In Mark 12, a scribe approaches Jesus to ask a seemingly unanswerable question: Of all God’s commandments, which is the greatest?
Christ’s reply is short and to the point, referencing Deuteronomy 6:4–5: “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” and adding: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:29–31).
But what does it mean to love God and our neighbor as the Lord describes?
After all, if these commands truly do form the foundation for “all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40), then we need to get them right.
Starting with what the Bible means when it calls us to love, in this study we will take those concepts and apply them to understanding how we are to love God and our neighbor with the goal of learning to do both more reliably and in accordance with his will.
A curated list of questions as you go through each lesson. Click the button below to download the editable PDF, print it out, and take notes as you go through the
Greatest Commandment Course.
Curriculum
- 6 Sections
- 26 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Part 1: What does it mean to love?In our culture, few concepts have been misunderstood and misappropriated as much as the idea of what it means to love. So when Jesus calls us to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourself, it can be difficult to understand what that entails. Fortunately, in him we find a perfect example of what biblical love looks like. In this section, we will look at the way Jesus loved people to better understand how we are called to love in return.5
- Part 2: How to love God with all your heartIn Jewish thought, the heart was not simply the seat of emotions but, rather, the place from which they made decisions. As such, loving God with all your heart means choosing to love him regardless of your circumstances or what that love might require. Unfortunately, that's often easier said than done. In this section, we will look for guidance on what it means to love God with our heart from the biblical figures of Moses, David, Job, and Paul before turning our attention to how the love we show to our neighbor should be an extension of our love for the Lord.5
- 2.1Loving God Lesson 6 — Heart: A call to obedience15 Minutes
- 2.2Lesson 7 – Loving God with all your heart: Affection vs. Emotion15 Minutes
- 2.3Lesson 8 – Heart – Loving God in times of hardship15 Minutes
- 2.4Lesson 9 – Heart – Loving God by learning to be content in him15 Minutes
- 2.5Lesson 10 – Heart – Loving your neighbor as yourself15 Minutes
- Part 3: How to love God with all your soulIn Greek and Hebrew thought, the soul was seen as the seat of one's passions and emotions. As such, loving God with your soul carries with it the idea of personal devotion and spiritual growth in a way that centers your life on your relationship with the Lord. To that end, in this section we will examine the ways in which we can better learn to love God by developing our personal relationship with him.5
- Part 4: How to love God with all your mindIn Greek thought, the mind was seen as the source of a person's intelligence, disposition, and understanding. In short, it is responsible for how we understand the world around us. As a result, loving God with your mind means looking to him and his word as that source of understanding. In this section, we will take a closer look at why Scripture is so important in that process and the ways in which giving God room to apply his word to our lives and the issues we face is a crucial part of loving him well.5
- 4.1Lesson 16 – Mind – Why we should trust the Bible15 Minutes
- 4.2Lesson 17 – Mind – How to read the Bible15 Minutes
- 4.3Lesson 18 – Mind – How to apply Scripture to cultural issues15 Minutes
- 4.4Lesson 19 – Mind – How to share God’s truth with others15 Minutes
- 4.5Lesson 20 – Mind – Be salt and light15 Minutes
- Part 5: How to love God with all your strengthIn Greek and Hebrew thought, the concept of strength referred to a person's capacity to accomplish something. As such, the idea of loving God with all your strength means living for him in a way that holds nothing back. It means complete submission to the Lord, though as a choice rather than an obligation. In this section, we'll take a closer look at how we can identify our strengths and understand our calling as we love God by surrendering both back to him.5
- 5.1Lesson 21 – Strength – The power of meekness15 Minutes
- 5.2Lesson 22 – Strength – Understanding your strengths15 Minutes
- 5.3Lesson 23 – Strength – Understanding your weaknesses15 Minutes
- 5.4Lesson 24 – Strength – The power of personal testimony15 Minutes
- 5.5Lesson 25 – Strength – How to love your neighbor with all your strength15 Minutes
- Part 6: Survey and Feedback1
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