The Great Commandment | Arik Hayes | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

The Great Commandment

2819 Church • Apr 19, 2026 • 45 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In week ten of the Entry & End Times series, Elder Arik Hayes examines Matthew 22:34–40 and the weight of the Great Commandment: loving God completely and loving our neighbor as ourselves. While God's holy standard reveals our inability to keep the law through human effort alone, the law was never intended to save us. Instead, it served as a tutor pointing us directly to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf and empowers us to live out His new commandment to love one another.

Themes

The Great CommandmentGod's Holy StandardThe Purpose of the LawGrace and JustificationChristlike LoveEvangelism and Discipleship

Key Points

1.
The ultimate mission of the church is the Great Commission and pointing every person to a real encounter with Jesus Christ.
2.
Living a holy and set-apart life will sometimes make others uncomfortable, but believers must stand firm without caving into worldly standards.
3.
Believers are called to be salt and light in the world, actively engaging with unbelievers rather than isolating within church walls.
4.
Jesus summarized all 613 Old Testament laws into two core obligations: loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
5.
Attempting to keep God's law perfectly through human willpower always results in failure because of our innate sinfulness.
6.
The law was given to expose human sin and serve as a guardian, highlighting our deep need for a Savior.
7.
Jesus did not abolish God's standard; He came as the only one who could perfectly fulfill the law on our behalf.
8.
Through faith in Christ, believers are declared justified—freed from the guilt and penalty of sin and placed in right standing with God.
9.
Jesus gave His followers a new commandment in John 13: to love one another just as He has loved us.
10.
Authentic, sacrificial love for fellow believers is the true defining mark by which the world recognizes Christ's disciples.

Sermon Moments

“We got to fight not to normalize miracles... True revival only comes by the source of the Holy Spirit.”

“If all the light just comes and gathers, it's all darkness out there.”

“At the core, most of us are selfish. So Christ is saying: give this other person the preferential treatment that you would give yourself.”

“The law was actually given to reveal the sinfulness of your heart. It was a tutor and a guardian to lead you towards Christ.”

“God didn't change the law; He just sent the only one that could fulfill it, and His name is Jesus.”

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This Week

Refuse to compromise your biblical values or slide into carnality when facing pressure or gossip from peers.

Intentionally build meaningful relationships with non-believers to share the gospel and demonstrate Christ's salt and light.

Treat others with the same preference, grace, and care that you naturally extend to yourself.

Stop relying on self-righteousness or human effort, placing full trust in Christ's finished work for your justification.

Honor God with your body and relationships by pursuing biblical purity and rejecting temptation.

Choose to extend unconditional forgiveness to those who have offended you, reflecting the grace Christ gave you.

Demonstrate Christlike love to fellow believers this week through practical acts of encouragement, service, and patience.

Remember This

God's law reveals our utter inability to save ourselves, pointing us to Jesus Christ who perfectly fulfilled the law and frees us to love one another as His disciples.

A Challenge for You

Let us honor God in word, thought, and deed by living out Christ's new commandment, so that everyone around us will recognize us as His disciples by our love.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.