I doubt there is anything more intimidating than to be in a debate with God. You spend your whole life devoted to religious practice and tradition, only to be told by God that you don’t know even know what you don’t know. In our scripture reading today, we discover this is what happened to the Pharisees and Sadducees. Here are the religious elite attempting to trap Jesus in their understanding of scripture, only to have Jesus counter with an interpretation of scripture they had never heard or understood. They were demoralized; they feared to ask any further questions. They were so humiliated that the resentment turned to hate, their hate turned to bitterness, which eventually led to them conspiring to kill Jesus.
Here is their final question to Jesus! After Jesus humbled them, they huddled up like it was a trivia game, and this is what transpired (Matthew 23:35-40).
35 One of them, a legal expert, tested him. 36 “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
To make matters even harder, Jesus in return asked them a question, for which they did not know the answer. This was fuel for the fire that burned hot in their hearts.
The very commandment Jesus told them was the most important to follow was what was absent from their hearts. They could not love, for the love of God was not in their hearts. There they stood, face to face with the Son of God, and love was nowhere to be found.
Nobody has the ability to love God and love their neighbor if the love of God is not inside them. The only way to have a love of God inside you is to be filled with the Spirit. We accomplish this through baptism, confession, surrender, repentance, reconciliation, and salvation. Because of the cross and resurrection, spiritual transformation is possible for anyone in the kingdom who believes and obeys. Don’t allow yourself to have the heart of a Pharisee or a Sadducee any longer. Decide to turn your will and life over to the care of God today!
Scripture Reading
Reflection Questions
- What did you take away from today’s reflection and scripture readings?
- Do you have a love of God in your heart?
- How well have you respected your mother and father?
- What are some ways that God has delivered you from your enemies?
- What question would you like to ask Jesus?
- Are you prepared to hear the answer Jesus may give to your question?
Prayer
My Sweet Lord, You know my heart better than I. If I don’t have Your love taking up residence in my heart, please help me open the door to my heart. Come live in my heart, and remove all the ugliness that remains. I desire to love You and my neighbor all the days of my life. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will and not mine be done always. Amen.
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