Luke 10_29 Who is your neighbour
Secular:
Instrument Landing System…
- 0-zero visibility landings…
- Coupled with Auto-pilot… bring a big plane to the ground safely…
- Critical aspect of fight… 75% of “incidents happen”
- Guided by were they are going and internal systems…
Ezekiel 36:26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
In the first part of Luke chapter 10…
- Jesus gives a mission - 72
- Jesus promises provision
- Jesus provides results… to the simple folk
- The Jesus blesses them…
- For their faithfulness
- What so many wanted to see they are seeing… prophets… kings….
- They are hearing, seeing and doing the will of God…
- Abruptly… then along comes the lawyer…
Biblical:
Luke 10:25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" 27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL 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 YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF." 28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." 29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" 30 Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 "And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 "Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 "But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 "On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.' 36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" 37 And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
Personal:
What do…
- Last minute Christmas gifts…
- Sibling apologies…
- And used car salesman pitches…
… have in common
They have to look authentic… genuine heartfelt…
- Last minute Christmas gifts… need to look thoughtful
- Sibling apologies… need to meet a parental standard of genuine remorse
- And used car salesman pitches… authentic… in your best interest…
Despite the outside… it is the heart that matters…
That’s Luke’s point…
The Lawyer answered… "YOU SHALL 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 YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF." 28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."
… "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Bridge:
- The question… Who is my neighbour?
- Isn’t one of proximity…
- Isn’t one of friendship…
- Isn’t one of choice…
- It is about a changed heart… hearing and doing…
- Teacher, what shall I do
- You have answered correctly; DO THIS
- "Go and do the same."
- We know… but do we do…
- … "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
- If we struggle to do… we need to focus… for whom or in whom are we doing our doing?
Body:
Principle…
YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND;
- Ever to build somewhere where there was only crooked walls… uneven floors…
- This was the answer Christ was asking for…
- The whole parable is about doing inline with believing…
- Action that matches words…
- Lots of religious folks… Actions that don’t match the core…
- Simplest form Question… one of the most concise ways of asking… What should I do to inherit eternal life?
- Answer… be religious… no…
- About Salvation… "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
- About the Core… our soul
- 1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
- About Primary Calling…
- 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
- If I can’t figure out who my neighbour is…
- If I struggle with living my faith…
- If I wrestle with Passion for Christ
- I need to check the answer to the Simplest form of the Question… What should I do to inherit eternal life?
- YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND…
New focus… New Passion
Passion…
AND YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF
- "And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
- “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
- "But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 "On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'
- he felt compassion, bandaged up his wounds, put him on his own beast, took out two denarii and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'
- Acted…
- Priest set apart… head knowledge
- A FAKE did it… from his head
- Levite set apart… lineage
- A FAKE… did it from duty
- Samaritan set apart… belief in action
- AUTHENTIC… did it… responded through his relationship with God
- Ever get that “pang” when you pass someone broke down…
- Ever get that sense of urgency… real prompting… when you see someone younger… older… weaker… hand full… when they need help
- Ever have an overwhelming sense of heart break when you meet someone who is oblivious to the Gospel of Jesus Christ…
- Loving your neighbour…
- By loving Whom Christ loves…
- By loving them how Christ loves…
- How do I inherit eternal life?
- Love God… Completely
- Love Others… Sacrificially
Praxis…
- he felt compassion, bandaged up his wounds, put him on his own beast, took out two denarii and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'
- James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
- … "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
- Principle – God First… God Completely
- Passion – God’s Heart… for Others
- Praxis – the Plan to Do it…
- The Priest knew…
- The Levite born in to it…
- The Samaritan… DID IT
- Who is the believer…
- Who shares God’s heart…
- Who lives God first…
- PRAXIS
- Develop your relationship….
- Develop your Love…
- Develop your heart…
- Love with the Word
- Love with your actions
- We are like a plane…
- Believers have been wired to love God completely
- Believers have been wired to Love Others… Sacrificially
- Believers need to live that reality
- "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" 37 And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
CONCLUSION:
Principle
- God First…
- Foundational
- Straight wall (accurate beginning to build life)
Passion
- Others next
- Who he loves
- How he loves
Praxis
- Demands action
- Drinking from a fire hose
- Got to let it go…
- Got to do it…
Who is your neighbour… all to whom you may extend the love of Christ… ALL who are in need… and all are in need…
1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.