Here we read about the great commandments, given to us by Jesus Christ himself. Of the many commandments that the Pharisees had learned, Jesus was able to sum them up. “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and also, “love your neighbor as yourself”. If we do not do these two things, how can we follow God? It may be daunting, because as broken and imperfect people, we are incapable of loving perfectly. At times, we may not even love ourselves. But that is the beauty of it. In our brokenness we learn to forgive ourselves and allow ourselves the grace that has been given to us. In turn, we can forgive one another and allow each other grace. Through this action and a complete surrender of heart, soul and mind to God, we can serve Him and follow his commandments.
Matthew 22:23-46
23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
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.”
41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’?
45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ What was the Sadducees’ downfall, according to Jesus? [v.29]
+ What did Jesus compare the resurrected to? [v.30]
+ What is God the god of? [v.31-32]
+ Why did the Pharisees test Jesus? [v.34-36]
+ What did Jesus say of the two great commandments? [v.40]
+ What was Jesus trying to reveal to the Pharisees through his question? [v.41-45]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What am I doing to better know the Scriptures and the power of God?
+ Am I loving the Lord with all of my heart, soul and mind? What is hindering me?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?
+ How can I love my neighbor as myself?
+ Who needs to hear this message?