The Love story of God

"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.'" [Matt. 22:34-40]

In my mind that is probably the most powerful statement ever made. Why? Because Jesus, in two statements re-defined for the religous ruling party what God expected of them. What's going on here?

The Sadducees get schooled by Jesus and the Pharasees get all excited. I'm not seeing where God is involved there. They decide to test Jesus with a question. A big one in fact, as there were some 613 or so different commands that needed to be followed in order to 'make God happy' That darn letter of the Law!

What they get is not the satisfaction of being right, but they get a love story! Jesus say's that the most important thing to do is love God. The second is to love others. Everything else is filtered through those two things. If you aren't doing that, you are missing God. I find it no concidence that an "expert" in the law put the question forth. They are busy protecting the law, making sure everyone follows the law Their job is to enforce the law. OF ALL PEOPLE, he should have known this! He was one of Israel's teachers.

The prophet Micah rebuked the rulers of his day for the same thing. They were more concerned with the offerings being right than they were their hearts. Micah said they should know better because God had showed them and told them how they should be. "He has showed you O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." [Micah 6:8]

Love God, Love people. It's about manifesting the power of God through loving him and others. In this way we become like Jesus. It's God's Love story, as RBC had in the devotional this morning.

"If we have not love we are a resounding gong or a clanging symbol." [1 Cor 13:1] Maybe that's why so many in the world don't care what the church has to offer. We are just making a lot of noise, and have not love...

Screw up someone's world today: Love them because God first loved you and ask for nothing in return.