Unexpected Answers

Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)  Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  38  This is the first and greatest commandment.  39  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  40  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Jesus was surrounded by those that wanted Him to fail.  In Matthew 22 the Sadducees and Pharisees were pressing Jesus with questions designed to trap Him.  They were looking for an answer that they could use against Him.  Religious people tend to do that.  They word their questions in such a way that if you don’t give them the answer they have already decided to be correct they can accuse you of not “being like Jesus” or not “following the Bible”.  Typically they are proud, arrogant, and slaves to the law and customs that bring death and not life.

“What is the greatest commandment?”  That question had been debated by the religious leaders for centuries.  The Pharisees were men that had formed their own opinions and worked to establish them as custom among the people.  Using their intellect and power they herded the multitudes into carefully made corrals where they could be squeezed into submission.  There was no love for God’s people only the longing for power and authority.  All Scripture was defined according to their understanding.

The Pharisaical lawyer that posed this question to Jesus was used to men bending under the weight of the collective scorn and intellect of these religious types. Whatever this unlearned Nazarene would answer they would attack and embarrass Him in front of the crowd.  And then Jesus spoke Truth into the midst of the storm.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
I
t was like driving a sword into the heart of the raging bull that was waiting to crush Him.  Instead of wrestling with the law Jesus defined the law. If you Love God supremely then you will keep His commandment.  Not for duty or reward but from a heart that can do nothing else.  The man or woman that loves God above everything in this life will never take His name in vain or make graven images to worship.  They will hold everyday as holy and live their lives surrendered to Him.  Love always puts the other first. Love never speaks evil. Never looks to self but always holds the other in greatest esteem. Living for God is easy if you love Him with all your heart, soul and mind.

It is easy to become trapped by the Pharisees.  To begin to live life as a set of rules and expectations placed upon us by others and there are many who would love to be the ones setting the rules.  But Jesus has shown us a way to transcend the “law-givers”.  There is an old song that comes to mind,

“Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me.”

What defines your relationship with Jesus?  He loves you!  Everything that God has done for us is borne on wings of love.  “For God so loved the world…”  Everyone knows that verse.  Let’s make sure they know our counterpart to it.  “For I so loved God…”