Priority One ... The Wayfarer 3/30/17

Priority  One
3/30/17

Matthew 22:36-40

King James Version (KJV)

³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The first commandment given to God's people was specific, and remains so despite its detractors throughout the passage of time since having been issued.

That commandment was not given to one man, but to all those claiming to be that people.

It was given to a nation in exile, yet still a favored nation promised to attain even more favor if and only if that commandment was honored.

Each time that commandment was ignored by that people, that favor was withdrawn until their return to remembrance and adherence to it and those that followed that made it possible to keep that commandment.

Priority, or ranking of importance has not changed, and will not change.

Without that priority, there could be no nation, and the could be no favor.

God had to be first in importance, first in priority if that people were to exist.

Again, take note that the commandment was given to ALL those claiming the favor of the Creator, not to a select few, and not to just the one tasked with bringing the commandments to them.

 The scripture chosen, was taken for the specific reason of the continuing relevance of that very commandment as was spoken by Christ Jesus in answer to what was intended to be a trick question to trip Him up and give reason to the authorities to silence the simplicity of the message he brought to that very people and to ALL people willing to receive it.

Nation cannot be placed above God, if that commandment is to be followed, nor can a nation be blessed unless and until it is followed.

The same applies to all priorities established by men. Those priorities must fall beneath the first priority established by God Himself.

Abraham understood that priority before it was ever codified into the laws given his descendants.

It was with that priority and faith in God and the intent of God that he took his son, long awaited and dearly loved, and prepared him for the sacrifice as that love was tested.

God was Priority One, and therefore to be obeyed even at so great a cost to the Patriarch of the people to be given the law .

Isaac was spared because of the love given in return for the love and obedience shown by Abraham, and was in turn taught a lesson of the Father's love that spared him.

Priority ONE could not be given to family, it had to be given to God.

Priorities flowed both directions as was noted by Jesus' answer in the opening scripture.

God placed so high a priority on man that the did not spare his OWN SON as he had Isaac, but sent Him to offer the only acceptable sacrifice  that could allow that love to be shared with men and by men.

Matthew 5:17-20

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Grace delivered by Christ through his crucifixion and resurrection did indeed fulfill the law.

There is no other sacrifice required to fulfill the law, and none other acceptable for the remittance of sin, violation of that law.

That does not destroy the existence of that law, nor will it excuse priorities established by men wishing to ignore its existence.

Sacrifices given prior to Christ were intended to be given as a means of showing repentance, repentance for those violations both individuals and nations shared, when the first priority was not given to God himself.

That same repentance is still a requirement  if the ultimate sacrifice of the Son of God  is to have any meaning and worth.

God did not allow that sacrifice to occur in vain and without worth!

If we do not place God's priorities  above men's, then that repentance has not been truly given.

Lowest on the list of our priorities, if we meet the requirement for the highest priority to be the one intended should be, as was Abraham's, that of self.

When those priorities are inverted or rearranged for our convenience, we revert to the priority established by Adam, who was the first to fail to follow a commandment not spoken but well understood by him when he chose to violate it.

When Priority ONE is met, the others fall into line and result in others being blessed by finding that same priority.

Priority One can only be met when the gift of grace given us through the blessing of Christ Jesus is acknowledged for having been and continuing to be that gift, and accepted for what it is through the repentance required for its receipt.

Refusal of that repentance is refusal of both the grace offered and refusal to place God's priority above our own.

Priorities  of nations are the priorities of their people.

When nations take pride in priorities that ignore and deny those of God, it is a reflection of the pride of its people in the sin they place above God.

Take careful account of priorities, God has and does.

2 Timothy 1:12 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
The Wayfarer