MESSAGE
January 10, 2021
Sermon
The First and Great Commandment - Part 2
Sam McVay Jr.
ABOUT this message //
Sam brings part 2 in discussing the greatest pursuit of a human life which is to obey the greatest command ever given from God. This commandment is impossible to accomplish in human strength but God Himself is committed with His grace and power to fulfill His commandment in us by His Holy Spirit.
NOTES //
Download Notes PDF (When Available)
Matthew 22:34-40 (ESV)
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
At the end of the ministry of Jesus the question was asked - which is the greatest commandment of all 613 commandments in the Torah.
Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 6:5-6.
Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (ESV)
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
So as a disciple of Jesus the primary focus and vision of life should be growing in “All” love for God and “as yourself” love of neighbor.
Actually, the fuel for passionate worship, holy living, and great missional outreach is passionate wholehearted love of God.
The Four spheres mentioned in the Great Commandment:
1) Heart (affections & emotions)
2) Soul (self-consciousness)
3) Mind (thoughts and imaginations)
4) Strength (body and action)
This can seem impossible to the one who really takes in the fullness of the Command.
But the good news is that, “He who commands it” is radically committed to fulfilling it in our lives by His power and grace.
To Israel (and also the Church, His covenant people)
Deuteronomy 30:6 (ESV)
6 “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”
Ezekiel 11:19-20 (ESV)
19 “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)
26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
John 17:26 (ESV)
26 And Jesus promised to help:
“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.””
The greatest pursuit of a human life is to obey the greatest command ever given from God which is impossible to accomplish in human strength.
God Himself is committed with His grace and power to fulfill His commandment in us by His Holy Spirit.
CATEGORY //
Sam McVay, 2021, January, January 2021, Sermon, Obedience