November 1, 2024

Dear Road Church Friends,

In the summer of 1967, the British Broadcasting Corporation was about to go global by broadcasting the first worldwide television program. The Board of Directors thought there was no one better to help celebrate the significance of the event than the most popular band in the world. So, they invited the Beatles to be the special guests. The Program was titled, “Our World.” To mark the occasion, they asked the band to write and perform a song with a message that would appeal to a global audience. John Lennon wrote, All You Need is Love. It’s simple, repetitive lyrics and melody about the power of love to transcend our differences, fit the bill perfectly. The refrain, “All you need is love,” is repeated 50 times. Its message was clear: Love is everything. The song was a huge hit. But a few critics described it as banal and naive, proving that even love has its detractors and enemies, including some who happily sing its praises but fail to practice what they preach! It’s easy to love the idea of love but it’s hard to live a life of love. More about this on Sunday when we remember Jesus’ sacrificial love for us around the Lord’s table.

SCRIPTURE: Mark 12:28-34    SERMON: All You Need Is Love

One of the teachers of religious law who was standing there liked Jesus’ answers to the questions he was asked, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this:  ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.” The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. I too know it is important to love God 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.” Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And all of Jesus’ critics were silenced.

THE ALL-EMBRACING LOVE

by Frederick W. Faber

The love of God is broader

Than the measure of man’s mind,

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple,

We should take him at his word,

And our lives would be all sunshine

In the sweetness of our Lord.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm

This Service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/dfj-OGwH8bo?si=aE3_llwyIhix8jbm