Steven A. Bush - August 7, 2016
Not Far From the Kingdom of God
A scribe once asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment. In Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answers this way: "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.” The scribe not only agreed with Jesus, he told Jesus why he loved His answer. In Mark 12:34 Jesus acknowledges this man's wisdom and says: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” The Door to the Kingdom of God was actually standing right in front of this scribe. Jesus is the King of this Kingdom! Even though we like the words that comprise the Great Commandment, the truth is we have failed to keep it--both vertically and horizontally. But Jesus did not fall short. He kept the Great Commandment completely--kept it in both directions. He went to the cross as the Lamb of God without spot or blemish. He was innocent and perfect when they nailed Him to that tree with our sins upon Him. To God the Father and to all those who would believe, there is no greater love than this!