Day 16. What Matters Most

Day 16. What Matters Most

“ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37b-40 NRSV

Last night in our group, it was stated that “Rick Warren’s presentation is so certain about things when I am not.” Good observation. But in today’s reading, it’s Jesus’ turn to be certain. “On these two hang all the law and the prophets.” Definitive.

Although our book is broken into 40 pieces, 40 days, Rick Warren bases his whole study on three things: Christ’s Great Commandment, His Great Commission, and His Great Compassion. All three are part of this chapter, “What Matters Most.” Both Warren and Jesus are certain of it.

Jesus’ commandment is to love, his compassion our example, his use of time our commission.

Jesus also uses the expression, ‘”This is the law and the prophets,” in one other place. It comes near the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount when He gives us what has come to called the Golden Rule: 12 “[Therefore] In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12 NRSV (“Therefore” added)

The “therefore” is important. The King James and NASB include it. The NIV says “So.” One author (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy) says “therefore” collects all that came before it and what follows becomes the summary. “Therefore,” the Golden Rule becomes the summary of the whole Sermon on the Mount.

And unlike any rule of reciprocity before it, Jesus makes it active, “do”! Love is a verb. And He is definitive about it.

“What Matters Most”? A proactive, compassionate, time-conscious love of God and neighbor.

Before we sit down to plan our week, we should be required to read this chapter again. That’s every week.

“Love,”

Rick