Where Worship Meets Your World (pt. 1)
This past Sunday morning we considered one of Christ's Church's Core Values, 'Personal Ministry'. We considered two very well known texts, Matthew 22:34-40 (The Great Commandment) and Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission). Let's continue our study and discussion.
In asking Jesus the question 'What is the greatest commandment?', the teacher of the law was inviting Jesus into what was a matter of ongoing debate. Would Jesus agree with those who thought the greatest commandment was found among the sacrificial laws - making sure that offerings were made in a way to truly appease God? Would He instead side with those who thought the most important command was among the ceremonial laws - the matters of preparation before one could even approach God? Or, might Jesus answer that the most important command came from the area of moral law - our behavior and how it might either please God or incur His wrath?
Jesus' answer took the whole matter to its core. It's not about the commands or those keeping them. It's about God. His answer, familiar to all pious Jews in His day, referred to the Shema, a passage of Scripture quoted often by the faithful. "Love the Lord your God will all that you are!"
Jesus, in effect, said: "Your keeping the sacrificial laws, ceremonial laws or moral laws apart from first having a genuine love for God... is useless!"
So, also, we tend toward going thru the motions of religion and piety. We want to know which are the most important rules to keep. What are the most important pitfalls to avoid. The truth be told, we often spend an inordinate amount of time debating these things with each other. This text and many others call us to think much deeper than commands and laws, to the inward reality - the heart of the matter. Do you want to know the temperature of your faith? Are you loving God with all that you are? Start there. What do you think?
In asking Jesus the question 'What is the greatest commandment?', the teacher of the law was inviting Jesus into what was a matter of ongoing debate. Would Jesus agree with those who thought the greatest commandment was found among the sacrificial laws - making sure that offerings were made in a way to truly appease God? Would He instead side with those who thought the most important command was among the ceremonial laws - the matters of preparation before one could even approach God? Or, might Jesus answer that the most important command came from the area of moral law - our behavior and how it might either please God or incur His wrath?
Jesus' answer took the whole matter to its core. It's not about the commands or those keeping them. It's about God. His answer, familiar to all pious Jews in His day, referred to the Shema, a passage of Scripture quoted often by the faithful. "Love the Lord your God will all that you are!"
Jesus, in effect, said: "Your keeping the sacrificial laws, ceremonial laws or moral laws apart from first having a genuine love for God... is useless!"
So, also, we tend toward going thru the motions of religion and piety. We want to know which are the most important rules to keep. What are the most important pitfalls to avoid. The truth be told, we often spend an inordinate amount of time debating these things with each other. This text and many others call us to think much deeper than commands and laws, to the inward reality - the heart of the matter. Do you want to know the temperature of your faith? Are you loving God with all that you are? Start there. What do you think?
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