TEACHING 1
TOPIC: THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS
TEXT: Matthew 22:23 – 40
INTRODUCTION: The Pharisees and the Sadducees were questioning our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, not because they wanted to know the truth (John 8:32) but the intention to get reasons based on which they would accuse and get Him killed (John 8:40). But all their attempts met with failure because He had not finished His work on earth and His time to depart had not yet come (John 7:6). Hence, in this session with the Pharisees, our LORD had just silenced the Sadducees, then the Pharisees came to take their turn of defeat (Matthew 22:32, Isaiah 54;17). While this instance gives us assurance of silencing every tongue that will rise against us as disciples of Jesus Christ, the lessons of the Great Commandments are there for us, more importantly. The two Great Commandments can be understood as stressing the two important facts about life (1) Devotional Commitment to God, (2) Sacrificial Giving to Mankind
- DEVOTIONAL COMMITMENT TO GOD (Matthew 22:34 – 38).
We need to understand that what Christ demands from us as disciples is Devotional Commitment to God. That means that there should not be anything between us and God.
- The Tripartite nature of Man belong to God (Matthew 22:37; Ezekiel 18:4; Ecclesiastes 12:7). Man is a tripartite being meaning every mankind has three major parts (Matthew 22:37; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). The passages make us to know that every human being is made up of (i) Body or flesh (ii) Soul (iii) and Spirit (Genesis 1:26; 2:7; Romans 8:14). The body formed from dust was there motionless and speechless until God breathed on him and it was then and then only that he got up and started living. The physical body carrying the invisible soul. When the soul gets out of the body, the body will return to the ground as a physically dead body (Genesis 3:19). God gives His Spirit to guide and direct the soul for as long as he is still alive in this (Job 32:8). However, if man chooses to ignore God, the Spirit of God forsakes such a person begins to yield to the leading of evil spirit (Romans 8:14 – 16).
- God demands the full commitment of mankind to Him while he or she is still in this body (Matthew 22:37). The heart (soul) and body (eyes, representing the whole body) – let your entire body delight in the ways of the LORD Psalm 1:1-2).
- (a) The Soul that is not given to God is being hurt (Ezekiel 18:20; Proverbs 8:35, 36). (b) The body that is not committed to God is being destroyed (1 Kings 18:26 – 28; Romans 1:28; Psalm 16:4a). The Spirit of God will vacate the body and soul that depart from God (1 Samuel 16:14; Judges 16:20).
- Benefits of our Tripartite Nature’s devotional commitment to God (Psalm 1:3; 103:4,5; 107:9; 121:7; Psalm 33:19; Romans 8:14). We indirectly and unconsciously keep the first four of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1 – 11).
- SACRIFICIAL GIVING (Matthew 22:39, 40)
- God’s example of love – The meaning of sacrifice is to give something without looking back (John 3:16). God lays the example of Love in the giving of Jesus for us (John 13:34, 35; 1 John 4:21). The love God requests from us to one another is similar to the love He has for us (John 13:1; 15:12). God’s example of love is like the sunshine and rainfall on the good and bad (Luke 6:27 – 32, Matthew 5:43 – 46).
- Personal love – Among the teachings of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ to His disciples on the Mount is love for others (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31; Romans 13:8,10). Love to one another must be in action with performance indicators (1 John 3:18; 1 Samuel 18:1 – 4) Love renders service without encouraging or indulging in sin (Galatians 5:13). Brotherly love should be without discrimination (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:9, 10).
- The cost of sacrificial love for others – As the giving of Jesus for mankind is at a cost to God, sacrificial giving to one another cannot but cost us something (John 13:34, 35; 1 Samuel 18:1-4).
- Benefits of love for mankind come unconsciously and often unexpectedly (i) Love covers multitude of sin (1 Peter 4:8; Ephesians 4:32; Luke 22:34). Peter was restored with love by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:69 – 75; John 21: John 21:5,6, 16 – 18) (ii) We reap whatever we sow in due time (Galatians 6:7 – 10). (iii) To the extent of bringing one back to life from death (Acts 9:36 – 42) (iv) Living unprecedented inheritance behind (2 Samuel 9:1 – 11). Again, as we love our neighbours as ourselves, we indirectly and unconsciously keep the last six of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:12 – 18; Romans 13:9
CONCLUSION
Although the motive of the Pharisees asking Jesus about the greatest of all the commandments was mischievous with the intention of getting basis to accuse him before the spiritual leaders, He turned the table round to relieve the burden of pleasing God and enjoying the benefits of godliness (Matthew 11:28 – 30; 6:33,34
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