Jesus said the most important commandment is "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: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these."
Mark 12:30-31
Thank you to Mike Hollingsworth for sharing a lesson with the class this morning focusing on Mark 12. He challenged us to examine our priorities and ended with a discussion on verses 30 and 31. Jesus commanded us to love God as our first priority. It makes sense that if we make the command to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength a daily focus, then the second most important command to love others as we love ourselves will naturally follow. Caring about others (even when we don't feel like it) shows we have experienced the love of God and made Him our top priority.
"Love for the Master is not some sweet sentimental emotion that sweeps over the soul in moments of special piety. Love for Christ is a deliberate setting of the will to carry out His commands at any cost. It is the fixed attitude of heart that decides to do His will at all times. It is the desire and delight of accomplishing our Father's highest purposes, no matter how challenging...
In our highly permissive society, where the so-called 'me' generation is encouraged to be so self-centered and so self-preoccupied, the call to obey Christ and comply with His commands cuts across our culture and our cynical conduct. It simply is not normal nor natural for most of us to 'love' God or 'love' others in the drastic discipline of a laid-down life. We are a selfish, self-serving people. And when called upon to serve others we feel insulted. We have the strange, worldly idea that to be of lowly service is to be 'used' or 'abused.'
Yet God, very God, in Christ came among us in lowly service. He came to minister to us. He came to give Himself to us. And so, because He first 'loved' us, we in turn are to be willing and ready to 'love' Him and others."
- From Lessons from a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller
Announcements
- Next week the class will begin a new study - Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. To allow time for the video and discussion, class will begin at 9:25!
- Please let Carrie Anne know this week if you will be attending the social this Saturday!
- We welcomed Mike and Alison Hollingsworth this morning. They will be the teachers in a new class branching off from our current class. Be in prayer about where you need to be on Sunday mornings!
- Welcome visitors! David Youngstrom, Christy Chambers, Preston & Crystal Clayton, Jay & Christy Lacy (Jake's parents), Dot Elwinger (Matt White's mother), Matt & Cherice Butler, Robert Bishop, and Joseph Hayes (friend of Robert Bishop)!! (Please forgive any misspellings!)
Prayer Requests
- Christy Chambers - Keep her husband, Shannon, in your prayers as he tries to give up smoking.
- Brady & Julie - Cooper had his adenoids removed and a second set of tubes put in his ears two weeks ago. He has a check-up Monday morning. Pray he is healthy and stays healthy.
- Keith & Krista - Kyndal will be seeing a psychologist for behavior soon.
- Scotty & Kelly - Kelly thanks everyone for prayers for her family last week. Continue to keep them in your prayers. Both grandmothers are moved and getting settled.
- Jason & Ashley - Continue to pray for the Thomas family. Their baby, Sarah, is having eye surgery on Monday.
- Rob & Angela - *PRAISE!! They are expecting!!! *Continue to pray for Angela's grandmother's health. *Angela's second cousin's newborn had heart surgery. Pray for the baby and parents.
- Robert & Laurie Beth Bishop - Laurie Beth is home sick with a virus.
- Keith & Molly - Continue to pray for their neighbor, Mike, dealing with bone cancer.
