About 2,000 years ago someone came to Jesus and asked Him the question:

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.  Mark 12:28-31

If this statement on love was the only thing that Jesus ever said on the subject then we could spend our time exploring the question "Who is my neighbor?" In other words, who is the one that I'm required to love?  We might feel like it's a very important question, especially if we want to make sure that we don't waste our love by loving anyone that God doesn't specifically command us to love.

If you've been following along in our New Testament Challenge readings for this week, you know that Jesus had much more to say about love than the words that he shared in the Great Commandment. 

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus said...

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:43-44 (NIV)

Ouch!  This is one of Jesus' toughest commandments. When someone hurts me I want to hurt them back.  Doesn't justice demand that?!  And if I can't hurt them back, can't I at least pray for God to teach them a lesson?  Why would I want to pray for and love those who only want to hurt me?

I've heard people say that the radical love that Jesus commands is something that is impossible for us to do.  I agree.  It's impossible in our own strength.  But the Bible says that "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us." Philippians 4:13.

Join us we gather to worship and study this weekend and look together at "The Challenge of Radical Love."

Embracing the journey,
Pastor Rick