The First and Great Commandment
November 1, 2009
Introduction
For the past few weeks, we have studied the seven churches of Asia. They had various problems. Ephesus has lost it’s first love, Laodicea was lukewarm, and Sardis was dead. Wednesday evening, we were discussing theses problems, and turned our thoughts to what Jesus called “the first and great commandment.”
This morning we want to turn our thoughts to the words of Jesus:
(Mat 22:35-40 NKJV) Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, {36} "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" {37} Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' {38} "This is the first and great commandment. {39} "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' {40} "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
In this passage, at least two things catch our attention. One is the concept of love, and the second is that of loving God with our whole being: heart, soul, and mind. When it comes to discussing the hart, soul and mind, there is a lot of confusion, and there may be after we finish today, but we will try to clarify the meaning of what Jesus said.
Body
I. 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart’
How is heart used in the Bible?
(Gen 6:5 NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
What is the heart?
1. BDB Definition:
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
1a) inner part, midst
1a1) midst (of things)
1a2) heart (of man)
1a3) soul, heart (of man)
1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
1a6) conscience
1a7) heart (of moral character)
1a8) as seat of appetites
1a9) as seat of emotions and passions
1a10) as seat of courage
2. Harley’s Definition
Man’s “want to” that often overrides his “ought to.”
What else does the Bible say about the heart?
1. “Heart” is found in the Bible 833 time in the NKJV
2. It describes the heart as “desperately wicked.
(Jer 17:9 NKJV) "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
3. We are told that God examines our hearts.
(Jer 17:10 NKJV) I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
II. 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your soul’
What is the soul?
ψυχή
psuchē
Thayer Definition:
1) breath
1a) the breath of life
1a1) the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing
1a1a) of animals
1a1b) of men
1b) life
1c) that in which there is life
1c1) a living being, a living soul
2) the soul
2a) the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
2b) the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life
2c) the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)
The soul is basically what moves us and gets us going.
1. One illustration of the heart and soul comes from James.
(James 2:15-17 NKJV) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, {16} and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? {17} Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
2. Link the action to the thought, or the thought accomplishes nothing.
We get really excited about the soul in athletics.
There is another way we talk about the soul:
1. “Do something!”
2. Or “Why doesn’t somebody do something.
III. 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your mind’
What is the “mind”?
Διάνοια dianoia
Thayer Definition:
1) the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring
2) understanding
3) mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking and feeling
4) thoughts, either good or bad
How do we love God with our mind?
1. It’s the understanding: Do we study to understand?
(1 Tim 6:3-5 NKJV) If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, {4} he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, {5} useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
2. We need to use our minds to study.
(2 Tim 2:15 KJV) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
3. We need to study who we are.
(James 1:25 NKJV) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
We need to set our minds on the right things.
1. Some set their minds on earthly things.
(Phil 3:18-19 NKJV) For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: {19} whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame; who set their mind on earthly things.
2. We need to set our minds on heavenly things.
(Col 3:1-2 NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. {2} Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Conclusion
So what does God want?
He wants all of you:
You heart: Your want to’s
Your soul: Your actions that will get it done.
You mind: Your study and your right thinking.
Have you given your life to the Lord?
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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