"THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS"
Intro: We are now in the final week before His crucifixion. The Sanhedren
have determined He must die. Some charge must be created against
Him to bring before the Roman court. Pharisees - tribute.
I. "WHICH IS THE FIRST OR PRIMARY COMMANDMENT OF ALL?"
A. Why should he be interested?
1. They were always enlarging on the commandments, seeking
to interpret them.
2. On the other hand, they were seeking to make them more
concise.
a. Psalm 15.
b. Micah 6:8 Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy
God.
3. Recognizing that God exists, and creation shows design and
purpose.
a. How can I answer God's purpose for me?
b. What did God have in mind for me?
1. This should be the primary question of
every thinking man.
2. If I seek to save my life, I will lose
it. i.e. If I live for my pleasure.
3. Many wasted lives today. They have
accomplished great feats, built vast
empires, fulfilled ambitions, died
unfulfilled and bitter for they lost
their own souls.
4. Their mistake was their failure to
concern themselves with this question.
B. "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is..."
1. The most important thing for any man is the recognizing of the
true God.
a. With so many religions, how can you be sure?
b. Religions are man s quest for God.
1. Man creates his own idea of God based
upon himself, "If I were God..."
2. Some fools seeking to make a religion
out of Christianity.
3. Who by searching can find God?
4. If man by searching cannot find God,
then religion is destined for failure
and can only become an opiate for the
people.
5. Does this mean our quest for God is
hopeless? Only if we start with an
earth base.
C. God has revealed Himself to man.
1. The Bible is not man's speculation about God.
2. It is God's revelation of Himself.
a. How can I be sure?
b. If you were God, how could you vouchsafe?
3. Having recognized the true and living eternal God, you must now
establish a relationship.
a. God desires a loving relationship with you. "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with every-thing. Heart, soul,
mind, strength."
1. The only way you can love Him is to know Him.
a. Should some stranger walk up to you in
the mall and ask, "Do you love me?"
b. Love develops by knowing someone
intimately.
1. Many make the sad mistake of
marrying someone before they
really know them.
b. Your relationship with God is primary, it is the
vertical axis upon which your whole life revolves.
II. THE SECOND IS LIKE THE FIRST, "THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS
THYSELF."
A. The first is a primary prerequisite to the second.
1. The fatal flaw of the social gospel is the seeking to
impose the second above the first.
2. You cannot have a completely right relationship with
God and a wrong relationship with your brother.
3. You cannot have a completely right relationship with
your brother until your vertical axis is right.
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Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.