1. LAW=LOVE. Lots of times we think laws take the fun out of life. Can't drive 90 on the highway. Can't drink to oblivion and drive. Can't rob or insult or cheat at business. People focus on the negatives, the thou shalt NOTS. Jesus totally reorients the LAW toward LOVE. After telling us to "Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind" and "our neighbors as ourselves", he says, "ALL the LAWS and the Prophets hang on these two commandments". Wow.
The Laws and the Prophets are designed to develop better people. Loving people are better people. If we love others as much as we love ourselves we won't do the unloving things that hurt others. Indeed, if LOVE is the only LAW we OBEY, we won't need other laws.
2. FINAL EXAM. Christians have spent 2,000 years telling people who gets into heaven and who doesn't; and what to think/do/believe to be "saved". Jesus didn't need 2,000 years or 2,000 words. According to him, just love God fully, love others equally, and do what you can for somebody in need. How simple is that?! I didn't say easy, just simple. My Indian colleague, Azariah, said, "DO THE NEEDFUL". When we see someone in need and we are in a position to help, then help. Jesus provides two motivations. In the Matthew 22 verses we are motivated to help by the degree that we would want others to help us. In Matthew 25 we are motivated by Jesus' startling declaration that the people we help are stand-ins for Jesus. Helping others is helping Jesus. Rejecting others is rejecting Jesus.
3. GET REAL. Jesus' examples of "doing the needful" are the basics: hunger, thirst, shelter (clothing) and loneliness. To make it even simpler: what can you do to make someone's day better? In Ketter's book "Generous Justice" he tells us to think literally and figuratively. People who are physically thirsty need water. The spiritually thirsty need the "living water", Jesus promises, that nourishes the soul. Both are real. Likewise, there are lots of ways to be imprisoned, blind, hungry, and even dead. An old religious TV show from my childhood was called "Look Up and Live". Jesus says, "Look up and love". Look around you. Who needs what that you can do something about? Or try this: put the FACE of JESUS on the next shut-in, cancer patient, homeless person, immigrant family, addict or alcoholic or lonely person. Then decide what you can do.
