May 4, 2021 - We find ourselves looking at Matthew 22:34-40. It is a rather interesting section of the New Testament. We have the Pharisees attempting to trip up Jesus here with a question about the Law of God. For those who do not know, the historical Christian definition of the Law (capital L) has been those sections of Scripture we often skip in our Bible reading plans. There is a wide range of literature on the subject and how the Law is broken up into three divisions; moral, civil, and ceremonial. To go into detail on all three would take up this article, so I encourage you to take the time to study it yourself. For now, we can define the Law as all those “shall and shall not” verses in Scripture. This includes the ones we find in the New Testament as well.
You might be aware of some of these commandments. You’ve heard of some referred to as the Ten Commandments. What is interesting about the Ten is that they are themselves a summary of the Law of God. Each of the ten words (as some Old Testament scholars will point is the correct translation) covers some part of the Law of God. They are a distillation of what God considers is holy and right.
In this passage of Matthew that we are looking at, we see Christ giving another distillation. He takes the ten and goes even farther. He answers the Pharisees with two commandments that he states in verse 40, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
When we are confronted with this summation of the Law, we ask ourselves whether we measure up to what is commanded or if we are lacking. You might hear that if you are lacking, then you are doing something wrong and you need to start acting right! But the classical Christian response to the weary pilgrim has been and must always be the Gospel! The Christian Gospel message is that we are habitual failures of following God's Law and we know it. But praise be to God that we have been absolved of our sins by the blood of Christ. Pilgrim, remember and let us share that by the power of Christ, you are forgiven.
Wynter is an Elder at Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church. Find out more at MariposaChurch.org or email him at wynter@mariposachurch.org. Visit Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church on Facebook.
Pastor’s Corner is a column from Pastor Wynter Sturtevant III of the Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church.
The Church has moved locations, services are now held at the Bootjack Stompers Hall (located at 4662 Morman Bar Crossing) across from the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.
Time of service is at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday.
I am happy to announce that MRBC has its own sermon podcast. Please check it out by clicking on the link below or searching MRBC Sermons on iTunes. New sermons will be posted every Wednesday.
https://mariposachurch.transistor.fm/episodes
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