Jesus asked more than 300 questions in the Gospels.
He was asked more than 180.
And He directly answered only a small handful.
That fact alone should change how we read this moment.
In Questions Jesus Answered | What Do You Really Want?, Jesus is approached by a religious expert with a serious theological question. It is not sarcastic. It is not hostile. It is the kind of question sincere people ask when they want clarity about what truly matters.
Out of all the questions Jesus could have answered directly, He chose this one.
And the way He answered it reveals the heart of God.
The Question Beneath the Question
The lawyer asks what sounds like a simple request:
Which commandment is the greatest?
But underneath that question is something deeper. When priorities collide, when commands seem to compete, which one comes first?
Jesus does not answer by ranking rules.
He answers by redefining the entire framework.
Love God.
Love people.
Not as two separate goals.
Not as competing values.
But as one integrated calling.
This sermon helps listeners recognize that the question is not really about obedience. It is about desire. Direction. Identity.
What do you really want?
Why Jesus Chose to Answer
Jesus often redirects questions. He reframes them. Sometimes He refuses to answer at all.
Here, He answers plainly.
This sermon explores why Jesus considered this question worth answering. Love is not a side issue in the life of faith. It is the organizing center of everything God is doing.
By holding love for God and love for people together, Jesus exposes a common spiritual temptation: separating devotion from relationship.
You cannot truly love God while disregarding people.
You cannot genuinely love people while disconnecting from God.
Jesus will not allow the separation.
What This Sermon Invites
Rather than offering a checklist or a slogan, this sermon invites a reorientation.
Listeners are invited to consider:
- what their spiritual life is actually aiming toward
- how love exposes hidden priorities
- why transformation happens through relationship, not rule-keeping
This is not a message about trying harder. It is a message about aligning the heart with what God has already declared central.
Part of a Larger Series, Complete on Its Own
Questions Jesus Answered | What Do You Really Want? is the first sermon in the Questions Jesus Answered series, but it is fully designed to stand alone.
It works well:
- as a foundational discipleship message
- as a teaching on the greatest commandment
- or as an entry point into the full sermon series
The sermon includes a clear preaching arc, theological depth, and pastoral clarity without requiring the rest of the series to be effective.
A Sermon for Churches That Want Formation, Not Just Information
This message is especially suited for churches that want to help people think carefully about faith, not just accumulate answers.
It invites reflection.
It challenges assumptions.
It allows Jesus to define what matters most.
