June
23, 2003
GOD'S
VALUES
"Now
behold, one came and said to Him, 'Good Teacher, what good
thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?' So He said
to him, '-- If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
He said to Him, 'Which ones?' Jesus said, 'You shall not murder,
You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall
not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother,
and You shall love your neighbor as yourself' The young man
said to Him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth.
What do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you want to
be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.' But
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:16-22, NKJV).
When
the wealthy young man came to Jesus and asked, "What
good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
Jesus referred him to the last six of the ten commandments,
those referring to our relationships with mankind, our brothers,
sisters and neighbors. When the young man asked about what
he still lacked, Jesus in essence referred him to the first
four commandments, those referring to our relationship with
God. God's ten statements, referred to as the ten commandments,
are His values for our relationships with God and all mankind.
Jesus
simplified these values when the Pharisees gathered and one
of them, a lawyer, asked him, " 'Teacher, which is the
great commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, 'You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind,' This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like it; 'You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang
all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40).
All of Scripture, Jesus is saying, is based on these two principles,
God's values of love. God loved us supremely in that He sent
Jesus to communicate His love for us and to provide for our
salvation.
On another
occasion "a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying,
'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He (Jesus)
said to him, 'What is written in the
law? What is your reading of it?' So he answered and
said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your
mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' And He said to him,
'You have answered rightly; do this
and you will live.' " (Luke 10:25-28).
|
