Lord, Teach Us About the Second Commandment (Matthew 22:35-40)
Introduction:
1. This morning our lesson was based on "the new commandment" that Jesus gave to His followers in John 13:34-35. 2. To help us better understand the Lord's commandment we studied "the love chapter" of the Bible -- 1 Corinthians 13. 3. Valentine's Day is also a good time for us to have the Lord teach us about "the second commandment" that He mentioned in Matthew 22:39. 4. In our lesson we are studying passages in which: a. Jesus identified the second commandment b. Jesus interpreted the second commandment c. Jesus illustrated the second commandment. 5. The first point we need to make is that . . .
Discussion:
I. JESUS IDENTIFIED THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
A. Before He did so, Jesus was asked to identify "the great commandment in the law" (Matthew 22:35-36). 1. Jesus identified it in Matthew 22:37-38. 2. This command was originally given in Deuteronomy 6:5. 3. It summed up all the responsibilities that the Israelites had toward God. B. Jesus continued in Matthew 22:39 by identifying "the second" great commandment in the law -- "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 1. This command was originally given to the Israelites in Leviticus 19:18. 2. It summed up all the responsibilities that the Israelites had toward their fellow man. 3. In Matthew 22:40 Jesus stressed the importance of the second commandment by saying that it was one of the two commandments upon which all the law and the prophets hung. C. The New Testament shows how important this commandment is to Christians (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-14; James 2:8-9). D. Since "loving your neighbor" is such an important commandment we must understand it -- this brings us to our second point.
II. JESUS INTERPRETED THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
A. (Matthew 5:43) Jesus showed how this command had been misinterpreted. B. He continued by revealing His will in Matthew 5:44-48. C. The "love" that Jesus requires is "to seek what is best for other people." D. Jesus summed up what is involved in "loving your neighbor" in what we call "the Golden Rule" (Matthew 7:12). E. We understand what the second commandment is, and we understand what it involves -- for our third point, let us see how . . .
III. JESUS ILLUSTRATED THE SECOND COMMANDMENT (Luke 10:25-37)
A. We learn from vs.25-29 why Jesus told His parable of the Good Samaritan. B. (vs.30) Jesus began His parable by showing that a man needed assistance. 1. This man had a legitimate need -- he had been robbed, stripped of his clothes, wounded, and left half dead. 2. He was not responsible for his situation. C. Jesus showed in vs.31-32 how a priest and a Levite did not love their neighbor. D. Jesus showed in vs.33-35 how the Samaritan loved his neighbor. 1. (vs.33) This man had something the priest and Levite lacked: "compassion." 2. (vs.34-35) The Samaritan showed his love for the man by taking care of him. E. Jesus applied His parable to the lawyer in vs.36-37.
Conclusion:
1. We have examined passages in which Jesus identified, interpreted, and illustrated the second commandment. 2. How much better would this world be if everyone practiced the second commandment? 3. We cannot control the whole world, but we can practice it ourselves. 4. Let us make a renewed effort to practice the second commandment.
