SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” —Luke 10:26-27

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children, and the second married the widow and died, leaving no children, and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”

Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead but of the living; you are quite wrong.”

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall 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, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” —Mark 12:19-31

And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us. —1 John 3:19-24

Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers, to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.

Honor widows who are really widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents, for this is pleasing in God’s sight. The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach. And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. —1 Timothy 5:1-8

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God,[a] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. —Romans 12:19-21

SESSION VIDEO :: THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT (Mark Moore)

KEY POINTS

1. The greatest command is to love God with all we are and with all we possess.
   

2. Loving God, fearing God, honoring God, and obeying God are all synonymous.
   

3. Practically speaking, the only real way to love God is to care for the people we come in contact with.
   
   
   

   ---

FOR REFLECTION

1. What’s an area of your life where you receive commands? Who gives them, what is the expectation that they are carried out, and what is the follow up?
   

2. Do you issue commands? Who are they issued to, what is the reason for them, and what motivates you to issue them?
   

3. How are commands received differently when they are motivated by fear, duty, desire to gain, or love? Which of these four things best describes the motivation you have to follow God’s commands and why?
   

4. What does it mean to love God with each of the following: all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength?
   

5. Read 1 John 3:19-24. What left an impression on you as you read this passage? How should we live because of what we read?
   

6. Read 1 Timothy 5:1-8. What observations can you make here about how we are to care for people? What does this look like in today’s world? What does verse 8 suggest?
   

7. We can come across some very unlovable people. Are we called to love all people with the same kind of love? Use your definitions from question 1. Is there a difference in how we treat believers and non-believers? What is the difference between like and love?
   

8. Read Romans 12:9-21. What are some ways we are called to put love into action? Which is the greatest challenge for you? Which are you most passionate about?
   
   
   

   ---

ACTION STEP

As a group, strategize one corporate act of kindness you could do in your community.

TO DO THIS WEEK

THURSDAY
Read the essay.

OVERACHIEVER CHALLENGE
Memorize Deuteronomy 6:4–5.