The First And Great Commandment

[Michael The Disciple]

The First And Great Commandment



There is one command that stands above all others.

22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment. Matt. 22:35-38

Are you pursuing Jesus with all your might? This is what makes Jesus happy!

[Sister Alvear]

I am trying...fall so short many times...

[NorCal]

The answer to that is in the Second Great Commandment. Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by NorCal

The answer to that is in the Second Great Commandment. Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

Jesus commanded us to do that. If you do the first you will do the second wont you?

How about the first? Isnt it THE MOST IMPORTANT commandment? Should not that be the greatest concern in a Christians life?

[HRea]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

The First And Great Commandment

Originally Posted by NorCal

The answer to that is in the Second Great Commandment.

Jesus revealed in His answer that both The First and Second Great Commandments are inseparable. They are actually two different sides of the same coin. You cannot be fulfill one without fulfilling the other also.

1 John 4:20-21
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

[RandyWayne]

The 2nd greatest commandment is perhaps the hardest to follow. Jesus was the perfect example when He said "Forgive them" in the middle of His crucifixion, yet how many of us (I would guess all) see pure red when someone verbally attacks us out of the blue?

[Michael The Disciple]

For many years now I have been hearing people say being a Christian is about "relationship" with Jesus. Well that is accurate. Yet how many who enter into that relationship are keeping it alive?

Jesus wants to be loved by his people. He wants to shower his love upon them. It is only in this kind of relationship Jesus offers eternal life.

1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

Is Jesus the love of our lives? Is our joy in discovering more and more of him? Or do we think about how many other things can we be involved in and still be a Christian?

To love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength means we will have to let go of some other things to give him most of our attention.

Those who do this find he makes it worth while.

11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. 11:6

Jesus loves DILIGENT seekers! He will reward diligence in seeking him.

Lets go after him! Nothing is more exciting! Nothing offers greater benefits.

[Amanah]

how do you go about it?

I think if you wanted to pursue God, you would pray, read his word, fellowship with the body of Christ, and try to obey his commandments. Since his main purpose was to seek and save that which was lost. I would think that loving God would mean fulfilling his purpose.

so, if you love Jesus,
seek his face
obey his commandments
love your brother in Christ
love a lost world.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Amanah

how do you go about it?

I think if you wanted to pursue God, you would pray, read his word, fellowship with the body of Christ, and try to obey his commandments. Since his main purpose was to seek and save that which was lost. I would think that loving God would mean fulfilling his purpose.

so, if you love Jesus,
seek his face
obey his commandments
love your brother in Christ
love a lost world.

Amen now were going somewhere!

[Michael The Disciple]

Love is the most powerful force on Earth.

8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. Song Of Solomon 8:6-8

Love is as vehement flame. People in the natural will give up everything for the passion of love. Thats what Jesus looks for in the saints. He is looking forward to the time his Church will become his bride!

11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Cor. 2

Do we look forward to time in prayer? Some have said "Hey I say my prayers at night".

Friends the love Jesus wants with us goes beyond the thing our parents taught us about saying a little prayer before we go to sleep at night.

Consider the magnitude of what Jesus wants us to do.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

This calls for us to put him above all else.

10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt. 10:37-39

Others might make demands of us even well meaning. Yet if such things draw us away from the bridegroom we will not be able to experience the depths of his affections.

14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

To the one who will separate his life to doing the will of God Jesus will "love" him. Jesus will "manifest" himself to him.

Such a one will have a real foretaste of what heaven is like. They will be exhilerated by the manifestations of Jesus presence.

Whether it be through answered prayers, prophetic dreams or visions, being led by his Spirit or whatever he works with you those things will create DEEP IMPRESSIONS on your heart.

When this happens you get this feeling like HE KNOWS ME!

So why should we hold back our desire for him? Why should we hold onto ANYTHING that would stand between us and him?