Love God and Others: A Call to Surrender
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Elevate Church family! Today, we are reminded of the importance of worshiping a living God who listens to our cries and is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We transitioned from a time of musical worship to a time of giving, emphasizing that everything we have comes from God. We prayed together the Lord's Prayer, asking for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We prayed over the tithes and offerings, asking that every cent be used to glorify God's name and further His kingdom.
We then moved on to some exciting announcements. Elevate Students will kick off the summer with a water slide night at Crossway Church on May 29th. We also have a baptism service on June 9th, a wonderful opportunity to publicly profess faith in Jesus Christ. Our student summer camp is coming up in July, and we encourage everyone to sign up and participate.
As we began our message, I introduced myself as Preston Lanier, the Student Ministries Pastor. I shared the amazing testimonies from our team in Africa, highlighting the tangible impact of our church's support. We have been able to plant a food factory, build fish ponds, and help construct a church. I expressed my gratitude for the opportunity to share God's word and honored Pastor Robert and Amanda for their leadership.
We then delved into the core of today's message, focusing on the greatest commandments as taught by Jesus in Mark 12. Jesus was asked which commandment is the most important, and He responded by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. He emphasized that the most important commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. These two commandments are deeply interconnected; loving God is actualized in loving our neighbor.
We explored the context of these commandments, noting that loving our neighbor involves active love—providing for the poor, respecting parents, and not taking advantage of others. Jesus highlighted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who loved their appearance and reputation more than they loved God. He called out their tendency to prioritize meaningless things over genuine love for God and others.
Jesus then pointed out the example of a poor widow who gave two small coins, which were worth very little. Despite her poverty, she gave everything she had, demonstrating total commitment to God. Jesus contrasted her with the wealthy who gave out of their surplus without making any real sacrifice. This widow's act of giving her whole life to God exemplifies what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We concluded by reflecting on what it means to surrender every part of ourselves to God. It's a daily choice to put God first and love others as we love ourselves. We prayed for those who needed to re-surrender their lives to God and for those who wanted to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior for the first time.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Worship and Giving: Worship is not limited to singing songs; it extends to every aspect of our lives, including our giving. When we give, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from God and we trust Him to use our resources for His glory and kingdom purposes. This act of giving is a form of worship that aligns our hearts with God's will. [26:05]
2. Loving God and Loving Others: Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are deeply interconnected. Our love for God is demonstrated through our love for others, and our love for others reflects our love for God. This active love involves providing for the poor, respecting others, and not taking advantage of anyone. [45:17]
3. Hypocrisy of Religious Leaders: Jesus criticized the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. They loved their appearance and reputation more than they loved God. They performed religious acts for show rather than out of genuine love for God. This serves as a warning for us to examine our own hearts and ensure that our actions are motivated by true love for God and others, not by a desire for recognition or status. [57:22]
4. The Widow's Sacrificial Giving: The poor widow who gave two small coins demonstrated what it means to love God with everything we have. Despite her poverty, she gave all she had to live on, showing total commitment and trust in God. This act of sacrificial giving is a powerful example of what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. [01:08:07]
5. Daily Surrender to God: Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is a daily choice. It involves continually surrendering every part of ourselves to God and putting Him first in our lives. This daily surrender is reflected in how we love and serve others. As we grow in our relationship with God, we learn to trust Him more and to love others as He loves us. [01:11:45]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[26:05] - Transition to Giving and Prayer
[28:10] - Announcements: Summer Events and Baptism Service
[30:29] - Introduction and Africa Mission Update
[33:04] - Honoring Leadership and Starting the Message
[34:25] - Personal Reflection and Summer at Elevate
[40:11] - Introduction to Mark 12
[41:02] - Prayer and Beginning of the Message
[43:22] - Jesus' Authority and the Greatest Commandments
[45:17] - Loving God and Loving Others
[48:28] - The Shema and Loving Your Neighbor
[50:54] - Active Love and Hypocrisy of Religious Leaders
[55:34] - Jesus Commends the Scribe
[57:22] - Critique of Religious Leaders' Hypocrisy
[01:02:06] - Sacrificial Giving of the Widow
[01:08:07] - Loving God with Everything
[01:11:45] - Daily Surrender to God
[01:13:42] - Prayer for Re-surrender and Salvation
[01:15:20] - Invitation to Accept Jesus
[01:17:23] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal
[01:25:53] - Blessing and Farewell
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Mark 12:28-34 (NIV)
> One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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 commandment greater than these." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
2. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV)
> Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
3. Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)
> Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
### Observation Questions
1. What are the two greatest commandments according to Jesus in Mark 12:28-34?
2. How did Jesus describe the poor widow's offering in Mark 12:41-44, and why was it significant? [01:08:07]
3. What does Deuteronomy 6:4-5 emphasize about our relationship with God?
4. According to Leviticus 19:18, how should we treat our neighbors?
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus combined the commandments from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 when asked about the greatest commandment? [45:17]
2. How does the example of the poor widow's offering challenge our understanding of sacrificial giving? [01:08:07]
3. What does Jesus' critique of the religious leaders' hypocrisy teach us about the importance of genuine love for God and others? [57:22]
4. How can loving our neighbor as ourselves be seen as a reflection of our love for God? [50:54]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily life: In what ways can you show love to God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Are there specific areas where you feel you need to grow? [01:11:45]
2. Think of a neighbor or someone in your community who might need help. What practical steps can you take this week to show them love and support? [50:54]
3. Have you ever found yourself more concerned with appearances or reputation, similar to the religious leaders Jesus criticized? How can you shift your focus to genuine love and service? [57:22]
4. The poor widow gave all she had, demonstrating total commitment to God. What is one area of your life where you can practice sacrificial giving or service? [01:08:07]
5. Jesus emphasized the interconnectedness of loving God and loving others. How can you ensure that your love for God is reflected in your actions towards others? [45:17]
6. Daily surrender to God is a recurring theme in the sermon. What is one practical way you can remind yourself to surrender to God each day? [01:11:45]
7. How can you create a habit of examining your motives to ensure that your actions are driven by genuine love for God and others, rather than a desire for recognition or status? [57:22]
Devotional
Day 1: Worship Through Giving
Worship is not limited to singing songs; it extends to every aspect of our lives, including our giving. When we give, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from God and we trust Him to use our resources for His glory and kingdom purposes. This act of giving is a form of worship that aligns our hearts with God's will.
In the context of worship, giving is an act of faith and trust. It is a tangible way to show our dependence on God and our commitment to His work. When we give, we are not just supporting the church or charitable causes; we are participating in God's mission to bring His kingdom to earth. This perspective transforms our giving from a mere financial transaction to a spiritual act of worship. [26:05]
Deuteronomy 15:10 (ESV): "You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake."
Reflection: How can you view your financial giving as an act of worship today? What steps can you take to ensure that your giving reflects your trust in God and commitment to His kingdom?
Day 2: Loving God and Loving Others
Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are deeply interconnected. Our love for God is demonstrated through our love for others, and our love for others reflects our love for God. This active love involves providing for the poor, respecting others, and not taking advantage of anyone.
Loving God and loving others are not separate commands but are intrinsically linked. When we love God fully, it naturally flows into loving others. This love is not passive but active, requiring us to take tangible steps to care for those around us. It means being attentive to the needs of others, showing compassion, and acting justly. [45:17]
1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: Think of a specific way you can show love to a neighbor or someone in need today. How can this act of love reflect your love for God?
Day 3: Hypocrisy of Religious Leaders
Jesus criticized the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. They loved their appearance and reputation more than they loved God. They performed religious acts for show rather than out of genuine love for God. This serves as a warning for us to examine our own hearts and ensure that our actions are motivated by true love for God and others, not by a desire for recognition or status.
Hypocrisy in religious practice is a danger that can affect anyone. It is easy to fall into the trap of performing religious duties for the sake of appearance rather than out of genuine devotion. Jesus' critique of the religious leaders serves as a reminder to check our motives and ensure that our worship and service are sincere and rooted in love for God. [57:22]
Matthew 6:1 (ESV): "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."
Reflection: Reflect on your recent actions and religious practices. Are there areas where you might be seeking recognition from others rather than genuinely serving God? How can you realign your motives to be more sincere?
Day 4: The Widow's Sacrificial Giving
The poor widow who gave two small coins demonstrated what it means to love God with everything we have. Despite her poverty, she gave all she had to live on, showing total commitment and trust in God. This act of sacrificial giving is a powerful example of what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The widow's act of giving was not about the amount but about the heart behind it. Her willingness to give everything she had, despite her poverty, showed a deep trust in God and a commitment to His purposes. This kind of sacrificial giving challenges us to consider what we are willing to give up for the sake of our love for God. [01:08:07]
2 Corinthians 8:2-3 (ESV): "For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can practice sacrificial giving? How can you trust God more deeply in this area?
Day 5: Daily Surrender to God
Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is a daily choice. It involves continually surrendering every part of ourselves to God and putting Him first in our lives. This daily surrender is reflected in how we love and serve others. As we grow in our relationship with God, we learn to trust Him more and to love others as He loves us.
Daily surrender to God is not a one-time event but a continuous process. It requires us to make intentional choices each day to put God first and to align our actions with His will. This surrender is evident in our relationships, our decisions, and our priorities. As we practice daily surrender, we grow in our faith and our ability to love others as God loves us. [01:11:45]
Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "I think our American temptation is to enrich ourselves at any cost. It's to build up status and wealth because I worked hard, I deserve it. Think far too often in the world we live in this culture we live in, we know all too well what it looks like to look out for number one—ourselves. Everything in our culture sends the message that these religious leaders were actually right; they had this thing figured out." [01:04:12]
2. "The assumption was that the wealthy people were the ones who were blessed. This is actually what was taught: you are blessed by God if you have much. They must be the ones who are blessed; they must be the ones that God loves most. These are the ones who are guaranteed a spot in God’s kingdom. But Jesus is subverting the expectations and he elevates this poor widow above all these other people." [01:08:07]
3. "Loving God is giving God everything. It means giving him your security, it means giving up your ways and the ways you've figured it out. It's putting everything on the line for God, and that's what this woman did. She didn't give up her resources or her next meal; no, she gave up so much more than that." [01:09:54]
4. "I think it takes one thing at a time. I think that's what surrender actually looks like in our relationship with our heavenly father, which is restored by his son and is growing in the Holy Spirit given to us. It is slowly but surely each day giving more and more of ourselves as we grow closer to him." [01:11:45]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Jesus highlighted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who loved their appearance and reputation more than they loved God. He called out their tendency to prioritize meaningless things over genuine love for God and others." [57:22]
2. "Our love for each other, our love for our neighbor, our love for those who are destitute, our love for those that are the unknown, the forgotten, the nobodies—this is what reveals our love for God. And Jesus puts it this way in John chapter 13 verse 35: 'Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.'" [55:34]
3. "Jesus says this in verse 43: He called his disciples to him and said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.'" [01:08:07]
4. "What needs to happen for us to actually love God this way with our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or maybe it's one area that we need to grow in this, in one area that we need to take a step in the direction for loving God by loving others. What is it we need to give to him today?" [01:09:54]
5. "When we think of commandments, we think of the Ten Commandments, right? Maybe you see this image in your head. But it's not this image that comes to their mind when they're talking about the commandments. There's actually six hundred and thirteen different commandments in the Hebrew scriptures, and a very popular debate was which one is the most important." [46:51]
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