December 16
Red Letters: Why So Complicated?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 @ 1:19 pm by Josh Burcham
I’ve read these verses over and over again and have blogged about them numerous times, but as I read this section of God’s Word I noticed something interesting. And I’m guessing you might have missed it as well:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘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 is this: ‘Love your neighbor 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 neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
”When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34
Now these are Jewish people and sacrifices and burnt offering are the focus for forgiveness and God’s graces. They were sacred. Jesus came with the message of Love God, Love people. And it floored the people in the crowd. The end of of verse 34, “And from then on no on dared ask him any more questions.”
Matthew 22:46 puts it, “No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.”
613 Jewish commands summed up into two. Following those commands was simple, they didn’t have to remember any longer, they just had to do. Love God, Love People.
The simpleness floored them. “No one was able to answer Him a word…”
Why do we still try to complicate Christianity? Being a Christ-follower is simple, Love God, Love People. Lets keep it simple and start living those commands.
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