THE GREAT COMMANDMENT Jesus was once asked a genuine question from a sincere person, let’s read the account from Mark’s Gospel; One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” By Pastor Paul Kauri.

 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ is heard saying to this teacher, “On these two commands all the law and prophets find their bearing”.

Jesus’ response to this person's questions is amazing for this reason; he was only asked for the greatest command. Yet Jesus, who is referred to in scripture as “The Word” in John 1, could not separate the greatest commandment from the second which is like it! Jesus took a verse from Deuteronomy and a verse from Leviticus to reveal the greatest commandment revealed in two scriptures.

Every principle, every truth, every ethic, every value we exercise, and every law we practice and teach all flow from this command, love God with everything and love your neighbour as yourself.

I want to remind our readers of this:

Love God with everything and love your neighbour as yourself – for this great and has not changed.

THE GREAT COMMISSION

Many scholars and Bible translators have attributed Matthew 28:18 – 20 to be The Great Commission it reads as follows;

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I agree that we are commissioned by Jesus to disciple all ethnicities, baptising them into the Triune God, and teaching people to obey what Christ has commanded us.

I want to encourage our readers again, to continue discipling all ethnicities, no matter what part of society you are in.

If you are in sports, disciple your players regarding commitment, discipline, teamwork, punctuality, the value of hard work. Don’t just train them in regard to their skills but train them also in their character, and if you are trustworthy, they may even trust you with their heart.

In your workplace, train your co-workers and staff to work with excellence and integrity not just when their boss is watching but also in private. Train them to be honourable with their lunch break and wise about their time. And Baptise them when they give their hearts to Christ and teach everything Jesus said.

The Great Commission has not changed! Therefore, stay the course and keep making disciples!

THE GREAT COLLABORATION

In his final words (face to face, that is) to the disciples before He ascended to Heaven right in front of them, Jesus said this;

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

God is so zealous of his work that we can see in this verse, that not only did he love the world that he gave Jesus, but he also loved his followers, that he gave his Holy Spirit

This is the great collaboration. It’s a reminder to us that we cannot achieve God’s work without God’s spirit. We cannot be his witness without his spirit.

Our good behaviour, and well researched theology does not make us his witnesses.

Only his spirit in us makes us his witness. Good behaviour is helpful, theology is necessary for teaching, but the only theology that really matters is knowing The Word – Christ himself!

The Bible teaches that Christ is the head of the church, which is his body (Eph 1)

Then let us read what the head of the church said in his first recorded sermon, and if it was good for the head to declare this, then surely the body must follow suit?

Luke 4:16-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

All believers can read this and declare it for themselves, and it would resonate with truth!

So, in closing I want to call the readers to The Great Three in these times;

1. Love God with everything and love all people especially yourself. (if you can’t love yourself how can you love others?)

• Stay the course and keep making disciples of all ethnicities, everywhere, especially where you are.

• And finally, God has invited you to work with Him, by His Spirit, there’s no other way of doing or completing His work! And the only way you can be His witnesses is by His Spirit!

So I encourage all our readers;

Stay the course.

Keep doing these three

for His Way, His Work and His Command has not changed!

Stay the course.

Amen.