Love, Truth, and the Role of Jesus as Priest-King

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Love

Description:
Jesus emphasized that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. These commandments are not just rules to follow but the very foundation for interpreting all of Scripture and living a life that reflects God's kingdom. In a world filled with division and strife, these commandments call us to prioritize love above all else, aligning our actions and attitudes with the heart of God.

Loving God with all our being means dedicating every aspect of our lives to Him—our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Loving our neighbor as ourselves challenges us to extend the same care and compassion we desire for ourselves to those around us. This dual commandment encapsulates the essence of the gospel and serves as a guide for how we should live our lives daily. [07:36]

Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (ESV): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart."

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can show love to a neighbor today. How can you demonstrate God's love through your actions?

Day 2: Jesus as Our Priest-King

Description:
Jesus' role as both king and priest, in the order of Melchizedek, signifies His divine authority and His ability to offer forgiveness, restoration, and guidance. This dual role challenges us to see Jesus not just as a historical figure but as an active, reigning Lord in our lives. As our priest, Jesus intercedes on our behalf, offering us grace and mercy. As our king, He reigns with authority, guiding us in truth and righteousness.

Understanding Jesus as our priest-king helps us to appreciate the depth of His love and the extent of His power. He is not distant or detached but intimately involved in our lives, offering us the strength and wisdom we need to navigate our daily challenges. This understanding calls us to submit to His authority and trust in His provision. [14:18]

Hebrews 7:17 (ESV): "For it is witnessed of him, 'You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.'"

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to acknowledge Jesus' authority and seek His guidance today?

Day 3: Using Truth with Love

Description:
Truth should be used as an instrument to bring freedom, not as a weapon to condemn. Jesus demonstrated this by using Scripture to reveal the lies of the enemy and to set people free, always through the lens of love. When we speak truth, it should be with the intention of building others up and leading them towards freedom in Christ, not tearing them down or condemning them.

This approach requires us to be discerning and compassionate, understanding that the ultimate goal is restoration and healing. By following Jesus' example, we can use truth to bring light into dark situations and offer hope to those who are struggling. [20:43]

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you spoke the truth. Did you do it with love? How can you ensure your words bring freedom and not condemnation?

Day 4: Living the Gospel

Description:
The gospel is not just about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection but about the hope of eternal life and transformation that comes from surrendering to His kingship. This involves denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and living in a way that brings the kingdom of God to others. Living the gospel means embodying the values of the kingdom in our daily lives, showing love, mercy, and justice in all we do.

This call to live the gospel is a call to action. It requires us to move beyond mere belief and into a life of active discipleship. By following Jesus' example, we can bring the hope and transformation of the gospel to those around us, making a tangible difference in our communities. [29:11]

Luke 9:23 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 5: Partnering with Jesus

Description:
We are called to partner with Jesus in telling His story, offering hope, healing, and transformation to those around us. This means living like Jesus, not to control or belittle others, but to bring them into the life and love we have found in Him. By partnering with Jesus, we become co-laborers in His mission, sharing the good news and demonstrating His love through our actions.

This partnership is an invitation to participate in the ongoing work of the kingdom, using our unique gifts and opportunities to make a difference. It is a call to be active participants in God's redemptive plan, bringing the light of Christ into every corner of our world. [37:18]

2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV): "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

Reflection: How can you partner with Jesus today in telling His story? Think of one specific way you can offer hope, healing, or transformation to someone in your life.

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus in Matthew 22, focusing on the greatest commandments and the nature of the Messiah. We began by discussing the competitive spirit in sports and how it mirrors the heated debates among the Pharisees and Sadducees in first-century Jerusalem. These religious leaders were divided on which commandment was the second greatest, with one camp emphasizing strict obedience to the Sabbath and the other advocating for loving one's neighbor as oneself.

Jesus, when confronted by the Pharisees, affirmed that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second is like it: to love your neighbor as yourself. He then challenged their understanding of the Messiah by quoting Psalm 110, which speaks of the Messiah as both a king and a priest in the order of Melchizedek. This dual role signifies that the Messiah, Jesus, reigns with divine authority and offers forgiveness, restoration, and guidance.

We delved into the implications of Jesus being our priest-king, emphasizing that His kingdom operates on the principles of love and humility. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection provide a model for us to follow, calling us to deny ourselves and live in a way that brings the kingdom of God to others. This means using truth not as a weapon to condemn but as an instrument to set people free, always through the lens of love.

In practical terms, this involves speaking the name of Jesus over our lives and the lives of others, offering hope, healing, and transformation. We are called to partner with Jesus in telling His story, not just about Him but the story He is actively telling through our lives. This is the essence of the gospel: the hope of eternal life and the transformation that comes from surrendering to Jesus' kingship.

###

Key Takeaways

1. King**: Jesus' role as both king and priest, in the order of Melchizedek, signifies His divine authority and His ability to offer forgiveness, restoration, and guidance. This dual role challenges us to see Jesus not just as a historical figure but as an active, reigning Lord in our lives. [14:18]
3. Using Truth with Love: Truth should be used as an instrument to bring freedom, not as a weapon to condemn. Jesus demonstrated this by using Scripture to reveal the lies of the enemy and to set people free, always through the lens of love.

4. Living the Gospel: The gospel is not just about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection but about the hope of eternal life and transformation that comes from surrendering to His kingship. This involves denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and living in a way that brings the kingdom of God to others.

5. Partnering with Jesus: We are called to partner with Jesus in telling His story, offering hope, healing, and transformation to those around us. This means living like Jesus, not to control or belittle others, but to bring them into the life and love we have found in Him.

### [14:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:26] - Introduction and Sports Analogies
[02:40] - Heated Debates and Opinions
[03:23] - The Greatest Commandment Debate
[04:19] - The Two Camps: Shammai and Hillel
[05:15] - Jesus' Response to the Pharisees
[06:06] - Who is the Greatest in Judaism?
[06:49] - Jesus Silences the Sadducees
[07:36] - The Greatest Commandments
[09:04] - Pride Comes Before a Fall
[10:26] - Jesus Calls Out the Elephant in the Room
[12:21] - The Concept of Empire
[14:18] - Jesus as Priest-King
[16:07] - The Role of Melchizedek
[18:27] - Application: Jesus as Our Priest-King
[20:43] - Using Truth with Love
[23:01] - The Call to Repentance
[24:58] - The Story Jesus is Telling
[26:56] - Our Role in Telling Jesus' Story
[29:11] - Living the Gospel
[31:46] - The Hard Truth of Self-Denial
[34:50] - Loving Others as Jesus Did
[37:18] - Bringing the Kingdom of God
[37:18] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the two greatest commandments that Jesus highlighted in Matthew 22:34-40?
How did Jesus challenge the Pharisees' understanding of the Messiah in Matthew 22:41-46?
What is the significance of Psalm 110:1-4 in understanding Jesus' role as both king and priest? [14:18]
How did Jesus use truth in His interactions with the Pharisees and Sadducees? [20:43]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasized loving God and loving your neighbor as the greatest commandments? How do these commandments serve as a foundation for interpreting all of Scripture? [07:36]
What does it mean for Jesus to be both a king and a priest in the order of Melchizedek? How does this dual role impact our understanding of His authority and mission? [14:18]
How can truth be used as an instrument to bring freedom rather than as a weapon to condemn? Provide examples from the sermon or your own experiences. [20:43]
What does it mean to live the gospel in practical terms? How does denying ourselves and taking up our cross bring the kingdom of God to others? [29:11]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: How well are you loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind? What steps can you take to deepen this love? [07:36]
Think of a specific neighbor or person in your life. How can you show them love in a tangible way this week? [07:36]
In what areas of your life do you need Jesus' priestly role of offering forgiveness, restoration, and guidance? How can you invite Him into these areas? [18:27]
How can you use truth to set people free rather than to condemn them? Share a situation where you can apply this principle. [20:43]
What does it look like for you to partner with Jesus in telling His story through your life? Identify one specific way you can do this in the coming week. [37:18]
How can you practice self-denial and take up your cross in your daily life? What specific actions can you take to live out this calling? [29:11]
Reflect on a time when you used Scripture to judge or condemn someone. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future, using love and truth to bring healing and transformation? [23:01]

Sermon Clips

1. "Opinions and heated debate go hand in hand. Around here, we talk a lot about this issue of working through the messiness of relationships. And I can tell you, I've been involved in some pretty heated conversations, you know, with other believers about different things. And here's the thing. It can be fun until people take it personally. Then it can ruin friendships and divide families and split churches." [03:23] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Jesus calls out the elephant in the room. What is the elephant in the room you think the pharisees knew they knew people thought that Jesus was a prophet and they knew by this time in Jesus's life because we're like just days away from the crucifixion in Jesus's life they knew that there were people out there that thought he could be the messiah." [10:26] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus gave a definitive answer to their question and let's just look at that again teaching is that all the law and the prophets must be interpreted through the lens of loving one another Jesus's authority to declare that that is it is because he's the messiah moses may have been the one who delivered the law but who gave it to moses and you can say the father but Jesus and the father are one." [12:21] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jesus is our priest king his declaration of the greatest second commandment sets the stage for what the reign of a priest king of the most high god looks like loving god with everything you are and have and loving others the same way is the standard of how things work in the kingdom." [18:27] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Truth is a weapon to defeat the enemy satan we saw that in matthew chapter 4 when Jesus was being tempted by the enemy he quoted scripture to point out the truth that was that revealed the lie that satan was telling right truth is not to be wielded against people truth is an instrument to bring freedom remember we've got to look at everything through the lens because our priest king said the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as you love yourself so we got to look at everything through this lens of love truth is an instrument to bring freedom." [20:43] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Jesus's death his life was in his blood and the idea of forgiveness and all of that right but it's not until the erection that there's hope for life there may be forgiveness but is there hope for life past now and that's what speaking the name or telling the story Jesus is telling is about is giving hope for life next now and for all eternity right." [24:58] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Jesus didn't just preach it. He didn't get up and preach it and do something, live a different way. He lived it, and dare I say, he died it. What Jesus surrendered to when God asked him to die was not an easy choice. On the night that he was betrayed, before he was arrested, he was in the garden on his knees talking to God about, is there any other way than this? Is there any other way? But if this is the way, God, Father, your will." [31:46] (76 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Jesus said, hey, here's the lens to the rest of Scripture, is love others as you love yourself, and I'm the priest king, and I'm telling you, that's how to read Scripture. Not Tracy, Jesus, right? Please don't misunderstand me there, and so for us, what he's calling us to do is to bring kingdom, to live like Jesus, and I'm not saying you need to become a homeless itinerant preacher, right? That's not what I say when I say live like Jesus. I'm talking about, the way he did his Father's will. Live like Jesus. Why? So that others can live with Jesus." [37:18] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?