Undiscriminating Love: The Ultimate Cost of Discipleship

Undiscriminating Love: The Ultimate Cost of Discipleship Luke 10:25-37

The story is broken broken in up into 2 parts, the conversation with the lawyer and the answer to the lawyer’s question, which is described in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

First there is the Question: What shall I do to inherit eternal life? How do I get saved

Jesus’s initial answer

What does the scriptures communicate

We should always point people back to Gods word when looking for answers from God

The lawyer answers with scriptures

the Shema Deut 6:7

Lev 19:18

The NT sheds light on the OT by communicating that the sum of the OT law was about how you Love God by how you treat people. Gal 5:14 makes this very clear, also Rom 13:9, James 2:8

Now a Jew would have a limited description of neighbor which only included Jews and based on evidence from the dead sea scrolls the Essenes a Jewish cult they didn’t even include all Jews in the category, so there was discrimination even within the national context as to who was a true Jew thus deserving of being treated as a neighbor.

Discriminatory Love is never at the heart of true discipleship.

Who is my neighbor? The Lawyer’s question back to Jesus

The question is like a trap statement, it is not rhetorical it is some what sarcastic and it looks to cast a shadow possible on how Jesus himself my have been demonstrating his love in the community.

It also reveals the lawyers true understanding of the scriptures. It demonstrates that you can have the right technical answer but be wrong in your understanding of application.

The right Biblical quotation of scripture doesn't guarantee the ability to live the scripture out in true faith.

4 people,

A man (Jewish)

Priest

Levite

Samaritan

Samaria is approximately 36-42 miles North of Jerusalem and Jericho is about 15 miles North East from Jerusalem

Priest and Levite

Both saw the condition of the man who is most likely a Jew, this is most probable given the lawyer’s question.

Priest offers sacrifice for the people, and is suppose to be a spiritual servant for the people

Levite pretty much the same, as they assist the priesthood.

There are a plethora of reason why they might have not helped but what we know is that they didn’t, they didn’t care enough about his life in reference to what was important to them and what they had to do to stop and help.

They walked on the opposite side of the road

Possible uncleanness ceremonial reasons

Social ridicule, being judge etc other cultural or personal reasons

Samaritan

Didn’t let race or discriminatory practice past or present impact decision to (Love) help

Let go of past hurts to help in the now

Not let the cultural contextual now impact our eternal value system of love and care as Christ disciples.

Was willing to take a chance and be around people who may not have necessarily cared about him or his well being ( Time and Distance cant impact how we show love)

Was willing to touch someone one that was considered nasty and considered them nasty

Was willing to use own time and resources to ensure health and welfare of another regardless of cultural stereo types and issues. (Rich young ruler)

Was willing to repeat the action (Wasn’t just a feel-good moment)

No prestige was involved in this action. (It wasn’t done for show or glory)

The Samaritan’s helping the person in no way means that he endorsed or agreed with the person’s lifestyle or life decisions.

Big Idea

Truly converted disciples of Jesus will demonstrate their Love for God with an undiscriminating Love for others.