Mark 12:28
The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing the true God and establishing a loving relationship with Him, which is the primary prerequisite to having a right relationship with others.
Chuck Smith emphasizes the significance of the Great Commandments in Mark 12:28, focusing on the necessity of recognizing and establishing a relationship with the true God. He explains that understanding God's purpose for our lives is crucial, as many live unfulfilled lives by prioritizing personal ambitions over their relationship with God. Smith highlights that loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is foundational, and this love must be developed through an intimate knowledge of Him. Furthermore, he stresses that loving our neighbor is a natural extension of our love for God, and one cannot truly love others without first having a right relationship with God.
Text
"THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS"
Intro: We are now in the final week before His crucifixion. The Sanhedren
have determined He must die. Some charge must be created against
Him to bring before the Roman court. Pharisees - tribute.
I. "WHICH IS THE FIRST OR PRIMARY COMMANDMENT OF ALL?"
A. Why should he be interested?
1. They were always enlarging on the commandments, seeking
to interpret them.
2. On the other hand, they were seeking to make them more
concise.
a. Psalm 15.
b. Micah 6:8 Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy
God.
3. Recognizing that God exists, and creation shows design and
purpose.
a. How can I answer God's purpose for me?
b. What did God have in mind for me?
1. This should be the primary question of
every thinking man.
2. If I seek to save my life, I will lose
it. i.e. If I live for my pleasure.
3. Many wasted lives today. They have
accomplished great feats, built vast
empires, fulfilled ambitions, died
unfulfilled and bitter for they lost
their own souls.
4. Their mistake was their failure to
concern themselves with this question.
B. "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is..."
1. The most important thing for any man is the recognizing of the
true God.
a. With so many religions, how can you be sure?
b. Religions are man s quest for God.
1. Man creates his own idea of God based
upon himself, "If I were God..."
2. Some fools seeking to make a religion
out of Christianity.
3. Who by searching can find God?
4. If man by searching cannot find God,
then religion is destined for failure
and can only become an opiate for the
people.
5. Does this mean our quest for God is
hopeless? Only if we start with an
earth base.
C. God has revealed Himself to man.
1. The Bible is not man's speculation about God.
2. It is God's revelation of Himself.
a. How can I be sure?
b. If you were God, how could you vouchsafe?
3. Having recognized the true and living eternal God, you must now
establish a relationship.
a. God desires a loving relationship with you. "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with every-thing. Heart, soul,
mind, strength."
1. The only way you can love Him is to know Him.
a. Should some stranger walk up to you in
the mall and ask, "Do you love me?"
b. Love develops by knowing someone
intimately.
1. Many make the sad mistake of
marrying someone before they
really know them.
b. Your relationship with God is primary, it is the
vertical axis upon which your whole life revolves.
II. THE SECOND IS LIKE THE FIRST, "THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS
THYSELF."
A. The first is a primary prerequisite to the second.
1. The fatal flaw of the social gospel is the seeking to
impose the second above the first.
2. You cannot have a completely right relationship with
God and a wrong relationship with your brother.
3. You cannot have a completely right relationship with
your brother until your vertical axis is right.
Sermon Outline
- The First Commandment
- The Second Commandment
- The First is a Primary Prerequisite to the Second
- You cannot have a completely right relationship with God and a wrong relationship with your brother
- You cannot have a completely right relationship with your brother until your vertical axis is right
- Establishing a Relationship with God
- The Importance of Knowing God
Key Quotes
“The most important thing for any man is the recognizing of the true God.” — Chuck Smith
“The Bible is not man's speculation about God. It is God's revelation of Himself.” — Chuck Smith
“You cannot have a completely right relationship with God and a wrong relationship with your brother.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- Recognize the true and living eternal God, and establish a loving relationship with Him.
- Prioritize your relationship with God, and let it be the vertical axis upon which your whole life revolves.
- You cannot have a completely right relationship with your brother until your vertical axis is right.