When we began our "in person" WOW class a few months ago, a lady who had been coming to church meetings for the first time in her life was very interested in learning more and asked,
"So you said that GOD loves us. What does GOD's love look like? Can you explain?"
This lady was genuinely interested and was not "testing me" like the book of Matthew says the lawyer tested JESUS when he said the following words...
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Matthew 22:36-40
36 “TEACHER, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And JESUS said to him, '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 great and foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.'"
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So, was JESUS really saying that all those 613 laws in the Old Testament don't matter anymore?
Well, not exactly! It's just that when someone really loves GOD's WAY, they are following HIS laws. The next week or so, let's look at really loving GOD's WAY.
We just looked at what Matthew, the first gospel writer shared about the 2 greatest commands of JESUS. Now let's consider here what Luke shares that JESUS said. See anything different?
Luke 10:27
Now, that you've looked at what Dr. Luke wrote in the 3rd gospel, what about the OT?
Moses gave the 10 commandments in Deuteronomy 5. Then, in Deuteronomy 6 he followed with some powerful words, which we'll refer to more at the end of the week.
The next few days, let's just do 3 things:
1) Memorize Luke 10:27, using this to practice:
2) Look at and meditate on what the letter written to the church at Corinth says about what GOD's Love is (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)...
3) Look at and meditate on what the letter written to the church at Corinth says about what GOD's Love is not (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)...
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 "Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
8 Love never fails."
Enjoy the journey of considering how you love!
