Tom Rucker

The Shema

'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all and with all your soul and with all your strength.’ – Deut. 6:4-5your strength.’ – Deut. 6:4-5

The Greatest Commands And one of the scribes came up and …. And one of the scribes came up and …. asked him, "Which commandment is the asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus answered, most important of all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strengthall your mind and with all your strength.' .' The second is this: The second is this: 'You shall love your 'You shall love your neighbor as yourselfneighbor as yourself.' There is no other .' There is no other commandment greater than these.” commandment greater than these.”

- - Mark 12:28-34Mark 12:28-34

Five Ms of the Love Commands

The The MMagnitudeagnitude of the commands of the commands

Our Our MMotivationotivation to love God and love to love God and love our neighborour neighbor

Our Our MMeanseans to love God to love God

Our Our MMethodsethods to love God to love God

The The MMeaningeaning of loving our neighbor of loving our neighborMM

The Magnitude of the Commands

“There is There is no other commandment no other commandment greater than thesegreater than these.” - Mark 12:31.” - Mark 12:31

““And to love him with all the heart And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrificesand sacrifices.“ –Mark 12:33.“ –Mark 12:33

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The Magnitude of the Commands

And he said to him, "You shall love the And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your with all your soul and with all your mind. mind. This is the great and first This is the great and first commandmentcommandment. And a second is like . And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. yourself. On these two On these two commandments depend all the Law commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.“ and the Prophets.“ – Matt 22:37-40– Matt 22:37-40

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The Ten Commandments

You shall have no You shall have no other gods before.other gods before.

You shall not make You shall not make for yourself a for yourself a carved imagecarved image

You shall not take You shall not take the name of the the name of the LLORDORD your God in vainyour God in vain

Remember the Remember the Sabbath day, to Sabbath day, to keep keep it holyit holy

Honor your father Honor your father and your motherand your mother

You shall not You shall not murdermurder

You shall not You shall not commit adulterycommit adultery

You shall not stealYou shall not steal You shall not bear You shall not bear

false witness false witness against your against your neighborneighbor

You shall not covetYou shall not covet

The Magnitude of the Commands

Owe no one anything, except to love Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for each other, for the one who loves the one who loves another has fulfilled the lawanother has fulfilled the law. For . For the the commandmentscommandments, "You shall not commit , "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," shall not steal, You shall not covet," and and any other commandment, are any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourselflove your neighbor as yourself." Love ." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the lawlove is the fulfilling of the law. – Rom . – Rom 13:8-1013:8-10

The Magnitude of the Commands  If you really fulfill the royal law according to If you really fulfill the royal law according to

the Scripture, "the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor You shall love your neighbor as yourselfas yourself," you are doing well… For ," you are doing well… For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. point has become accountable for all of it. For he who said, For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,""Do not commit adultery," also saidalso said, "Do not murder." , "Do not murder." If you do not If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.Mercy triumphs over judgment. – – James 2:8-13James 2:8-13

Jews believed conflict between commands was God’s design

And he said to them, "Which of And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?“ will not immediately pull him out?“ – Luke 14:5– Luke 14:5

Conflict Between Commands Matthew 12:1-8 Matthew 12:1-8 11At that time Jesus went through the At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. eat. 22But when the Pharisees saw it, But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”to do on the Sabbath.”

Conflict Between Commands 33He said to them, "Have you not read He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: and those who were with him: 44how how he entered the house of God and ate he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat was not lawful for him to eat nor for nor for those who were with him, but only for those who were with him, but only for the priests? the priests? 55Or have you not read in Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the Law how on the Sabbath the the priests in the temple profane the priests in the temple profane the SabbathSabbath and are and are guiltlessguiltless? ?

Conflict Between Commands66I tell you, something I tell you, something greater greater than than the temple is here. the temple is here. 77And if you had And if you had known what this means, known what this means, 'I desire 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would you would not have condemned the guiltless. not have condemned the guiltless. 88For the Son of Man is lord of the For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."Sabbath." - Matthew 12:1-8 - Matthew 12:1-8

The Rabbi's Yoke

““Come to me, all who labor and are Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my Take my yokeyoke upon you, and learn upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my souls. For my yokeyoke is easy, and my is easy, and my burden is light.” - burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

Seven Schools of Pharisees Rabbi Hillel – Progressive (but not Rabbi Hillel – Progressive (but not

liberal)liberal) 11stst – Love God with all your heart , soul, – Love God with all your heart , soul,

and mightand might 22ndnd – Love your neighbor as yourself – Love your neighbor as yourself

Rabbi Shammai - ConservativeRabbi Shammai - Conservative 11stst – Love God with all your heart , soul, – Love God with all your heart , soul,

and mightand might 22ndnd – Keep the Sabbath – Keep the Sabbath 77thth - Love your neighbor as yourself - Love your neighbor as yourself

Our Motivation – God’s Love

“ “In this the love of God was made In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. might live through him. In this is In this is love, not that we have loved God but love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us that he loved us and sent his Son to and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” - be the propitiation for our sins.” - I I John 4:9-10 John 4:9-10

Our Motivation – God’s Love Beloved, Beloved, if God so loved us, we if God so loved us, we

also ought to love one another. - also ought to love one another. - I I John 4:11 John 4:11

By this we know love, that he laid By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and down his life for us, and we ought we ought to lay down our lives for the to lay down our lives for the brothersbrothers. - . - I John 3:16 I John 3:16

Our Means – Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength

Dallas Willard Dallas Willard – Renovation of the Heart– Renovation of the Heart

Mind

Heart

Body

Soul

Soul - Entire Being

Heart - Heart - Our WillOur Will Our SpiritOur Spirit

Mind -Mind - ThinkingThinking FeelingFeeling

Body - Physical Social

Our Methods – Love Languages

Gary Chapman Gary Chapman – – The Five Love Languages

Quality Quality Time - Time - PrayerPrayer StudyStudy MeditationMeditation

Touch and Touch and Closeness - Closeness - Spirit Spirit James 4:8James 4:8

Gifts - Gifts - PossessionPossessionss SelfSelf Rom. Rom. 12:112:1

Words of Words of Affirmation - Affirmation - Praise of our lips Praise of our lips and lifeand life Telling other Telling other about Himabout Him

Acts of Service - Toward Others Matt. 25:40

The Meaning of loving our neighbor - Luke 10:25-37

2525And behold, a lawyer stood up to put And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 2626He said He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" do you read it?" 2727And he answered, And he answered, "You "You shall love the Lord your God with all your shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." your neighbor as yourself." 2828And he said And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."this, and you will live."

The Meaning of loving our neighbor - Luke 10:25-37

2929But he, But he, desiring to justify himselfdesiring to justify himself, said to , said to Jesus, "Jesus, "And who is my neighborAnd who is my neighbor?" ?" 3030Jesus Jesus replied, "A man was going down from replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him and departed, leaving him nearly deadnearly dead. . 3131Now by chance a priest was going down Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. by on the other side. 3232So likewise a Levite, So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.."passed by on the other side.."

Who Is My Neighbor? Rabbi Shammai - ConservativeRabbi Shammai - Conservative

Religious Jew - YesReligious Jew - Yes Non-religioius Jew – Probably NotNon-religioius Jew – Probably Not Pagan Jew or Roman – No WayPagan Jew or Roman – No Way

Rabbi Hillel – ProgressiveRabbi Hillel – Progressive Religious Jew - YesReligious Jew - Yes Non-religioius Jew – YesNon-religioius Jew – Yes Roman – YesRoman – Yes Greek Priest in Pagan Temple – YesGreek Priest in Pagan Temple – Yes Samaritan – Samaritan – No WayNo Way

3333But a But a SamaritanSamaritan, as he journeyed, came , as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. he had compassion. 3434He went to him and He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care and brought him to an inn and took care of him. of him. 3535And the next day he took out two And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’come back.’

The Meaning of loving our neighbor - Luke 10:25-37

The Meaning of loving our neighbor - Luke 10:25-37

3636Which of these three, do you think, Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a proved to be a neighborneighbor to the man to the man who fell among the robbers?" who fell among the robbers?" 3737He He said, "said, "The one who showed him The one who showed him mercymercy." And Jesus said to him, "." And Jesus said to him, "You go, You go, and do likewiseand do likewise." - ." - Luke 10:25-37 Luke 10:25-37

““Go and Love Your Neighbor”Go and Love Your Neighbor”

Who Is Your Neighbor?

Atheists?Atheists?Muslims?Muslims?Denominational Christians?Denominational Christians?Those you used to go to church with?Those you used to go to church with?The needy who don’t The needy who don’t

meet expectations?meet expectations?Those who do not meet Those who do not meet

your expectations in our your expectations in our

own congregation?own congregation?

Go and Love Your Go and Love Your Neighbor!Neighbor!