Enter Here

S - "And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And 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.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34 ESV)

O - The accounts of Jesus' life and ministry present the Greatest Commandment in three different settings.  Matthew 22 reveals that all Scripture hangs/depends on these two.  In Luke 10 the question is about inheriting eternal life.  When the questioner quoted these two commandments as his answer to his own question the Scripture records: "'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.'" In the exchange above the scribe states his complete agreement with Jesus; that the two commands form the superlative of all … they are the greatest.  The response of Jesus to this is an interesting one.  He didn't say 'Way to go … you're in the kingdom.'  He said:  "You are not far from the kingdom of God." The difference between close and in is essential (cf. Luke 13:23-30). In the life, mind, words and commands of Jesus, believing and living are not separated.  The failure to live what one claims to believe is the very reality Jesus consistently warns his followers against. Such is the yeast of the Pharisees … they say the words but refuse the meaning.  Accuracy in theological thinking is not a bad thing but it will not secure one's place in the Kingdom which will never end. Among his last words to the Twelve we find this statement (John 13:17): "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

A - The doing which connects me/us with the blessing is not a way to earn anything … it is the way to receive … a receiving based on a living response to a living being (divine and human).  Engaging, living the greatest commandments is the purpose for all humans on planet earth.  All are welcome into the Kingdom and all come the same way … loving the way they are loved.  Today I won't settle for being near the Kingdom … because of love and by love I'll enter in!

P - Lord who loves all,

Thank you for being the way for us to live out loud the superlatives … for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind.  I am so very grateful that near or in is not something I determine for another … it is something I can know about me.  I do want to love you back with all, even when it's pathetically small and weak, and my neighbor (7.2 billion minus 1) as myself.  It is a beautiful reality that each day, each circumstance all you want is all.  I give my all in Jesus' name.

Steve