1	The Most Important Things Mark 12:28-34
2	THE FIRST AND GREATEST… The Tuesday before the Crucifixion- The Day of Questions. The Most Important questions ever asked: What are the most important things to God? What does it take to inherit Eternal Life? -- -Luke 10 What does the Lord require of a man? -Micah 6:8
3	Mark 12:28-31 “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 …’”
4	Mark 12:31-34 ‘“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 …”’
5	Mark 12:34 “‘are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.” (NIV)
6	The Most Important Things #1 The Confrontation of Jesus by the Lawyer-Pharisee
7	613 COMMANDMENTS IN THE LAW 613 Commandments Positive-248 -God’s Provision Negative-365 -God’s Protection The GREATEST and 1^ST COMMANDMENT LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… -Deuteronomy 6:4-9
8	Matthew 22:37-38 The Lawyer’s question: What is the -Megalos-Great commandment of the law? Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the First and Greatest Commandment.” Greatest-Megalos - Highest, Most Important First-Protone - 1^st in Order
9	The Most Important Things #2 The Greatest Commandment of God
10	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… The Shema- The Heart of the Hebrew Law, Worship, and Life. Why are we here? The Number One need in Human life is to LOVE and be LOVED. You shall Love the Lord your God with ALL YOUR…(Jesus uses the phrase 4 times)
11	The Most Important Things #3 The Clarifying of God’s Highest Priority
12	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… WITH ALL YOUR HEART-(Cardios) - With Pure Devotion-Faithfully committed to Him from the center of your mind, emotions and will. Colossians 3:22/Matthew 12 & 15 WITH ALL YOUR SOUL-(Psuche)-Full of Passion, with all your Personhood. Colossians 3:23
13	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… WITH ALL YOUR MIND (Dianoia)- Thorough-ly Considered- Meditation and Moral Reflection, Knowing and Understanding. Romans 12:1-2/Colossians 3:1-4/II Cor. 10:5
14	Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s Mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
15	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH (Ischus)- Fully Lived Out –ALL that you do brings glory to God-Words, Deeds, Activities, Lifestyle. Colossians 3:17,23-24/ I Cor. 6:9-20
16	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… ONLY HEART IS SENTIMENTALISM ONLY SOUL IS EMOTIONALISM ONLY MIND IS INTELLECTUALISM ONLY STRENGTH IS LEGALISM
17	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… 24/7/365
18	Matthew 22:40 “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” All the LAW All the PROPHETS In these two commandments all of God’s purpose for mankind is found. #1 -LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOU ARE. #2 -LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
19	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… The GREATEST MOTIVE for LOVING GOD is HIS LOVE for you. I John 3:1-3 I John 4:19 John 3:16-18 John 13:34-35
20	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… “This is how God showed His love: God sent His only Son into the world so we might live through Him. This it the kind of love we are talking about – not that we once upon a time loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.” The Message-I John 4:9-10
21	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… …On Intimacy with God. “We are only as close to God as we want to be. Most of us aren’t willing to pay the price to get much closer than we are right now.” - J. Oswald Sanders
22	LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD… 1. HEART- I love God by desiring Him above ALL things. 2. SOUL - I love God by obeying Him at ALL cost. 3. MIND - I love God by seeing the World from His perspective, with His Knowledge and Wisdom. 4. STRENGTH - I love God by serving Him and others, doing ALL I do for the glory of God. 5. From God’s Perspective: NOTHING I DO IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOVING GOD TODAY!