Love the Greatest Commandment

Christian Maturity: Learning to Serve

Series of Two Sermons on KBC's Mission (relating to our ReVision Workshop). 2 of 2.

As presented by Rev. Jonathan Mills, Pastor at Kanata Baptist Church.

2008-11-08

Subject: Last Sunday, we considered the central missional calling of the church—sharing our faith with others, being motivated by love. Today, we look at the Growth of the individual Christian, and the necessity to grow in the grace of Service as a hallmark of Christian maturity.

Scriptures¹:

Matthew 22:34-40

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Introduction

There was a young boy who wasn't getting good marks in school.

One day he surprised his teacher. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, “I don't want to scare you, but my daddy says if I don't get better grades soon, somebody is going to get a spanking!”

Do you think maybe he missed the point somewhere along the way?

A) Love: the First and Greatest

This morning we are going to look at the a passage of scripture which deals with an important correction for those who are missing the point concerning faith in God.

If you have your Bibles with you, please turn to Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 22, starting at verse 34;

Mt 22:34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."²

Debating Law with an Expert

The context for these verses is a confrontation between Jesus and the experts in the law. He has just responded to some very difficult theological questions—and provided answers so insightful and compelling that the smartest and best legal experts were stumped. He had just silenced the Sadducees—and now a Pharisee has decided to put Jesus to the test. He is described as an expert in the law [v 35] and it sounds like he is one of the sharpest minds around.

So, what kinds of things concerned the “experts in the Law”? Well, the Rabbis documented 613 commandments in the Mosaic Law; 248 positive and 365 negative. They argued and debated these laws endlessly. Because there were so many laws, they divided them into two major categories; "heavy" (more important) and "light" (less important). The Pharisees taught that the Jews needed to give attention to all the laws but particularly the "heavy" ones. The question is; Which are which?

The discussions and debates on this topic could go on indefinitely.

This particular Pharisee was asking which of the "heavy" ones Jesus considered the "heaviest." ³

Love is Preeminent

And the answer is; Love!

Love is the central theme in the life and teaching of Jesus.

Which is the greatest commandment in the law? ... without hesitation he says it is to love God.

• to be completely sold out

• to be “all in”

• to take every part of our being and yield ourselves fully to the will and purposes of God.

• All your heart, soul and mind; everything that makes you, you—spent in loving God.

This is the first, and greatest command. Love God.

In contrast to the Pharisee's approach to the law—which was diligent in the very smallest detail—but which essentially missed the point … Jesus gets to the heart of the question: it's not just about what you do or don't do—it's about the motivation for what you do or don't do.

Yes, of course you must obey God. But if your obedience is based on fear, or duty, or self-righteousness, or any other motive, it is empty and sterile.

God is looking for obedience that flows out of a deep sense of loving commitment to Him.

// We must love God with all our heart, soul and mind.

Love Your Neighbour

The thing about this passage that really stands out in my mind is the fact that Jesus doesn't stop there, but continues … AND, he says … the second is like it; “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

He is asked to tell them what he considers the greatest commandment. In response, Jesus lists the top two. For some reason, Jesus felt it was important to link these two “heavy” commands together.

What this tells me is that there is an important link between these two commands. They are not isolated and independent ideas—they are, rather, married together, as if they are two sides of the same coin.

Jesus is saying what he lived out in his life: prefect obedience to God is not measured solely in terms of our relationship with Him, but also in our relationships with others. As we grow in love for God, we must inevitably grow in our live for our neighbours.

The reverse is also true: if we do not grow in our love for our neighbours, we will not grow in our love for God.

1 John 4:20 If we say we love God yet hate a brother or sister, we are liars. For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God, whom we have not seen.

Our love must express itself in both relationships; Horizontally AND Vertically. 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

AND … 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

B) Motivated to Serve

Love in Action

Earlier this year, I mentioned a conversation I had with a friend who had been influenced by Richard Dawkins' book, the God Delusion. My friend was anxious to talk to me about how the book had started him thinking about many things—and he wanted to get the perspective of someone who could articulate counter arguments in defense of faith.

One of the key discussion points had to do with the relationship between religion and violence. Apparently, Dawkins concludes that religious fundamentalism is behind most of the world's violence and that atheism is the solution for this problem.

Sadly, there are many examples in the history of the church where religious fervor has led to bloodshed in the name of God. And these are the kinds of stories which usually get the headlines.

// Of course, this is precisely the problem that can arise if someone is deeply committed to loving God, but has no regard for their neighbour. Their faith may, in some extreme circumstances, cause them to resort to violence.

However, what Dawkins seems to overlook is the other side of that coin. For every religious zealot who commits a violent act in the name of God, there are thousands upon thousands of humble, committed servants making a real difference in the world. They don't get the headlines, but they are deeply involved in changing our world one life at a time … because of their faith.

Out of the Cold.

I have had the privilege of meeting many of these unsung heroes of humble, Christ-like service personally.

For instance, in the early 1990's I was Associate Pastor at Blythwood Road Baptist church in Toronto. The Senior Pastor of the church had heard of a new movement happening in Toronto called “Out of the Cold”⁴ and he wanted the congregation to consider it.

Out of the Cold is a ministry that began with a Nun, Sister Susan Moran, who was distressed to learn that a homeless man she knew had frozen to death on a cold winter's night in Toronto. She worked with some students and they decided that a church basement was already warm – why not invite the homeless to come in out of the cold and sleep there? What began as a compassionate response in one church, quickly spread throughout the churches in Toronto—and now is spreading across the country.

Our church decided to join the program. One night a week, a team of volunteers goes down to the church early in the afternoon. They set out dozens of mattresses on the gym floor. Another team prepares a meal in the kitchen.

Then, they open the doors to the homeless. They feed them a hot meal, and provide a safe, warm environment for them to sleep. In the morning, another team of volunteers comes in to wipe down the mattresses and clean up the gym.

It takes quite a few volunteers to run this program. Most of them are elderly.

This is ONE example of the kinds of humble service that people of faith offer to the poor in the city of Toronto. While skeptics may continue to shine a spot light on religious fundamentalism as the cause of the world's problems—I know that a faith which is able to marry together love for God, and love for one's neighbour, is the solution to the world's problems.

C) Obedience to Jesus Means Serving

Jesus Taught About Serving

The church is at its best, when the church follows in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus, the Master … who came to be a Servant.

Last Sunday we reflected on the Christ's great love for the lost:

“The Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.” [Luke 19:10]

Today, we reflect on His call to serve.

“... the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...” [Mark 10:45]

Mark 10:42-45 Jesus called [his disciples] together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus taught us that the preeminent value that matters in the Kingdom of God is Service.

Love must have an outlet—or else it is empty and worthless. Love must be expressed in acts of humble service.

Yet we live in a culture that dismisses service – and exalts achievement, leadership, power and influence.

// Leonard Sweet, the American theologian and writer, once commented on the many leadership conferences which are popular among pastors today. Thousands of pastors attend large events with top notch speakers on topics about church leadership.

In response to this, Sweet commented that he believes we've got it all wrong. We are not called to lead, we are called to serve. Instead of a Leadership Conference, perhaps we ought to be having a Servanthood Conference?

But who would come?

It might be a bit of a marketing challenge to motivate people to come to a servanthood conference …

The Apostles Were Primarily Servants

Actually, the people who would come to a servanthood conference would be the kind of people I would like to learn from … because these are the ones who have learned the way of Christ.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter begins his second letter this way;

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ ...”

Simon Peter – that's my name

“a servant and apostle...” – that's his identity.

Those who lived with Jesus – and learned from him first hand – became servants …

It's not a matter of climbing the ladder to a position of spiritual privilege and authority – that is the way of Gentile leaders.

Rather, it's about descending the stairs of humility to become the servant … even to the point of becoming the slave of all.

The Towel and Basin Lord

Not only did Jesus teach about serving, he lived it.

The 13^th Chapter of John's gospel begins;

John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

And he wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of his disciples.

//

If our goal is to be like Christ – to grow to become fully mature followers of our Saviour and Lord – then we have to know that we cannot follow the one who came to serve, without rolling up our sleeves and serving.

Uncle Don.

My Uncle Donald Jackson has a great servant's heart.

He served as a Baptist Pastor all his career. When I went to seminary we attended his church in Port Williams. At that point he was approaching retirement. He was looking forward to retiring—I remember hearing him say one time; “When I turn 65, I'm going to retire … even if I'm in the middle of a sentence.”

Sixty-five came, and he did retire, but that didn't last for long. Something about Pastors—after a lifetime of caring for people, it's hard to stop doing it all of a sudden. Soon, he became the pastor to seniors at Wolfville Baptist church in Nova Scotia.

Several years ago, those close to him began to notice that he was starting to become forgetful. He had a very sharp mind, and a quick wit—so when Alzheimers set it, it was quite noticeable. Eventually, he was moved to a nursing home where he can receive the care he needs.

Alzheimers, has continued to cause a deterioration … especially affecting his long term memory. When family go to see him, he no longer recognizes any of them. His brothers. My Mom, his sister. His children. Not even his wife, my Aunt Hettie.

In fact, a few years ago, Aunt Hettie went to visit him and he said to her: “You're a really nice person. I'd like to introduce you to my wife some day.”

I think she was glad to make a good first impression.

Alzheimer's is a terrible disease. When Aunt Hettie passed away recently, Uncle Donald didn't even know …

Maybe it's a blessing that he didn't know that his wife had passed away … I don't know. It just seems so very very sad.

And yet, the interesting thing about my Uncle Donald is that he spent his whole life caring for people, and he's still doing it today.

He is like an unofficial Chaplain to the people on his floor in the nursing home. Every day, he goes from room to room, every day introducing himself to the other residents for the first time, and in his own simple way, he provides pastoral care to each and every one.

He learned how to care … and serve. And while he has lost much of his mental ability, he still knows how to love people. It was just so much a part of who he was, that it continues to be the light that still flickers in his life.

He is a servant of the Master who came to Serve.

Conclusion

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."