The Shema Israel

 I.

"Hear [Shema], O Israel: 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 might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates..." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

 II.

But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.  And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him.  "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:34-40)

III.

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 them 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." (Mark 12:28-31)

Shema is the Hebrew word for "hear." God called Israel in Deuteronomy to hear His heart.  They were reminded that loving God was to be their first priority and the greatest way for them to live.  What they were hearing (the Shema) was the "why" behind all of creation and God's plan of redemption.  God's purpose is to provide an eternal companion for His Son and Jesus' inheritance includes the mandatory obedience of all creation and the voluntary love of a people who He fully possesses.  As a King, Jesus will be obeyed, but as a Bridegroom, He will be loved.  

Jesus reiterates the importance of the Shema Israel from Deuteronomy by once again stating that these are the first and great commandments so therefore they are the foundations of the New Covenant, as they were of the Old Covenant. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is not a suggestion or an option; it is a commandment.  And Jesus called these the first and great commandments!  Should we not be very interested in discovering what it means to love God with all out heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is the purpose of this Bible study so let's get started. 

The supremacy of the first commandment is declared by Jesus Himself.  God measures things in life differently from man because He has all the money, wisdom, possessions, fame, influence and time.  He is looking for our measure of love toward Him and what will matter is whether we grew in love for Him.  Jesus defined love as being deeply rooted in a spirit of obedience.  There is no such thing as loving God without seeking to obey His Word.  "If you love me, keep my commandments...he who has My commandments and keeps them is he who loves Me...if anyone loves me, he will keep My word." (John 14:15-23) 

We must love God on His terms and not attempt to come before Him on our own terms.  Jesus wants us to love Him in a way that allows Him to take over our lives. Will we love God on His terms?  Will we stop trying to make a "god" in our image? Will we live obedient lives and seek to allow God to strengthen the response of our hearts to Him in love?  May this study lead us to a closer relationship with our Father and Creator and as we grow in love toward him, we can overflow in love for others.  Obedience is mandatory; love is voluntary.  Obedience reveals our love.  May we grow in obedience every day!

Consider:
1. Why do you think loving God empowers us to love others more?
2. What do you think it means to love God with all your heart? Your mind? Your soul? Your strength?
3. Pray that God will show us how to love Him in all these ways as we study this important passage of scripture.