8-24-20 Today in the Word

LEARNING FROM THE GREAT TEACHER Monday, August 24, 2020 | Matthew 22 April 2020 Today in the Word Daily Devotional BUILDING COMMUNITY Foster parents open their homes and lives to children whose lives have been upended by personal tragedy, and sometimes that opportunity comes about unexpectedly. My husband Michael and I were blessed to foster and later adopt two siblings, Jaclyn and John, who are both now adults. One thing we will always remember from those first days of foster parenting is how our church family stepped in to help with much-needed supplies and wisdom. In Matthew 22, Jesus is approached by the Sadducees, religious teachers, who wanted to test, insult, and deflate Jesus’ influence. They approached Him with what they considered to be a series of difficult questions, hoping to reveal Him as a false teacher. First, they attempted to trap Him with a question about taxes (vv. 15–22). Second, they asked about marriage in the afterlife (vv. 23–33). But their final question is the focus of our reading today. One in the group, “an expert in the law” (v. 34), asked: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (v. 36). Although their intent was to dissuade the community of believers by trying to reveal Jesus as not knowing the details of the Law, Jesus’ response would challenge their thinking. They were first to “Love the Lord your God” (v. 37) and second, to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 39). Jesus goes further to say that all other teachings “hang” on these two commands (v. 40). If we follow Jesus’ commands, we will not only love Him but also love others. Love becomes the foundation for the church’s work in the local community and beyond. In response to the question, Which is the greatest commandment? Jesus focused on love. >> Imagine a young couple who become instant foster parents and no one is there to help. Many people face unexpected situations without a supportive and loving community. How can you demonstrate Christ’s love to someone in need today? PRAY WITH US Again, God’s love is the focus of our study today. Our prayer is that we’ll keep the two greatest commandments in the forefront of our words and actions. This month's content is written by Dr. Mary Martin, former professor of Christian School Education. Dr. Mary Martin has served Christ not only as Moody’s Director of Christian School Education and Division Chair for Education and Counseling but also as a classroom teacher, principal, and Head of School. She is the author of Impacting Student Learning through Christ-Centered Instructional Leadership and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, Michael. She speaks at numerous education conferences each year and loves mentoring Moody graduates.