Learning the Jesus Way of LifeSample

What Does God Care About?

Pray: Jesus, give me the faith to go where you go, do what you do, trust what you say, and love how you love. Today, I commit to following you. Amen.

Jesus is once again confronted by a group of people who see Him as a danger to their status. So, once again, they set out to test Him. And, as before, the plan falls flat on its face. Instead of slowing Jesus down, this interaction adds even more fuel to the now blazing fire.

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. Matthew 22:34 NIV

The first testing came at the hands of the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees. Then, the Sadducees decided to take their shot at Jesus. Now, having witnessed both plans fail, the Pharisees decide to take matters into their own hands.

As a reminder, the Pharisees were a group of Jewish people intensely devoted to following the commands of God. So much so, that in addition to the 613 laws written in the Torah, they added hundreds and hundreds of additional laws that they considered just as important. They were convinced that God would not send the Messiah until enough of the Jewish people repented of their sins and rededicated themselves to holy living. This was where their intensity came from. A good desire to see God send the promised Savior King they had been waiting for. Tragically though, like all who are infected by the disease of sin, their desires became distorted. Intentions that started good and pure became sinful and self-serving practices.

This is important to remember. If we forget that the Pharisees are just as human as we are, then chances go way up that we will make the same mistakes they did—falling into patterns of self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and spiritual blindness. Like the Sadducees, they missed seeing Jesus for who He is because they were too busy looking for a Messiah who fit neatly into their plans.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Matthew 22:35–36 NIV

As before, Jesus responds with the shrewdness of a snake and the innocence of a dove. He sees through the question and speaks to the heart of the questioner and all those listening in.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37–38 NIV

Jesus doesn’t make up something on the spot or give an answer that nobody had ever heard before. He responds by quoting from the Shema, a passage found in Deuteronomy 6. This answer wouldn’t have surprised anyone. Just about every teacher and rabbi would agree that nothing is more important than full surrender and submission to God.

And this answer should not come as a surprise to any of us. When we commit ourselves to Jesus, we are choosing to make His priorities our priorities. What matters most to Him becomes what matters most to us. And what matters most to Jesus is loving the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. What matters most to Jesus is that we love God with every part of who we are, leaving nothing on the table and holding nothing back. His desire for all of us is that we would become the kind of people who live in a constant state of complete devotion to God.

When we are living with our entire selves devoted and directed to God, we have integrity. And our spiritual enemy would love nothing more than to rob you of your integrity. How? By getting you to compartmentalize your life into segments. He wants you to keep your faith in one bucket, your relationships in another bucket, your finances in another bucket, your career in another, and so on. Because, like a picky eater who can’t stand it when their foods touch, the devil cannot stand it when our faith runs through every other part of our lives.

That’s why, in no uncertain terms, Jesus is clearly defining for us what faithfully following Him requires. All of us. Undivided affection. Total integration. Full devotion.

Following Jesus is an all-of-life way of life.

Jesus doesn’t end His answer there, though. He continues:

“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:39 NIV

According to Jesus, this second command is “like” the first. What does that mean? This second command is linked to the first. You cannot separate the two. Claiming to love God without loving the people made in His image is a lie. In a way, this second command is how we act out our love for God. Loving our neighbors as we love ourselves is a tangible way of showing our love for our invisible God.

Importantly, Jesus doesn’t just leave the command at “love your neighbor.” He tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” That means we are to do for others what we do for ourselves. We are to treat others the way we would want to be treated.

Love is not just what we think or how we feel. It’s what we do and how we live.

Some people can get caught up by thinking they have to learn to “love themselves” before they can love others. To be clear, thinking well of yourself and believing about yourself what God says about you is good and powerful. But, even when your self-talk is negative, you still get yourself something to drink when you’re thirsty, you get something to eat when you’re hungry, you go to sleep when you’re tired, you put on clothing when it’s cold outside, you pray for God to give you strength when you’re feeling weak, you talk to a friend when you’re feeling lonely, etc.

Your self-perception is important, but it will only prevent you from loving others well if you let it. Obedience to Jesus is never dependent on how we feel about ourselves. Obedience to Jesus is always about how much we trust and love Him.

So, when you discover that another person is in need, do for them what you already do for yourself. Get them food. Give them clothing. Be a friend when they’re lonely. Pray for them when they’re hurting.

Do for them what you wish someone would do for you.

Jesus concluded His answer with this profound statement:

“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:40 NIV

Every command in the Law and every word from the Prophets rests on the commands to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus is making the bold claim that the entire Bible was written to help us fulfill these commands. Every page and passage is designed to form us into the kind of people who can fully love God and truly love others.

Application: Is there any part of your life that hasn’t been touched by your faith in Jesus? Romantic relationships? Your academics or career? What you do online? How you interact on social media? If there is, name it and change it. Invite Jesus into that area of your life. Think about what He would do if He were you. Then, commit to doing those things. In addition to that, read through Leviticus 9:9–18. It is from this passage in Leviticus that Jesus pulls the command to love our neighbors as ourselves. Within that passage are a whole bunch of additional instructions on how to love our neighbors practically. As you read through them, look for ways you can be even more intentional about loving other people.