The Greatest Commandment

The Greatest Commandment

This morning we are starting a short series on something that IS FOUNDATIONAL to us.  As a church, New Covenant sees the doctrine of love as being foundational to who we are as new covenant believers in the corporate body of Christ and who we are specifically as a local assembly.  We are calling this series “the greatest of these.”  Of all virtues, love is the greatest.

This morning’s message is called the greatest commandment.  Let’s open our bibles to Matthew 22.

CONTEXT – LEADERS TRYING TO TRAP JESUS

Last week we were actually in this section of Scripture, so you are already familiar with the context.  In Matt 21:23 Jesus entered the temple courts and was teaching.  The chief priests and the elders came to him and began to ask him questions that they thought he wouldn’t be able to answer as they were trying to trap him in his words.  Now can you imagine trying to trap Jesus or debate Jesus?  Not happening!!!

That is the context for this morning’s text-

Matt 22:34 – 40

 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."

Remember the point in this expert in the law asking this question is not sincerity, but to trap Jesus.  The idea is this, “If Jesus says the greatest commandment is such and such, then we can say, well what about so and so.  If He says X, well what about Y?  Their intentions were evil; they were trying to trap Him.  But there is no trapping Jesus.  There is no debating Jesus.  Jesus’ answer to them was spot on.  The man was an “expert in the Law” (the Law of Moses).  Their question was regarding the OC.  Remember, this is during the time of the OC, the last days of the OC, but they were still under the law, nonetheless.  Ethnic Israel was God’s chosen people and the blood of the NC had not yet been shed.  The teachers of that age (the age of the Law) were asking Jesus which of the commandments in the Law of Moses is the greatest?  There were hundreds to choose from.  Some say there were about 613 commands in the Old Covenant.  This expert in the Law is asking Jesus, which of these 600 some odd commandments is the greatest?

• You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal (Lev 7:26)
• Purification after childbirth (Lev 12)
• Regulations regarding mildew?
• Regulations about infectious skin diseases (Lev 13)
• Do not mate different kinds of animals (Lev 19:19)
• Do not steal.  Do not lie.  Do not deceive one another (Lev 19:11)
• Observe the Sabbath.
• Honor your parents.

Which of those 600 some-odd commandments is the greatest?  Jesus then answered them by saying that the greatest commandment is found in what we know as Deut 6:5  “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Jesus says essentially, the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses is to love God.  Love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  The greatest commandment is to LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF THE ESSENCE OF YOUR INNER BEING.  Love God with ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND ALL THAT YOU ARE.

All of the 600 some odd commandments were great because they came from God, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.  

OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GOD HAD REQUIRED OF HIS PEOPLE, THE GREATEST DESIRE OF GOD IS THAT HIS CHILDREN WOULD LOVE HIM.

AS A FATHER, I CAN RELATE.

I can honestly say that as a dad, I probably command about 613 things of my children:

• Don’t put water in the sandbox
• Don’t put sand in your sister’s hair
• Stop teasing her
• Wash your hands
• Don’t hit your sister
• Don’t draw on the walls with crayons
• Go potty
• Clean your room
• Get your pj’s on
• Brush your teeth

But the one thing, the greatest desire that I have from my children is that they would love me.  If they are cleaning their room and not coloring the walls and doing everything I had asked of them, what good is it in the end if they don’t love me?  Furthermore, if they are doing the things I ask of them, I want them to do those things out of love for me.  More than anything I could require of my children, I want my children to love me.

In the same way, of all of the things that God required of His children, the greatest desire of God is that his children would love him.

Israel could obey all those other commandments but not do it out of love for God.  They could obey all those other 600 commands and do it only for the sake of fear or self-righteousness.  But what good is it?  

God asked them to obey the commandments out of love for him.  Love the Lord and obey him out of that love.  BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, LOVE HIM.  

If service is rendered unto God without love, what does the service matter?  That is simply cold, empty, ritualistic and legalistic rule-keeping.

GOD GAVE ISRAEL COMMANDS, BUT IN THE MIDST OF CALLING HER TO OBEY THE COMMANDS, HE CALLED HER TO LOVE HIM.

Deuteronomy 11:1  Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.  Love God and obey Him.  LOVE & OBEDIENCE, HAND IN HAND.

Deuteronomy 19:8-9  ⁸ If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, and gives you the whole land he promised them, because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the LORD your God and to walk always in his ways—then you are to set aside three more cities.  Love God and walk in His ways.  LOVE & OBEDIENCE, HAND IN HAND.

Deuteronomy 30:16  For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.  Love God and walk in his ways.  LOVE & OBEDIENCE, HAND IN HAND.

God gave Israel a multitude of commands, and because they all came from God they were great, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

The greatest commandment is Love the lord with all your HEART and all your SOUL and with all your MIND.  LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF THE ESSENCE OF YOUR INNER BEING.  LOVE GOD WITH ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND ALL THAT YOU ARE.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT ONE CAN SHOW LOVE TO GOD?  TO LOVE HIS CHILDREN, TO LOVE HIS BRIDE, TO LOVE HIS BODY.

One of the ways that someone can show love to God is to show love to his children.

I get that.  I have a friend who whether he meant to or not made it evident that my children annoyed him.  That hurt me as my children are an extension of me.  Showing annoyance toward them is an insult to me and dishonoring to me, and ultimately unloving toward me.  

On the other hand, I have other friends who show love towards my children; in doing so, they show love to me.  Showing love toward my children is honoring to me and loving toward me.  When people give a gift to my children that is showing love towards me.  It’s as if one was giving that gift to me.

Blessing my children is blessing me, cursing my children is cursing me, hating my children is hating me and loving my children is loving me.

Believers are the children of God.  Showing love to fellow believers is showing love to God’s children and showing love to the children of God is showing love to God.

One of the ways to show love towards God, is to love His bride.   If somebody says something against my wife, it feels like a personal attack on me; it hurts my feelings.  My wife is an extension of me.  She is my other half; we are one.  There is no one besides God Himself that I love more than my wife. 

In the same way, if someone says something nice or loving about my wife, I am honored and blessed; I feel loved. 

Blessing my wife is blessing me.  Cursing my wife is cursing me.  Hating my wife is hating me and loving my wife is loving me.

Believers, corporately are the bride of Christ.  When we show love to believers, to the church, we are showing love towards the bride of Christ.  Showing love to the bride of Christ is showing love to Christ.

One of the ways to show love towards God is to show love to his body.  In one breath can you say, “I love you, but I hate your body?”  You are connected to your body.  What somebody says about your body they are saying about you.  

What if someone walked up and kicked you in the shin?  They didn’t kick you in the head, they just kicked you in the body.  It was just a body part, no big deal, right?  No!  Kicking your body is kicking you.

In Acts 9 – we find that Jesus indicts Saul of Tarsus for persecuting Jesus.  When did Saul actually persecute Jesus?  He didn’t.  He persecuted the body of Christ and persecuting body is persecuting Christ.

Believers are the Body of Christ.  Loving the Body of Christ is loving Christ.

Loving believers is a manifold way of loving God.  Love is the greatest commandment.  Love fulfills the Law.

God gave Israel a multitude of commands, and because they all came from God they were great, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

God’s greatest desire is for his children to love Him. Loving others is an expression of that love toward Him.  Loving God and loving others goes hand in hand.

The greatest commandment is Love the LORD with all your heart and mind and soul and strength!  

Matt 22:38 – 40 ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. JESUS SAYS ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The first and greatest commandment is: love God.

The second greatest command is like it.  You didn’t ask for the 2^nd, but here it is.  It is found in Leviticus 19:18  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

THE GREATEST COMMAND IS LOVE GOD.  THE 2ND IS LIKE IT.  LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR.  THEY GO HAND IN HAND.  LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR IS AN EXPRESSION OF LOVING GOD.

⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The Law and the Prophets was a way of summing up the entire OT.  The LAW was the Torah – the first 5 books.  The PROPHETS were the writings of the prophets who God sent to Israel to reinforce the covenant and draw the hearts of the Israelites back to God and bring them back to obedience to the Law.  While there may be 600 some odd commands and meticulous details of the law, it’s actually SUMMED UP VERY SIMPLY:  Love God and love your neighbor.  

EVERYTHING SAID IN THE LAW AND PROPHETS COLLECTIVELY CAN BE SUMMED UP IN THESE 2 COMMANDS: LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR.

Look at the 10 commandments for example.  We find the 10 commandments in Exodus 20

³ "You shall have no other gods before me. To have other gods before the true God would not be loving to Jehovah.  If one acts in love toward Jehovah, he would not have another god before him because that would not be loving.  Love God.

 ⁴ "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; 

To make idols and bow down to them would not be loving towards Jehovah.  If one acts in love toward Jehovah, he would not make idols and bow down to them because that would not be loving toward God.  Love God.

 ⁷ "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.  To misuse God’s name is not loving towards God.  If one is acting loving towards God, he will not misuse His name because that would not be loving.  Love God.

 ⁸ "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For an Israelite under the law to fail to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy as God required would not be loving towards God.  

 ¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Failing to honor one’s parents is to fail to love them.  It’s not loving to dishonor one’s parents.  Love others.  In following this command, one will honor his father and mother, because it’s loving.

 ¹³ "You shall not murder. I don’t really think I need to say much about this.  If you are loving others, chances are murdering them will be the last thing on your mind.  Love others.  In doing so one will not be murdering.

 ¹⁴ "You shall not commit adultery.  Adultery is not loving.  It is not an act of love towards your neighbor to whom you are married to commit adultery against them.  If you are loving others, namely your spouse, then you will not be committing adultery against them.

 ¹⁵ "You shall not steal.  Stealing is not loving.  To steal from your neighbor is to take from them.  How is that loving?  It’s not.  Love your neighbor.  If you’re loving your neighbor, you won’t be stealing from them.  

 ¹⁶ "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.  Giving false testimony against your neighbor is not loving.  Love your neighbor.  If you’re loving your neighbor, you won’t be giving false testimony against them.

 ¹⁷ "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."   To covet is to wrongfully desiring without due regards for the rights of others.  To covet my neighbor’s house or wife is to wrongfully desire those things that rightfully belong to him.  That’s not loving to him or to God who is the one who gave me my house and wife and my neighbor his house and wife.  If I’m loving my neighbor, I will have regards for what is rightfully his and be joyful for him in that he has those possessions.

So, as you can see, just simply walking through the 10 commandments, which are somewhat representative of the Law of Moses as a whole, we can see that those 10 are summed up very simply in “love God and love others.”

We could run any of the 600 some odd commands through that test and the essence of every command would ultimately come down to loving God and/or loving your neighbor.

THE NT AUTHORS AFFIRM THIS:

Romans 13:8-10 ⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Paul echoes that in Galatians 5:14…

Galatians 5:14  The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

James 2:8 calls this the royal law. 

That is God’s greatest desire for His children – that they would love.  Love is the greatest command.

My desire as a father is that my children would love me and that they would love one another.

God’s desire as our father is that we would love Him as Abba and that we would love one another as brothers and sisters.

God has always desired the love of his children.  Love is manifest in obedience.  Jesus said, if you love me, you will obey what I command.  It doesn’t matter what the command, whether we like it or not, whether it’s comfortable or not, whether we understand or not.  The command in the garden was do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  It may have seemed unfair and was keeping Adam & Eve from attaining wisdom, but it was for their good and it was what God commanded.  ADAM’S DISOBEDIENCE TO THE COMMAND WAS UNLOVING TOWARD GOD.  HIS ALLOWING EVE TO EAT WAS UNLOVING TOWARD HER.  I believe the fruit was arbitrary.  It very well could have been anything.  It was the act of disobedience that was sin toward god.  Had Adam been loving the Lord and his neighbor, he would not have rebelled, nor would he have let Eve rebel.  In the garden, it was Adam’s love that God desired.  Love for God and love for his neighbor, Eve.  

In the same way, for Israel, under the Law of Moses, it was love that God had desired from His people.  Obedience to the commands would manifest that love.  As we saw, THOSE COMMANDS CAN BE SUMMED UP IN LOVE – love God and love your neighbor.  Some of those commands seem quite morally neutral, such as don’t cut the corners of your beards or the hair on the sides of your head or wear clothing woven of 2 different kinds of material.  However, the Lord commanded them of Israel.  Obedience to the commands is a display of love, no matter what they were or how arbitrary they seemed.  God, in the flesh said if you love me you will obey what I command.  1 John 3:23 and this is his command: to believe in the name of His son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.  His commands are not burdensome.  In fact, God’s commands are quite simple: believe in Jesus Christ and love.

As it was in the garden, as it was with OC Israel, it is love that God desires of us, as NC believers.  Love!  It is love that God desires of His people.  Love the lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  All of the commands that God ever gave are great, because they came from God, but the greatest of these is love.