August 16, 2012
From the Life Lesson:
When one of the teachers came to Jesus with honest questions (verse 28) Jesus responded with truth. What is the most important commandment? He said, "Listen people... The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. (Quote from Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and the essence of Commandments #1 – #4.) The second command is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' (Quote from Leviticus 19:18 and the essence of Commandments #5 – #10.) There are no commands more important than these."
Jesus' response to the Pharisees questions was: "Why are you trying to trap me?"
His response to the Sadducees: "Why don't you understand? Don't you know what the scriptures say, and don't you know about the power of God?"
His response to the honest seeker: "You are close to the kingdom of God." The honest seeker understood. The bringing of sacrifices to God is not what is important. It is the obedience to what God says that is important.
For the honest seeker Jesus became the cornerstone. "The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone." For the Pharisees and the Sadducees He became the stumbling stone. "The person who falls on this stone will be broken, and on whomever that stone falls, that person will be crushed." (Matthew 22:42–44)
We are called to surrender, obey, and serve. Jesus never turns away an honest seeker.
Life Lesson ~ When you are fed up with life and utterly exhausted, look for a way to love someone around you. Being patient and maintaining a caring attitude when you don't feel like it shows that you have experienced God's love.
Next Entry: Mark 13:1–37
From the Life Lesson:
"... Love for Christ is a deliberate setting of the will to carry out His commands at any cost. It is the fixed attitude of the heart that decides to do his will at all times. It is the desire and delight of accomplishing our Father's purposes, no matter how challenging.." ~ From Lessons From a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller
"Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life's sweetest wine—the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving." ~ From He Chose Nails by Max LucadoContrast those statements with the words and actions of the Pharisees and Sadducees—religious unbelievers. They each sought trickery instead of surrender, trying to trap Jesus for their own gain. They didn't seek to learn from Jesus. They were only interested in furthering their own agendas. They hid (or so they thought) their agendas through deceit, flattery, and the appearance of going to Him for answers. But it was for appearances only, and God knew it.
When one of the teachers came to Jesus with honest questions (verse 28) Jesus responded with truth. What is the most important commandment? He said, "Listen people... The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. (Quote from Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and the essence of Commandments #1 – #4.) The second command is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' (Quote from Leviticus 19:18 and the essence of Commandments #5 – #10.) There are no commands more important than these."
Jesus' response to the Pharisees questions was: "Why are you trying to trap me?"
His response to the Sadducees: "Why don't you understand? Don't you know what the scriptures say, and don't you know about the power of God?"
His response to the honest seeker: "You are close to the kingdom of God." The honest seeker understood. The bringing of sacrifices to God is not what is important. It is the obedience to what God says that is important.
For the honest seeker Jesus became the cornerstone. "The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone." For the Pharisees and the Sadducees He became the stumbling stone. "The person who falls on this stone will be broken, and on whomever that stone falls, that person will be crushed." (Matthew 22:42–44)
We are called to surrender, obey, and serve. Jesus never turns away an honest seeker.
Life Lesson ~ When you are fed up with life and utterly exhausted, look for a way to love someone around you. Being patient and maintaining a caring attitude when you don't feel like it shows that you have experienced God's love.
Next Entry: Mark 13:1–37
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