The Great Commandment
Jesus said: '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
Francis of Assisi was terrified of leprosy (it was considered contagious in those days). One day he was travelling along a narrow path when he saw a leper coming toward him. Immediately he recoiled inside, shuddering from the thought of the contamination of that dreadful disease of the dead flesh and open sores . . . .
It is obvious to anyone who reads about the life of Francis of Assisi that he loved God, and many of us would say that we love God, but what difference does it make to our lives?
The porpose statement of the Goldfields Alliance Church is to know and love God, and to bring others to know and love Him. This statement mirrors the concept in the great commandment given in Mk 12:30-31.
There are two main points in this passage:
I. LOVE GOD
A. With All Your Heart (emotions, feelings ) touching God. Weep, laugh, be content. Let God touch your heart. Give God permission to touch your heart.
B. With All Your Soul (essence, core of being) living for God. The soul rejoices, grieves, delights, is afflicted, sorrows, magnifies.
Matt 10:28-29 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt 16:26. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Heb 4:12. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
C. With All Your Mind (reason) knowing God.
D. With All Your Strength (ability) serving God.
II. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR
A. Who is my neighbour?
Matt 10:29-36 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?"
B. Loving yourself
This is difficult - most people do not love themselves.
C. Loving your neighbour as God loves us
Jn 15:12,13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
Mtt 25:34-46 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
CONCLUSION
Loving God is loving people.
. . . . Francis suddenly felt ashamed and ran and threw his arms around the leper and kissed his sores and passed on. A moment later he looked back and there was no one there, just an empty path.
Francis was sure that the man was not a leper, but Jesus. Whatever happened on that day, we know that God's word says whatever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to Me.