Langley Presbyterian Church

Prayer for Illumination:

Heavenly Father, in the midst of what distracts us, help us focus on Your Word. In the face of competing desires, show us the path to follow Jesus like a great cloud of witnesses before us.

We pray in the name of Jesus, Your Living Word. Amen.

Dr. Tom Catena, an American physician, has served at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan for over a decade.

He treats up to 500 patients a day, often under challenging conditions—working without electricity, with limited medical supplies, and sometimes even amidst gunfire.

Dr. Catena doesn’t just see his work as a job; he views it as a ministry. Each patient is an opportunity for him to express God’s love.

Since moving to the Nuba Mountains in 2008, he has become the only doctor for over half a million people, driven by a deep conviction to care for the suffering and marginalized.

Known for his humility and humor, Dr. Catena refers to himself simply as a “vessel” for God’s work. He regularly prays with his patients, openly sharing how his faith gives him the courage and strength to continue, even in adversity.

Locals know him as "Dr. Tom" and is widely respected by the population. A local Muslim chief once remarked, “He’s Jesus Christ,” recognizing Dr. Catena's unwavering dedication to healing the sick, helping the lame walk, and restoring sight to the blind.

This raises an important question for us. How do our neighbors see us? What kind of love are we demonstrating in our daily interactions? Are we known for our compassion and service, reflecting the same selfless love that Dr. Tom embodies?

The final count was completed in B.C.'s nail-biting 2024 election; but we, like millions of other North Americans, are also tuning in to the American presidential debates, hoping to see our preferred candidate shine while their opponent stumbles. These debates can shift the political landscape with just a few words, creating a buzz of excitement and tension.

Similarly, the context of today’s passage from Mark 12 feels like a political debate, but instead of two candidates, we find Jesus in the midst of an inquisition.

He’s surrounded by some of the most prominent religious and political figures of the time—the Sadducees, Herodians, Pharisees, and teachers of the Law.

Verse 13 tells us that the Pharisees and Herodians teamed up to challenge Jesus, despite being traditional enemies.

The Herodians were aligned with Herod and supportive of the government, while the Pharisees opposed both the Roman rule and Herod’s influence.

Their alliance reflects a desperate effort to undermine a common enemy: Jesus.

Yet, Jesus’ wise answer defeated the attempted trap and they were rather amazed at Him.

Then v. 18 - now it’s the Sadducees’ turn. The Sadducees denied the existence of the spirit, judgment after death, or resurrection.

The Sadducees used a law about marriage to try to disprove the existence of the afterlife. Yet again, Jesus responded with authority, reminding them, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”

In verse 28, we see a scribe approaching Jesus after witnessing the debate. Recognizing that Jesus had answered the earlier questions with great wisdom, he asks, “Which commandment is the first of all?”

The role of the scribe was both ancient and honorable. They were the experts in Mosaic law. They spent their whole lives, day in and day out, studying the commandments, carefully weighing and ranking them: which were the most important, which were the less important, which were the heaviest, and which were the lightest.

Now, the Mosaic Law — or the Torah — contains 613 commandments. That’s right, 613! Among those, 248 are positive commandments—telling people what they must do. And the remaining 365? They’re the "do not’s."

Additionally, the scribes created the Oral Law—a kind of legal commentary on the Torah, that explained how to carry out each commandment in everyday life.

So here’s this scribe, coming up to Jesus and asking Him: “Which of these is the most important?” It’s a big question, especially with the weight of all those commandments behind it.

Without hesitation, Jesus answers: ‘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.”

In that moment, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4–5, which marks the beginning of the Shema prayer. "Shema" is the Hebrew word for “hear,” which is the first word of this sacred prayer.

Devout Jews pray the Shema twice a day—morning and night—as a way of following Deuteronomy 6:7:

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.”

So let’s break this down. When Jesus says to “love God with all our heart,” He’s talking about the very center of who we are—our beliefs, emotions, thoughts, and intentions. The heart drives everything we do.

“Love God with all your soul.” The soul is our very life force— it keeps us alive. Loving God with our soul means dedicating our very existence to Him.

“Love God with all your mind.” This is about understanding and thinking deeply. God doesn’t want blind followers; He wants people who engage their minds and seek to understand Him.

And then “strength.” Strength means using our energy, force, passion—all that we are capable of. Where heart, soul, and mind direct how we feel and what we think, strength is the effort we put behind it, the energy that drives our love into action.

So Jesus’s answer isn’t just a simple command; it’s a call to live fully for God. It’s not a passive love; it’s a love that demands all of us.

We’re invited into a love so strong and consuming that it reaches deep into every part of our being. And in loving God like this, we’re not only fulfilling the law but stepping into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him.

Jesus continues, “The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’”

With this, Jesus sums up the heart of God’s commandments. Loving God covers the first four of the Ten Commandments, all focused on our relationship with Him. Loving our neighbor as ourselves captures the remaining six, which guide how we treat others.

In this, Jesus shows that God’s laws aren’t restrictive rules meant to control us—they’re a roadmap for living in love. These two commands—love for God and love for others—are bound together.

When Jesus says “love,” He doesn’t just mean a warm feeling or affection. The Greek word here is agapao, rooted in agape, which is a selfless, giving love. It’s the kind of love where you expect nothing in return—a love that our God showed us.

While we can’t love God perfectly as He loves us, we strive to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We trust Him and aim to live in a way that pleases Him.

The Bible tells us that this is the kind of love we’re to show to our neighbors. Loving others with agape love means we don’t wait for thanks or recognition.

It’s a choice, a commitment to care for others and to act in their best interest. Agape love is about choosing to see the good in others, to care for them, and to be there for them—just as God is for us.

Think about the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Is that how you treat others?

Or maybe you go further and “Treat others the way they want to be treated.”

Or better yet, “Treat others the way Jesus would treat them.”

This is what Jesus calls us to do. It’s a love that takes action, a love that reflects God’s heart. So, how will you love your neighbor today? How will you make God’s love visible to those around you?

A couple of months ago, we got a call from a friend in Toronto. She was planning to move to Vancouver to be closer to us because she felt all alone in Toronto.

This friend has a genuine love for the Lord and serves her church faithfully. She’s always welcoming visitors, helping those in need, and treating others with respect and care.

Yet, if someone doesn’t treat her the same way in return, she feels hurt and betrayed, distancing herself from them.

Over time, this pattern has left her with few close relationships. She’s become estranged from many of her family members, friends, and even people in her church.

Now, is that the kind of love Jesus had in mind when He commanded, “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

After Jesus gave His answer, notice how the scribe responded:

“You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘He is one, and there is no other besides Him’;

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 burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

What a profound response! This scribe not only grasps the true meaning of God’s commandments, but he publicly affirms Jesus’ answer and even calls Him "Teacher" with deep respect.

Seeing his wise response, Jesus says to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

When we understand the importance of loving God and loving our neighbor, we are, like this scribe, drawing nearer to God’s kingdom.

But understanding alone isn’t enough. It’s when we live out this love that we begin to see and experience the Kingdom of God in our lives here on earth.

Jesus teaches us, "If you love Me, love others; because by loving others, you love Me. If you want to serve Me, then serve others."

God loves us with agape love—a love that is deep, wide, high, and long, reaching beyond anything we can ever repay.

His indescribable love for us through Jesus Christ calls us to love others with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Maybe we can’t all be like Dr. Tom, serving in remote places, or like Mother Teresa, giving up everything to care for the poor.

But there are countless ways we can show God’s love to the people around us — to those who feel invisible, to the marginalized, to the hurting.

Friends, let’s leave aside the Golden Rule, political views, personal preferences, or expectations.

Let’s act as Jesus calls us: feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, and care for the sick.

Let’s show the love of God in real, tangible ways.

I pray that our church will be known for this kind of love—a love that reaches out with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength to our neighbors.

As Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus, I pray for each of you: “That you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” And you may LOVE your neighbor as Jesus loves you.

Today, on All Saints’ Sunday, as we take the bread and the cup, let us remember those who loved others sacrificially, and who set aside their comfort to serve. Let us be inspired to live that same love, grounded in the love of Christ, overflowing to everyone around us.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, we thank You for speaking to us through Your Word today; shaping us to be more like You. Forgive us for the times we’ve been afraid, unwilling, or even unaware of those around us who need Your love and our care.

Lord, let Your Word never be something we only memorize or check off a list, but a call we live out daily. Help us to love You and our neighbors as You love us—with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.

We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.