Barriers To Believing

Luke 10:25-37

Theme: The Good Samaritan

Key verse: v.1

42verses; 992 words

Grade level: 5.2

Outline:

I. Christ Addresses the People. Verses 1-24

II. Christ Answers the Lawyer. Verses 25-37

III. Christ Accepts an Invitation. Verses 38-42

Here are the BARRIERS to believing:

I. The Mystery Of The Lost. vs.25-26

Why do lost people tempt the Lord? v.25

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

“inherit” - (1828) To take by descent from an ancestor

Galatians 3:18 “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

Genesis 15:7 “And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.”

In context an inheritance is gained by death. In the case in Genesis 15 an animal sacrifice is made (type of Christ in the OT) then God fulfills the promise of an inheritance of land.

“eternal life” - a life with no beginning and no end

Occurs 26 times in the Bible.

1st is in th p.p. Matthew 19:16 “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

Eternal life is the Lord Jesus Christ! No one else has a beginning and no end, the ability to sacrifice Himself as the ancestor passing down the inheritance, and the power to get up from the grave because He is your God manifest in human flesh.

Where does the Lord tell people to look, listen, and learn?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

“the law” - referring to the Scriptures.

Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

“how readest thou” - a lawyer trains for years in law to be able to:

Define what the law says.

Defend you that are accused of breaking the law.

Seek justice against you when you break the law.

Judges are lawyers. They are there to hear evidence to determine if you did indeed break the law.

Here are the BARRIERS to believing:

I. The Mystery Of The Lost. vs.25-26

II. The Measure Of The Lost. vs.27-28

(They pick from the Bible what suits them)

What he was taught would work. v.27

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

As with most he quoted that which he knew.

Sadly today we only know part of Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

Why the Lord told him what He did. v.28

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

God never intended that anyone should ever be saved by keeping the law.

The law was given to people who were already sinners.

The purpose of the law is not to save from sin, but to produce the knowledge of sin.

The function of the law is to show man what a guilty sinner he is.

Romans 3:19 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 4:14-16)

III. The Motive of The Lost. v.29

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

“justify himself” - this is the motive!

The love of self above the Saviour.

Luke 16:15 “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”

The love of self above the guilt of sins.

Luke 18:9–11 (KJV)

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Here are the BARRIERS to believing:

I. The Mystery Of The Lost. vs.25-26

II. The Measure Of The Lost. vs.27-28

III. The Motive of The Lost. v.29

IV. The Message of the Lord. vs.30-37

We see the Sin. v.30

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

“Jerusalem to Jericho” - backwards!

Jericho was the first major victory and later Jerusalem was made the capital. We head towards the wrong direction.

You will fall along the way walking backwards.

You will lose your clothing.

You will be hurt.

You will be left alone by so called friends.

We see the religious. vs.31-32

On represents Fake religion. v.31

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

The priest was not looking to help.

The priest left no hope.

One represents Dead religion. v.32

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

The religious worker was tired.

The religious worker left no hope.

We see the Lord. vs.33-37

Compassion. v.33

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

“compassion” - (1828) A suffering with another

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Care. v.34

We See His GRACE.

And went to him,

We See His GOODNESS.

and bound up his wounds,

We See His GREATNESS.

pouring in oil and wine,

We See His GIVING.

and set him on his own beast,

We See His GROUND.

and brought him to an inn,

We See His GAZE.

and took care of him.

Cost. v.35

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Just as we think we give of ours we find he gave it all to us to take care of us.

God is a debtor to no man.

Conviction. v.36

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Who was it that has been there looking for you?

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Who was it that has been there providing for you?

(Matthew 6:31-33)

Commission. v.37

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Jesus does not want the lawyer to be the samaritan in this passage.

Jesus wants him to see he is the one that needs THE Samaritan.

“samaritan” -

Occurs three times in the Bible.

It means…

Pertaining to Samaria, the principal city of the ten tribes of Israel, belonging to the tribe of Ephraim, and after the captivity of those tribes, repeopled by halfbreed Jews from the captivity.

Conclusion:

After Genesis 3 you no longer carried the inheritance nor the image of God.

Jesus Christ came from Heaven as being God manifest in the flesh.

He took on the form of a servant.

He died in your place taking the punishment for your sins.

He rose again the third day so that you may INHERIT eternal life.

will you accept this Good Samaritan’s gift of eternal life, His life within you?