What's Jesus Christ's Greatest Command? | Matthew 22:34-46
Series: All!
Jesus has all authority,
So that all nations
Might pledge all allegiance to him.
Title: “What’s Jesus Christ’s Greatest Command?”
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-46
Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES
MAIN REFERENCES USED
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:
1. What were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?
2. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)
3. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-46 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.
4. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
OUTLINE & NOTES
Introduction
Today we will answer the question: What is Jesus Christ’s greatest commandment?
Story/Illustration:
I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.
Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.
But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.
Walking with Christ is the same way.
Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.
Outline
I. Jesus’ greatest command is LOVE (34-40)
Definitions of Love
Not I love pizza
Not I love my brother
Not I love my brother from another mother
Not I love my girlfriend/boyfriend
Not I love my child even
I love my wife/husband…
Sacrificially (costs me)
Unconditionally (No strings attached)
Directions of Love
Vertical
Horizontal
God
People (our neighbor as ourselves)
Jesus defines neighbor in Luke 10, parable of the Good Samaritan, as anyone in our path in need
II. Jesus’ greatest identity is LORD (41-46)
Son of Man (humanity)
Son of God
The son of God has all authority given to him by the Father
III. Conclusion
Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?
I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.
Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.
But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.
Walking with Christ is the same way.
When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.
But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says,
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV
Let’s walk in love. Our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is love manifest.
When we have a decision to make, let’s ask ourself, what would love do in this situation. And then do that.
Walk in love.
Pray
“Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” -Josh McDowell
“Jesus’ two-fold answer should warn Christians against emphasizing either piety for God or social concern at the expense of the other.” -Craig Blomberg
Note: explore the extremes as potential strengths/weaknesses in the body of Christ
Jesus then asks about the Messiah (his identity) because who we say he is matters.
22:41-42 Jesus now turns the tables on his questioners. He has evaded all their traps, which were based fundamentally on their refusal to recognize him as Messiah. This is the topic they really should be talking about. Their problems largely stem from the fact that they are looking for a purely human, nationalistic liberator. Jesus directs his question so as to explore the scriptural nature of messiahship. From whose ancestry is the Messiah to come? The answer, at least for Jesus immediate audience, would have indisputably been "from the lineage of David" -Blomberg
22:43-44 The Pharisees' answer (v. 42b) sets up Jesus' real question. If the Messiah is merely the human offspring of David, why does David himself speak of him as "Lord" _a master or sovereign above the one who is king of Israel and the highest human authority in the land? -Blomberg
22:45-46 So how can this Christ be merely a human descendant of David? The Pharisees have no answer, nor does anyone else, and no one dares to ask him any further questions. All the traps have failed, and Jesus' listeners have in fact been trapped. Not surprisingly, Ps 110:1-4 becomes the Old Testament passage quoted more than any other in the New Testament. It points to Jesus' messiahship and his exaltation, and the first Christians take their cue from its effectiveness here for use in their later apologetic (see, e.g., Acts 2:34-35; Heb 1:13; 5:6,10; 7:17,21).
Blomberg
Conclusion
Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.
Q. What do I want them to know?
A. Who Jesus really is and what he considers his greatest (most important) command.
Q. Why?
A. Because the whole OT depends on them. They are how to live out our faith UP, IN and OUT.
Q. What do I want them to do?
A. Re-orient/reset their lives (further orient/reset their lives) UP, IN and OUT from Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Q. Why?
A. Because that’s the only appropriate response. It balances our love for God (who we cannot touch) with our love for people (whom we can touch) empowering us to love our intangible Creator with our tangible neighbors each day. It empowers us to thus balance piety with justice. Think Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require?
Act justly (towards people) (IN & OUT)
Love mercy (towards people) (IN & OUT)
Walk humbly with God. (UP)
Q. How?
A. By living a life of relational balance (UP, IN & OUT)
A. Start by employing the means of grace that God gives us in his word to surrender to him in all things.
Learning the word
Regularly
Prayerfully
Obeying what you read by grace through faith
Leading others to do the same
I’ll go back to where we started at the beginning.
Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?
I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.
Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.
But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.
Walking with Christ is the same way.
When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.
But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says,
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes
“Matthew” by RC Sproul
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB)