Good Neighboring

Loving Our Neighbor

Matthew 22:37–40 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Love - “agapaō”- a Greek word. It means, “goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the one that you love.” It involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the willfully going above and beyond what is needed. It is unconditional love—totally gracious, generous, and with no strings attached.

Love is a verb, an action, not a feeling

We must love ourselves to love others. More of His love received means more love to offer.

Who is our Neighbor?

Luke 10:28 and 29 tells us of a scribe who thought he was right with God and Jesus tells him that he was on the right track. He asks Jesus a question, “Who is my neighbor…”

Jesus gives the scribe the answer by giving him a parable.

Let’s read that parable in Luke 10:30-36 – the parable of the Good Samaritan.

- We must realize that Jesus used the example of a “Samaritan” man – this would be totally against the culture of that time. The Samaritans and the Jews were not friendly toward each other. That is why Jesus used the example of a Samaritan man.

- Who did not help the injured man? – a Levite and a priest – both were Jewish and both were supposed to be men of God – Hmmm

- Who helped the man who was attacked and injured? – the “hated “Samaritan man

- Jesus asked the scribe who was the true “neighbor. What was the scribe’s answer? He that shewed mercy on him.

- What did Jesus tell the scribe and what is He telling us? - Go, and do the same to others. It doesn’t matter who it is. As a true believer we are to love and help all people.

Good Disciples Will Love One Another

John 13:34–35 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Came To Set Everyone Free From Bondage

Isaiah 61:1–3 NKJV

1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”