December 28, 2024 – Fourth Day of Christmas

“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 your 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

We are all rule-breakers by nature. You may not agree unless you consider your behavior while driving on the roads. How many times have you driven over the speed limit? How many yellow lights have you claimed to still be yellow as you drive through the intersection? I think most people have a hard time following all of the rules. It comes to us naturally — because we are human. The most well-known of G-d’s laws are the Ten Commandments that G-d gives to Moses. But, read on a little further into Deuteronomy and Leviticus, and you will find 613 commandments that comprise the whole Law of Moses. Some are commandments to do something—like when and where to celebrate Passover. Others state what not to do–like which foods to avoid or how to prepare a food item correctly.

To our twenty-first-century ears and eyes, some of these do’s and don’ts seem silly or just plain out-of-touch with life today. There are rules about when you’re not supposed to wear a garment made out of both wool and linen. Others seem to still be pretty good rules, like forgiving debts and taking good care of orphans and widows.

When Jesus begins his public ministry, he beings by standing up in the synagogue and telling the people that he has come to fulfill the law and the prophets, and to heal the sick and raise the dead. Jesus tells the people listening to him that obeying and honoring all the laws—all 613 of them—are rooted in two simple actions: love G-d with your entire heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbor with the same kind of compassion and generosity you extend to yourself. When we love G-d with our whole heart, and when we are loving our neighbors as ourselves, we spend a good portion of our time thinking about how our actions or inactions will affect them. Loving each other means that we pay attention to special requests or needs and do what we can with what we have.

On this fourth day of Christmas, as we read and study the example of Jesus’ life and love in the scriptures, we see how to love G-d with our whole hearts, and how to love our neighbors as our selves.

Let us pray: Guide us, Lord, to consider you and each person we interact with as we make decisions today. Help us to walk in your ways. Amen.

Pastor Dave