Great Commission to Great Commandment

Men called to be pastors/elders

our duty is first to be Christians (little Christs, followers)

the disciples were followers in obedient devotion before their later positions, but the status of follower never left

Great Commission is given to us as a job description not only as pastors, but as Christians.

Read Matthew 29:18-20

so much of the NT is written by men carrying out the Great Commission

But we can’t do the Great Commission well if we don’t do the Great Commandment well

Read Matthew 22:34-40

Sh’ma memorized and recited daily (Deut. 6); Leviticus 19:18 (neighbor)

How to do the Great Commandment well

Love God

Not because of his blessings and because of your circumstances

Read & engage the Word; not passively, active reading is like drilling for oil -> master the Bible

Read theology; high theology leads to a high doxology; get to know God

Be fed by fellowship; accountable brothers, be poured into from other godly men; fellowship sanctifies us and helps us grow in devotion to God

2. Love Neighbor

1 John 3:11-18

3. Love Yourself

not the sinful self-love of the world; see yourself as a redeemed man made in the imago dei for His glory

Although the emphasis is upon loving God and neighbor, one is also to love himself. There is a self-love which is the essence of depravity, but there is also a godly love which necessarily includes oneself. When one sees that he belongs to God and neighbor, he finds that he must be true to himself also. Love cannot be divided, and the true self cannot be isolated from God or neighbor. Either one loves God, neighbor, and himself or he loves neither.

We must have a due regard to the dignity of our own natures, and a due concern for the welfare of our own souls and bodies

read Eph. 5:28-30

This helps us to love neighbor

All of this leads us back to being “little Christs”. This is what it means to follow Christ and live devotionally and obedient to God.