Working on the Basics

Working on the Basics (Matthew 22:34-40)

Christianity is not nearly as complicated as so many of us make it. I am reminded of something Luke says about the Christians of the early church in Acts 2:46&47. "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Those early disciples learned the value of some simple things like loving God and loving one another. Perhaps some of them had heard Jesus' words in Matthew 22:37-40: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Living like Jesus and seeing His life grow in us doesn't have to go beyond simplicity. He wrapped it all up for us with these words recorded by Matthew. Love God and love people. It is that simple. We too often try to figure out all the intricacies of doctrine and look for some new teaching. Let's forego all the "deep" things and go back to the basics. Love God and love people. God has reminded me this week that I need to do that. Perhaps you need the reminder, too.
Loving God is not as complicated as it sounds. We prove that we love God by obeying His instructions. We have power to obey those instructions because God's Spirit lives in us to help us obey. It is that simple. We may struggle with obedience because of the residue of the flesh. That is why God gives us others to walk the journey with us. We live in communities of faith that put us shoulder to shoulder with others who are trying to get the basics down . . . just as we try. We encourage each other and learn from each other.

Loving people is not all that complicated either. God's Spirit empowers us to love as we are loved. The more we learn how much God loves us, the better we can love even those who might not be so lovely. Jesus showed us how to do it in His life. As we walk with Him, abide in Him, and learn from Him, we learn to love as He loved.

Love God and love people. Do it with "simplicity of heart." Keep working on the basics, and the complicated stuff will fall into place. -- John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist of Toms River

God's WORD for YOU: Psalm 77-78; Proverbs 9; Romans 10

Great Quote: "...Jesus showed us what God really wants to cleanse and purify-our hearts. Christ's transforming work on the cross helps us to break free from desires that hold us in bondage. As we submit to God, we become like Christ, no longer wanting to offend God. Out of gratitude we obey Him from the inside out." Tremper Longman, Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind