Obey

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19)

Jesus was Jew.  Goes without saying?  Clearly, he was a faithful Jew by indicating he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets.  He said, “…not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law…”  To the detriment to our faith, too many Christians don’t consider him to be a Jew – just the Son of God.  Such amazing confusion, or purposeful rejection?  

Of importance, he instructed all of us not to break the commandments.  I assume he spoke of the ten.  Break just one and we become the least in the Kingdom of heaven.  That’s a very high bar.  It would seem almost every one of us is among the “least.”  

I cannot always clear that high bar.  On occasion I break #1, #2, and #3.  Thank God I’m clear on the other seven, I think.  Number 9 refers to when I sometimes hit the bar, but don’t knock it down.   I rattle it. I rattle myself.

Let’s strive to be the greatest in the Kingdom by obeying and teaching the commandments.  They are not guidance that can be ignored.  

Here are 10 more commandments we should obey (found on the web).

1. You should not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.

2. You should not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

3. You should not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.

4. You should face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.

5. You should not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.

6. You should not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you can.

7. You should not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!

8. You should be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is hard to learn something new when you are talking, and some people do know more than you do.

9. You should not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.

10. You should count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

Obey!

Deacon David Pierce