It was when I realized that this is Jesus' central teaching, His command for every follower and at the heart of everything that Jesus modeled for us, as we have that in the Gospels, that my transformation, my "born from above" moment began.
Jesus is the fulfiller of the Law and Prophets. We know that from His sharing of His mission in Sermon on the Mount. We know that from the Transfiguration account.
In THIS it is fulfilled:
To Love God with all one's heart, soul and mind.
Agape is about loving, but not about feelings. It is about commitment. Committing our lives to God means committing how we live them to God's Way for us to live. We need to use our God-given brains in striving to commit actively to God and Neighbor.
To Love Neighbor as one love's oneself.
This means I would no more want lack or harm to come to my neighbor than I would want that for myself or those I love. It means that I will put my time, abilities, energy and possessions to work to make sure my neighbor has what my neighbor needs, because if my neighbor does not have well-being I do not have well-being.
Jesus made it abundantly clear that He is God's Son and not just of the line of David.
Jesus made His authority abundantly clear in the answers to their questions.
Jesus made it abundantly clear that God wants us to live Agape Love for God and humanity -
active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, and especially
the most vulnerable -
self-giving, even self-sacrificing -
unconditional -
committed action on their behalf.
If everyone did that in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now, we would be in alignment with Kingdom values and God's will would be done on earth as in heaven.
If we chose Agape for God and abandoned our idolatrous love for self - wealth, power and status, all would have enough and have that Shalom - well-being, completeness and wholeness that God wants all of us to have in this part of the Kingdom, here and now.
No other law need be used (and abused) but this.
We would live the golden rule - "do to others as you would have them to do you." (Matthew 7:12)
No need for prophets ever be considered again.
Indeed, the Word would be etched on our hearts. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
Indeed, we would be faithful to God and those who God loves.
Indeed, there would be Peace, because we have worked toward living the things that make for peace.
It really is that simple to understand. It is not easy to live.
I believe that our call as followers of Jesus is to perfect the living of this perfect love throughout the rest of our lives in this part of God's Kingdom, and not to worry about that part of God's Kingdom. Living faithfully to Jesus means living Agape Love, which means doing the right things for the right reasons on behalf of others. Salvation is the work of God in my life. Faithfulness to Jesus' Way is my response to God's Love and Grace for doing it.
It was not a suggestion. It is a command. It is the Law and Prophets. Living Agape is everything.
Pastor Jamie
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