Download The more you give love, the more you get blest.

LOVING GOD
AND
LOVING GOD
FELLOWMEN
AND
Mark 12:28-34
FELLOWMEN
Rev. Dr. Samuel P. Fernandez
PREACHER
Mark 12:28-34
Adeline S. De Vera
Rev. Dr. Samuel
P.
Fernandez
LITURGIST
“If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.”
(I John 2:15, KJV)
Love multiplies …
The more you give love,
the more you get blest.
The more you give love,
the more you get blest.
“Take away
love and our
world would be a
tomb.”
-Robert Browning
, ‘Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the
truth by saying that there is only one God and
no other. And I know it is important to love
him with all my heart and all my
understanding and all my strength, and to
love my neighbors as myself. This is more
important than to offer all of the burnt
offerings and sacrifices required in the law.’
‘Jesus said to him. “You are not far
from the Kingdom of God.’ And after
that, no one dared to ask him any
more questions.”
Mark 12:23-34
(New Living Translation)
The words “heart and mind” are one
and the same in the Hebrew word.
The statement, “Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God is one Lord,” came from
the creed known as Shema. This is
recited by the devout Jews. It asserts
and declares the distinctive principles
of the Hebrew faith.
Talmud
(late Hebrew word talmudh)
An authoritative body of
Jewish tradition.
It is noted in the Talmud that “six hundred and thirteen
commandments were given to Moses: 365 negative,
corresponding to the days of the year; and 248 positive,
corresponding to the number of joints in the human body.”
The Talmud advocates thus:
“Live by the commandments: do not die by them.”
Apostle Paul writes:
“Obviously, the law applies to
those to whom it was given, for its
purpose is to keep people from
having excuses and to bring the
entire world into judgment before
God.
(Rom 3:19, New Living Translation)
“
Where no law is,
there is no transgression.”
(Rom 4:15, KJV)
To Timothy, Paul’s son in the
faith, he reminds him thus:
“The law is good, if a
man use it lawfully.”
(I Tim 1:8, KJV)
Apostle Paul further says:
“The law is not made
for the righteous man,
but for the lawless and
disobedient,
for the ungodly and for
sinners.”
(I Tim 1:9, KJV)
Philosopher John Locke observes:
“Whenever law ends,
tyranny begins.”
An unknown writer shares his thoughts to us:
“Man is an able creature, but he has
made 32,647,389 laws and hasn’t yet
improved on the Ten Commandments.”
Christ in His earthly ministry says:
“A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another.”
(John 13:35, KJV)
“The precepts of the law are these: to
live honourably, to injure no other man, to
render to every man his due.”
As William Temple succinctly observes:
“Love of God is the root, love of neighbour is
the fruit, of the Tree of Life. Neither can exist
without the other, but the one is the cause and the
other the effect and the order of the Two Great
Commandments must not be inverted.
“You must love the
Lord your God with all
your heart, all your soul,
and all your mind.’ This
is the first and greatest
commandment.“
(Matt 22: 37-38, NLT)
“Can anything ever separate us from
Christ’s love?
Does it mean he no longer loves
us if we have trouble or calamity,
or are persecuted, or are hungry
or cold or in danger or threatened
with death? (Even the Scriptures
say, ‘For your sake we are killed every
day, we are being slaughtered like
sheep’)
“No, despite all these things,
overwhelming victory is ours
through Christ, who loved us.”
(Rom 8:35-39, NLT)
The value of love is greater
than the value of hate.
Hate destroys,
…. love builds.
“Love is a fruit in season at all
times, and within reach of a every
hand. Anyone may gather it, and no
limit is set.”
(Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Life in the Spirit)
“All things work
together for good to
them that love God.”
(Rom 8:28, KJV)
St. Valentine, however, did
not support the Emperor’s decree.
He continued solemnizing
marriages. He did not believe in
violating the marriage sacrament.
But one night, St. Valentine
was caught solemnizing marriage,
so he was arrested and thrown
into prison. Asked to renounce
his faith, St. Valentine remained
steadfast as a follower of Christ.
Thus, he was beaten with
clubs and beheaded on February
14 about the year 270 A.D.
On the event of his death, St.
Valentine wrote Julia thanking her
for her friendship and urged her to
be close to God.
He ended his note thus: “From
your Valentine.”
Some surmise
that that was the genesis of
Valentine’s Day, which was marked
later by Pope Galasius in AD 496 as
Valentine’s Day.
“Love
is
very
patient and kind, never
jealous or envious,
never
boastful
or
proud, never haughty
or selfish or rude.
Love does not demand
its own way. It is not
irritable or touchy. It
does not hold grudges
and will hardly even
notice when others do
it wrong.
It is never glad
about injustice, but
rejoices whenever truth
wins out. If you love
someone you will be
loyal to him no matter
what the cost. You will
always believe in him,
always expect the best
of him, and always
stand your ground in
defending him.
“There are three things that remain
…faith, hope, and love.
and the greatest of these is …
….
–