The Greatest Commandment

Series

Ready for the Reign. Play on words. This time of year, heightened awareness and readiness for rain, storms. Moving toward the end of the Christian year, which concludes on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 26th, calls forth a heightened spiritual alertness and readiness.

We are drawing our Scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary — a schedule of lessons that move us through our experience of Christ in communion with Christians around the world.

The focus of our readings is being ready for the Reign of Christ at the end of history by showing his lordship in our lives right now.

First Lesson

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18.

Moses has led the people out of slavery in Egypt. God has given them the 10 commandments. The book of Leviticus continues to expand on the laws and ethics that will shape the People of God into beacons of peace and justice. Many, many commands, yet they are continually yoked to core issues of love for God and love for others.

Leviticus 19:1–2 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Leviticus 19:15–18 “You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Second Lesson

Jesus is in Jerusalem. The religion leaders are testing him. An attempt to discredit him before the crowds, who were hailing him as the Messiah. Jesus not only answers their test questions, but draws them deeper into his message of radical love for God and others.

Matthew 22:34–40 “When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 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 greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.””

Prayer of Illumination

Lord Jesus, your understanding of Scripture astonished and humbled all around you. Send your Spirit to illumine this Word that our understanding and wisdom may be increased. Amen.

Introduction

Good leaders should have an elevator speech ready. Two or three things you stand for that you can communicate to someone else, clearly and convincingly.

Example. Arwen and talking about being a forensic linguist.

Christians should have an elevator speech ready. If you were asked in the elevator. So, you are a Christian, tell me a little about that… What do you say? Today’s lesson a great answer to that question.

EXEGESIS

A teaching, a lawyer, and expert in the Law of Moses asks Jesus, what is the greatest commandment. Give us your “elevator speech.”

What is most important = what are YOU all about.

The lawyer is testing him, to see if he might give some heretical answer, but Jesus offers a clear and convincing response.

Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4–9. Moses - having delivered from slavery in Egypt, given the 10 Commandments, led them through the wilderness, is giving his final charge to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

These words were well known to all Jews of Jesus’ day. Pious Jews would recite these words every morning: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. This monotheistic relationship was their unique heritage from the LORD who had rescued them and had made them His People.

So, when Jesus is asked what is the Greatest Commandment and He replies: You shall love the Lord, he gives an unassailably CORRECT answer. Clear identity and a convincing mission. This is what WE ARE ALL ABOUT.

NB: The scholar asks for one commandment. Jesus offers up a second commandment that he says is “like” the first. This one he draws from Leviticus 19:15–18. A passage in which God teaches ethical behavior through Moses to his people:

Leviticus 19:15-18 “You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

The greatest commandment - Love God; but there is another “like” it, yoked to it, or in the same spirit - Love others.

Jesus says, on these two commandments HANG all the Law and the Prophets. Genesis through Malachi, this is THE message.

These two commandments - love of God, love of neighbor - like a NAIL that is sure enough to bear the weight of all the requirements of God.

Example of hanging the backpacks on a peg board.

These two loves cannot be separated because they are brought together by Jesus Christ. In his teaching, in this moment, but also in his very person.

He is love of God and neighbor fused together.

Love for Us — took on flesh.

Love for God — obeyed even to death on a cross

Cross as the nail upon which all hangs. Jesus is all — the love of God and love of neighbor. Vertical and horizontal arms of the cross.

This is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us and sent his son, who loved us and gave himself for us, so that we might belong to God.

Jesus drew from Scripture and also pointed foward to his own example: I command: you must love one another as I have loved you.

The Greatest Commandment: You SHALL LOVE --- GOD and OTHERS.

Jesus what are you all about: Love of God, love of neighbor.

Interpretation

So many confusing messages out there about what Christians believe, what we do.

support this cause or that? Rapture? Sacraments? All important topics. But not the most important, essential thing.

Image of the elevator speech: What are we Christians about?

Good to return to this foundational mission: Love of God and Love of others. This is the RIGHT answer: We are about love of God and love of neighbor. The answer that holds everything else together.

But this is not just an easy slogan. Jesus was not a slogan. His love was seen in his actions.

Same must be true for us.

Deuteronomy 5:1-21 are the 10 commandments.

1-4 love for God: Shall worship LORD only; Shall not have graven images; Shall not take name in vain; Shall observe the Sabbath; you shall not abandon gathering together; you shall pray, fast, tithe.

They do not say merely “you shall feel”, but “you shall do or shall not do.” You shall ACT.

The commandments that make up “love of neighbor” are also behavioral.

You shall honor your parents. You Shall not murder, adultery, steal, false witness. You shall provide for the poor; you shall look out for the orphan and the widow.

Not you shall merely “feel” or “not feel”. You shall do and not do. You shall ACT.

“Love” in the biblical sense is not just emotive, but an act of will and action.

Jesus said, John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

James — faith without works is dead.

John — those who love God must love others, whom they can see.

Love in the biblical sense is visible by consistent actions for what one loves..personal choice, action.

If love were not a choice to act, it would be silly for God to command us. But he commands us to love God, because we can choose not to. He commands us to love others, because we can choose no to.

The essence of Christianity: we choose to love God and love others. I am committed to practicing loving behavior -- toward God and others -- this is my identity and it can be seen.

When we choose to love others and God — even when we don’t feel like it — We become dependable in our relationships, our work, our discipleship. We become like Christ. Posture of the cross — open to people and self-giving to God.

When our elevator speech matches our actions: that a powerful message.

Application

How do I fulfill the Greatest Commandments? Love God and neighbor. How? By getting into action.

Don’t ask what must I feel? That is remaining passive, giving up your choice.

Ask What can I DO to show love. Ask: What can I do…that I have a choice about. The feelings will come later by God’s grace and by our practice structuring our feelings.

Love for God:

Attend church. I don’t want to go today. The best day to go. Will over emotion. Blessed by God, blessing to a brother or sister; glad I went. (never I shouldn’t have gone and I was right)

Prayer and meditation. Get up earlier in the morning, became the “sweet hour of prayer”, more useful to God and others all day.

Tithing. Hard to start. Just a 2%, then increased from there. Most satisfying line in their budget. They could point to their love of God and neighbor.

Love for Others

Listen - God heard our pleas and rescued us. How often Jesus stopped to listen to others.

Speaking - words of affirmation, support, acceptance. Jesus often spoke words of healing, forgiveness, and hope.

Service = chores at home, service to the needy. Jesus was servant.

Justice - working for equality and civility. Jesus blessed those the world rejected.

Because God commands us to love, we can do it, by his grace.

Conclusion

Best elevator speeches are given by people who are passionate…about what they do.

Arwen’s elevator speech. Response: Wow, I should have studied that.

Jesus’ elevator speech love God and others. Passionate about it. About you. Showed it consistently in action.

Now is our time to be passionate about God and others, by showing it love.

Prayers of Intercession

For the sake of all that is needed by Earth, its people, and our churches, let us pray, saying, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For people of faith in every land, in every religion, and in every home, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For the church of Christ, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For world leaders, peacekeepers, diplomats, and government workers, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For trees and plants, creatures large and small, for pets and working animals, for oceans, winds, and soil, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For farmers in this harvest time, for those who fish and hunt, for those who ship and store what is gathered, and for those who cook and serve, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For children in school, teachers, and parents, and for those who have no schools, Holy God, hear our prayer.

For all else the church is concerned with on this day … [silence for the assembly members to speak aloud or silently their petitions], Holy God, hear our prayer.

For all that we have not named but which you know, O Lord, we trust that you will hear our prayer in the name of Christ Jesus, our Savior. Amen.