INSIGHT
 

When Jesus was asked which was the greatest command in the Law He replied:

 

"'Love 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."

 

Before Jesus left us He said:

 

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

 

   Jesus made it clear that His commands are centered on the action of LOVING.  When we love God we will love our neighbor.  When we love our neighbor we are keeping the sacred laws of God which promote peace, unity, edification and spiritual growth.  Even though you may encounter serious trials throughout this life, when you focus on loving, you will overcome the difficulties and grow through these very trials.

 

   If you read the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5, 6 & 7), you will notice that the core of Jesus teachings is LOVE. In chapter five he speaks about the mindset and practice of those who uphold His spiritual law. He ends this chapter by saying: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The only time we actually uphold the law of God is when we are loving from the core of our very being. Chapter six is about the attitude the citizens of the Kingdom have. In chapter seven He speaks about how to persevere in these, so that growth ends up being the result, and not stagnation.

 

   The Beatitudes, in the beginning of chapter five, come as a result of recognizing how we have been blessed as sons and daughters of God’s Kingdom.  To be blessed is to be in bliss; to be extremely satisfied; fulfilled; happy. (From the Greek: makarios ) Out of these realizations come obedience to the spiritual laws of Christ and growth from putting these laws into practice. This is what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love your neighbor as yourself.
The Heart of Jesus: The Greatest Commandment
The Most Excellent Way!

Key Text:               Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' {38} This is the first and greatest commandment. {39} And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' {40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

 

Theme:

These two commandments which Jesus used to summarize the whole Law are actually taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-6 and Leviticus 19:18.  The first of the greatest commandments was known to the Jews as the Shema, Judaism’s basic confession of faith.  According to rabbinical law, it was to be recited morning and night.  In Galatians 5:14 the Apostle Paul quotes the second greatest command as being the fulfillment of the whole law.  In other words, if you are loving your neighbor, you are a disciple in word and truth.

 

Application:

Here are some helpful suggestions:

 

1. Love the LORD with all your heart! Make it your goal

    to serve the Lord with a willing spirit! God delights in a

    heart that is willing to serve as oppose to a heart that is

     bitter and critical! Eph 6:7

 

2. Love the LORD with all your soul! Have a deep

    appreciation for God and His divine love for you!

    Consider the man of the cross! This is the depth of  God’s

    love for you. Love Him deeply too! John 3:16

 

3. Love the LORD with all your mind! Get to know the

    Lord your God! Read His Word and be fascinated by the

    great things He has done (and continues to do) in the lives

    of His servants! For our God deserves our full attention

    and focus! Colossians 3:2

 

4. Love the LORD with all your strength! Never give up

    serving the Lord! Do everything to the glory of Christ,

    your Lord! Col. 3:17

 

May the Lord richly bless you!

 

Sermon Outline

 

“The Most Excellent Way”

 

Introduction: Last Week

   1. The tenth commandment dealt with moral thought!

   2. Root of the problem stems from the coveting heart!

       (Matt. 15:17-20a)

   3. Kinds of coveting:

       a. Material (King Ahab: 1 Kings 21:1-16)

       b. Person (King David: 2 Sam. 11)

       c. Business

       d. Lazy spirit (Prov. 21:25-26)

   4. Only through Christ can we make it to heaven!

      (Rom. 7:24-8:2)

 

I. The Law Written In The Heart (Rom 2:11ff)

Romans  2:13

“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”

     A. God does not show favoritism (vs 11)

          1. Salvation is not based on externals

          2. But according to the person’s spiritual state

     B. Three degrees of enlightenment revealed to men

          (vs. 12-16)

         1. The light of nature: The Gentiles (non-Jews)

               --their conscience is their witness(

                 (Natural awareness)

               --they are judged by natural law

         2. The light of the law: The Jews

              --The Law is their witness

                 (Spiritual awareness)

              --Judged by the Mosaic law

         3. The light of the gospel: The Christian

              --The Law of Love: Mt. 22:37-40

              --The Spirit of Christ is revealed in their lives

                a. Love your God (First love)

                b. Love your neighbor (Second love)

              --We have the privilege of having the Bible

              --We are called to be doers (James 1:22)

              --We will be judged by the Word (John 12:48)

 

II. Conclusion:  The inner Christian:  Rom. 2:29

 

      --A true Christian is within:

        1. A Spirit-led person (desires to walk the walk)

        2. A Spirit-minded person (desires to please God)

        3. Christ’s Words are Spirit and Life (John 6:63)
Small Group Study

Warm-up:

Here is the scenario: You need a major operation. Would you entrust your life into the hands of any physician if given a choice? Why or why not? What helps you determine his or her trustworthiness?

 

See To It                                          Romans 2:17-29

 

1. What were the Jews professing to be? List the items they

     bragged about?

 

2. Why did they brag about their being a Jew? What did that

     signify?

 

3. Even though they professed God, what were they doing?

 

4. Why were they in grave danger? What did their salvation

    consist of?

 

5. How were they affecting the Gentiles?

 

Seeing It Closer                              

 

1. How can the Christian fall under the same condemnation

    as the Jew? Use question #1 as a guide.

 

2. Is a Christian a Christian, simply because he or she has

    been baptized, has the knowledge of the Word and has

    good attendance? What makes a true Christian?

 

3. What does God look at? What must be cleansed? How is

    it cleansed?

 

4. What are the characteristics of one who truly

    knows the Lord? Will you be able to tell?

 

Getting It Together

 

If  we were to substitute the word “Jew” for “Christian”, Romans 2:28-29 would read something like this: “a man is not a Christian if he is only one outwardly, nor is baptism merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Christian if he is one inwardly...” Are you allowing the Spirit of God to lead you? Is God pleased with you? Do people see the light of Christ in your life? When they see you, do they see Jesus? Is your life a life that is filled with grace, love, peace and humility? You be the judge!

This week's Quiet Times:

THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY

 

MONDAY

Praise the Lord for what He has been teaching us through His Word!!  This week we will examine the two greatest commandments as described by Jesus.   Examine  Matthew 22:34-40 and Mark 12:28-34.   Jesus quotes Deut.6:5 and Lev. 19:18  and is the first to combine these two texts to summarize the law into the two greatest commandments!  He also mentions something we are to use to fully love the  Lord that the text in Deut. 6 does not mention.  What is it?  What does this tell you about how to love the Lord?  Read and apply Galatians 5:13-15 today.  Do something for your neighbor to show love - something that you would like done to you today.  Praise God for the opportunities that He gives to us!!!      

 

TUESDAY

Today we are going to read Deut. 6-7.  There are so many awesome and amazing lessons to learn in these passages! As you read chapter 6 ask yourself: “how is a child of God to show the proper fear of the Lord?”  What did the Lord tell them to teach their children in verses 20-25?  Do you see how this testimony applies to you and your need to share the Gospel?  The lessons in chapter 7 may not be as easy to see, but as you read, contemplate how God  has called us to be different from those in the world. How is this connected to what we read in James 4:1-10? We are to be set apart from the world through our obedience to God. Why are we to do this according to Deut.7: 6-11?  What is our motivation today?  Make a poster with 2Corinthians 5:14-15 and hang it somewhere you can see it!  Share with someone else how the Lord delivered you!  Share His love and deliverance with as many as possible. 

 

WEDNESDAY

Read Deut. 8-10 today.  As you read the text, notice what the Lord stresses to His children.  In verses 1 through 5, why was it important for God’s children to be tested the way they were?  Does this remind you of what we read in Hebrews 12?  Do you see how beneficial it is to be disciplined (loved) by the Lord?  How  is your attitude when you are disciplined?  Take note of how God tells the Israelites to remember their blessings.  What will happen to them if they forget the Lord?  Have you noticed as you read these chapters how many times the Lord tells them to remember Him?  In chapter 9 why was God going to give the Israelites this great promised land?  What kind of attitude was the Lord warning them about in verse 4?  (Read Titus 3 and see that this applies to us as well).  In Deut. 10:12ff, can you see the two greatest commandments?  Who are we to love above all else?  How are we to treat others around us?  Why?  Meditate on verses 12 and 13 throughout the day and impress them on your heart. 

 

THURSDAY

Read  Deut. 11. What is God calling His children to do?  Notice how the elements of loving, fearing and obeying God are repeated again and again? God says to His people in verse 26,  “see I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse...” Describe what the blessing is and what the curse of God is?  Remember from last week what happened to Israel as a nation when they forgot the love and power of God (Numbers 13-14)?  Israel did not obey (love) the Lord therefore they broke faith, they did not obey the two greatest commandments and it devastated them as a nation.  Pray to the Lord to constantly open your eyes to see His blessings in your life.  Be prepared to see wonderful things that you may not have seen before and be prepared as God reminds you of His love for you!! 

 

FRIDAY

What happens to a church that does not love the Lord with all their inner being?  What happens if we forget our first love?  Read Revelation 2:1-7 and see.  The church at Ephesus had some great qualities.  What were they?  What happened to them?  What was the Spirit convicting them of?  What was going to be their outcome if they did not repent?  What would be their blessing if they listened and what would be their curse if they did not?  Now read Ephesians 3:14-20.  Knowing what the Ephesians were being convicted of  in Revelation 2, you can appreciate why Paul prayed for them the way he did.  Look at Rev.2:17-19 in particular. What did they need to grow in their understanding of?  Pray as Paul did: that we, as a church, will grow continuously in our understanding and appreciation of God’s awesome love for each and every one of us!!