2004 Theme
Loving God and Neighbor
With All Our
Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength
Mark 12:28 ff

Surrounded by hundreds of commandments and regulations, a scribe brought the query to Jesus: “What is the greatest commandment?” The Son of God answered simply.

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...
And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.

There was a heated discussion going on in Jesus’ day about how best to be faithful to the Word of God. The Faith community had written policy statements, polity manuals, and interpretations of the rules.

Some folks focused on loving God. They quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 to support their argument. This is the commandment God’s people were to know by heart.

Others focused on loving their neighbor. They quoted Leviticus 19:18 to support their claim. They recognized that most of the Ten Commandments concern how we treat each other.

With Jesus, however, the two streams of love were joined. This double law of love was not just heard from Jesus. It was also found in Jesus and called for by Jesus. The self-giving love of Jesus Christ—love for people and love for God—served not only as the heart of our salvation, it was an example we were called to follow.

When Jesus gave his answer, a surprising thing happened. The scribe agreed! This is the only record in the gospels of a teacher of the law agreeing with Jesus. And in response to the scribe’s words of agreement, Jesus said, “ You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

As Brethren we have long said that we live “for the glory of God and our neighbor’s good.” Let us renew our response to this call. Let us commit the best of our being—our heart, soul, mind, and strength—to loving God and neighbor.

---