During the summer of 2012, I directed a college discipleship school, which was a 10-week experience that included bible study, spiritual practices, teaching times, small groups, and culminated in a two-week mission trip to Gulu, Uganda. This is a teaching I did toward the beginning of the school to frame the work we would do throughout the summer.

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Summary

The greatest command is to be fully ourselves by drawing our heart, soul, mind, and strength into unity through an intense love for the Lord.

Key Text

Mark 12:28-34

^12:28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.³⁰ And 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.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³ 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, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”³⁴ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.