Loving Sacrifice

Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Mark 12:28-34b KJV 

28 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? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 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. 31 And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 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: 33 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. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. 

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the scribe ask Jesus? (v.28)
2) What was Jesus' response? (v.29-31)
3) What did the scribe say to Jesus after hearing His response? (v.32-33)
4) What did Jesus say to the scribe? Why? (v.34a)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you obeyed the Lord's commands to love Him and love the people He loves? If not, why not?
6) If you have faithfully obeyed the Lord's commands to love Him and to love the people He loves, briefly describe how you have done that recently.

LIFE LESSONS
7) The faithful are not always able to love God and/or His people as the Lord would have us to.
8) When believers are not able to love as Jesus loves it is incumbent upon us to confess our weakness, repent of our failure, and pray for the Lord's grace to love who He loves and as He loves.