Mat 22:36-40 “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.”
In this section of Scripture, the Sadducees had just failed in trying to beat Jesus in a game of whits. So they handed off to the Pharisees…like they would do any better! They asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. Some have said that the Jews divided the law into greater and smaller commandments. Some of the Jews believed that sacrifices were the greatest, others circumcision. They wanted to know what Jesus thought, but they were not prepared for His answer.
Jesus told them the same thing He tells you and I. We are to love our God with ALL our heart, soul and mind. Just like the Pharisees, we think that God is happy with us because we sacrifice something, but is He?
Mal 1:8-10 You sacrifice blind animals to me. Isn’t that wrong? You sacrifice disabled or sick animals. Isn’t that wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD who rules over all. “Now you dare to ask me to show you my favor! But as long as you give offerings like those, how can I accept you?” says the LORD. “You might as well shut the temple doors! Then you would not light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD. “I will not accept any of the offerings you bring.
After reading this verse– do you still think that God is happy with us as long as we sacrifice anything??? God wants our all. We need to show Him that we love Him with every part of who we are. That is why it says Heart, Soul, and Mind. That covers the whole package! Two out of Three is not good enough…
I recently finished a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This book has changed my life. God spoke to me directly throughout this book and the Holy Spirit convicted me many times…one important area specifically, was in the way that I love others. This happens to be the 2nd Greatest commandment. We have a built-in nature that makes it easy to love and care for ourselves… that is why it is so hard to put that nature aside and put someone else first. The Crazy Love book asks very blunt questions of us. He uses Matthew 25 as the basis of his teaching for us. The main verse is:
Mat 25:40Â “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
So when we love the person who pulled out in front of us, and then proceeded to drive really slow…when we love the person who just stabbed us in the back, and they are a fellow believer…when we love the prostitute or drug dealer…then we LOVE GOD! God is giving us a challenge that most of us have overlooked forever! How would you rate your love on a scale?  What if you were to offer your level of love (for God AND Others) to God as an offering? Would He accept it as pleasing? This book made me realize that I have so far to go…but it also gave me inspiration and helped me find a deeper relationship with my God. Please go out and by this book and then let me know what it has meant to you.
God is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him. We cannot get closer on our own terms. We HAVE TO let go. Until we let go, we will only experience the shallow waters…the choice is ours!
Blessings to you as you surrender,
Pastor Ray
