Greatest Commandment

April 10th – Matthew 22:37-39

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Matthew 22: 37-39

In the shadow of the cross, we hear the heartbeat of Easter, love. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, His answer was a simple one. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love others as yourself. These weren’t just words; they were the very foundation of His mission. Because Jesus didn’t just preach love, He lived it, bled it, and died to prove it.

This Easter as we reflect on His sacrifice, we’re reminded that our highest calling isn’t performance or perfection. It’s love. Love that reaches up in worship and out in compassion. Love that forgives, serves, listens, and lays down pride. Do we truly love like Jesus loved us? Is our love for God the driving force behind our lives? Are we loving others in ways that reflect the cross? Easter isn’t just a celebration, it’s a commissioning. To live like the One who loved fully. To let our lives echo the greatest commandment. Because when love is our motive, our mission, and our message, everything changes.

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February 29th – Joshua 22:5

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Joshua 22:5

Evangelist R.A. Torrey once said, “If loving God with all our heart and soul and might is the greatest commandment, then it follows that not loving Him that way is the greatest sin.” As children of God, we are called to love Him with every fiber of our being. To serve Him with unwavering dedication. And to walk in His love as a beacon of light in a world shrouded in darkness. As we embrace this sacred calling, our hearts are transformed, and our lives are filled with purpose and meaning. For there nothing greater than committing ourselves to the path of righteousness and experiencing the abundant blessings that flow from a life surrendered to the love and service of our Creator. That’s why God wants us to hold fast to His love. So He can ground us in His unchanging faithfulness, guiding us through every trial with unwavering strength. In the embrace of His love, we find refuge, assurance, and the courage to persevere, knowing that His love endures forever.

February 29th – Joshua 22:5 Read More »

October 19th – Matthew 22:37-38

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Matthew 22:37-38

Religion makes things complicated with its rituals and rules and do and do nots. But not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A relationship rather than a religion, the teachings of Jesus are as simple as it gets. Love God with everything you’ve got, and love one another unconditionally. Purposely easy to understand, in their simplicity these two great commandments are the very heart of the Bible and the perfect moral compass to guide us through life. The darkness we see growing in the world shows just how vital God’s abundant love is, as is our commitment to loving one another. For there is no greater power than love. It brings compassion, unity, and healing. It shines as a beacon of hope, calling out to all who are in need. And as agents of God’s perfect love, we can fight back against the darkness. We can do it by showing the love and grace of Christ, reaching out to those in need, and promoting reconciliation and understanding. Because loving God and loving others is a brilliant light that can dispel even the deepest darkness.

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February 5th – Matthew 22:34-40

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Matthew 22:34-40

All Jesus did and endured was because of His great love for us. And when approached by a Pharisee who asked what was the greatest commandment of all, the Lord’s answer? Love. Love for God, and each other. Love is so vital, Jesus adds, upon this is the foundation of the Law and the Prophets. But loving as Jesus loves can only happen if our love for Him is greater than our love for ourselves. And the proof of this is in the way we treat others. For as the apostle John points out, to say that we love God and yet not love others, makes us liars. (1 John 4:20) On our own a true, Christlike love may seem impossible. But through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can have hearts which no longer demonstrate a self centered, sinful love, but the completely selfless and sacrificial love of Jesus.

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April 4th – Matthew 22:34-40

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Matthew 22:34-40

All Jesus did and endured was because of His great love for us. And when approached by a Pharisee who asked what was the greatest commandment of all, the Lord’s answer? Love. Love for God, and each other. Love is so vital, Jesus adds, upon this is the foundation of the Law and the Prophets. But loving as Jesus loves can only happen if our love for Him, is greater than our love for ourselves. And the proof of this is in the way we treat others. For as the apostle John points out, to say that we love God and yet not love others, makes us liars. (1 John 4:20) So hearts that put Christ first, no longer demonstrate a self centered, sinful love, but the completely selfless and sacrificial love of Jesus.

That kind of love may seem impossible. But the closer we get to Christ, and the more we experience His unconditional love, an amazing thing happens. Our heart begins to change. Once hardened, selfish, and worldly, through the work of the Spirit, it becomes softened, open, and overflowing with gratitude. Gratitude for all that God has done for us. And from that thankfulness, springs forth the ability to see, and more importantly, love others as Jesus does.

Our goal as Christians, is to become transformed into the image of Christ. To mirror His unconditional love, loving one another just as He has loved us. (John 15:12) 1 John 4:9-11 powerfully reminds us, “God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love another.”  This is the message echoed throughout the Bible and especially in the teachings of Jesus. And to me, it is the greatest love story of all!

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Loving One Another – John 13

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John 13

When you think of Jesus what’s the first thing that pops into your head? For me it’s His love. A love so strong, Jesus laid down His life to call me His own. And I in return love Him. But that isn’t enough. Because Jesus wants more than my love. He wants me to love others with the same passion that I reserve for Him alone. …

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July 25th – Romans 13:8

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Romans 13:8

Freedom from debt is an exhilarating feeling. And owing nothing to a creditor or the taxman is a liberation that God wants for each of us. But there is one debt that we owe and can never fully pay off. And that is the debt of loving each other. Every day we wake up owing this debt. And every day is an opportunity to pay on it. God takes this debt so seriously, that in the Bible from start to finish, He gives the commandment to love one another. So if we are followers of Jesus and are truly becoming transformed into His image and likeness, we need to be faithful in paying our debt. That means loving others as God does. For the very foundation of Christianity is love. And in one of the greatest acts of love, God became flesh and allowed Himself to be nailed to a Cross to pay our debt. And out of hearts of obedience and thankfulness, we too need to follow His example of selflessness and let love for others be the guiding light in all that we do.

July 25th – Romans 13:8 Read More »