Love your neighbor 2
Luke 10:25-37
25 One day an expert on Moses' laws came to test Jesus' orthodoxy by asking him this question: "Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?"
26 Jesus replied, "What does Moses' law say about it?"
27 "It says," he replied, "that you must 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 you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself."
28 "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you shall live!"
29 The man wanted to justify (his lack of love for some kinds of people), so he asked, "Which neighbors?"
30 Jesus replied with an illustration: "A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road.
31 "By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
32 A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on.
33 "But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity.
34 Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night.
35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.'
36 "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits' victim?"
37 The man replied, "The one who showed him some pity." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." (TLB)
Which Neighbors?
4139 plesion- a neighbor:
a) a friend
b) any other person, and where two are concerned, the other (your fellow man, your neighbor), according to the Jews, any member of the Hebrew race and commonwealth
c) according to Christ, any other person (irrespective of race or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet)
d) neuter of a derivative of pelas (near); (adverbially) close by; as noun, a neighbor, i.e. fellow (as man, countryman, Christian or friend):
1 Cor 12:25-26
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice( are jealous and think what makes them better than me?) with it.
· How many of you know that if you cut a body up into 100 pieces you will not revive it anymore?
· In the beginning when God created Adam, he did not breathe his spirit out and then quickly begin to pack dirt around it so that the dirt would live. NO! He first prepared a body, then he breathed life, his spirit into it and it became a living soul!
· We always Judge ourselves by our intentions and we judge others by their actions!
Matt 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Ps 145:9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.)
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 (try to?)Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (NIV)
Phil 2:1-5
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having *the same love, being *one in spirit and purpose.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your (attempt?) attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (NIV)
The perfection is to Love like God loves!
· The same Love
· one in spirit and purpose
· Do nothing out of selfish ambition
· Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus
· consider others better
· others interests before your own
· How can God expect something like this? To be perfect as the Father and, be the same as Christ?
John 17:21-23
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory (everything Good about God is his Glory) which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV)
Whatever you get from God give to others!
Who can I bless today?
Maybe I can get to the church early so that I can build someone up?
I don’t want to be late for church, that would distract everyone from the presence of God, when I come in!
I’ll pray today and see if God wants me to bring some extra money for someone else!
God give me a Word for someone else!
How can I help someone else fulfil their vision?
I wonder if the Pastor needs help at the Church? How can I serve others?
I love to come to prayer meetings and interceed for others!
I need this money, but that person could need it more than me!
Etc….
2 Tim 3:1-5
1 You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.
3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church, yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear. Don't be taken in by people like that. (TLB)
1. Pray for those that have fallen into the trap of selfishness!
2. Have a practical training through prayer
3. Begin to look for practical ways to share the Glory that God has given you
(Naturally and spiritually)
