Keep It Simple Sir

by John Tilton on November 25, 2024

SCRIPTURE:

“Jesus replied: ʻLove 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. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. ʻ”
Matthew 22:37-40

OBSERVATION:

The Pharisees always seemed to have complicated matters in relation to God and life, adding more to their relationship with God and life matters than needed with laws, rituals and mandates. Thus, it is understandable that the Pharisees thought they would stump Jesus and test Him with a question such as what the greatest commandment in the law was? Of course, Jesus made it real simple, to love the Lord God with all of oneʻs heart, soul and mind. Then He added that the second is to love oneʻs neighbor as ourselves, and that ALL laws and the prophets are an extension of these two commandments. Here’s the point, “keep it simple sir,” and know that loving our God with all of our heart, soul and mind will be the foundation that will guide and express the character of Jesus in our lives, and to others. If we truly love God with our heart, soul and mind, all else will fall in place, including loving our neighbor as ourselves, and subsequently the will and heart of God in other areas of our lives. Unlike the Pharisees, we don’t have to complicate and convolute the commandments of God. We just need to keep it simple.

APPLICATION:

With Thanksgiving upcoming, I want to keep it simple and let the greatest commandment be my expression of gratitude and love to God by loving Him with all my heart, soul and mind. This is the gratitude I would like hold close to my heart, knowing that as the word states, my gratitude for others and all that I have been blessed with will be an extension of the greatest commandments to love God and love people.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, I love you with all of my heart, soul and mind. I am sincerely thankful for giving your son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins; for your provision for my family and I; your grace and mercy on our lives; and the gifts and talents you bestow on us to serve you for the amazing and awesome God that you are. I want to keep my response to your love simple, as I love you with all my heart and will love people because you first loved me.

About the Author

John Tilton

Senior Pastor John Tilton has served at New Hope Oahu since it’s launch in 1995, and has been on staff in administration and as executive pastor for the past 14 years. The values and heart behind New Hope run deeply through Pastor John’s veins as he has trained, learned, and was mentored closely by Pastor Wayne.

A graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Pastor John holds his Masters in Formational Leadership from Lancaster Bible College & Capital Seminary. He has served in various leadership, mentorship, and advisory roles in ministry and in the marketplace. He currently serves as Vice President of New Hope International and is on the Board of Directors of both Pacific Rim Christian University and New Hope Christian College.

Pastor John is married to his amazing wife Lanu, is father to his son Ikaika, daughter Malie, son-in-law Noni, is Papa to his grandchildren Justice, Johanna, and Jordynn, all of whom serve in ministry as a family together at New Hope Oahu.

Pastor John’s heart is to love and shepherd the people of New Hope Oahu––both here on Oahu and globally across the world. He will seek to continue to develop leaders, enable people here to dream with vision and purpose for God’s unique call on their lives, and, most importantly, to seek God as He faithfully guides our church so that we can fully become the church, and the people, He has created and called us to be.