November
5, 2000
Mark 12:28-34
One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges
of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers,
he put in his question: "Which is most important of all the
commandments?"
Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel:
The Lord you God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion
and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second:
'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other
commandment that ranks with these."
The religion scholar said, "A wonderful answer, Teacher!
So lucid and accurate -- that God is one and there is no other.
And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and
loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that's better
than all offerings and sacrifices put together!"
When Jesus realized how insightful he was, he said, "You're
almost there, right on the border of God's kingdom.
After that, no one else dared ask a question.
"THE MESSAGE"
=======
1.
The typical answer from Jesus expands our thinking. The most important
becomes two important commandments. How to move our thinking from
one layer of thoughts to another is a spiritual task set before
us all. It is the dividing line between being a beginner in the
faith, a liquids-drinker, to becoming mature in the faith, a solids-eater.
It is this lateral kind of thinking, not the linear, which measures
our nearness to the "kindom" of God where both Pharisee
and Jesus link up.
2.
In these days when religion is getting a some play in the national
elections, it is important to raise the question of what folks
think these two key commandments mean. They are now easily dropped
from lips, but putting some flesh on them is much more difficult.
They have become buzz-words and the source of material for spin
doctors. We need to think these through rather than just let them
sound good.
3.
How do we love God and Neighbor and still allow hunger and ignorance
to flourish? How do we love God and Neighbor and not be advocates
for the diversity of creation to be appreciated and honored? How
do we love God and Neighbor without being challenged by God in
seeing a neighbor as family and being challenged by our neighbors
to see God beyond the ways we have previously seen God?