What is the Greatest Commandment of all?

This was a common question the Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots liked to debate. Consequently, Jesus was not the first Rabi to whom they had posed this question.

Like many of you, I have had many challenges in my life, including family, work, and personal challenges. Far too often, the older we get, the more we rely upon ourselves, and less upon faith, family, and friends. I have made this mistake far too often. So, as I sit here Sunday, November 17, 2024, I write this for myself and maybe someone who finds their way to my Blog. 

LIVE IT OUT

 

On the mountain or in the valley our daily walk with CHRIST is often filled with doubt and rejection of what we know we need to accomplish. Praise GOD for the struggles of life because this is when true growth will come. The Holy Spirit begins working in our hearts in our essence to bring us back into GOD’s will, ultimately living as GOD intended us to live. At the essence of each of the Ten Commandments is an underlying invitation from GOD to a better life. The commands are intended to help us live the life GOD intended for us to live, free from the consequences of sin while in a deep, personal relationship with GOD, and others.

Connect: The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and His family, and the few people who really know you and share their lives with you.

Grow: Allowing the timeless truths from God’s Word to transform our lives in CHRIST is our greatest aim.

Journal: Claim GOD’s blessings by dating your entries. Dating your entries gives you a chronological timeline as well as allows you to note the space between journal entries. Another benefit is when Satan claims GOD is not faithful you can claim GOD’s faithfulness by pointing out specific blessings, times, and dates.

Go: Go to your prayer closet, and worship the LORD our GOD. Next, share the good news!

The Great Commission

^16-17 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

^18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Let’s look at Matthew Chapter 22: 37-40

^37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”

What do you think it means to love God with all of your heart? …soul? …mind?

I like the way the Message idiomatic translation/ personal paraphrase explains our text. “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.”

1^st Commandment

“You shall have no other gods before me”

Exodus 20:3

Deuteronomy 5:7

 

The remaining nine commandments proscribe certain actions for GOD’s people. The first commandment, however, is unique in it regulates a certain relationship between GOD and HIS people. Biblical morality is predicated upon the reality there is only one GOD, and HE must be worshiped to the exclusion of all others.

So how do we do this? I believe it comes down to four cornerstone building blocks.

v Adoration- Bowing in humility and  worship to GOD’s majesty

v Trust- Let go and rest secure in GOD’s power and perfection

v Invocation- Seek God’s Face claiming HIS promise to sustain us in our time of need

v Thanksgiving- We recognize God as the fount of every blessing

 

God never intended for the children of Israel to apply the 10 commandments so they could merit their own righteousness. Consider how the 10 commandments were given to Moses after the LORD redeemed them from Egypt by his mercy, love, and grace 430 years after GOD’s promise to Abraham. The children of Israel were to keep the 10 commandments in gratitude for a salvation already accomplished. Today, we obey GOD in thankfulness for His mercy, love, grace, and redemption accomplished at Calvary. We no longer have to wait for Jesus to come, instead of looking forward to the old covenant like the children of Israel did, we look back to Calvary. Here is how Luke records it: “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood’ ” (Luke 22:19-20).

Questions to Ponder, Reflect, and Grown on:

1.    What gods do I need to forsake?

 

2.   Whom do I praise?

 

3.   Who is my refuge?

 

4.   Whom do I count on?

 

5.   Whom do I call for?

 

6.   Whom do I thank?

 

7.   Who is worthy of our true devotion?

 

May our prayer be today and every day,

 

LORD I WILL HAVE NOTHING BEFORE YOU!

I AM THE WAY

 

O Come, O Come, Emanuel

For night after night, they appear

Day after day beckoning farewells

Accusers rising to condemn and jeer

 

These cohorts of sin’s embrace

Obscured shadows in death-abiding

Ridiculing reproach in vile abase

Those in Jesus, who are confiding

 

Father, gather all who are yours

Amid the roar and reason of life

Crashing upon the battered shores

Of endless words in frantic strife

 

United in prayers fervent chase

Void of the burden of sin to carry

Grace, grace, unconditional grace

So, there is no need to sit and tarry

 

For Christ hath borne all our pain

 Amid every storm and tempest gale

To live is Christ, and to die is gain

 HE willingly carried our travail

 

Supported by GOD’s very breath

Sanctified forever never to feel

The chilling gust of looming death

Yes, by HIS stripes we are healed

 

Now, listen for HIS voice is calling

Salvation from thy tender youth

THE WORD didst all the proving

I AM the Way, I AM the Truth! 

 

Solus Christus

 

Jay Adam Pearson