“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:” James 2:8 (KJV)

This phrase occurs only here in Scripture.  James chooses a term for the Law that usually refers to the Law as a whole rather than a term for an individual command.  This is in keeping with Jesus’ response to the question, “What is the first (great) commandment?”  [Matthew 22:36, Mark 12:28]  His two-part answer included a commandment regarding man’s relationship to God and this command which covers man’s relationship to his fellow-man.

This same commandment was also part of the response given to Jesus by a certain lawyer. [Luke 10:25-27]  It is here that Jesus links “love thy neighbor” to the well-known story of the Good Samaritan.

Paul further explains “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Galatians 5:14.

The importance of this commandment is unquestionable.  But what makes it “Royal”? Several explanations have been offered.  Here are two of them.

Jesus – King and Priest

One of these links the Royal Priesthood of Jesus (after the order of Melchizedek) to the Royal Law [Hebrews 7:17] and that to the believer – also of the royal priesthood [1 Peter 2:9].

Roman Law

There is a lengthy explanation available that offers that James borrows from Roman law a phrase referring to the “sovereign law” of the Emperor.  Hence it speaks of this law as the will of the Sovereign King (The Lord God) for His people.

And finally, what is the scope and purpose of this Royal Law?  To answer this we must look at the question that the lawyer asks Jesus in Luke’s gospel.

Who is my neighbor?

Is it our brothers and sisters in Christ (fellow believers)? Brotherly love is one of the marks of the believer.  In the upper room Jesus spoke to his disciples “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35  Paul writes often about caring for each other.  But is this the limit (scope) of this commandment?

These words of Jesus are found twice in the Gospels, “For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them.” [Luke 6:32, Similarly in Matthew 5:46]  Here is the part that is quite simple to speak but more difficult to do.  The Lord would have us to be His representative to lost people.  The fact that the world hates us (Christians) should not be any surprise. [1 John 3:13].  Again in the upper room Jesus warned the disciples that the world would hate them (and us) because the world hates Jesus [John 15:18-19].  But our command is to love them!

While it is not within our natural ability and strength to follow this Royal Law we have this to comfort and strengthen us.  Our Savior is praying to His Father on our behalf. [John 17:14] Let us be diligent to show the world His love in us that we might win some to Christ.

We sing a song at camp that begins “in my weakness, you always make me strong.”   The promise that God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) encourages me to face that which I feel ill-prepared for and to do that which I could never imagine possible.   A small band of the people God began the task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple.  It should be no surprise that they were opposed by the enemies of God.  However, their own people were of no encouragement to them either.  A messenger from the Lord brought words of promise and encouragement. 

For who has despised the day of small things?”  Zechariah 4:10

Another translation of this phrase might be “So, where are those folks that said that this cannot be done and who are you to think that you can do it?”   The temple would stand as testimony to the power of God.  God used those that were willing and made them able to do what others thought impossible. 

We just completed our summer staff roster for 2012. One thing that I have learned in my tenure at Camp Horizon is that the Lord often works by taking the willing and making them able.  I have seen the Lord turn an ugly duckling into a swan.  I have seen the Lord give a timid new believer bold faith and an insatiable desire to win souls for Christ.   I have seen hearts and lives changed (and not just the campers).  Our staff application process does not focus on ability but availability.  The souls that come to faith in Jesus Christ this summer will stand as testimony to the power of God as He builds His Temple (the Body of Christ), the habitation of His Spirit, a light unto the world! That is why I expect great things this summer.

My office shelves are filled with tokens collected during our years of service as camp director (#summercamp #camphorizon ).  Each is an object with a memory and a lesson.  Adult visitors to my office rarely comment on these treasures.   However, children are much more curious and frequently ask to hear the story behind each artifact.

I am often asked about a pink pig that is proudly perched on an upper shelf.  It reminds me of how good and kind our summer staff can be toward one another.  It began when a staff member received the pig with an encouraging letter in mail call.  It was such an encouragement to them that they passed it along to another.  This tradition continued through the summer. By the end of camp a second pig surfaced.  I was the final recipient of one of those pigs.

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying,  What mean ye by these stones?  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.   Joshua 4:6-7

The purpose of memorials is not just to remember the past.  Memorials help us to recognized how the past is being repeated in the present.  This in turn helps us to look forward to the future.

For example, this past weekend we saw flags and crosses to remind us of those that gave their lives for our freedom.   It also reminds us to pray for those that are serving in our military right now.  Some of these will add their names to future memorials.

Parents, when your children ask “what mean ye by these ________”, use that teachable moment to share your memories, your history, and your faith in God with them.   This is the time-tested method that the Lord often uses to ensure that faith and practice are passed from generation to generation.

 

 

When I was a brand new baby Christian I spent a lot of time in the home of Dale and Margaret Lantis.  Dale went to be with the Lord a few years ago.  This weekend I learned that Margaret has followed him home.  As I have thought about this dear sister over the past two days I don’t recall a single word spoken in anger.  Maybe time has erased things that I no longer remember, but what I can still see clearly in my mind’s eye and hear in my memory is her unique wonderful laughter.  It did not seem to take much to trigger this laughter.  Her smile assured you that her expression was genuine joy.  Her laughter will be missed on the earth but we anticipate with joy the sound of it again when we see her and Dale in Heaven.

Our joy and laughter have the power to cause even the unbeliever to see that the Lord has done great things for us. Perhaps through that testimony they will one day join us is saying that the Lord has done great things for us! 

Thank you Lord for sending Margaret into my life to teach me how to laugh.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.   Psalm 126:2-3

 

 

Sometimes the value of a word in Scrabble ® bears no resemblance to that which the word represents.  This is the case of today’s word, MOTHER.   When the Lord commanded us to “honor your … Mother”, He used the language of value or price.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.”  Exodus 20:12

On the second Sunday each May a day is set aside to celebrate mothers and to let them know how much they are valued by us.  The author of Proverbs 31 describes such a woman, also a mother.  We are told that her value is  “far above jewels”.  God assigns a high price for a good mom.  Have you told the mothers in your life how much you value them?