Knowing the Rules (Friday Devotional)

 

And one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

- Matthew 22:35-40

There were a million fascinating storylines and conversations coming out of last Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII. Some wanted to talk about whether this Kansas City Chiefs team—after their 3rd championship in five years—now officially qualifies as a dynasty, and where Patrick Mahomes ranks on the all-time list of quarterbacks. Plenty of folks were talking about a moment in the first quarter when tight end Travis Kelce, frustrated by the team’s play at that point, screamed at and bumped head coach Andy Reid. And speaking of Kelce, more than a few people wanted to dissect every moment caught on camera between him and his girlfriend—maybe you’ve heard of her.

But the story that caught my attention in the days following the Super Bowl was about the overtime period, only the second to ever happen in the big game. Several 49ers players confessed to the media after the game that they didn’t know the rules about possession, which were different from both the regular season and from postseasons in the past. Apparently the coaching staff had never covered that eventuality with them. For all the players’ talent, skill, and preparation, they somehow went out on the field not knowing the rules.

Thankfully, this is not the case for believers in Jesus—we have been told what is expected of us. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he gave a two-part answer grounded in Scripture: love God and love your neighbor. These two basic laws, he said, were the foundation of everything the Law and the Prophets had to say.

But Jesus didn’t just tell us to do these things, he showed us what a life grounded in these commandments looked like. All the way to the cross, Jesus showed obedience to his heavenly Father even as he showed grace to everyone he encountered.

So in the light of his resurrection, we have been given our marching orders: to live as he lived and love as he loved. We know the rules of the game—and with Jesus as Lord, we know victory is assured.