Thursday, October 12, 2017

The Greatest Commandment

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’c 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’d 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22;34-40) 

Thoughts: This passage is why I would choose to be a Christian. It is a call from God to love.  The Christian God is love, who calls us to love Him and neighbor.  But He also intersected our world- came down.  He came to show us it is not only possible to be a loving person but how to do it.  Jesus embodied love with courage and changed the world for better.  The incarnation of Jesus and the atoning crucifixion of Christ embody the love of the Father for us, and the love of the Son for the Father and Spirit; and the gentle love of the Spirit  for us.  god so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son- so we are called to love Him in return- not reject Him or go our own way.  But we are also called to love the ones that are placed around us and that we are placed around- our neighbor.  A neighbor may be near or maybe someone we meet by opportunity who lives thousands of miles away.  They do not have to believe- like the Good Samaritan loved the Jewish wounded man (that parable was in response to the question- "Then who is my neighbor?"). 
     Martin Luther said 500 years ago, "Love God and do what you will."  He meant that if we really absolutely love God then everything else (including love for neighbor) will fall into place.  Usually the Ten Commandments are divided into two parts: 1) Loving God (no idols, no graven images, no vain nametaking of God, honoring parents, remember the Sabbath) and 2) Loving neighbor (no lying, stealing, killing, adultery, coveting).  So love for God and neighbor sum up the Law.  The Old Testament calls us to love neighbor (Lev. 19:17-18).  Jesus teaches us God loves us.  Some religions do not talk about loving God and God's loving us as centrally important- but it is centrally important to Christian faith and worship.  It is a practical softening of the faith and the greatest blessing that there can be in life. 

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for your great love.  Help me to love you more and more., and to grow in love for my neighbor.  

No comments:

Post a Comment