At the heart of Jesus’ teachings is a simple but powerful truth: love is the most important thing. We hit this topic every 2-3 year to keep it fresh and remind us of THE primary calling of Christians.
When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
That’s it….no parable or hidden message…just love God and love people. And I could make an argument that, in this context, the next verse (40) is the most important verse in the Bible – Jesus followed the statement above by saying “All the law and prophets hang on these two commands.”
That basically means that every single other lesson or idea is secondary in importance to these two rules. Another way to look at it is that everything we are fundamentally called to do as Christians in some way or another must be directly tied to loving God and people.
Loving God First
Loving God means putting Him at the center of our lives. It’s more than just going to church or saying prayers—it’s about making God our top priority. This love is shown in how we trust Him, how we spend time with Him, and how we let His Word shape our choices.
Loving Others as Ourselves
Right after calling us to love God, Jesus tells us to love others. But this love isn’t just about being polite or helpful. It’s about loving people the way we should love ourselves—with grace, understanding, and empathy. Whether it’s our family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers, Jesus calls us to see people through His eyes.
This type of love is in the small acts of kindness, listening when someone needs to talk, and showing patience even when it’s difficult. It’s about being intentional in how we treat those around us.
Putting Love Into Action
Jesus didn’t just talk about love—He lived it. From healing the sick to laying down His life, His love was active. And He calls us to do the same. Whether it’s serving someone in need or offering a kind word, love is shown in what we do, not just in what we say.
At the end of the day, love is the foundation of everything we do as followers of Christ. It’s what sets us apart and what brings us closer to God and each other.
Questions:
- God doesn’t “need” our love, so why do you think Jesus said this is the most important thing?
- It is stated above that Matthew 22:40 is arguably the most important verse in the Bible. Agree or disagree, and why?
- How well do you love yourself and do you believe that truly loving yourself is foundational to loving others?
- Why does it seem so easy to fall into negativity and conflict, yet so challenging to build a cycle of love, support, and encouragement with certain people?
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 starts with “Love is patient…”. Do you believe patience was listed first because it is the most important element of loving others?
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