Young Adults' Group

“You Shall Love The Lord Your God”

by Pastor Mark
January 11, 2018

A central focus for the year

Last Saturday, we had our first combined fellowship groups meeting for the year. Pastor Charles set for each group a most important central focus. It is about loving God. Loving God is something all of us should learn to do. From the young to the elderly, all should seek to love our wonderful God. But it is also probably one of the hardest things to do. Many tend to claim that they love God but in reality, their lives do not reflect a real love for Him. Let us be challenged to understand what it truly means to love God.

The first commandment of all

A scribe came to the Lord Jesus and asked, “Which is the first commandment of all?” (Mark 12:28) Being an expert in the law, the scribe knew all the commandments and asked which one ranked first. But Jesus did not answer his question, “Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Mark 12:29) Jesus chose to highlight an important truth that had not been fully comprehended! The word “first” is not in terms of rank but rather what is considered the most supreme. The most supreme idea is Love. It is crucial that we learn to regard loving God as the most supreme commandment.

The Lord Jesus also quoted the Shema, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The Shema is often recited by the people of Israel daily as part of their worship. The Lord is really one Lord…the one and only true God. There is no other God and we should give the highest honour to Him. He is deserving of our love. Let us place loving the Lord as the most supreme focus for our lives.

Loving the Lord with our whole being

“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.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30)

How should we love the Lord? The word “with” is best understood as “out of”. This love is meant to come out of our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Our love for the Lord should involve all areas of our being. Our heart, soul, mind and strength should be filled with love. This love should flow out of our whole being towards our Lord.

There is also a difference from what Jesus taught as compared to what was originally taught by Moses. (Deut 6:5) The Lord Jesus added the phrase “with all your mind” for good reason!

The significance is that the Lord added the use of the mind…to be able to understand things. Let us be challenged to love not only with our heart, soul and strength but also with our mind…with greater understanding.

Loving our neighbour

“And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)

Why did the Lord Jesus offer a second commandment when the scribe only asked for the first commandment? The reason is because if we truly love God, the most natural application of love is to love our neighbour. Our love for our neighbours should come naturally from our love for the Lord. If we say that we love the Lord and are not showing love towards others, are we then truly loving? Let us be challenged to love the Lord and our neighbours. Let us be challenged to love God the way in which the Lord Jesus taught us. Let us be challenged to make this focus on loving God as our central goal for 2018.

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