About 3500 years ago God had Moses to write:

“Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-5

God did not say at the time that this was the greatest commandment he gave Israel but there must have been countless discussions through the centuries over which command was most important.

When Jesus was asked about it, without hesitation he went right to Deuteronomy 6:5. He added to that loving our neighbor as ourselves (from Leviticus 19:18)
explaining that all that was in the Law and the Prophets hung on these two teachings (Matthew 22:34-40).

Mark records that upon hearing Jesus’ answer, a scribe ventured to say that loving God and your fellow man was worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mark 12:28-33). Jesus immediately confirmed that man’s statement saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God!”

Think about what Jesus said and then affirmed:

“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets”

(Loving God and man) “….. is much more than all burnt offerings & sacrifices”

How well do you know and understand all the books of the Law and all the writings of the prophets? Do you come up short? No matter, because loving God and others is what they are leading us to do. If you are willing to love like that, then you get all that the Law and Prophets have said.

What worthy sacrifices or burnt offerings can you make to God? Are they enough? No way. But you don’t need them according to Jesus. You just need to make the sacrifice of loving Him and the folks He has put in the world with you.

Love deliberately, sacrificially, without reservation. This is God’s way simplified.