Questions - And Who Is My Neighbor
“And Who is My Neighbor?”
Luke 10:25-37
Introduction
- Have you ever been put to the test?
- Classis exams – see what I was made of
- Have you ever felt this to another level
- Driving as a kid
- Working as a trainer at Van Wyk’s
- We see this in the lawyer or expert of the law
- Gr word also translated tempt
- He has questions with a snarl...
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Are we done here...?
- No... but Jesus hit a nerve
- The lawyer wants to move the attention away
- Asks Jesus to help him draw a line
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
What is a neighbor?
- Bren moving to the farm
- There are neighbors and then there are good neighbors
- Jesus clears this all up
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
What are you talking about...?
- More than just a parable – real life, listened...
- Good for them... bad for us...
- Real life...
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
PT in a hurry to Logos
32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
Sponsor did like wise...
33 But a Samaritan...
Who would this be...?
- Who do you hate
- I’m not talking about dislike... K. Bush
- Jews hated Samaritans
- Mark D.
...as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
Jesus doesn’t say “good” neighbor either
- Jesus doesn’t help the lawyer draw a line
- He erases all lines and barriers
- My barrier with Mark
- What is/are your barrier/s....?
- Now... who is your neighbor
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The expert in the law or snarler got “it”
- Jesus says... As you go... keep doing this
- No completion (Go & Do; present/imperative)
- The gospel message
How are you going to obey the Spirit this week?