The Greatest Commandment

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT Matthew 22:23-46

Intro:

THE HALF TRUTH 23 The same day (IE, the same day the Pharisees and Herodians teamed up to try and trip Him up about paying taxes to Rome) the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

 Time out…. (What?)

 As is the case with MOST people who try to argue with God… There is just enough truth in their argument to make it SOUND good…. But, their argument is unsound.

o DID Moses say this? . He wrote it. Moses recorded it. BUT Moses did not command this to be the law in all cases. It WASN’T one of the 10 commandments.

o LONG before Moses ever wrote about this custom, it was already in place. . The birth of Moses was recorded in Exodus 2, But back in Genesis 38, we first read of this strange command to marry your sister in law if your BRO died before having kids.

. GILL - For this law or custom was partly political, to continue the paternal inheritance in the family, and partly typical, to direct to Christ the firstborn among many brethren, who in all things was to have the preeminence, and this was not taken from the Canaanites, among whom Judah now was, but from the ancient patriarchs, which they had no doubt from divine revelation. IE, it applied WHEN God commanded it. 2

. In the Mosaic law, there was an out… You could ask for an Elder’s meeting and say: “No thanks.” Remember this in the book of Ruth… The Kinsmen redeemer could choose to, or not to redeem the bride.

 Shoe… Spit… Shame…

. BUT… These guys bring an absurd hypothetical situation to the Lord… You can tell, they have little respect for Him.

THE QUESTION 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman (Black Widow) died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, (WHICH they DO NOT believe in) whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her."

Recently, Archeologist have found a picture of the seven brothers:

THE ANSWER 3

29 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, (On two counts) not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

. This may be bad news… OR GOOD NEWS to some of you… But you are not married in heaven. o Be very careful about HOW you react to this truth… o In fact: Act sad about it… for now… That might be wise!

. Relationships in heaven will be like everything else in heaven… PERFECT!

. Look – Angels do not marry… People in heaven do not marry either. Jesus expected the religious leaders to know this.

. (For those of you concerned with losing your spouse in heaven – YOU WON’T… BUT… They will at last be as perfect as their Mom told you they were )

31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB' ? (Exodus 3:6, 15, 16 4:5) God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were (Struck with) astonishment at His teaching.

These men had studied the scriptures in great detail… But, perhaps this was the first moment that they realized that the Patriarchs were being spoken of in the present tense… In other words – ALL ALIVE in heaven… Or Abraham’s Bosom as it was called then.

THE PEOPLE WERE STRUCK WITH ASTONISHMENT, BUT NOT THE PHARISEES 34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 4

. It’s almost always a bad sign when religious people gather away from God. . I suggest that you always include Him when planning ministry stuff. He’s been at it longer than us.

35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, (tempting Him) and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"

By this time, the Rabbis had come up with about 600 recorded laws. To keep them all was not only possible – It wasn’t even expected.

. SO… debate about which ones to concentrate on was a favorite past time. But, this Lawyer seems to have a ring of sincerity about him (Says Chuck Smith).

. In fact, Mark records that the Lord told this Lawyer: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (Mark 12:34)

37 Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 This is the first and great commandment.

. There can be NO competition with your love for God… None! o Nothing can be contained in your heart before the Lord. o Nothing can possess your soul, before God. o Nothing can be on your mind, MORE than the Lord.

. THAT command is tougher than it sounds as you consider these priorities, Right?

o I can think of a lot of competing loves, possessions and thoughts… And that’s just in me!

The Lawyer didn’t ask for a second law, but perhaps… knowing the man’s vocation, Jesus continues: 5

39 And the second is like it: (IE, AS hard!) 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Self love… THIS is the problem.

God had given the Apostle Paul a glimpse of the future… THIS is how Paul described the last days:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

. We could have a great debate about the psychology of self-esteem, self-respect, self this and self that… BUT, here is the truth:

WE CANNOT KEEP THIS COMMANDMENT without God’s help?

RIGHT?

We need to be dependent upon the power and the grace of God!

NOW THE LORD TURNS THE TABLE AND QUESTIONS THE PHARISEES

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." (Jeremiah, Isaiah…) 43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'LORD,' saying: 44 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, TILL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL" '? (Psalm 110) 45 If David then calls Him 'LORD,' (IE, inspired by the Holy Spirit) how is He his Son?"

(NLT) Since David called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?" 6

IE, this HAD to be a Miracle for David’s descendant to also be his Lord. Jesus was making it clear for them to accept – That HE… was and is Messiah.

46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

In a single conversation, the enemies of the Lord went from absurdity… to speechless.

Perhaps some were convicted… The Lawyer certainly was.

Some… Were plainly offended.

Some were angry.

For those of us convicted of our need for the Lord’s help, Let’s do the right thing by obediently taking communion together.