“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 neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” Mark 12:33 (NLT)
Wendy has been doing a lot of baking lately. Cheesecakes and cupcakes have been the specialty as of late. She is amazing in the kitchen. One of her cheesecakes recently sold at a charity auction for over $1100. She’s learned in her baking that the quality and purity of the ingredients makes a difference in the outcome. The same is true with life.
For example, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is love.
Not good theology and love.
Not temperance and love.
Not obedience and love.
Not goodness and love.
Not sacrifice and love.
Not purity and love.
Not giving and love.
Not ___ and love.
The greatest commandment is just love. Love God with all you’ve got.
The second commandment is just love others as you love yourself.
The simplicity and purity of the ingredient is what makes the resulting life taste so good.
If you add anything to it, you ruin the recipe.
25 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven
Tom, you have spoken on many different occasions how all of the Message together tells a story. I love how we get tiny glimpses into eternity, tucked into books and chapters all throughout the Message. Today’s verse gives us a small picture of what heaven will be like with respect to our relationships. I find it confusing, yet interesting. God is pretty clear in Scripture about our marriage relationships on earth and how we are to remain faithful, so the question from the religious man seems logical. Yet Jesus’ answer gives us just enough to create curiosity about what heaven will be like. I love it!