Random Sermon Snippet . . .

The Pharisees were so caught up in the externals that they missed the life that the externals flowed from. Do you want to know the organizing principle that was foundational to Jesus’ understanding of God’s Law?

Well he tells us later on in this Gospel. If you jump forward to Matthew 22:34-40 we read this:
34b-40 “. . . the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Here Jesus is quoting From Deut 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18

The Pharisees Could Talk about why murder was bad for hours—But I suspect they would not have much to say about how they were learning to better love their neighbors. They could talk about how many steps you could take on the Sabbath, They could quote all the passages from the Torah, but could they echo David’s sentiment, “As the dear pants for the water, so my Soul longs for You.” I don’t think so. Love had left the building, in fact love was evicted, And the religious leaders of that day found themselves obsessed with rules that no longer made sense without the love.

In 1 Corinthians 13:2 Paul says, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

A lot of us could probably do well in theological and doctrinal debates- But do we love well. Have we rubbed shoulders with Jesus enough that we can fulfill the law because by his grace we are becoming more like Him. Where murder is never an option for us not merely because we have enough self-control and a grasp of consequences- but because we value people the way Jesus values people.
Hang out with Jesus and you will gradually and progressively love people like Jesus loves people. This is why prayer, solitude, meditation on scripture are so critical. You spend time with people you love. You become like the people you hang out with. Hang out with Jesus and you will become more like him. You will love like he loves. And the kingdom of God will spread like wildfire.