March 1st, 2026: Loving God, Loving Others | Mark 12:28-34, James 2:14-17

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

(1 John 4: 7-8).

What age are you spiritually?  If it sounds like an odd question, let me explain.  The lesson today can be best illustrated using the well-known stages of childhood.  Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or someone living around children, you know that at different stages of our lives, we behave differently.  God allows us a wonderful measuring stick for our own spiritual age through the lessons of children.  Newborns welcome and need our constant attention. Much like a new Christian, they are completely dependent on everything they need and sincerely desire to be fed by their parents.  At two to three years old, things start to change. Entering the terrible toddler stage is difficult for young children and for Christians meeting up with real life.  Both want to do and learn things themselves. Both learn to say NO and forget to listen to the authority around them.   They will refuse to share and stomp their feet when they are not happy. When they are not happy, then no one around them is either.  See the similarities.  From here through the teen years and into adulthood,  begins the lifelong struggle with learning, unlearning, stubbornness, and rebellion.  

The lesson today is about loving God and loving others. As we go through the lesson and use your knowledge of children, determine your age spiritually.  Are you a toddler, a teenager, or a maturing adult?  Do you want to be in control of yourself?  Do you hide your mistakes that are obviously seen by your Father in heaven?   Regardless of where you are now, where do you desire to be spiritually?  

Mark 12:28-34

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Prior to these verses, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were trying to catch Him up with their questions.  Children or immature adults do that sometimes. Hoping to ask a question just vague enough to allow them to do or get what they want.  In this scenario, we have Scribes, Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees in the crowd.  None really play well with the others, but they are all hoping to get Jesus to discredit himself or blaspheme God. They were unsuccessful. 

Finally, one scribe came and asked with a slightly different, maybe a more sincere attitude.  What is the greatest commandment (the first) commandment of all? Jesus answers the scribe with the words given to Moses and recorded in Deuteronomy.  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-6).  The most important commandment is to accept and acknowledge God.  Before you can truly love anyone or anything else, you have to know and love God. He loved us first. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2: 4-9). The scribe asking the question agreed with Jesus’ answer.  He was close to a great understanding. In fact, the Truth stood in front of him.  All the scribe had left to do was accept Jesus.  

How does one love God? Jesus said Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).  

It is the submission of our hearts to our Creator.  We listen when He says He is the authority.  We obey when He is directing our lives and teaching us through His word.  We grow and learn from Him as any child grows and learns from their parent. The difference is that with God as our Father, there are no mistakes in our training.  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10: 9-10). The first work is accepting Christ.  It is the only action that will assure you of heaven. All other works are to show the goodness of God as an outward show of your inward change.  Without accepting Christ as your savior, there is no hope of loving anyone else. 

James 2: 14-17

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

The priority commandments are to love God first and then to love your neighbor as yourself. Make no mistake. There are many people who want to work their way to heaven. Trying in one way or another to make themselves good enough or deserving of this eternal destination. Heaven cannot be earned by your good deeds. Jesus paid the entry price.  As stated before, it is your belief and acceptance of Him that lets you enter Heaven.  James, the half-brother of Jesus,  is saying that if you are a brother/sister in Christ, it should be evident in your daily living by how you treat others. If you say that you are a believer and you have no mercy or compassion for anyone other than yourself, you just may be stuck as a spiritual toddler.  

It would be of very little use to say to someone who is naked or hungry, " Hope you get warm and find food."  James is writing to educate and encourage the church. The brethren. The believers.  Notice, loving your neighbor is more than just handing out food and clothes.  Paul said it like this: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  How can we not be merciful and gracious to others when God has been so merciful and gracious to us? 

It is our individual and church responsibility to take on the role of knowing and sharing the love of God. We are to teach His words, talk of His goodness, and keep our eyes on Him, as we mature spiritually.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6: 7-9.

How do we know we are in line with Jesus and following the commands of God? John says it like this. We  know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. ( 1John 3:14).  Are you on the spiritual road to maturity?  Don’t give up, renew, revive, and get at it.  It is a daily attitude with a lifetime of action. We are forever teenagers here on earth. When we reach Heaven,  our spiritual maturity begins.  

In 2001, Rhonda Vincent recorded a song.  The lyrics to this bluegrass song are the best in summing up this lesson.  Love God first and learn to love your neighbor! 

There's a God almighty

And you've got to love him

If you want salvation

And a home on high

If you say you love him

While you hate your neighbor

Then you don't have religion

You just told a lie

Oh, you don't love God

If you don't love your neighbor

If you gossip about him

If you never have mercy

If he gets into trouble

And you don't try to help him

Then you don't love your neighbor

And you don't love God

Source: Musixmatch, Songwriters: Carl Story You Don’t Love God If You Don’t Love Your Neighbor lyrics © Sony/atv Acuff Rose Music, Fort Knox Music Inc., Trio Music Company, Trio Music Co., Inc., Lark Music Inc

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!