Mark 12:28–31 (NKJV)
“Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments 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.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Introduction
Now, in our text this morning, we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. The people in the Old Testament to whom this commandment was first given could not have done what this command requires. And even today, the natural man cannot do this. Why? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. And Matthew 15:19 tells us that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts and all manner of sinful actions. That kind of heart cannot love as this command requires.
So it is necessary to have a shift in the heart first. But for that shift to take place, a shift in the spirit must first take place.
The Necessary Shift in the Spirit
First Corinthians 2:14 tells us that, “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” So for this heart shift, we have to be able to receive the things of the Spirit of God.
It is necessary for us to have a spiritual shift. We need the Holy Spirit living in us to be able to receive the things of God. Only the person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells is able to love God as this text commands.
The Kind of Love This Command Requires
And the love spoken of here is that unconditional, unselfish, benevolent love that is willfully given and given with joy. It is a love given with nothing expected in return.
Can you love like that? No. Only God can. And He has given us His Spirit so we can love Him and love others like that too.
A Call to Walk in Obedience
If you are a believer, if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have had the necessary shift in your spirit and in your heart. And you are able to obey this commandment to love God and love your neighbor.
Are you doing so? Am I doing so? Are we doing so? Do we desire to do that?
Remember, obedience is better than sacrifice. So walk in obedience and strive to do what this command says, knowing there is no other commandment greater than this.
We have had the necessary shift in our hearts and in our spirits, so we have no excuse for not obeying this commandment. The only thing is, we have to desire to honor God by doing what He says.
Prayer
So, Father God, we thank You for this brief word that encourages us to do what You have called us to do, knowing that it is You who lives in us, willing and working to do of Your good pleasure.
Many things You ask us to do, we cannot do in our flesh. We cannot do it in our own strength, and You know that. So You give us Your Spirit, and Your Spirit lives in us.
Through Him we can do all things. We pray that we will strive and decide to please You by doing the things that You command us to do, so that You can be well pleased with us and we can leave a legacy for others to follow that will be pleasing in Your sight.
So we thank You for this word, Father God. We leave now with confidence, knowing that You love us, You love us unconditionally, and You desire what is best for us.