In Lesson 2 "Loving God and Neighbor Before the Law" of the "The Greatest Commands" series, teacher Shaun Calix explored how God accomplished His purposes through individuals who demonstrated profound love for Him and love for their neighbor, even before the giving of the Mosaic Law.

This interactive Bible class focused on the stories of Abraham and Joseph as foundational narratives from Genesis, showing how obedience, trust, worship, hospitality, selflessness, forgiveness, and generosity toward others reflected the two greatest commandments that Jesus later summarized: loving God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and loving one's neighbor as oneself. Through group discussions and class sharing, participants examined specific passages to identify examples of these loves in action, highlighting how such faithfulness enabled God to bless Abraham's descendants and all nations, preserve life during famine through Joseph, and provide enduring examples for believers today.

Lesson Outline: The Greatest Commands – Lesson 2 (Pre-Law Examples of Love for God and Neighbor)

Opening and Prayer
- Welcome, settling in, and opening prayer led by Steve, giving thanks for the day, bonds in Christ, and wisdom in studying God's word.

Series Overview and Today's Focus
- Reminder of the core premise: Love God fully and love neighbor as self as the lens for all Scripture (Matthew 22 reference: all the Law and Prophets depend on these).
- Plan to study the Ten Commandments and ceremonial law next week (read Exodus 20, parts of Leviticus/Deuteronomy).
- Today's emphasis: God's partnerships with people before the Law, using stories as the primary way Jewish people transmitted faith (oral teaching, memorization of Torah narratives in pre-exilic and early post-exilic periods).

Key Principle
- God often worked His greatest deeds through people who loved Him and loved their neighbor.

Abraham Group Activity (Genesis passages divided among four groups)
- Discuss and document: How did Abraham show love for God? How did he show love for neighbor?
--- Genesis 12:1-8; 13:18 → Obedience in leaving homeland, trust/faith, building altars to worship.
--- Genesis 15 → Belief in God's promise, steadfastness.
--- Genesis 17 → Falling on his face in reverence, obedience (circumcision).
--- Genesis 21 → Obedience in difficult situations (e.g., sending Hagar/Ishmael).
--- Love for neighbor examples: Hospitality to visitors (Genesis 18), interceding for Lot/Sodom (Genesis 18), selflessness/peace with Lot (Genesis 13), rescuing Lot/generosity (Genesis 14), fairness/humility in purchasing burial ground (Genesis 23).

Joseph Group Activity (Genesis passages divided among three groups)
- Discuss: How did Joseph show love for God? How did he show love for neighbor?
--- Love for God: Resisting Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:7-12 – choosing God's ethics over personal gain); giving God credit for dream interpretations (Genesis 40-41); recognizing God's providence even in trials (Genesis 45, 50).
--- Love for neighbor: Wise provision during famine for Egypt and others (Genesis 41-42 – non-greedy distribution); testing then blessing/forgiving brothers (Genesis 43-44); not holding grudges, providing generously (Genesis 45, 50).

Class Discussion and Closing Insights
- Most impactful demonstrations: Abraham's default trust/obedience/worship/hospitality; Joseph's relentless faithfulness, focus on God's providence, and putting others first despite trials.
How God worked through their love: Blessed all nations (Abraham's seed leading to Christ; Joseph's famine relief saving many lives); provided individual blessings; shaped the biblical narrative and ongoing examples for believers to emulate in loving God and neighbor.