 00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:55.680 That is the choice that you're making. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:01.119 Scripture so clearly calls us against that kind of relationship. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:07.039 This is the most important for us, most important thing for us to be doing. 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:12.079 To love the Lord with all we are and everything that we have. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.880 Jesus takes it a step further. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:20.720 The scribe only asks for one for the greatest commandment, but Jesus wanted to give them two. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:23.200 He's a little overachiever. 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:30.880 But he once again, he quotes from another passage of scripture that would have that these people would have known like the back of their hands. 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:33.279 Leviticus 19, 18. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:36.559 You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:42.000 This is linked directly to loving God with all you are. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:54.319 These are two different commandments, two different spots in Scripture, but if you actually, if you are actually and genuinely loving the Lord, you will be doing the second command naturally. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:01.839 Which perfectly combats everything that the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes are about. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:08.319 They neither loved the Lord with everything that they were, nor did they love their neighbors as themselves. 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:15.279 Jesus was calling them out while also giving them the truth that they so desperately needed to hear. 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:22.880 Jesus ends his answer, ends his response with this simple phrase. 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:31.599 Which we find in Matthew, he adds a little bit more. 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:36.880 On these two commandments depend all of the law and the prophets. 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:45.519 In other words, these two commandments sum up every law perfectly and are the foundation of all the prophets' lives and teaching. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.680 Take the Ten Commandments. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:48.720 The first four. 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:05.599 When we are properly loving God, we are perfectly keeping these commandments. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:07.839 Take the last six. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.599 Honor your father and your mother. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:16.319 You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet. 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:21.119 All pertain to the relationship from person to person. 00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:28.160 We love others properly when we are genuinely and fully following these last six commandments. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:32.240 The command is really simple. 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:37.279 Love the Lord with all of everything that you are. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:40.319 And love your neighbor. 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:52.960 The difficulty comes in, not in the understanding or the hearing or the comprehension of the command, but of the execution of the command. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:32:02.480 We hear what we're supposed to do, we know what we're supposed to do, and yet we can't get ourselves out of the way. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:04.319 It's hard. 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:16.640 Once Jesus is done talking, what happens next is not something that normally happens in these types of interactions. 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:23.200 The scribes' reaction is one that is very rare from the religious elite. 00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:27.359 So in point number three is the encouragement. 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:29.359 The encouragement. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:49.519 Jesus finishes answering the question in the most perfect and precise way possible, without blemish, without stumble, without stutter, beautifully responding with Scripture, even specifically the part of Scripture that the religious elite held the most dear. 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:57.279 Have you been here with the for the other attempts to muddy the water when it came to people's opinion on Jesus? 00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:03.599 The religious elite did not ever really react in a positive way to what Jesus had said. 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:08.160 They're mostly just upset and they were outsmarted once again. 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:13.119 And they were trying to figure out something else to try and trap him. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:15.680 But this time was a little different. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:24.480 This time, the scribe responds, answers in a way that makes you forget a little bit that he was one of the people trying to trick Jesus. 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:35.759 He almost kind of takes a step back out of his role and he looks like someone who is genuinely trying to figure out whether or not Jesus is who he says he is. 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:39.119 The scribe says, You're right. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:46.799 Which takes a lot of courage, just knowing the pressure that he must have felt from the other standing over his shoulder. 00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:56.880 He was thinking while uh the whole time Jesus was talking, going over a checklist that needed to be checked in order for them not to freak out about what Jesus said. 00:33:57.039 --> 00:34:01.279 And he was he was talking to Jesus, and Jesus ticked all of the boxes. 00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:06.559 He rightfully said that God is one, that there is no others beside him. 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:08.320 He is the one in control. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:09.360 Check. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:15.440 He rightfully said that we are to love God with all our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our strength. 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:16.400 Check. 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:20.559 He rightfully said to love one's neighbor as yourself. 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:22.320 Check. 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:29.920 He rightfully said that these commands were much more greater than all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices and traditions. 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:32.079 Check. 00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:39.679 Which is very crazy for a scribe to be admitting publicly. 00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:45.360 That what Jesus just said was absolutely right. 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:56.000 And admitting that the man-made traditions that they put in place were less important, less great than these two commandments. 00:34:56.960 --> 00:35:06.800 Because in theory, this whole process, this whole man-made portion of what they called religion is what he built his whole life upon. 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.480 That's his livelihood. 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:09.360 That's what he did. 00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:11.280 That's what he was known by. 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:17.039 And he was pushing that to the side in order to see the truth that Jesus was talking about. 00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:30.800 He was searching, and that response from Jesus just brought him a step closer to a proper relationship with God. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:39.280 Jesus, showing his immense amount of grace, responds to him saying, You are not far from the kingdom of God. 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:48.639 He saw in this man something that he did not in many, if not all of the other religious elite that was questioning him. 00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:54.960 Jesus took the time to encourage this man. 00:35:56.880 --> 00:36:06.480 Jesus was confirming that he was going on the right train of thought, that he was getting ever so close to the actual truth. 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:09.760 He was not quite there, but he was close. 00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:13.199 Which is normally a really scary place to be. 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:23.920 Most of the time when we're talking about someone being close but not there yet, we're talking about those people that are in church who think that they're saved but are not actually saved. 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:27.039 They're close to Christ, but yet so far away from him. 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:34.639 But this is encouraging because this scribe is searching and he is getting closer and closer and closer. 00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:43.199 He's not taking steps away from Christ, or he is not stagnant where he is at, but he is actively moving towards Christ. 00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:49.599 And what an amazing place to be, to be actively moving towards Christ. 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:58.559 In closing, I think there are many things that we can learn from this passage. 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:01.920 I want us to look at three. 00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:09.760 The first is that there is nothing that we can do that will trick or surprise God. 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:17.599 These religious men were so caught up in trying to trick Jesus that they lost sight of who Jesus was. 00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:25.119 They blinded themselves from the glory of God because of their own selfishness and bitterness. 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:32.480 Jesus was never going to be tricked, and he was not surprised by any of the questions that they had to ask him. 00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:40.000 Likewise, whether you think you are whatever you think you are hiding from God, he knows. 00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:46.239 He is not surprised, and he is not tricked by the silly games that you try to play with him. 00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:55.679 Number two, is we must love God with all we are. 00:37:56.239 --> 00:38:04.960 Now, this is pretty obvious based on what we just walk through, but this is the greatest commandment that we have in our lives. 00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:11.840 To love the Lord your God with all our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength. 00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:14.320 Fully dedicated to Him. 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:23.039 Number three is that the Lord knows your heart. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:29.679 Jesus knew how this scribe was going to respond long before this man was ever born. 00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:38.000 Jesus knew that this scribe was searching or at least willing to listen before he even opened his mouth to question Jesus. 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:49.679 And just like Jesus knew this scribe, he knows you. 00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:56.559 He knows exactly who you are, which is a very exciting thing. 00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:59.679 Unless you're hiding things from him. 00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:03.679 The Lord knows your heart. 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:09.440 He knows whether or not you are actually dedicated to him. 00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:15.920 Whether or not you are loving him in the way that we are so clearly called to love him. 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:30.800 I forgot to mention this to Darren, but as as the praise team comes back up, uh I want you to look again to yourself. 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:39.440 Are you like the religious elite and stagnant in your relationship with God? 00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:49.519 Not desiring to grow or change from your ways, making the the relationship all about you rather than about him. 00:39:53.039 --> 00:40:06.559 Whether you're you're saved and you're a child of God and you're just comfortable, whether you're not saved and you don't care to learn more, you don't care to dig in. 00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:15.360 Or are you like the scribe who is searching for a deeper relationship with God? 00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:28.800 Again, whether you sit here this morning saved from your sins, adopted into the family of God, or you sit here this morning as someone who still needs Jesus. 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:34.719 Take a step closer to Jesus this morning. 00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:45.199 Whether that's finally saying, Yes, Lord, I believe you are who you say you are, or that's putting away just one more thing in your life. 00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:55.039 Take a step closer to loving the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength. 00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:59.840 It will be the best decision you could ever make.