The Impossible Life to Live

Mark 12:28-34

My friend Bill Gillham would often make this statement, “The Christian life is not difficult to live; it is impossible.  Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever really lived the Christian life.  He is the only one who can live it today, and that is exactly what He wants to do – through you” But we all who go by the name of Christian and have the heart to be followers of Christ desire to live that life.  We do many good things; like serving others at our church and even outside of the doors.  We tithe, go on mission trips, and even attend Bible studies, and pray for our staff and members, we are people of faith.  But do you recall the scribes and the Pharisees also did the same, but what was missing in them was whom they were doing it for, and I’m fearful many in the Church have the same motive, to be seen by men?

Mark tells about one scribe that heard the Sadducees disputing with one another, and he understood that Jesus had given them a good answer to the question they ask.  So he asked Jesus this question, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”  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.”

Before we look at the reply shall we look at what a follower of Christ should be?  I am building a woodshop; it requires a lot of my time and thought, it is almost like having a job once more.  But I do not love that woodshop, if it got destroyed I would be sad, but it is not the object of my love, but like my job it is a blessing from my Father, as was my income.  With that said you and I have to be very careful of the grace of our Lord, such as golf, fishing, hunting, sports, and even our children, in how much of our heart they have taken.  For the command is to love God with all your heart, not what is left over.

Now we have been told our soul is our mind, will and personality and Jesus tells us to love God with all our soul, not the little that is left, the more I write about this, Bill Gillhams statement becomes clear to me.  “The Christian life is not difficult to live; it is impossible.  Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever really lived the Christian life.  He is the only one who can live it today, and that is exactly what He wants to do – through you.”

What about your strength, how much is left at the end of the day to give to the Lord, that way it is so important to begin the day with a time enjoying Jesus. He is life and light, so it so important to start the morning with our Lord.

Now the second command is impossible unless He is doing it all for you, for Jesus made it clear that anyone we come in contact with is our neighbor.  ³² And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³ And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  I believe this came from a pure heart, for Jesus looks on the heart and not what happens out of our performance. 

And this was Jesus reply; “And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice