LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF

PROCLAMATION

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?  Jesus replied: ‘Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to the Apostle Matthew.  Jesus continued to speak to the people in parables, telling them the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. (Matthew 22:1-14)  Then the Pharisees tried to trap Him with words, but He silenced them as He spoke regarding paying tax to Caesar. (Matthew 22:15-22)  The Sadducees also tried to trip Him up with words and He answered them regarding marriage at the Resurrection. (Matthew 22:23-33)  One of the Pharisees then asked Him which was the greatest commandment in the law.   

APPLICATION

The Lord God should be paramount in our lives and we should love Him with all that we are. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27)  We are also to love and treat our fellow man as we would love and treat ourselves.  This “love” is the basis for “The Golden Rule,” “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)  Christ wants us to love everybody, including our neighbors, one another (John 13:35), and our enemies. (Matthew 5:44)  We should love people because God is love. (1 John 4:8)  God dwells within us and His love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)  Love is patient and kind, it always protects and preserves, it is trusting and hopeful, it does not envy or dishonor, it is not selfish or disrespectful, it bears all things, and endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)  We are commanded to love one another. (John 15:17)