SERIES:
BEING A GREAT PERSON FOR A GREAT GOD
Mark 12:31; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th.M, D.Min.
May 22, 2022
1. You need to realize The LORD COMMANDS you to
LOVE your NEIGHBOR.
Mark 12:28-31 (ESV) – 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?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel:
The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 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.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment
greater than these.”
Love –
2. You need to understand WHO your NEIGHBOR is to
understand who you are to LOVE.
Mark 12:31 (ESV) – The second is this: ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater
than these.”
Luke 10:25-37 (ESV) – And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him
to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read
it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to
him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my
neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who
stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31
Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he
saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite,
when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other
side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was,
and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and
bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on
his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35
And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the
innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you
spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three,
do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among
the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And
Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Neighbor –
Luke 14:12-14 (ESV) – He said also to the man who had invited
him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your
friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest
they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you
give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and
you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will
be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Romans 13:10 (ESV) – Love does no wrong to a neighbor;
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 15:2 (ESV) – Let each of us please his neighbor for his
good, to build him up.
Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV) – You have heard that it was said, ‘You
shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you,
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so
that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he
makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on
the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you,
what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the
same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You
therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Questions to Consider
1. Who in history would be the most difficult person for you to
love? Why?
2. What is the name of your neighbor?
3. Are you comfortable in loving your neighbor? Why or why
not?
4. Why is it so important to God for Christians to love all
people?
5. Is it difficult or easy to show the grace and mercy of God to
those you don’t like? Explain.
6. Do you think it’s easier to love people or do religious
practices and works? Explain.
7. How much less or more would be invested in buildings and
facilities if people who needed our compassion were our
ministerial priority?
8. What about the Parable of The Good Samaritan challenges
you the most?
9. What can you do to make sure you love yourself in a
healthy way and are not a lover of self?
10. What are some specific ways you can show love today to
someone you like? Someone you dislike?
Bonus
Identify 3 things you can do this week to begin reaching out and
getting to know one of your neighbors.
