Mark 8:34 was the main verse in the sermon at church this morning. "...take up your cross and FOLLOW Me." But what does it mean to FOLLOW Jesus? The Hebrew definition of "follow" is to go the same way. That may seem obvious, but this is more than just literally walking behind someone. To follow a Rabbi was to model your life after him. Act like they act, speak like they speak, think like they think. So how do we follow Jesus?
Matthew 22:37 tells us to " Love the Lord your God with all your heart...." I knew that this was a direct quote from Deuteronomy, but I couldn't remember exactly where. I looked it up and was amazed at what I found!!! This very phrase is used SIX times in Deuteronomy ALONE!!!
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
Deu 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
Verse one starts out with "Now these are the commandments..." What commandments would these be? Well, considering Deuteronomy is only a portion of the law (Torah) given to Moses by God, "these commandments" would be the entire Torah. Verse 4 begins the Shema....Note verse three "Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to DO IT.....verse 5 AND thou shalt love the Lord they God...."
Another reference is Deuteronomy 10:12 "And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to WALK in ALL His ways,and to love Him, and to SERVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 13 TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of the Lord.....FOR THY GOOD"!!
Deuteronomy 11:1 "
Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments," how long? "ALWAYS"
Deuteronomy 19:9, 30:16,20 are the other references. So not only does our Heavenly Father emphasis many times that we need to love Him with all of our hearts and all of our souls etc. He also tells us HOW!!!
Another point made this morning was that part of following Jesus is having the mind of Christ. ...But what really was the mind of Christ? If the Father and the Son are of one mind, which they are - the Son will back up everything His Father instructed!! Jesus' goal during His earthly ministry was to glorify the FATHER....to live out His Father's instructions so that we would have a PERFECT EXAMPLE to follow....and of course to die for our sins! If the Father and the Son are of ONE MIND, do we really think that the Son would come and teach an entirely different doctrine than what His Father had already given? I THINK NOT!!!!
Matthew 22:37 tells us to " Love the Lord your God with all your heart...." I knew that this was a direct quote from Deuteronomy, but I couldn't remember exactly where. I looked it up and was amazed at what I found!!! This very phrase is used SIX times in Deuteronomy ALONE!!!
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
Deu 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
Verse one starts out with "Now these are the commandments..." What commandments would these be? Well, considering Deuteronomy is only a portion of the law (Torah) given to Moses by God, "these commandments" would be the entire Torah. Verse 4 begins the Shema....Note verse three "Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to DO IT.....verse 5 AND thou shalt love the Lord they God...."
Another reference is Deuteronomy 10:12 "And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to WALK in ALL His ways,and to love Him, and to SERVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 13 TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of the Lord.....FOR THY GOOD"!!
Deuteronomy 11:1 "
Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments," how long? "ALWAYS"
Deuteronomy 19:9, 30:16,20 are the other references. So not only does our Heavenly Father emphasis many times that we need to love Him with all of our hearts and all of our souls etc. He also tells us HOW!!!
Another point made this morning was that part of following Jesus is having the mind of Christ. ...But what really was the mind of Christ? If the Father and the Son are of one mind, which they are - the Son will back up everything His Father instructed!! Jesus' goal during His earthly ministry was to glorify the FATHER....to live out His Father's instructions so that we would have a PERFECT EXAMPLE to follow....and of course to die for our sins! If the Father and the Son are of ONE MIND, do we really think that the Son would come and teach an entirely different doctrine than what His Father had already given? I THINK NOT!!!!