CALL TO WORSHIP
WELCOME and THANKS for joining us
OPENING SONGS
SERMONETTE
Jeff Broadnax
You may have used CliffsNotes as a student to help you get a better grasp of your coursework. They are study guides that summarize different subjects, like organic chemistry, US history, and classic works of literature. If you had three classic novels to read in a short time, you probably used CliffsNotes to help you understand the most important points. You may have even unsuccessfully tried to get away with using CliffsNotes as a substitute for actually reading those classic works of literature. Guilty!
Distilling the most important concepts into easy-to-remember bites can help us learn. We read in Matthew 22 that the Pharisees were interested in what Jesus considered the most important points of the law, though their motives were to test him rather than to learn from him.
Jesus’ response helps us to understand the role that love plays in the keeping of the law, and in our relationship with God and other people:
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:34-40 (NRSVUE)
Jesus’ response comes from two sources, Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18, and it highlights that the law is based on our response to God and to others. Jesus said all the law and prophets hang on these two commandments; they are the CliffsNotes to how to respond to God and how to respond to others – with love.
Jesus added to this in the Upper Room with his disciples when he told them he was giving them a new commandment – to love others as he loves us. In this case, it’s not about the law and the prophets, it’s about relationship.
This is another of God’s CliffsNotes; this one summarizes how to be in the right relationship with others.
Where does this love come from? From the author of all love – God himself.
In another passage we are told, God is love. We can love because he first loved us.
Jesus’ new commandment, “Love others as I have loved you.” moves beyond the law and the prophets and tells us to love without expectations … to walk alongside people … to encourage them … to provide healing and comfort for them … because we are connected to the Source, a God who is love. When we put others first – just like Jesus did for us – we are fulfilling the two great commandments and the new commandment.
As we feel the love from God, for God, for others, and even for ourselves, may we be blessed with a greater understanding of Love’s embrace as we pursue a deeper relationship with the triune God and other people.
I’m Jeff Broadnax, Speaking of Life.
Small Group Discussion Questions
From Speaking of Life
- Have you ever thought about why we are supposed to praise God?
- If so, what reasons did you come up with?
- The Speaking of Life video talks about two aspects of God’s goodness: steadfast love and trustworthiness.
- How does considering God’s unwavering commitment to humanity affect you?
- What feelings come up?
SPECIAL MUSIC
SERMON
A. The assigned text for today is Matthew 22:34-46.
B. However, given that Mr. Broadnax has already unpacked verses 34-40 in his message … I’d like for us to unpack the other verses in the passage … So, let’s take a look at Matthew 23:41-46.
Matthew 22:41-46
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’?
45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
That’s what the passage says.
What does the passage mean? WHAT CAN WE TAKE AWAY FROM THE PASSAGE?
What Do You Think About Jesus?
Matthew 22:41-46
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
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- Do you notice anything unusual about about verse 41?
- Jesus is asking, rather than being asked.
- Given the context … what is noteworthy about Jesus asking them a question?
- All along, Jesus has been the one being questioned …
- Matthew 21:23; 22:16; 22:23-28; 22:34-36
- Do you notice anything unusual about about verse 41?
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They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
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- What do you think about the answer the Pharisees gave?
- It was the obvious answer … and correct
- … but Jesus wanted to make a point.
- What do you think about the answer the Pharisees gave?
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43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’?
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- Whom is “The Lord” referring to?
- Whom is “my Lord” referring to?
- “The Lord” is referring to God the Father … and “my Lord” is referring to God the Son.
- So what is the point Jesus is trying to make?
- The Son of David is also God the Son.
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45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?”
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- What is the answer to Jesus’ last question?
- The answer can only be that David’s “Lord” (who was divine) became David’s son (a human descendant).
- What is the answer to Jesus’ last question?
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46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
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- Why do you think the Pharisees were not able to answer Him? Is it that they didn’t know … or that they didn’t want to admit what had been revealed as obvious?
- To answer would be to state the obvious.
- They didn’t want to admit.
- Why did Jesus’ question silence them?
- If they admitted the obvious, then more and more persons would begin to wonder if Jesus, who was a descendant of David (and, therefore, David’s son) was also God the Son (who had become human).
- Why do you think the Pharisees were not able to answer Him? Is it that they didn’t know … or that they didn’t want to admit what had been revealed as obvious?
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WHAT IS THE MAIN TAKEAWAY FOR YOU?
MY TAKEAWAY …
Ever since Matthew mentioned the triumphal entry in Matthew 21, the rest of Matthew 21 and Matthew 22 seems to be about identifying Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah.
The text for today is no exception. I believe the questions that Jesus asked would cause people to start wondering …
If Jesus is a son of David, could He be the One whom David was referring to as “my Lord”?
Could Jesus be God the Son, as well as a son of David?
What do you think?
SONG OF RESPONSE / CLOSING SONG
CLOSING PRAYER
BENEDICTION
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