Sabbath: Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 15th of March 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Matthew 22:34-40, Zechariah 7:9-12, Psalms 82:1-8, Micah 6:8, Matthew 23:23-30, Luke 10:25-37.
Memory Text:
“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20, NKJV).
Though we have confidence that God will make all things right in the end, it still matters what we, as Christians, do in the here and now. Though there may be many injustices and evils that God will not now eradicate (because of the parameters of the cosmic conflict), this doesn’t mean that we can’t be used to help alleviate whatever suffering and evil we come across, at least to whatever degree possible. In fact, we are obligated, as Christians, to do just that.
As we have seen, love and justice go together; they are inseparable. God loves justice. Accordingly, if we love God, we will love justice, as well.
Likewise, if we love God, we will love one another. Part of loving one another is sharing a concern for the well-being of those around us. When others are afflicted by poverty, oppression, or any kind of injustice, we should be concerned. When others are oppressed, we should not turn a blind eye. Instead, we should ask ourselves what we can do, individually and corporately, to advance God’s love and justice in a way that reflects to our broken world our Lord’s perfect character of righteousness and love.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 22.
(18)
The cosmic scale of the battle between Good and Evil often overwhelms us and we sometimes feel that we should give up in despair. God does not expect us to win the battle - he has already done that. But he has left us with a task in this conflict. Here is something to think about this week:
Sort of like the saying "The enemy of good is perfect". If everyone did something, even a small thing, what a different world we'd have.
How can human beings who are born with a strong inclination towards selfishness and evil doing, become loving and just? The power for becoming loving and just is not within mortal beings, but within the one whose nature is love and justice (God). If we are in Christ, and Christ in us, love and just will be our nature. It is impossible to embrace love and justice outside Jesus Christ.
"I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]" - Philippians 4:13 (Amplified Bible).
As Seventh Day Adventist who are awaiting God's imminent return, may we not be so heavenly minded that we neglect the suffering and hurt around us but rather may we respond as Jesus would to rescue the perishing and care for the dying!!!!!!
I see Micah 6:8 as a mandate for Christians. A Christian is one who follows Christ. If we wear Christ's name we must also emulate his character to a lost and dying world. Of course this isn't a DIY project,but rather a "let's do this together" project, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The world is one great big mission field, not just "over there." As Christians, we are ambassadors of a foreign government, seeking to best represent the interests and concerns of that "government."
Today Jesus calls upon his ambassadors to show and tell the world what his Kingdom is all about. It's so much better than the so called "Magic Kingdom", which costs an arm and a leg to enter, and leaves you with memories that only last a lifetime. The "Kingdom of Heaven" will cost you everything, and yet it remains the greatest bargain of all time, and it gives you memories that will last forever. May we live our calling, and our mandate each day in every way, is my prayer today.
"Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly"
It all comes down to this
What you require of me
Love my neighbor as myself
And You above all things
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly
With You, God
In all things, in all ways, walk humbly
With You, God
It all comes down to this
To be Your hands and feet
Good news to all the world
Oh the truth will set us free
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly
With You, God
In all things, in all ways, walk humbly
With You, God
It's beauty for ashes
It's mourning to dancing
It's closer and closer
The Kingdom of heaven
Beauty for ashes
It's mourning to dancing
It's closer and closer
The Kingdom of heaven
And years from now we'll see
The fruit our hands have sown
Faith just like a seed
The only way it grows
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly
With You, God
In all things, in all ways, walk humbly
With You, God
Written by: Chris Tomlin, Jason David Ingram, Patrick George Anthony Barrett
Lyrics © ESSENTIAL MUSIC PUBLISHING, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The following link is to a music video of the above referenced song.
https://youtu.be/dk7llf2LkKc?si=k5dP3cAJrCcJuwVU
Jesus’ Life culminated on the cross, revealing God’s work of Love and Justice on our behalf. Yet, each of us is called to personally embrace this same Love and Justice which guided Jesus. Allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to cultivate our spiritual awareness to do God’s Will, requires of us to take up our own cross and live by faith.
We learn to personalize the spiritual significance of the cross Jesus bore throughout His Life and apply it to our own. It is not enough to simply observe or empathize with Him or others in their grief or misfortune — being called, we actively participate in the healing work of God’s Grace.
The most transformative aspect of living God’s Law, established and administered in the Spirit of His Love and Justice, is its ability to touch the core of our being - reforming our heart and mind to ground us in the Life of God's Way.
Understanding and humbly accepting that God’s all-powerful, immutable Will is rooted in His Love and Justice, employed to sustain His Creation by it, leads us to faithfully embrace His Spirit of Love and Justice in our life - so living and experiencing God’s greatest commandment – Matt. 22:36-40.
This past week I pressed a bill into a man's hand sitting on the sidewalk who was camped there and said "have a nice day". Sometimes I say something like "Jesus loves you" too. But it is increasingly, uncomfortably not enough inside my own conscience....what I am sharing.
I am seeing Jesus with the woman at the well as my model. Jesus went deeply into what the woman REALLY needed. He could have said something encouraging like "Have a nice day. Don't worry what people say about you - God loves you" and then moved on through the area quickly with his disciples. Instead, He purposely arranged to have this time alone with her in order to minister to her deepest need for spiritual healing. Jesus knew what she needed because of His close connection with the Father, and He knew how to minister to her because of His prayer life with the Father.
I know this because Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do: for what things soever He does, these also does the Son likewise" (John 5:19). Jesus also said, "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12:49-50)
So this is my first take-away...I desperately need a deeper prayer life, such as Jesus had with the Father.
I'm being nudged into something more authentic from God's heart. In every act of charity, Jesus met a deeper need and slaked a deeper thirst. He said, "Your sins are forgiven" to the paralyzed man let down through the roof. He assured the battered woman tossed carelessly at his feet, "I don't condemn you, you are free to go home awash in my acceptance and be released from sinning". He welcomed and included the weary woman healed of a long blood disease with, "Daughter, your faith in Me has healed you. Go in peace, you are freed from your suffering." He healed their spirits and their thoughts and offered them His forever friendship, so much more than just band-aids on their bruised bodies.
I often feel helpless about meeting people's deeper needs. What exactly are they and how can I help?
I love what Christian writer Seth Porch says:
That's my second take-away....I must lavish on others ONLY what I recognize having received from God myself. If I'm feeling like the source, if I'm picturing MYSELF as the kind, Mother Theresa-type as I hand out something, it will be meager and false fruit. But, if I'm consciously always basking in the abundance of God’s generosity towards me....locked in on gratitude to God moment by moment...focused on the gift of Christ, who left His wealth and took up my poverty so that He might make me rich (2 Corinthians 8:9)... I will joyfully give to others as an expression of the overflow of love I have received...and I will naturally point others to Him....again back to John 5:19, just as Jesus did on Earth, I'll be picturing only what GOD is doing through me in HIS ministry...and rather than mumbling Jesus' name as a tag at the end, my whole interaction will be Spirit-led and Spirit-filled. I think this is what Jesus had in mind when He said, "greater works than these you will do" (John 14:12). Together, all of us - His Church - focused on Him in prayer and gratitude as we minister, what would that be like? what will that be like?
Thank you Esther. Very thoughtful and thought through and hits the nail on the head for me. May what I offer be only as a result of what I have received - abundantly above what I could ever imagine! May God forgive me for forgetting all that He has done for me.
If we believe God is love and accept His ultimate offer of love, we should always ask ourselves, " How would Christ act in this situation?"