Posts by reachchurch

Read This Week: Mark 3

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
– Mark 3:20-21 & 31-35 NIV

One of the actions that Jesus accomplished when he came to earth was to establish a new family – the family of God. Mark 3 verses 20-21 and 31-35 have been misinterpreted in their context and meaning as Jesus neglecting or forsaking his blood relatives for other people. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus was always doing the will of God, and that was not going to change even for his family. Instead, His mission included the establishment of a family that extended beyond kin people to those bonded through their relationship with God through Christ. That is what He is doing in this chapter.

Jesus is not being dismissive to His family when he remains in the house and does not go out to see them or give in to their request in verses 31-35:

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 

He knew their motives were good and looked out for his best interests. But Jesus wanted to demonstrate to those in the crowd and the religious leaders that His purpose and mission were greater than the desires of His family. He did not need help or assistance, but only to do the will of the Father and show His followers that they should do the same. He says in verse 35, Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.

The Lord, by his example, shows us that we must not allow anyone (even our dearest loved ones) to influence us in a way that will cause us to stop doing God’s will. His actions point to his words that our love for God should be so deep, passionate, and great that love for our family or anyone else would pale in comparison.

Our family may not even understand (verses 20-21) or support our love for God, but that should never be a deterrent to following Him. Additionally, it is important to note that Jesus is not suggesting we ignore or abandon our families. It is His will for us to care for and provide for our loved ones, but nothing in life can take precedent over the Lord.

The beautiful takeaway from this chapter is that when we follow and have a relationship with Christ, we are not abandoning our family; we are gaining a new one by doing God’s will. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, we experience the new birth and enter the family of God. We get to share in the divine nature, experience His grace, celebrate His goodness, and express His love together. So, God, in His mercy, does not ask us to abandon our family. He provides us with a new one in His name and for His glory.

Read This Week: Mark 2

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” – Mark 2:8-12 NIV

Mark 2 continues to show us the authority and action of Jesus from the previous chapter, as demonstrated before the people and recorded for us. Jesus began to show in His miracles and acts that there was much more to His mission than healing the sick, relieving affliction, or touching those suffering. There was something greater for people to experience in their lives; they could enter the kingdom of God. The story of the paralytic man offers the best illustration of what lay behind the miracles and words of Jesus.

In this narrative, we observe the spiritual power in Jesus’ actions and meeting of felt needs. We understand that He offers an eternal solution to our greatest problem and not just a momentary fix. This realization is significant because we often want symptom treatment or temporary relief rather than a lasting cure. Temporary relief of our immediate problems is sometimes more attractive than a lasting cure. In our lives, we can merely look for fleeting results and deny Jesus the opportunity to give us a permanent answer.

Death, disease, and illness are interrelated in humanity due to the fall. The human problem comes as a result of original sin. In Romans 5:12-15, the Bible gives us a clear picture of the predicament we are all in because of sin. It says in verse 12: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

But this passage in Romans continues in verse 15 with what we see played out in Mark 2 between Jesus and the paralytic man. Sin is the root issue that needs the highest form of healing even as our physical problems because of sin persist. It says:

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.      

It is awesome to see the words of Scripture written after the life of Jesus be tied back to the distinct and practical actions of Christ. The theology of Romans 5 is personified in the person of Jesus in Mark 2. He not only offers to heal the man’s life-long malady in response to his and the faith of his friends but He gives the man what he ultimately needs – spiritual healing. Christ says to him in verses 10-11: 

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

When Jesus said, “Get up and walk,” He wasn’t just exhorting a paralyzed man to use his now functioning legs to walk home. He was telling him to get up from his old life and embrace his new one. Jesus was not just telling him to live in the experience of walking to his dwelling place, but to live in the joys of everlasting life and prepare for his eternal home.

This lasting touch is what Christ offers to us as well, He is more than a temporary fix to our earthly issues. He is a lasting reconciliation to our eternal reality. When we experience salvation through faith by His grace, He tells us to get up and walk. Get up from the old life and walk with and do life with Him in the new one.

Read This Week: Mark 1

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God… Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” – Mark 1:1 & 15 NIV

The Gospel of Mark is the narrative of Jesus in action. We see more of Christ doing than teaching. The gospel account was written in the late 50’s AD and confirmed by Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, who lived from 60-135 AD. Mark was a translator and assistant to the Apostle Peter, and he recorded Peter’s eyewitness account of the life and movements of the Lord. 

The book contains one of the great openers of any book in the Bible. It reads like the first lines of a spell-binding, classic novel; only the word of God transcends anything that came after it. Mark begins with this definitive line in verse 1: The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 

Mark wastes no time giving the whole and distinct picture of who Jesus is from the beginning. The Christos or Messiah establishes the supremacy of Jesus and shows that he is no ordinary person. He emphasizes the divine activity of Christ and how He interacted with and met the physical and spiritual needs of people. Many of Jesus’ sermons are not written here because the focus is equally on what He did as what He said. There was perfect unity in His person, life, and example and something for us to strive to emulate.

There was authoritative unity in Jesus’ ministry. He was not just a teacher, proclaimer, healer, or remover of unclean spirits. He was and is all of it. He was a true action hero, a savior, and a servant who embodied the heart of God in word, deed, and service unlike anyone before Him or after. In the first chapter and the chapters to come in Mark, Christ is revealed as God’s suffering servant. He came to minister to hurting people and to die for the sins of the world. There has never been an action hero like that and will never be again.

These truths should set the tone in our daily walk with God and the way we conduct ourselves in the world and with others. We can be encouraged that the Jesus we follow is not one of legend but of one who was firmly established in human history. We can draw strength and hope from the reality of Jesus’ deity and that His actions were a reflection of the Father, the one true God. When we say we have faith in Christ, we’re not longing for an abstract or mystical force or comic book hero. We are placing faith and trust in the real, supreme authority given to Jesus, and that is all the power we need to live a successful life.

Read This Week: Matthew 28

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to be a disciple after the resurrection? It must have been terrifying, exciting, and awe-inspiring at the same time to witness the arrest of Jesus, know of His violent death on the cross, be aware that He had been buried in a borrowed tomb, and then see Him alive again. Then the mind goes to what it must have been like to be on that mountain in Galilee when Jesus laid out his mission for the world. Ideally, one would hope to be eager, prepared, and full of anticipation and reverence. But reality indicates that we would be probably somewhere in the variance of worship and doubt like the disciples.

In Matthew 28, Jesus had been raised from the dead and appeared to many. He then told his followers to go to the precise place where he wanted to commission them for His work on earth. Then verse 17 tells us of the mixed reaction of the remaining 11 disciples:  

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Some worshiped, and some doubted. The word doubt in this context means “to hesitate or be uncertain.” They held their belief in Jesus, but their hesitation and lack of faith prevented them from worshipping him. And this lack of worship could hinder their effectiveness on their mission.

But Jesus speaks into them with all of His divine authority that we saw in the last chapter and says: 

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Like us, even when the faith of the disciples was sincere, it was weak and shaky. Yet Christ gives them convincing proof of his resurrection and the authority of His word, so their faith could triumph over doubt. He does the same thing for us. He gives us His Word as undeniable proof and the power available to us to carry out His eternal and purposeful mission on earth. The Bible and Holy Spirit empower us to do life with God, and when they fill us, we transform from doubters into worshippers who share the Good News with others.

The contrast of reactions in the disciples can be a microcosm of our Christian experience. In a moment, the Gospel eternally alters our lives. Jesus saves and changes us by his resurrection power. He reveals Himself in ways we cannot imagine while calling us to be on a mission with Him. All the while, some worship, and some doubt. The church is filled with worshippers and doubters, redeemed people exercising faith in Christ or a debilitating lack of it. But believers have the constant presence of God to counter human, emotional doubt. There is no day or hour that the Lord Jesus is not present with His church and the family of God. Jesus makes this promise in verse 20: And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

The prayer of Christians should be that we not get caught up long in the discrepancy of worship and doubt. We must stay connected and seek God constantly, so our role in His mission for the world is not hindered by ambiguous faith. The desire of our heart should be for Jesus to receive glory in the world through our worship. And in every area of our lives, allow Him to help us be worshippers and not doubters.

Read This Week: Matthew 27

They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. – Matthew 27:33-37; 45-51 NIV

The tendency is to read Matthew 27 and lose sight of the spiritual and eternal authority still embodied in Jesus. It is easy to look at His arrest, His trial, His appearance before Pilate, and the antagonism of the crowd and think things have spun out of control. It is natural to believe that when one submits to custody, they still have rights but have lost all authority. But this was not the case with Christ. He retained all the authority of God while under the subjection to the processes of man.

This keeping of Jesus’ authority can be seen in the way He responds to questioning. It did not make sense for someone accused of things that He was to respond in such a way to the charges. Pilate, the Jewish leaders, and the crowds are in turmoil, but Jesus calmly expresses faith in God. He is not afraid, for he knows that no human authority will decide his fate. He is still in control. Verses 11-14 capture this remarkable moment:

Meanwhile, Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Jesus kept His authority in the laying down of His life according to the will of God. Even while going through a trial, being wrongfully accused of a crime, being beaten, humiliated, condemned to die, and placed on a cross, He still had the power to be the sacrificial atonement for our sins. Jesus said to the disciples and His followers that no one takes His life from Him. He gives it upon His own accord and in sync with the will of the Father. He has the authority to lay His life down and the authority to take it up again. This authority is how He was able to say with finality and make these things happen in verses 45-50:

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

In His eternal power and authority, God is always in control. He never gives up His authority. No person, no entity, no process, no human construct, philosophy, or opposition can strip Him of His sovereignty and supremacy. Even when it looks bleak and as if all hope is lost on earth, God remains in control. Even as Jesus was arrested, tried, beaten, crucified, and buried, He was still in the driver’s seat. No one has the authority to take His power or His ability to accomplish His will. 

Believers should be encouraged by the truth and promise that God is always in control. His authority is gracious and merciful because it offers us salvation and a relationship with the glorious and righteous Savior. His authority is loving because it sustains us through all the seasons and challenges of our lives.

Read This Week: Matthew 26

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives… He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” – Matthew 26:26-30, 40 NIV

Matthew 26 is about the power of moments and the steadfastness of the mission that Jesus was on. It is apparent here and throughout this entire gospel that the life and ministry of Christ are purposeful. Everything he did was within the will of God and intentionally on the mission that He came to fulfill. 

As we read this chapter, it is important to keep this idea of Jesus’ words, actions, and mission in view. The disciples often failed to understand this reality as they walked with Him, but that does not have to be the case with us. We can read and absorb these powerful moments and events in the context and light of the meta-narrative of God and the accomplishment of His eternal will through Christ.

We see God’s will and mission in the story of the woman with the alabaster box. It shows not only a beautiful act of sacrifice, love, and devotion to Jesus but also has theological implications for the Gospel. The disciples saw it as a kind yet wasteful gesture of expensive perfume but, Jesus interprets the action as preparing him for burial as was the custom in that culture. What the disciples saw as a frivolous act was a love-filled foreshadowing of the burial of Jesus after His sacrificial death on the cross. It was symbolic of both the human devotion of the woman and the divine sacrifice of Christ.

We see God’s will and mission in the betrayal of Judas. Jesus demonstrates that it is a sacrificial and loving act to receive someone as they are and invest life in them by his treatment of Judas. It also shows that we can trust God’s plan amid bad choices. His perfect will is not stopped by flawed behavior. In what followed next, we see Jesus overcome the fallenness of betrayal with the power of love. Betrayal chooses to forget. Love chooses to redeem.

We see God’s will and mission in the last supper. Jesus breaks bread with the disciples and gives it to them as a symbol of remembrance of what was to come. It anticipated His necessary bodily sacrifice for all. He identifies the cup of wine as his blood, the blood of the new covenant that is necessary for the covering of sin. We observe the Lord’s Supper in the same way, to remember what Christ did for us and to honor His payment of our sin debt that we could never pay.

We see God’s will and mission in the garden as Jesus submits in divine humility to the will of the Father even as he suffers in his humanity. This demonstrates to us the humble submission to God that we should have in our daily lives, decisions, and actions. We further see God’s will and mission in Jesus’ arrest and trial as it furthered accomplished the plan of salvation and glory that would come to the Lord for all time through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It shows us that nothing on earth can’t prevent the movement of God’s work and the furthering of His kingdom.

We see God’s will and mission in Peter’s denial of Jesus. It would be a temporary setback for an incredible comeback in the disciple’s life. Peter, a lying coward at this moment, would be transformed by the resurrection, appearance, and ascension of Christ. He would later stand on the steps of Pentecost and with truth, boldness, and courage, proclaim the saving message of Jesus to the world. It is one of the great examples of personal redemption and transformation for the cause of Christ. God’s will provides moments that ensure our lowest and worst moments don’t have to be the defining moments of our future.

Read This Week: Matthew 25

For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. – Matthew 25:35-36, 40 NIV

Inherent to the Christian life is the service of other people. It is one of the indications and outward expressions of our faith. As we have already seen in the gospel of Matthew loving and serving others is directly correlated to the love and passion we have for Jesus. Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us is an earmark of the presence of God in our lives. Chapter 25 once again reinforces the truth and teaching of being a good steward of God’s resources, truth, and love.

We see here that the treatment of people and especially other Christians is the basis of determining the relationship an individual or group has to Christ. Jesus makes it clear in these parables within the chapter what we do to His followers and the world at large is done to him. The words of Jesus in these passages communicate to us that Christianity cannot merely be just a social connection, a spiritual construct, or a way to do charity. It is the transference of the love of Christ through the follower of Jesus to other believers, our neighbors, and those in the margin who are less fortunate. Jesus says in verse 40:

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

In the stewardship of our lifestyles, activities, words, and freedoms, we often fail to be mindful of, regard and love others, especially those suffering. But when we love others as if we are doing it for Jesus, we will humble ourselves and serve for the sake of other people and their wellness. Doing life with God will change our understanding and make us aware of needs, injustice, and the responsibility we have to fight for the least of these. The strong should look out for the weak. The privileged should advocate for the less fortunate. The safe should stand in the gap for the endangered. We cannot do what we want as Christians without stopping to consider others. That approach can expressly lead to marginalization and, even worse, painful indifference.

Jesus directly addresses indifference in this chapter. The charges against the lost ones (vv.41-43) do not concern obvious moral issues but are focused on their indifferent attitude toward Jesus and His people. Their indifference is what led to their fate, not their direct violations. Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel once said, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” Christ taught this first, and verses, 35-36 shows what the opposite of indifference looks like:

For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.

God’s love is the opposite of indifference, and the things done in His name will emulate that. Followers of Christ are not indifferent towards Jesus and His mission. We are not indifferent towards the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do life for Him every day. We are not indifferent towards the resources that God gives us, or towards needy people all around us. Followers of Christ are not indifferent towards a world that is lost. What we do to others, we do to Jesus. When it is done for others, it is done for Him.

Read This Week: Matthew 24

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. – Matthew 24:36 & 42-46 NIV

James Clear, the author of the best-selling book, Atomic Habits, said this about how important daily growth and consistency can be to a successful life. He wrote, “It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis.” Clear’s assertion is that we are better served by daily faithfulness to doing things the right way versus looking for and trying to take advantage of one big moment. Christ was ahead of the curve on this idea in Matthew 24 by stressing a readiness for the big God moment by being vigilant, wise, and faithful every day.  

Earlier in the passage, Jesus was speaking about the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end. His teaching builds a sense of understanding about the kingdom and the urgency and priority of the mission. The apocalyptic and revelatory language that Jesus uses in verses 1-32 serves to point his followers and listeners to increase their faith not only when things get big or challenging but at all times. He desires for Christians to use wisdom and be mindful of the will of God every day as they wait on the end of their life or the return of the Lord. He says in verse 35: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Constant readiness and daily wisdom, faith, and preparation are at the crux of the message. Readiness is the operative word as the believer does not know when their time is up. So they should always be ready to serve God, steward their talents and gifts, love and care for others, and make a difference for the gospel in the world.

The word servant in verse 45 also means steward or one who properly takes care of or uses something that belongs to another. While we are here on earth serving Jesus and waiting for our appointed time, we are to be faithful and watchful stewards of what God has given us. Christians do not have to possess all the answers or know what will specifically happen at the end. But we must be ready each day to be faithful and wise as we grow in our devotion, build our character, communicate the gospel, and make an impact on a lost world. 

The servants of God in this passage are watchful, prepared, and ready consistently to be found faithful in the work of the Lord. The same expectation is there for us today. Our concern should not be with the seemingly big moments, what will happen in them, or what we are doing in comparison to others. Instead, we must be wise to faithfully take care of our life and use it for the glory of Christ, to be ready to let our light shine in the Holy Spirit’s power in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces each day.

Jesus said it will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. When a new morning dawns for the follower of Christ, no matter what lies ahead, the message is to just be ready.

Read This Week: Matthew 23

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. – Matthew 23:1-4 & 11-12 NIV

Hypocrisy is often used as one of the biggest reverse apologetics for the movement of Christianity. For centuries, skeptics and those who reject the Christian faith point to hypocrisies in the lives and actions of those who call themselves followers of Jesus as evidence that the message is not authentic. The unbelieving culture sees the incongruencies between the teachings of Scripture and its devout followers as proof that salvation in Christ is nothing more than a construct of people.

These arguments and assertions lack two logical realities. One, the hypocrisies of fallible, finite, and imperfect human beings does not and cannot logically negate the existence and truth of an eternal and immutable God. Secondly, just because someone believes something does not mean they embody it. Paul David Tripp once wrote that “just because you believe a thing does not mean you are that thing.” Therefore, devotion to God or lack thereof does not disprove that He exists or that the Church is not the Body of Christ sent to preach good news to the world. Hypocrisy is about flaws in the heart of man and not about the character of God.   

Jesus addresses hypocrisy (specifically religious hypocrisy) in Matthew 23. Jesus says the Scribes and Pharisees are hypocrites seven times. The word in Greek described actors who placed a mask over their faces as they played their part. It means someone who pretends to be something they are not, pretending to be someone better than they are. Someone who appears to be virtuous and of a good reputation but in private is corrupt and immoral. Jesus said this is what the Pharisees and others like them are. He said their hypocrisy creates and puts a burden on other people. The end of verses 3 through 4 says:

But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

The scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites and poor examples because they expected more of others than they did of themselves. They set heavy burdens on others yet did not even live up to those standards. They also created a burden and barrier for people to see and worship God.

But Jesus does not say that their actions and hypocrisies negate the existence and preeminence of God, nor will it prevent the kingdom from advancing. Instead, he rebukes, warns, and speaks to their hearts so they will turn from their sin and behavior. He wants them to stop causing others to be burdened by something that should give them joy, peace, hope, and expansion. Jesus desires the same thing from us.

The same directive and correction given to the Scribes and Pharisees are there for the follower of Jesus today. Our failures, shortcomings, and inabilities to live up to a Christ-like standard are not a reason for disobedience from other Christians or denial from the world. The truth does not derive from the righteous life of the Christian but from the authority of God himself.

The proof of integrity and right living among believers is simply an encouragement to follow Jesus and obey God without the extra burden of duplicity. Consistent, Scripturally-based, and Holy Spirit-fueled living of Christians dispels the notion that following Christ is a burden or unnecessary. Instead, it attracts people to the immediate and eternal benefits of a life with God.

Read This Week: Matthew 22

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

Jesus demonstrated His love to us and for us to emulate. He showed us how to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit and love others in the way that God designed. Jesus set the tone for us to love so that we could be a beacon of life and hope to a world in despair. He taught and showed us that love empowers and nurtures while providing safety and security within communities. The love Jesus desires for us embodies supernatural tenderness and compassion that draws people to His heart. 

But this type of love is impossible toward our fellow man if we do not first love God. It all starts with passionately and wholistically loving God and knowing Him. Jesus taught here that loving God is the catalyst of all other love. Loving God with our whole life – our emotions (heart), our volition (soul), and intellect (mind) is the greatest thing we can do because everything else flows from it. It is at the center of meaning and truth in this life. God is our first love. Jesus says in verses 37-38 of Matthew 22:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Jesus leaves no room for doubt about what should be the most important pursuit in our lives. The consistent, daily love for God fuels, informs, and empowers the believer to operate spiritually, be on mission, and love other people in the way He loves them. Loving God lays the groundwork for the thing Jesus said was like loving the Lord. The word like is strategically used because it means that the love for our neighbor should be similar to and even resemble the intense, passionate, devoted, and faithful love we have for God. Verse 39 says:

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus says that our horizontal love for others should look like the love we have for God. Our love for people should include our entire being and come as a direct result of our love relationship with the Lord. Therefore, we cannot say that we love God but do not love the people. This contradiction exposes our improper, misguided love for God. To rightly love God is to love the things He loves, and He most certainly loves people. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for them. That is how much he loves people, and we should too.

Loving people the way God wants us to can be hard sometimes. We are all fallible, sinful people, who fail, behave poorly at times, hurt each other, and do not often live up to a Christ-like standard. We can be unlovable. But this passage makes it clear that no one is unloveable for those who have a relationship with Christ and who love God the way they are supposed to. His love in our hearts overcomes the habits, hang-ups, disappointments, hypocrisies, and mechanisms created by people.

Showing love to others can be painfully frustrating at times. It can get tiresome and redundant when we see self-centeredness instead of unity. It can be exhausting when gossip trumps honor, harmony gives way to division, and pride ravenously consumes humility. It hurts when people tear us down, ridicule us, and are hardly ever encouraging. But these realities do not negate the original intent for the love of God displayed through His people. Jesus said it is the greatest thing we can do not because it is easy but because it is impossible without the love of God. That is what makes it great. 

There is so much beauty and power in the response of Jesus to the Sadducees and Pharisees. They aimed to trip Him up and cause Him to say something that would blaspheme the law so they could arrest Him and put Him to death. But Christ uses it to teach about love. His answer is love – the love of God and the love of our fellow man. Love is first. It is the greatest, noblest, and most impactful thing human beings can do on earth.