That First Commandment (Part A)

These in Christ are supposed to be better and stronger, which is one of the reasons why when another Christian disappoints us. It seems to be doubly painful because we expected so much more from them being sons of light.

Children of righteousness. Yet we are still saddled with the splash and in those instances is when we must love nonetheless that's one of the reasons why they wanted. Would love because it is painful to my flesh not to my spirit.

Spiritual man loves everything God has to say. Loves everything that God reveals this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio. Specifically, you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 12 as he begins his message that first commandment. We are in the gospel according to Mark chapter 12. Have your Bibles is open to the 12 chapter, we will take versus 28 to 34 then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together preceding that he had answered them well ask him which is the first commandment of all Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is here oh Israel, the Lord our God Lord is one. 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 is like it is this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. So scribe said to him, well said teacher you have spoken the truth. There is one God and there is no other but he and to love him with all your heart and all the understanding with all the soul, with all the strength to love one's neighbor as oneself is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him you are not far from the kingdom of God. But after that no one dare question him. The first commandment that first commandment. In preparation, I found myself wanting to talk about the devotional element of this section without really getting into the love part of the neighbor. My flesh wanted to skip that it's easier to love God, then some people and you can give bad reasons to God why you think you should be excused in that won't work well I guess another question you can ask yourself this, can you give a reason why you should be loved by God, why should God love you what's about you to love, mighty God then asked the question, can you give a reason why you think you should be excused, knowing that God loves you. Why should you be excused from loving those when you don't like may even be wicked and what is that mean how does that all work out. How do I love people who are wicked without justifying their wickedness. Of course the Holy Spirit will lead us through those things will balance it for us. Bottom line I think is very simple and loving the wicked. You look for an opportunity to be useful to save them. Otherwise you have to deal with them as they are in their wickedness. Otherwise, no justice could be carried out, and there is no reason that God should love us except God's love himself and takes an entire Christian life to approach that to develop it we obey God, not to be loved, but because we are loved why we obey God we know where love that's in his spiritual response to a spiritual thing. All of these things are superlative when you put them next to regular things things in Christ are supposed to be better and stronger, which is one of the reasons why when another Christian disappoints us.

It seems to be doubly painful because we expected so much more from them being sons of light. Children of righteousness. Yet we are still saddled with this flesh and in those instances is when we must love nonetheless. And that's one of the reasons why they wanted to who would love because it is painful to my flesh not to my spirit. Spiritual man loves everything God has to say.

Loves everything that God reveals it is that old nature that rears its ugly head and defies everything that is right is any chance that he gets and I spend my life as every Christian does fighting back. Paul told the creation of the Galatians, you know, the flesh and spirit, the irreconcilable, these two are contrary to one another. They war without end and you have no right to get tired of fighting the flesh, not to your benefit. That's why the most important command, not first in listing are others listed the 10 Commandments you shall have no other gods before him.

Indira's not talking about as being listed. It's talking about its value course within the first commandment is this commandment so we have a lot to talk about this section from the section verse 28 then one of the scribes came in. Having heard them reasoning together preceding that he answered them well ask him which is the first commandment of all or the first part part of verse 28 then one of the scribes came in. Having heard them reasoning together because Christ did faces. Coalition of attacks with questions and challenges. Any he beat them all back using Scripture with Scripture that they were expected to know and honor and carry out they did not. Will this particular scribe belong to the that scholastic group of of Jews concerning the word of God. Witness this, and he was impressed impressed by what he heard of all those that challenge the Lord. This one, this scribe seems sincere with his credibility will loaded question. It would question designed to discredit the Lord if not get him arrested as they eventually will these scribes in these Pharisees and Sadducees and the Herodian's the lawyers of the law. These scholars had endless debates about all sorts of things from the Bible, the Old Testament and New Testament was not yet did not yet exist, and they question themselves, which is the first command which is the most which one has the most weight. They counted 613 commandments of Moses, just Moses they would debate them in the early days of the Jews. The ceremonial laws were deemed most important. But then, as the people begin to drift from serving the Lord and into idolatry.

And with that with their morals would follow the prophets, the writing profits then penned their revelations for others to read and then shifted the weight from the ceremonial laws to the moral laws to behavior what's what's what it what is it now Scripture that is important right now.

Well, if you lived in the days of Jezebel. It was dealing with the idolatry all of a sudden you are arguing about you know which holiday. This is more is deeper than the other. Now you were discussing who we are supposed to obey the 10 Commandments. Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah and all the rest of they dealt with these these things in the day of Christ, though. Now what was happening they were debating the Sabbath they were debating tithing and dietary laws and purification rights while neglecting the more vital aspect of faith of beliefs, justice, morality, mercy, truth and faith. These things were susceptible to also we can begin to argue the silliest things as Christians and pass right by the essential things that first commandment, Jesus in speaking about this kind of thing concerning these scholars in Matthew 23 said woe to you, that's you can't overemphasize that wall coming from this this one, this Jesus Christ. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, your for your actors act like your hole you act like you're interested in God you act this way, but you did not.

That's what he means by hypocrites. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites will you pay tithes and mint and Nice and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone yeah you supposed to follow all of all of the law.

The ceremonies the Jews were to follow those ceremonies, but they were not supposed to leave weightier matters of the law undone which is what they were doing and is why they were such a problem and could not receive their Messiah as they were faking to this day, some do suppose that tithing Lord good deeds satisfies their obligations there. I gave a lot of money to that church that I would do anything else. While there, I do this to the war and I do this at the food pantry to whatever it is, it may be and they think that they are excused now from the weightier matters of the faith that first commandment is not by accident in the title. I have that first commandment. Put little emphasis a little different to it for us so we don't lose it because we too familiar with these things Jesus spoke to the church at Ephesus to John and the revelation he said to the church… You doing a lot of stuff down there that you can't even stand the liars that come down is a lot of an apostle and then not you deal with those guys right on, but I got something against you, and it's big. In fact, it's a dealbreaker because of you know fix this one all the others are going to go away. In fact, if you don't fix this when I'm going to leave you in darkness. I'm going to take your lampstand from you and why was it was love you left your first love.

That commandment you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. You're supposed to throw everything you have into this and you have not been doing it doing these other things in my name without loving.

So what good are they there because if you don't have love, what do we have where we left with so this scribe was sincere or sinister in his question, and I think that the story makes it clear he was sincere is not looking to trip up the Lord not trying to discredit him, but actually interested why having observed how he handled Scripture. This man was attracted to that because he understood.

You can have all the church you want with all the music you want. If you take away the word of God.

You don't have church anymore. You have to have God would God says that's what the Bible is, it's what God says and it is forceful and it is effective in one of the most discouraging things about pastoral ministry is that are in the early years you think you going to bring the word and it's going to change things on such a level and people are just going to line up and get it and do what they're supposed to do and then you find out it is a knockdown drag out fight but as painful as that is. And it is very painful worth it is worth the grass withers, the flowers fade word of God stands forever. Christians come, Christians go with the word of God stands forever pastors they come, they go. Work continues on because it is the power of God is the Holy Spirit in these works are not in vain. If there be love. Love hurts, love is painful and on for one minute think that it is not love.

Put skin in the game.

I love that I don't have pain and I hate when I do have pain as you you know Satan said to God about Job you won't let me hurt him skin for skin put some skin in the game. Let's see if he still loves you.

Job did make some outstanding to us.

It is impressive that this man, this scribe that he got it and what that did as it took away the excuses of all the others who did not. If he could appreciate if he could value the answers of Christ from Scripture what was the problem with every body else question and is it's a matter that we should be mindful when we find ourselves critics we find ourselves troublemakers or unhappy, we should ask ourselves, what about others, whether that you know how come that they are handling this well why can I handle it well. So again, his reaction demonstrated not only his sincerity but his integrity, and the Holy Spirit captures what he has to say instead of just ignoring his response when he said the law well done, well said is that of God single who cares what you think of what Christ said oh God says I want you to see what this man reaction was, I showed you the -ones. Here's a positive one. You only need to give us one he says here in verse 28, perceiving that he had answered them well and that of course that is him respecting the Lord's handling of attackers. Attackers was the issue with unbelievers today when they come across the words of Christ.

How can you refute them there. To me there irrefutable. You can't beat them, the wisdom, logic, the truth, the conviction behind him. That's one thing that God's word brings that I don't think any other religious writing brings all as it is a conviction and that conviction is you are guilty you have been tried. You have been weighed and found wanting. When the handwriting appeared in Daniel's day many many tech Liu Farson it was you are busted and you know it that's what it was all about is whether the king's knees knocked against one against the other is terrified sent for Daniel. There was no conviction was able cares. That's impressive.

Oculus, the party and it says here that he asked him which is the first commandment of all first in value again. What is, where is the one with the weight. Where is the one that you cannot do without better understand God. You have to understand Scripture that's the point. That's what you know we want to understand.

I want this question asked Rabbi because I want to understand God better and it is.

Anyway, I'm going to understand him if I have any chance that that is going to come through his word. Oh, I can get the beginnings of it. There are other ways to begin to see God to begin to see God. But I want to develop that and enter into this relationship got to hear what he says and I gotta understand enough of it. Decades later, Luke will write about scholastic Gentiles.

All they did was spend their time arguing points wanted. They love to hear themselves talk, and they would judge others and posture themselves some dislike these Jewish scholars didn't want point is, not only did the Jews do these kind of things you pretend to be religious and tend to be intelligent before God without vital ingredients of love and submission and sincerity and integrity. Acts chapter 17 Luke just make this quick process, and when Paul had to deal with these these guys he says for all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time and nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing so they could never really enter into the depths of what God had for man the knowledge the relationship they stay with us on the surface what they thought they were deep. Verse 29 Jesus answered the first of all the commandments is here oh Israel Yahweh our God Yahweh is one, just incidentally, with these quoting Deuteronomy 6 and there the word in Deuteronomy 6.

In the Hebrew for one is a compound one not an absolute one, which is lends to the Trinity and its Elohim portal for God.

And so even in Deuteronomy 6. For you have this coming attraction, we could say of the Trinity in the Old Testament there are other places but that's one, but this is known as the Jewish theme of the Jewish lesson up this realm.

Listen up here oh Israel, they called it the Shema, the devout Jew would recite it three times a day twice a day for me three sections of Scripture twice a day here. Deuteronomy 64 numbers 1513 through 41 and again. Deuteronomy 1113 through 21 they would take these verses and they would write portions of them and put them in little boxes and wrap them around their arm or tie them around the up on the four head call phylacteries because they believe this was the weight of their Scripture and they were not entirely wrong but what did they door that after a while, it just became a showpiece. True faith in God, the God of the Bible is centered in man's resolve not man's feelings, your faith is not about your falcon have feelings. I am a little nervous, like around people who are mostly driven because they just don't think they stop thinking, and they just feel and that means they block out others. Others may not feel what they feel. Yet they demand they be put under the same guidelines or whatever is going on and I don't want to be that guy. But at the same time I'm not a stick.

I want to be able to feel things to but I want them to be right and when I've got hello the lights are all of where they need to be all the dials and knobs are on the settings they need to be, then I can have my my brains and my feelings. I can have all of me begin to work in unison. I got that rhythm now with truth and with who I am in Christ. So the Old Testament as well as New Testament centers on man's will not his desire to you know not what man wants to resolve of man when faced with the will of God is that individual going to submit Christian love Christian devotion is the pursuit of obedience whether it gets there or not it pursues. Nonetheless, regardless of how I feel. I know what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed up or to pursue obedience. This word means a lot to me.

What would Christ to think this is the first word. If the feelings were central to my walk with Christ and Christ could never command me to love.

Love agape love Christian love Divine love is not an act of the emotions. It is an act of the will my soul YM me my decision to follow, and love. This type of love is. It's not only emotional but in fact it doesn't have to be emotional at all. I know what I'm supposed to do what I like it or not. I love a person ready to preach the gospel to that person, whether I like them or not, whether they have hurt me or not. If I have an opportunity to share the truth of God. Hatred would would withhold it love would disperse it as painful as it might be in others have gone down this road and they have pulled it off if done it so God's word is centered in the will to comply to surrender God has no plan of salvation for the un-surrendered life.

It belongs to those who say he must increase, I must decrease. God must get larger in me and I must get smaller and that is a good plan because the results is nothing like it when you look at a man like Daniel. And you say how do you get to be like Daniel well then you have to decrease Yahweh has to increase.

This is a story Yahweh of the Old Testament Jesus Christ in the New Testament same person verse 30 of Mark 12 and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind with all your strength. This is the first commandment within this great exhortation and commandment within this profound answer. That is just easy enough for all of us to repeat and to understand there's the great invitation of God to love us and for us to love him back. God can be loved by sinners because God is love. And so, again, he says, you shall love Yahweh was the most important Jesus that you should love Yahweh who is Yahweh, Jesus Christ. We know that the New Testament develops. They had not yet gotten their effect today. Two of the reasons the Jews will say Jesus could not be the Messiah will one is that he made himself equal with God, all you following the Old Testament should be called wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father impeached your own Scripture. Your Old Testament has it, then the other one. They says he did not destroy the Romans. We covered that so much already going through Mark how they refuse this man's authority because they wanted to dictate in turn they cannot be Messiah if he doesn't do what we say they lost as a result they hold us to this day. To this day. Judaism stands by these two points and rejecting Jesus as Messiah move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast.

When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark right here on cross reference radio