The one thing I always dreaded with the start of a new school year was the advent of test and exams. One thing to remember this year as you study and deliver your best answers for your teachers who are questioning your ability to listen to them: Jesus loved tests!
One day in the life of Jesus, after he had shut the mouths of the Sadducees when they tested him on his belief on what happens after people die, the Pharisees (experts in the Old Testament Jewish Laws), questioned Jesus with a one question test. The question was “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36)
Out of the Ten Commandments, the whole Old Testament of 39 different books, and his own understanding of the Law, Jesus summarizes his answer into two straightforward rules to live by.
“Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Jesus answered the question from the most religious people in their day with a simple answer: LOVE God and LOVE Others.
For the next year, we hope that all of our Jr. and Sr. high youth take the action these words of Jesus by putting their faith into action. The Love of God is not something that just makes us sit around and talk about God all day. Nor is it a calling by God to just worship him Sunday nights.
A verb is a part of speech that conveys an action or state of being. LOVE is a verb. And we hope you enjoy Loving God with all your heart, soul and mind this year through Karis youth worship, service, small groups, fellowship and much more.
Jacob Boessling