The Greatest Commandment in the Bible

1
The Greatest Commandmentin the Bible

• Matthew 2234-40

2
Matthew 2234-40

• The Jews had counted the commandments in the Old
  Testament (over 600) and this lawyer tested Jesus
  and wanted to know which commandment was the
  greatest
• Do we have a similar list of NT commands in our
  mind that are important or not (Mt. 2820)?
• Jesus responded and said that loving God is the
  great and first commandment
• Let us consider six important lessons about love
  from the New Testament

3
The Meaning of Love

• Sometimes phileo is translated love in the NT,
  meaning a friendship or companionship (a love of
  emotion)
• Often agape is translated love in the NT,
  meaning sacrificial service or kind deed (a love
  of devotion)
• The agape love is what Jesus speaks of in
  Matthew 2237-39

4
The Model of Love

• God the Father is our model of love in that he
  sacrificed his Son for us out of love (Jn. 316
  1 Jn. 31,16)
• Jesus Christ is our model of love because he gave
  himself to die out of love (Jn. 1334 1513
  Gal. 220 Eph. 52,25)
• The world around us is not our model of love

5
The Manifestation of Love

• We show our love for God by keeping his
  commandments (1 Jn. 52)
• We show our love for Jesus by sincerely serving
  him (Eph. 624)
• We show our love for our brethren by caring for
  them (Rom. 1210 1 Thess. 49 Heb. 131
  1 Jn. 314,17 420)
• We show our love for our neighbor by respecting
  them as we would ourselves (Mt. 2239 Lk. 1027
  Rom. 138-10 Gal. 514 Jas. 28)

6
The Manifestation of Love

• We show our love for our enemies by praying for
  them and doing good to them (Mt. 544
  Rom. 1220-21)

7
The Misconceptions of Love

• Some think love excludes obedience (Jn.
  1415,21 1 Jn. 25 52)
• Some think love excludes discipline or
  punishment (Prov. 1324 Heb. 126 Rev. 319)
• Some think love excludes honest truth (Gal.
  416 Eph. 415 3 Jn. 1).
• Some think love includes immorality love
  affair, free love, gay love, etc. (1 Cor.
  136 2 Cor. 66 1 Tim. 15 2 Tim. 222)

8
The Misplacing of Love

• Some love preeminence praise (Mt. 236-7 2 Jn.
  9)
• Some love darkness sin (Jn. 319)
• Some love money (Lk. 1614 1 Tim. 33 610
  2 Tim. 32 Heb. 135)
• Some love themselves (2 Tim. 32)
• Some love pleasure (2 Tim. 34)
• Some love the world (2 Tim. 410 1 Jn. 215-17)

9
The Magnitude of Love

• Loving God is the great and first commandment
  because when we truly love God everything else he
  wants us to do will follow from it (Mt. 2240)
• Loving God is the greatest (the greater)
  because it is permanent and lasting (1 Cor.
  138,13) and from it springs our all actions in
  the local church (1 Cor. 1231 131-3 141)
• Do you have trouble obeying some of Gods
  commands? Baptism? Assembling? Contribution?
  Lords supper? Evangelism? (Biblical) Love is the
  answer!