NT 21 The Great Commandments

Reference: Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34

Story Summary:
   A group of Pharisees asked Jesus this question: what is the most important commandment in the law?
   We find God's Law in the first five books of the Bible. Many times, when people talked about the law, they were talking about the Ten Commandments. Other times, they were talking about all of the rules God gave his special people, the Israelites, including rules about what to wear and what not to eat.
   Jesus said the most important commandments were: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The reason these commandments are the most important is because, if we obey these two great commandments, we'll end up obeying all the others.
   After hearing Jesus' answer, the Pharisees agreed with him. From then on, the Bible says, no one dared to ask Jesus any more "tricky" questions.

Big Idea and Motions: If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
Obey - make an O above your head with your arms
Two - hold up two fingers
Great - two thumbs up
Commandments - put one hand on a hip, wag your other finger like you’re instructing someone
Obey - same as above
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Commandments - same as above

Verse / Motions: Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul  and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love - hands over your heart (do this each time you say “love”)
Lord your God - point up on each word
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle (do this every time you say “all”)
Heart - thump your chest
Soul - move your hand in a circular motion an inch or so over your chest
Mind - tap your head
Strength - flex your muscles
Neighbor - mime putting an arm around a friend
Yourself - point to yourself with two thumbs

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What question did they ask Jesus? // What is the most important commandment
What list of God’s rules did we talk about in the story? // The Ten Commandments
What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? // Love God with all your heart
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment? // Love your neighbor as yourself
Why are these commandments so important? // If you obey then, you’ll obey all the other ones, too
How did the Pharisees feel about Jesus’ answer? // They were so impressed, no one dared to ask another question
Who is the only person to obey both great commandments perfectly? // Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
What is today’s Bible verse? // Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul  and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

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