First of All...
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First. Primary. Prominent. Import. Principle. These words invoke the meaning of most important. The most valuable. The most important. It is natural to organize from the top down. Now to clear up confusion, I’m not talking about being the most important because you are chronologically first. Or first in seniority so you get preferential treatment. But, first in terms of the greatest essential ingredient whereby the existence of the thing is made possible. And in many cases from day to day we prioritized by what is “first”.
When you are going to bake a cake the first ingredient you need is Flour. If you make a cake without Sugar you have a nasty cake, if you don’t add egg you have a flat cake, if you don’t ad 7up you have a dry cake. But, if you don’t add flour you don’t have cake. Flour is the first ingredient. When you build a house the first thing you need is foundation (Same Run). When you take a test the first thing you do is put your name on it (Same Run). When you enter into relationship for first thing you need is love (Same Run).
So, when it comes to our faith there is priority. There are some things that are nonnegotiable. Some things are disputable, some things are opinionated. Some things we can disagree about. But, when Jesus says, this is most important, we need to pay attention. When Jesus says “first of all...” that means if you don’t do or have these things in your faith you don’t have faith.
Love the Lord
Love the Lord
Jesus does not answer the question immediately and directly, but in stead hits them with a preamble “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One”. This is not a command, but a statement of faith that sets the rest of Jesus explanation in motion. The Shema was and still is quoted twice a day in the homes of Jewish people. It was to be written above the doors of the house and taught to children. The way we know the Lord’s prayer is the way Jews quoted the Shema. And, Jesus says it first. Because before you can discuss matters of faith with Jesus, before you can begin to have conversations about theology, religion, or anything else about God you must first know that there IS NO GOD BUT OUR GOD. There is no God like Him, because there is no God but Him. God was there in creation in the beginning, and He’ll be there judging alone in the end. God alone speaks creates everything out of nothing. God alone makes the sun to shine, rain to fall, flowers to bloom, birds to sing, a beast to roam. God alone saves, keeps, cares, sustains, ordains, creates, loves, forgives, frees, all of humanity. God alone has done this. (Preach more)
But, the first command is so simple. In summary it is to love God with all you have and all you are. If you love God it will change the way you see and treat the world around you.
Heart-emotions
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Mind-intelligence
Strength-will
Love Your Neighbor
Love Your Neighbor
The second command is similar to the first one. The similarity lies in that we are loving someone other than our-self and seeking someone else’s interest besides our own. Not only that, but to love who God loves is an act of worship to God in Who’s image your neighbor is created in in the first place. So, you cannot even begin attempting to love God, worship God, praise God, and do all the fun things in church and such and not love who God has created. Jesus goes so far as to say that “they will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another.”
You love your neighbor as you love yourself. On the surface this must include seeing that our neighbors are taken care of. If you are hungry you love yourself enough to eat, if you are cold you love yourself enough to put on some layers, if you are board you love yourself enough to be entertained, if you are tired you love yourself enough to sleep. All these are basic, and so should the way we treat our neighbors.
Pursue the Kingdom
Pursue the Kingdom
The scribe admits that Jesus is right! This is a victory. The scribes never admit to Jesus being right, not in public. But, Jesus has proven himself to be most wise in the dealings with the law, temple, and Israel so much so that now his enemies have to surrender in this debate. This man however is still not all the way there. There is still something that he does not get that is making him close to the kingdom but not apart of it. God bless those people who love their neighbor and who have a high respect for the things of God and religion. But those things don’t get you into the kingdom. Jesus’s statement that you are not far is an invitation to keep perusing. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
But, seeking the kingdom is not just in effort but in who the kingdom is personified. The King.
When I was young the adults would hid things and play games for us to find whatever the prize was. The way we would know if were are getting close to the prize was them telling us you are getting warm.