Messege: A Call to Wholehearted Love / Mark 12:28-34

"One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 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,’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question."


There's a story called the "Five Monkeys Experiment” in 1966. Here’s how it goes: five monkeys are put in a cage with a ladder in the middle. At the top of the ladder, there’s a banana. Every time one of the monkeys tries to climb the ladder for the banana, all of them get sprayed with cold water. After a few tries, none of the monkeys dare to climb the ladder anymore.

    Then, the researchers replace one monkey with a new one. This new monkey doesn’t know about the cold water, so it tries to climb the ladder. But the other monkeys stop it and even hit it. After a few attempts, the new monkey learns the “rule” and no longer tries to climb the ladder. 

    The researchers keep replacing monkeys one by one, and the same thing happens each time: a new monkey tries to climb the ladder, and the others stop it. Eventually, all five monkeys are replaced. None of them try to climb the ladder, even though they’ve never been sprayed with water. They’re just following the norm in the cage without knowing why.

    In fact, this story isn’t a real experiment; it’s fictional. However, it shows how customs and norms develop within a society. People often follow traditions without understanding the reasons or meanings behind them, just like the monkeys in the story.

    A similar situation was happening in Jesus' time. People were trying to follow 613 laws from the Hebrew Bible, along with many traditions derived from these laws. Unfortunately, many religious leaders were more focused on using the Law to control people than on understanding its true purpose. For example, the Sabbath was supposed to be a day for rest and remembering God’s grace. But over time, so many rules were added to the Sabbath that it became burdensome. Even acts of healing were considered “work” and forbidden on the Sabbath. In this context, Jesus healed a person in a synagogue on the Sabbath and challenged the religious leaders by asking, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4).

    In today’s Gospel reading, one scribe noticed Jesus teaching with wisdom and asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Scribes were experts in the Law, but many used their knowledge for personal gain and power. That’s why Jesus warned people saying, “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation” (Mark 12:38–40).

    However, the scribe who approached Jesus in today’s story was different. He really wanted to understand the core meaning of the Law. To him, Jesus said the two most important commandments. The first was: “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 Greek word for “all” here is ὅλος (holos), which means “whole, complete, or undivided.” Jesus was teaching that the most important thing is to love God with our entire being.

    To truly love God means recognizing God as our one true Lord and seeking an intimate relationship with God. But this can be difficult to do naturally. Every human carries a deep sense of insecurity that begins at birth. When babies are born, they experience separation from their mothers, a jarring experience that can make them feel alone and fearful in the world. To cope with this feeling, people often turn to material things for comfort. Just as the Hebrews created a golden calf to worship out of fear while Moses was on Mount Sinai, people generally tend to make idols of wealth, power, or fame. For this reason, John Calvin said that the human mind is a factory that creates idols.

    This problem can also be found within the church. Christian traditions, doctrines, clergy, leaders, the Bible, and even church buildings can become idols. While these things are important for connecting with God, they are not God Himself. Nothing can take God's place. So, even if you feel disappointed in the church or its leaders, you don’t need to lose faith in God’s goodness or doubt God's existence because of things that are not God. Nothing in this world is perfect.

    To love God with our whole selves, we need to manage our divided and distracted hearts and minds. Just as still water can reflect the world around it, spiritual practices help us find stillness so we can see God within us. These practices, known as “means of grace,” include worship, communion, Bible study, fasting, retreats, prayer, and more.

    Among these spiritual practices, prayer seems particularly important today. In a world filled with distractions, we need quiet time to connect with God. God wants to hear from us, and open conversation deepens our love for God. We don’t need fancy words to pray; sometimes, silence can be the most meaningful prayer. We can also bring our pain, anger, and frustration to God. When we are honest with God, God will mend our brokenness and bring us new hope.

    The second commandment Jesus emphasized was: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” It’s interesting that Jesus asked us to love others as we love ourselves because many people find it hard to truly love themselves. They either hate themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others, or they act hypocritically, unable to reconcile themselves with their complexes or shadows. 

    This is why Jesus said to love God first. When we deeply love God, we can truly love ourselves. God loves us just as we are. Regardless of age, God loves us. Regardless of disabilities, God loves us. Regardless of race or nationality, God loves us. Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, God loves us. Regardless of social status, God loves us. Regardless of religion or denomination, God loves us. Regardless of political beliefs, God loves us. Regardless of education, God loves us. There is no discrimination in God’s love. God makes the sun shine equally on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike (Matthew 5:45). When we understand how much God loves us, we can accept ourselves as we are. Then, we can truly love others.

    There are many ways to love our neighbours. We can help those in financial need, stand in solidarity with the oppressed, or engage in nonviolent resistance for justice. However, one of the most important ways Christians can show love today is by sharing the gospel with others. Canada is known as one of the best countries to live in, but even here, some people feel lost, lack purpose, and feel trapped in hopelessness.

    Sharing the gospel means proclaiming God’s unchanging love for humanity. It’s the Good News that the God who created the universe is with us even in our struggles. Only the church can share this gospel with those who are seeking true love and hope.

    We shouldn’t feel ashamed about sharing God’s love with others. Sharing the gospel isn’t about disrespecting other beliefs. It’s about offering the grace and hope we’ve found in Jesus Christ to those who need it. There may be different paths up the mountain. But discovering one beautiful way to the top is enough. I believe that through Jesus Christ, we can truly experience God’s love. I may not know about other paths, but what I do know is that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” For me, Jesus Christ is enough. Introducing Jesus to those who are wandering at the bottom of the mountain is one of the most important ways to love our neighbours in today’s world.

    In conclusion, Jesus taught that the most essential commandments are to love God fully and to love our neighbours as ourselves. As a community of faith, the best ways to follow these greatest commandments today are through prayer and sharing the gospel. Through prayer, we center ourselves in God’s presence and deepen our love for God and for ourselves. By sharing the gospel, we can extend God’s love to those who are in despair. May we be channels of love through our prayers and the sharing of the gospel.

    Thanks be to God. Amen.


Rev. Min Hwang
South Stormont Pastoral Charge
(Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church)
November 3, 2024

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