March 25, 2010
Central Truth
God clearly tells me the most important thing I can do is to love Him with all I have and make Him a priority above all else. His will for me is to seek to know Him and serve Him. Christ's love for me allows me to obey His ways.
And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" (Matthew 22:37-39)
23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
44
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’?
45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Many times, sin in my life (selfishness, worry, laziness, etc.) and the lies of the world (comfort, escape, perfectionism, and material things) satisfy and interfere with me following God's greatest command. It's a daily spiritual battle to make His Kingdom my primary concern even though He promises to give me all I need from day to day (Luke 12:31). The good news is He has given me exactly what I need for this battle through the grace of Jesus Christ, His Word, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and His people.
Daily, I have to admit I can't do it on my own and that God has the power to help me if I am willing to let Him. Taking these steps allows me to surrender my ways and acknowledge that God has the power, and I don't. Humbling myself helps me trust that He wants what is best for me, He cares what happens to me, and life is found in obeying Him. (1 Peter 5:6-7) He calls me to examine what I am loving or putting before Him. I can make my appearance, approval of others, or even entertainment an idol. When I confess the sin in my heart to others and replace it with God's truth, there is great freedom and peace. (Acts 3:19-20) To love the Lord means spending time with Him in His Word and prayer. When I'm not content, He wants me to praise Him and accept His great love for me. This transforms my negative mind and allows me to have joy in the Lord in all circumstances.
Lastly, God tells me to understand my calling to serve others. It's His power and strength that allows me to help others, and the awesome thing is He has prepared these good works ahead of time (Ephesians 2:10). Praise God that Jesus died for me and that He came for the sinners, not those who think they are already good enough (Matthew 9:13). Loving Him with all my soul means letting go of my way and doing all things for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)!
1. What sin in my life do I need to confess to other believers and God to let them know the state of my heart and mind?
2. What interferes with me loving God with all my heart, soul, and mind?
3. What can I do to make spending time with God in His Word and prayer a priority?
4. How can I make myself available to serve God's kingdom and give Him glory?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are some rules in your classroom and at home?
2. What did Jesus say is the greatest “rule”?
3. How are you doing at following Jesus’ #1 rule? What is one way today that you can obey His #1 rule?