The GREATEST GIFT in the history of the world is God giving His only begotten Son to suffer and die for us so that we can have eternal life (John 3:16-17). The GREATEST COMMANDMENT for us to obey is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:28-34). The GREATEST HONOR is to know Jesus and enjoy a beautiful relationship with Him as we live by faith. And, as we grow to know Jesus better our primary reason to live for Him becomes love. We love Jesus because His love for us is so compelling and captivating that it draws us to Him. Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:14, “the love of Christ controls us”. It is possible Paul is referring to the love he has for Jesus; however, it is also possible (and I think more likely) Paul is referring to the fact that the love Jesus has for him is so amazing it compels him to live for Jesus with total commitment – it’s like Jesus’ love leaves Paul no choice. Charles Hodge, in his book Amazing Grace, aptly writes, “When man gets the cross the cross gets the man”. The degree of love and loyalty we have for Jesus is directed related to the amount of time we spend studying the cross of Christ at Calvary. Paul also wrote, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2). Don’t waste another day – use every day to get to know Jesus better than the day before. You will better appreciate the GREATEST GIFT, and you will better obey the GREATEST COMMANDMENT, and you will live out the GREATEST HONOR in this world as you experience Jesus in your life to the point of being taken by His love. Read Mark 12:28-34; John 14:6-24 and listen to Taken By Love by Kutless.

Mark 12:28-34

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

John 14:6-24

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.