Think of some things that you do that need to be done, maybe around the house or possibly at work. For an example, let us say that your friends and neighbors are going to come over to your house later tonight for a backyard barbeque, and you are the host in charge of all of the food and preparations. In order to be ready for that night, you need to go out an get all of the food that you are going to eat: maybe burgers, brats, chips, pop etc. Along with anything else, you need to make certain that everything is ready. That is your top, main goal, over everything else. Even if some of your other friends call you up and want you to go with them in some other activity, you need to stick to your priorities, and get that food done first. Then after you have done that then maybe you can do a few other things, but always keep your priorities first.
Like a list. 1,2,3.
In Matthew 22 Jesus had been asked a question. What is the greatest commandment? And before we read what Jesus answered, if something is the “greatest” it is something “of more importance or signification.” So in answer to that question, what did Jesus say?
Matthew 22:35-40 “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
I hope that you see the order that Jesus placed these two commandments. The first, and most important command of all, Jesus taught, was to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. This means that your love towards God has to be greater than anything else in your life. All of your heart, soul, and mind, Jesus said.
For some people other material things take their attention off of God, and their love becomes skewed. It becomes diverted and instead of spending time worshipping and praising God, that time is instead pushed aside and other things take the position that God should have in their life. He needs to be at the very top. The first, and the most important.
That is what it means to love something with all of your heart. The entirety of the love in your heart, soul, and mind should be given to God. Then after God comes everyone else, but He needs to always remain number one.
In this next passage of scripture Jesus tells a parable about some people who had their priorities out of order, as they had put other things in a place of more importance in their lives.
Luke 14:16-27 “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
Of the three examples that Jesus gave in His parable, each one of them made an excuse. Other things were more important to then than attending the wedding, and that is what Jesus was teaching: that if you cannot bear your cross and follow Him, then you cannot be His disciple. As I wrote once before, when Jesus said “if any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother,…..” what the word hate means when used in this verse means to “love less,” not the modern, common usage meaning to strongly dislike. Our love for Jesus needs to be greater than our love for anyone else, even our closest relatives. If our cross is to follow the teachings of Christ, then we need to take up that cross and carry it.
Love everyone. But love Christ more. He is number one. Be certain that He stays there.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 