22

Alright my numbering system may seem a little off, but there is some method in my madness. I have been trying to write a brief post on eavh chapter from Matthew's gospel during Lent. We managed to get up to Matthew 21, which was Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but I didn't want to surge ahead and lose the connection with Jesus' last week on earth.

Matthew saves seven chapters for Jesus' death and resurrection, so we will use these as our reflection over Holy Week. And it is during these days that we note Jesus' powerful teaching on a number of different subjects. For today, we see how he is questioned by many of the religious leaders, all trying to catch him out, but he stumps them with his profound words. In Matthew 22, he says:

^"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.” (Matthew 22: 34-40)

There are a lot of things we can draw from these verses, but in my opinion the obvious one is this: 
"If we practised these 2 key commandments sincerely we would end up keeping all the other laws and commandments together."

It was Jesus' love for his Father and his love for us that drove him through the last week of his life.

What keeps you moving forward day after day?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Peg This

Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” - Matthew 22:37-40

Peg these words onto your heart for 2017 and may it go well with your soul. Let us strive to love God with all our passion, energy, prayer and intelligence.

"One who has been touched by grace will no longer look on those who stray as “those evil people” or “those poor people who need our help.” Nor must we search for signs of “loveworthiness.” Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are." -Philip Yancey

Living in Grace

D3LM3