Love your neighbor
26/02/2008
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(1200Kc) 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)
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):
· We are a highly informed society, worldly and christian views. But the Love of many has grown cold. We can talk about Jesus, but what about the touch and demonstration of him?
· zb.. Pavel, old lady in old town! But wait what about christians? Where is our compassion for them? Yes, But they should know better!
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER? WHOEVER IS CLOSEST! YOU!
John 8:3-11
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (was this a command or was Jesus speaking freedom from her bondage?)
I Jn 5:16-18
16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.
17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (NIV)
Luke 5:17-26
17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
18 Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
19 Then they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
23 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?(Be healed)
24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralysed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
· Would you pray for the sick? Why wouldn’t you forgive sins? Who’s authority are we using anyway for healing? Right! The same authority to forgive sins! John 20:22-23
James 5:14-16
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV)
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. (KJV)
· Love my neighbor? That’s me! It also says as myself, right? Well I have not finished loving myself enough yet so I haven’t got the time to love you!
· Isa 53:3-12
· What is our position here on earth?
· To be a Pharisee and bring the sinner to Jesus, or to be here representing Jesus and forgiving and healing the Sinner?