University Blog

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.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.

-Jesus, when asked what is most important
Matthew 12:30-31

Friends,

I thought it was a good illustration.

I had the balloon and a plan. I blew it up and told the young children gathered around me that the Holy Spirit fills us like the air in the balloon. God heals us and fills us up with his love, and this is good news.

“Isn’t that great?” I asked the kids.

“Yeah but what is with the balloon?” Was the response from the 4 or 5 year old girl to my right.

“Well…it’s a metaphor…” I responded, and she just stared back at me as if to say, “Um… I am 4.” Not my finest moment in ministry.

When asked what is most essential, Jesus goes straight to the heart. Love God with all you have got and love your neighbor as yourself. This we are told is the greatest of God’s instructions and the truth on which all the law and the witness of the prophets is built. What if the biggest mistake we can make in response to Jesus’ command to love our neighbor is say, “Well…it’s a metaphor…”

Our current sermon series challenges us to consider what it would look like to treat Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as concrete instructions about the people who live around us. What will our lives look like if the streets we live on, the places we work, and the people who live around us are not accidents but invitations to what is essential in God’s mission. Jesus says this is the most important thing.

I hope you can join us and perhaps you can invite your neighbors.

Blessings,
Ben