Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 ~ "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.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
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"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
The word commandment gives, I think, the mental image of something difficult and maybe unpleastant to do. In the military, the commander is the ultimate authority in a given unit. His role (perhaps stereotypically) is to impose his will on the troops for a greater purpose. His charges follow out of a sense of duty, sacrificing themselves in varying degrees, up to and including the ultimate sacrifice.
Even when we think of the Ten Commandments, I believe the common reaction is that they are a heavy-handed bunch of "Thou shalt nots"! But here is the Giver of the Law, God in the flesh, responding to the question "which is the greatest commandment?"
His answer?
Love me, just love me.
Amazing grace, indeed.
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Questions:
1. How would you define "commandment"?
2. How would you describe your love for God?
3. How do you show Him love? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we stop and consider a "Commander" whose greates desire from us is our love. Jim
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"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power." Billy Sunday
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What does love look like?
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 ~ "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.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
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"'Love the Lord your God...."
So...what is this "love" that we are supposed to do? How do we know it when we see it? When we do it? My father-in-law, Ed, sent me a great response to yesterday's message. In reading works of Saint Francis de Sales, Ed came upon this quote:
"When we look at the very beautiful and natural love of two people, we see that the mind and heart of the lover are always on the beloved. It occupies their time, their hearts, and their conversation.When the beloved is absent, how quickly they keep in touch through letters and all means of communication. The same is true for those who love God. You can never stop thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring toward him, and speaking about him. "
I really like this. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" - longing for him - "and with all your soul" - aspiring toward him - "and with all your mind" - thinking about him...and speaking about him."
I think Pall alluded to this when he wrote to "pray without ceasing". (1 Thess. 5:17) I do not believe that he meant for us to be on our knees at all times, but rather to be ever aware of the one who loves us the most...and to be ever "thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring toward him, and speaking about him. "
May this be us!
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Questions:1. What do you think of this perspective?
2. Ho often do you think about Him?3. How do you show His love?
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May we never stop thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring toward him, and speaking about him. " . Jim
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"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power."
Billy Sunday
Monday, September 8, 2008
First things first
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 ~ "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.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
How important were the Commandments of God? Very important.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
(Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
The Commandments were the very essence of the Law, the very essence of life to these accusing Pharisees and Sadducees. But Satan had wormed his way into the Books of the Law and the hearts of its' defenders. The true essence of the Law had been forgotten; that God loved them more than anything and they (we) needed to love Him in the same manner.
God loves everyone more than we love anyone. He loves your spouse more than you do. He loves your parents more than you do. He loves your children more than you do. He loves your friends and neighbors more than you do.
The second greatest Commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. But first things first. You cannot even begin to love your neighbor, not with the love of God, until you experience the love of God. And oh, friend, how He loves you! And by experiencing His love you can then show His love. You cannot share that which you have not received; but once you have allowed His love to pour into you, it is unstoppable.
Remember, this love is not just emotion; this love is action. God's love was shown through Christ on the cross. How then, do you "love your neighbor"?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
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.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
How important were the Commandments of God? Very important.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
(Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
The Commandments were the very essence of the Law, the very essence of life to these accusing Pharisees and Sadducees. But Satan had wormed his way into the Books of the Law and the hearts of its' defenders. The true essence of the Law had been forgotten; that God loved them more than anything and they (we) needed to love Him in the same manner.
God loves everyone more than we love anyone. He loves your spouse more than you do. He loves your parents more than you do. He loves your children more than you do. He loves your friends and neighbors more than you do.
The second greatest Commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. But first things first. You cannot even begin to love your neighbor, not with the love of God, until you experience the love of God. And oh, friend, how He loves you! And by experiencing His love you can then show His love. You cannot share that which you have not received; but once you have allowed His love to pour into you, it is unstoppable.
Remember, this love is not just emotion; this love is action. God's love was shown through Christ on the cross. How then, do you "love your neighbor"?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Why is loving God the first and most important commandment?
2. Does 'loving your neighbor' imply sacrifice?
2. Does 'loving your neighbor' imply sacrifice?
3. How do you show His love?
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May we give God all we have, and get back all He would give. Jim
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"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power."
Billy Sunday
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May we give God all we have, and get back all He would give. Jim
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"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power."
Billy Sunday
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
What are we missing?
I just read this verse: “The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.” (Psalm 119:64)
This made me think...if the world is really full of God's love, and I don't see it, then what is the problem? Now, I don't mean that I don't see glimpses of His love, sure I do. But David wrote that the earth is filled with it.
The he asked God to teach him.
What would happen if we asked God to teach us? Would we see much more of His love in the world? Would that encourage us? Inspire us? Enable us?
Will you ask God to teach you?
"You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2)
This made me think...if the world is really full of God's love, and I don't see it, then what is the problem? Now, I don't mean that I don't see glimpses of His love, sure I do. But David wrote that the earth is filled with it.
The he asked God to teach him.
What would happen if we asked God to teach us? Would we see much more of His love in the world? Would that encourage us? Inspire us? Enable us?
Will you ask God to teach you?
"You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
ListenDaily - 03 January 2008; What do you know?
Know nothing else???
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Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-2 (NIV)
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
This is an interesting statement from the Apostle Paul:
"...I resolved to know nothing while I
was with you except Jesus Christ..."
How literally do we take this? We all know that Paul knew many things; tent making, Roman and Hebrew Law, he was well-traveled, knew multiple languages...so what are we to make of his "know nothing except' statement? Metaphor? Hyperbole?
I don't think so.
I think that Christ had become the completion of all that Paul saw, all that he thought of, all that he knew. Nothing else existed for him except as it existed in reference to Christ. Everything in nature - part of Christ's creation. Everything made by man - an item to be used to bring someone, somehow to Christ. Every believer? A Christ-follower. Every non-believer? Someone headed to Hell unless brought to Christ.
It is not that Paul was empty of other information, it is that he could no longer separate anything in the world from his Savior. Or more accurately, he realized no separation existed between Christ and anything else.
So, here we are, 2008. How does this work for us? What compartments we have in our lives! Work, entertainment, family, leisure...church...quiet time... Is Christ in all of these for you? Or do you find that He only becomes real during prayer, or quiet time, or during church?
Oh church, may we seek to be as Paul...and know nothing else but, or apart from, Christ!
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Questions
1. What do you think of this perspective?
2. In what areas of your life is it hard to see Christ? Do you try in those areas?
3. What can you commit to doing, for a week, month, to help you know Jesus better?
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Quote of the Day
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
Jim Elliot
ListenDaily - 02 January 2008; New Year's Resolve
ListenDaily - 02 January 2008; New Year's Resolve
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re·solve [ri-zolv] - to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something).
- to convert or transform by any process (often used reflexively).
- to deal with (a question, a matter of uncertainty, etc.) conclusively; settle; solve.- to clear away or dispel (doubts, fears, etc.).- to cause (a voice part or entire harmony) to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.
- firmness of purpose or intent; determination
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Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-2 (NIV)
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I resolved to know...Jesus Christ
Resolve. As you can see above, there are a variety of ways to define this word, and even more that I did not include. In these days of revolving door trends in nearly everything, it seems we may need to brush up on what it means to be resolute, what it means to resolve to do something.
So then, what does it mean if we, as Paul did, resolve to know Jesus? It means we will:
- come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine to know Him.
- convert or transform ourselves by any process needed in order to know Him.
- deal with any and all questions or matters of uncertainty that hinder us knowing Him- clear away or dispel any doubts, fears, etc. that hinder us knowing Him- cause progress from dissonance to a consonance in our minds, families, and churches
- have firmness, purpose or intent, and determination in our pursuit to know Him
Resolve.
Amen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions
1. When is the last time you resolved to do something?
2. What would it mean for you to resolve to know Jesus?
3. What can you commit to doing, for a week, month, or year, to help you know Jesus better?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
re·solve [ri-zolv] - to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something).
- to convert or transform by any process (often used reflexively).
- to deal with (a question, a matter of uncertainty, etc.) conclusively; settle; solve.- to clear away or dispel (doubts, fears, etc.).- to cause (a voice part or entire harmony) to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.
- firmness of purpose or intent; determination
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Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-2 (NIV)
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I resolved to know...Jesus Christ
Resolve. As you can see above, there are a variety of ways to define this word, and even more that I did not include. In these days of revolving door trends in nearly everything, it seems we may need to brush up on what it means to be resolute, what it means to resolve to do something.
So then, what does it mean if we, as Paul did, resolve to know Jesus? It means we will:
- come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine to know Him.
- convert or transform ourselves by any process needed in order to know Him.
- deal with any and all questions or matters of uncertainty that hinder us knowing Him- clear away or dispel any doubts, fears, etc. that hinder us knowing Him- cause progress from dissonance to a consonance in our minds, families, and churches
- have firmness, purpose or intent, and determination in our pursuit to know Him
Resolve.
Amen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions
1. When is the last time you resolved to do something?
2. What would it mean for you to resolve to know Jesus?
3. What can you commit to doing, for a week, month, or year, to help you know Jesus better?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year's Resolutions Resolved
http://www.photomosaic.com/samples/large/ChristFromNature.jpg
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (NIV)
It is that time of the year...time to make those New Year's resolutions, read more, eat less, exercise more...so on and so on. Different people making different resolutions for different reasons.
But as Christians we share a common ground, a common faith, and some commonality for resolution-making. I have encouraged the congregation at my church to consider starting, or increasing five things:
1) Reading the Bible daily
2) Becoming involved in Bible study
3) Developing a sense of the reality of God's constant presence through increased communication with Him (yes, prayer)
4) Doing their Christianity, acting out their faith
It is that time of the year...time to make those New Year's resolutions, read more, eat less, exercise more...so on and so on. Different people making different resolutions for different reasons.
But as Christians we share a common ground, a common faith, and some commonality for resolution-making. I have encouraged the congregation at my church to consider starting, or increasing five things:
1) Reading the Bible daily
2) Becoming involved in Bible study
3) Developing a sense of the reality of God's constant presence through increased communication with Him (yes, prayer)
4) Doing their Christianity, acting out their faith
5) Developing personal worship beyond the church service, in "spirit and truth".
These and any other resolutions can really come down to Paul's resolution: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." Or, streamlined: "I resolved to know nothing except Jesus."
How's that for a resolution?
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Questions
1. Surely Paul 'knew' other things...what do you think he meant by this?
2. What would it mean for you to now nothing but Jesus?
3. What can you commit to doing, for a week, month, or year, to help you know Jesus better?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quote of the Day
"Resolved, never to do anything which I would be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life." Jonathan Edwards
These and any other resolutions can really come down to Paul's resolution: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." Or, streamlined: "I resolved to know nothing except Jesus."
How's that for a resolution?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions
1. Surely Paul 'knew' other things...what do you think he meant by this?
2. What would it mean for you to now nothing but Jesus?
3. What can you commit to doing, for a week, month, or year, to help you know Jesus better?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quote of the Day
"Resolved, never to do anything which I would be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life." Jonathan Edwards
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