Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Intro
Won’t you be a neighbor?
Fred Rogers
- I’ve preached on this text before but it’s one of those that just pierces my heart when we see it correctly.
Fred Rogers
Today we’re going to see the secret ingredient and frankly the radical nature of what it means to really be neighborly.
The scene starts with a lawyer wanting to test Jesus.
This guy is an expert in the first five books of the Bible.
So he asks Jesus a question.
Have you ever asked a question when you already know the answer?
We typically do that sort of thing when we want to feel good about ourselves and we want someone else to affirm us.
The lawyer asks a simple question but Jesus doesn’t take the bait.
So he pushes a bit further.
Who is my neighbor?
This seems like a pretty straightforward question.
You almost expect Jesus to say; you don’t know your neighbors?
“Neighbor” here πλησίον has the idea of community or fellowship.
So the idea isn’t; who lives next to me?
Rather, it is who should I invite to my table?
If I am going to obey Scripture—if I want to be saved, who should I associate with?
Who should I consider my neighbor?
Oddly, Jesus digs into the neighbor question; who is my neighbor, not, what must I do to be saved!
The master surgeon goes to work!
πλησίον
He employs a parable .
They’re often like a bit of a riddle.
He taught this way all the time.
You think you have it figured out, only to realize your standing on a trap-door.
Transition
Bring 4 guys down
Intro 4 characters in the parable.
A priest, a rabbi, and a billie-goat walk into a hardware store.
To understand the parable we have to have the right perspective.
Remember, the lawyer said, “Who is my neighbor?”
We are to identify with a specific person in the story.
We’ll call him “The Fall guy.”
We look at the fall guy and analyze the other characters from his perspective.
Super important.
Why would we call him “The Fall Guy”?
We call him that because he keeps falling.
He travels from Jerusalem to Jericho (Falls 3000 feet).
It’s a three day walk, all downhill.
He would have walked through the Pass of Adummim (comes from the Hebrew word for blood).
Danger!
He is going down, then he falls into the hands of robbers, then he is beaten on the ground and left for dead.
There is nothing he can do.
He has fallen and can’t get up!
Why is it so important to see the story from his perspective?
Our own story.
Utterly incapable of helping himself.
While we were yet sinners….
We were dead in sin….
More than anyone, a Christian should have compassion because we’ve been there.
Who will help this man?
Who will be his neighbor?
Three men walk by.
First passerby
Priest
His job was to intercede.
He brought the people to God and God to the people.
Lucky for this guy, a priest walks by.
Happened?
Hapax Legomenon.
God provides opportunities for us to part of his redemptive plan.
Interestingly, Jericho was one of the man country residences for priests.
You would go to the Temple for your time of service then go home.
In Jesus’ parable, the men may have been from the same town.
Interview the priest?
Uncleanliness?
Going down the same road.
You’re busy and important!
What if you get robbed too?!
Why should he help this man?
Maybe he deserves it!
Does this sort of thinking sound familiar?
We do the same thing all the time!
We have a million excuses!
They made their bed; they can sleep in it.
That person is too far gone.
They’ll never get it right, let alone become a Christian.
No body helped me!
I did it all myself.
Notice how easy we change perspectives!
From a forgiven standpoint, it’s easy to suddenly become the judge!
Second passerby
Intro the Levite
Not a priest but his job was take care of things at the Temple.
He’s a priest’s assistant.
He’s important.
He’s sort of a deacon.
You’ve got to be kidding!
Interview the Levite
Maybe Jesus
Luke 10:30
What’s your excuse?
There is always an excuse!!!
It just so happened?
Have you ever realized God had you in a specific place at a specific time?
Our willingness to respond in the scenarios God places in and the leading of the Holy Spirit will set the limits on our usefulness to the Kingdom.
There is something here that Jesus says that the lawyer would have picked up.
Jesus just pointed out that two of their best had the opportunity and they chose not to help.
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