OUR GOD IS THE ONLY GOD

Mark 12:28-34
Key Verse: Mark 12:29 – “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

Here’s an end to one amazing debate section which Jesus had with the Jewish leaders. In chapters 11 and 12, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. He drove out those who were buying and selling, saying that God’s house should be a house of prayer. He also disturbed their hearts with the parable of the tenants, culminating in the statement that they have rejected the cornerstone of their salvation. These actions and statements made the religious leaders furious, and they began to challenge Jesus’ authority.

They tried to trap Jesus with difficult questions. Pharisees asked whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. Sadducees asked him about the resurrection. They were not willing to learn the truth. They only want to make Jesus stumble in front of the people, or worse still, go against the Roman government. But Jesus answered every question with wisdom from God’s Word.

Now another teacher of the law approached Jesus. Unlike others, he seems to have a sincere attitude. He had been listening to Jesus’ answers and recognized that Jesus was speaking wisely. So he took the opportunity to settle the great confusion in his heart about what’s the most important commandment. This was a significant question because there were hundreds of religious regulations and traditions. Which one was most important?

Jesus gave what might sound like a simple answer. Jesus said; ‘the Lord is one.’ ‘Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, mind and strength.’ ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus reminded us to worship and obey the one true God. He then summarized all laws into two: love God and love people. Within the sermon, I want you to also listen for one important instruction to believers today, that helps you fulfil the will of God every time – The Holy Spirit.

• 1. THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE

Can we read verse 29: “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

Jesus lifted this quote exactly from Deuteronomy 6:4. This was known as the Shema (shuh-MA), from the Hebrew word meaning “hear.” It means to pay attention to a very important detail.
What must they hear? “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Just like saying: There is only one true God! Make no mistakes! Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God is the Creator. Everything we have comes from him. Our life, our breath, our abilities, our income supply, our relationships and everything in creation ultimately belong to him. (Thank God for Young Adults Friday 6:30pm Bible Study at Livingston R301 – Noah’s Lab)

God is the one and only Creator of the universe, yet people have always been tempted to worship something other than the Creator. This is idolatry. An idol is anything we put in God’s place. Today we may not bow down to statues, but modern idols are everywhere. Money can become an idol. Career can become an idol. Academic achievement can become an idol. A relationship can become an idol. Popularity, comfort, games/entertainment, political power, possessions or even our own children can become idols when we give them the place that belongs only to God.
The danger is that we gradually begin to live for something created instead of for the Creator. God gave some commands to guide our relationship with Him.

The Ten Commandments.

The first, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

The second, “You shall not make for yourself an idol.”

The third, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.”

The fourth, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

The fifth, “Honor your father and your mother.”

The sixth, “You shall not murder.”

The seventh, “You shall not commit adultery.”

The eighth, “You shall not steal.”

The ninth, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

The tenth, “You shall not covet.”

It is helpful to see the Ten Commandments as having two great directions: The first four commandments teach us how to love and honor God. The last six commandments teach us how to love people: Honor your parents. Protect life. Be faithful. Respect property. Speak the truth. Do not covet what belongs to others.

Christian love is like a cross. The vertical direction points toward God, and the horizontal direction points toward people. So Jesus summarized the whole law in these two commandments: love God and love your neighbor.

There are many voices in the world telling us where to find truth, happiness and salvation. But there is one true God and one Savior, Jesus Christ. Knowing the one true God gives us eternal life. Jesus said in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Story: John R. Mott (YMCA – serving leader, Young Men’s Christian Association; Nobel Peace Prize co-winner 1946) led the Student Volunteer Movement about 100 years ago. In a message titled, “The Power of Jesus Christ in the Life of a Student,” (London, 1905) he compared a sinner’s condition to that of a man cast into a lake who cannot swim. Then he suggested what the major religious leaders might say to this man:
What is the best word Confucius has for this sinking man? ‘Profit by your experience.’
What’s Buddha’s message for the sinking man? ‘Struggle.’
Hinduism told the man? ‘You may have another opportunity in the next incarnation.’
Then Mohammed says? ‘Whether you sink or whether you survive it is the will of God.’
And what does Jesus Christ say? ‘Take my hand.’

There is all the difference in the world between his answer and that of other religions and so-called saviors. It is the difference between sinking and being led onto solid rock. The truth is: only Jesus saves. The one true God sent his one and only Son to save us. Our God is the only true God! Hallelujah!

2. LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR BEING

Verse 30: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Now we are ready to hear what the Lord our God wants from His creation?
Notice the word “all.” All your heart. All your soul. All your mind. All your strength. God does not want just some aspects of your life. He does not want only a Sunday portion of our lives. He wants our whole person, and He deserves it – He’s Creator, Our one true God. 

What does it mean to love God with all our heart? It means that God becomes first in our desires and affections.
To love God with all our soul means that our whole life belongs to him.
To love God with all our mind means that we seek to know him, think according to his truth and allow his Word to shape our mindset/worldview.
To love God with all our strength means that our time, energy, abilities, resources are available to him. (career, money, ..help me list a few other things relating to strength..)

This sounds impossible. And if we look honestly at ourselves, we realize that we often fall short. Sometimes we love God but also love self and the world much. Sometimes we know what God wants but choose what we want instead. Sometimes we worship God with our lips while our hearts are occupied with other things.

When you understand God’s love for you, you find the secret to love. 1John 4:19 says “We love because he first loved us.” He is not asking us to do what’s impossible. God loved us first! The climax of His love was to send Christ to die for our sins. So when I see the cross, my heart is moved with His love and to love. When I understand that Jesus loved me and took all my gory punishment because of my sins, I am energized to love him and obey Him.

John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.” Our obedience is an expression of our love. Imagine a husband saying to his wife, “I love you,” but continually ignoring everything she says. His words would eventually become meaningless. Genuine love listens. Genuine love responds. Genuine love seeks the good of the one who is loved.

In the same way, when we love Jesus, we want to hear his Word, obey him, and make Him feel good. (Teach Bible – there is much joy in heaven when one sinner repents).

3. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

Jesus gave the second commandment in verse 31: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Jesus joins together love for God and love for people. We cannot say, “I love God, but I don’t care about people.” 1John 4:20 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.” Why? Because God himself has shown us what love looks like. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God did not wait until we became lovable. He loved us when we were sinners. Therefore, we are called to love all people, even those who may not seem deserving of our love. Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This is impossible through ordinary human strength. Our natural tendency is to love those who love us and reject those who hurt us. But the love of Christ changes our hearts.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Think about how naturally we care for ourselves. When we are hungry, we eat. When we are tired, we rest. When we are in trouble, we want someone to help us.

Jesus calls us to have that same concern for others. A fellow student who is lonely may need friendship. A coworker who is struggling may need someone to listen and pray with them. A family member may need patience and understanding from the family as they gradually grow better. Someone who has wandered from God may need someone to share the Word of God with them. These are some practical ways we may express our love for another.

I think Bro. Sylvester might have a big testimony of the meaning of ‘love your neighbor’ through his scooter accident a few weeks ago. For many, losing a tooth as a teenager or adult is a big deal, because after 13 (me: thirTEEn), you cannot naturally regrow teeth. So Sylvester must have felt much physical and emotional pain from that accident. But thank God for each one of you that has practiced love for your neighbor. Many brethren showed up for him in tremendous and practical ways; for transporting, accompanying, consoling, settling bills, and many prayed for his comfort. I believe his heart is filled with the testimony that he felt an agape love from everyone. Thank God for the agape love we receive from each other in NJUBF. A true testament that we also tasted the agape love of Jesus.

It should not always be about benefits, “What can I get from this relationship?” Instead, Christian love asks, “How can I help this person? How can I encourage and serve them? How can I lead them toward Christ?” When we love God, his love begins to flow through us toward others.

4. NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM

(32-33) The teacher of the law responded: “Well said, teacher. 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 neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Through Jesus’ simplified teaching of the law, this man understood something very important. He understood that God does not merely want religious activity. He wants our hearts. A person can attend worship, offer sacrifices, know Bible verses and participate in religious activities while still failing to love God and others.

Jesus saw his understanding and said in verse 34: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” What a remarkable statement! Jesus did not say, “You have arrived.” He said, “You are not far.” There is a difference between understanding God’s commandment and entering God’s kingdom. Knowing the truth is important. But we must receive Jesus and live according to the truth for us to be in His Kingdom.

The teacher of the law was closer than the Pharisees because he was willing to listen. The Pharisees often wanted to prove themselves righteous. This man recognized the true purpose of God’s law through Jesus’ answer, and he reckoned. Jesus commended his humble learning attitude.

5. BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Now, what is one important instruction to believers today, to help us fulfil the will of God every time? How can we live a successful life of loving God and loving people? The important factor is this; ‘be led by the Holy Spirit.’
We cannot simply try hard by our actions to love God or people. We know how hard it is if you want to please everyone/people (you know, that’s why some people prefer to have pets instead of having to deal with human friends/family). And it is much more difficult to please God by your efforts. As a matter of fact, it is impossible to love/please God by your human works or by trying to fulfil all the laws you can find (see number of laws: O.T ~ 613, N.T >1,000).

But thank God! (Somebody say thank God!) God has given believers something greater than a list of rules. He has given us the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:4 teaches that the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16,18 – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

The Christian life is not merely, “Here are ten commandments; try your best.” Rather, God puts his Spirit within us and changes us from the inside, and each day we live, not exactly focused on laws, but on guidance/instructions from The Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to love God. The Holy Spirit enables us to love people. The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ words and gives us strength to obey. Do not live your Christian life seeking all the sets of rules to keep. Rather, depend on the Holy Spirit.
Each morning we can pray, “Holy Spirit, lead me today. Help me love God with all my heart. Help me love the people you bring into my life. Help me become more like Jesus.”

When the Spirit leads us, we can forgive when we want to hold a grudge. We can serve when we want to be served. We can tell the truth when lying seems easier. We can remain faithful when temptation comes. We can give when selfishness tells us to keep everything for ourselves. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION

My brothers and sisters. “Hear, O people of God. The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” There is only one true God. Let us worship him alone, love him with all our heart and strength, and let us love our neighbors as ourselves. We may feel that this is difficult to do. It is difficult if we depend on ourselves. But we do not walk alone. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer. So let us surrender ourselves to the Spirit each day. Let us listen to God’s Word, pray, repent when we sin, and ask the Spirit to lead us every moment. May our lives become a living testimony that the Lord our God is one. May God help each of us to know the greatest commandment, and live it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Key Verse: Mark 12:29 – “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

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