Shema

 
Jesus was asked a question in Mark 12:28-31. The question was, "Which is the first commandment of all?". Jesus answered saying, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." This response is known as the Shema, found in Deut. 6:4-5. The word "shema" comes from a word that means "to hear, listen to, obey, understand, give heed, yield to, cause to be heard". The scripture in both Deut. 6 and in Mark 12, goes on to say, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Jesus taught that these scriptures were the most important commandment of all.
It is not surprising that scripture also prophesies that in the end times, an event will occur that will be the breaking of these most important commandments before the eyes of mankind. This event is foretold in 1 Thess. 2:3-5:
"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come (the Day of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ again) unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?"
We live in a time of the falling away from that foremost commandment as taught by Jesus. We are not "hearing and obeying and yielding" to the knowledge proclaimed by our Father that the LORD is one, and He is to be loved with our whole being - not just worshipped, but loved. The scene is set for the son of perdition to declare himself to be God, because that commanded love of our Father has grown cold (Mt. 24:12). This command is not even to all mankind. This foremost command is to the people of God- "Hear O Israel". We cannot point to the world and condemn them for breaking this commandment. This commandment is about the relationship that our Father expects to have with us - His own people. Once we step away from this commandment, once we distance ourselves from it, and refuse to yield to it, we set ourselves up to be deceived. We usher onto the world stage that one who will bring untold horror to the earth.
We may deny it, and we may say that this command is to Israel, and the Church is still obedient to the commanded love, but this would be incorrect. In Rev. 2 and 3, the resurrected Jesus reveals to His apostle the condition of the heart of His Church. One church is told "...you have left your first love." (Rev. 2:4). Another church is told "...because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." (Rev. 3:16). To each of the seven churches He commands "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." - SHEMA, hear, understand, obey.
Another great indicator that the love for our Father has grown cold is revealed by the commandment that Jesus says in Mark 12 is second in importance, but like the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." No one can deny that our love for our neighbor is lukewarm at best, and certainly not as great as our love of ourselves. Even the most "religious" among us cannot deny that. We have become isolated and distant from our neighbor. If we are not walking out the second most important command, it is because we are not walking in the first most important command. Without that love for our LORD, Who is one, we cannot and will not love our neighbor.
SHEMA Israel, SHEMA Church:

Our Father, His Son, and His Holy Spirit are One, and we shall love them with our whole life, with everything within us. AMEN.

"Shema Israel"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82JbnMWKtSE