Compassion in God's Work

Introduction: This favorite parable of the Lord Jesus was shared to demonstrate the power of Love beyond simply adhering to the actions of the Law. The love in our hearts is more vital for our faith than is the acts we perform.

Prioritize Love (10:25-28)

The wondering about inquiry life (10:25-26) - “25 Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 26 What is written in the law?’ He asked him. ‘How do you read it?’”

Note (v.25) - “An expert in the Law stood to test Him” - This describes one of the three ranking groups in Jewish religious life, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes. He had a deep understanding and commitment to the Law, but there was a gap in His understanding about the God who gave the Law. This man loved the Law, but not the God of the Law. And so with an insincere heart, he asks Jesus this question. His goal was not for Jesus to instruct him in his ignorance, but so he could catch Jesus in an error.

Note (v.26) - Jesus responded “It is written,” which shows how important God’s word is to our understanding of eternal life. There is no truth or way to eternal life outside of God’s word. The Lord’s response comes from the Shema, because it begins “Hear, O Israel.” Devout Jews would repeat it twice each day.

The Law is clear that the way to eternal life is the same in the Old Testament and New Testament. It is by grace, through faith that works together in love.

Galatians 3:22 (HCSB) - “22 But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin's power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

The way to eternal life is love (10:27-28) - “27 He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. 28 You’ve answered correctly,’ He told him. ‘Do this and you will live.’”

Note (v.27a) - “He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your hear, all your soul and your strength, and with your mind…” The heart (our emotions), your soul (our consciousness), and your strength (our natural abilities). Everything we are should be actively engaged in loving God.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (HCSB) - “5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 10:12 (HCSB) - “12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul?”

Note (v.27b) - “And your neighbor as yourself” is a Spiritually impactful statement. Jesus equates loving our neighbors as a natural extension of loving God. He basically says that loving God is automatically tied to loving our fellow man. John furthered this teaching in his epistle when he affirms the truth that love is from God:

Galatians 5:14 (HCSB) - “For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

🔑 1 John 4:7-8 (HCSB) - “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” the question, “

Note (v.27b) - Since love is from God, John begs the question of how we can truly love God without loving each other. The state of our society demonstrates that in our modern context, there is very little thought of God, and certainly no love for God. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) Uniform Crime Report, murder in the United States rose by thirty-percent (30%) in 2020, which means almost eighteen thousand (18,000) lives were taken last year. Sadly, the number for 2021 will likely be higher. John begs the question about men’s love for God, as they hate their brothers, when he writes,

🔑 1 John 4:20-21 “20 If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen. 21 And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.”

Proverbs 3:28-29 (HCSB) - “28 Don’t say to your neighbor, Go away! Come back later. I’ll give it tomorrow” when it is there with you. 29 Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor, for he trusts you and lives near you.”

Pay Attention for the Opportunity to Love (10:29-35)

The neighbor who has experienced hardships (10:29-30) - “29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ 30 Jesus took up the question and said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead.”

Note (v.29) - In contrast to nomadic persons or persons living in tribal villages on the outskirts of town, persons living in neighborhoods gained their political and social identity primarily in relationship to community and only secondarily by family relationships (Greengus, “Legal and Social,” 469). Community members held their ideals of social obligation and social justice in high regard.” - Lexham Bible Dictionary

The Lord extends the idea of a neighbor in the book of Leviticus to include more than just the children of Israel, but to all who would be in their company or connection.

Leviticus 19:18 (HCSB) - “Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.”

Note (v.30): Jesus uses a story with earthly applications and heavenly implications to illustrate His point. The story uses the typical instance of the 17 mile journey from Jerusalem down 3,330 feet in elevation to Jericho through a mountain range. Jerusalem was set up on a Hill, and so the Psalmist enquires, “who can ascend to thy holy hill.” Herod had built a winter palace in Jericho, which included swimming pools and gardens. Government officials often traveled this route, having beautiful clothes, jewels and bags of money. Consequently, Jericho road became a magnet for thieves and robbers. Life is filled with dangers along the way, and we all stand in danger of the ravages of this life.

The people who ignored him (10:31-32) - “31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed on by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”

Psalm 69:20 (HCSB) - “Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I waited for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, but found no one.”

The unlikely person who helped the neighbor (10:33-35) - “33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, Brough him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’”

Note (v.33) - This is an unlikely person based on the audience’s general feelings about Samaritans, with whom they shared a mutual hatred. Jesus deliberately chose a person who was a member of the Jews most hated groups, the Samaritans. The feed between the Jews and Samaritans began after the Kingdom of Israel was split by David’s grandson, and Solomon’s son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 12). Ten tribes in the north created the kingdom known as Israel, while two tribes remained in the south, creating the nation of Judea. They would eventually be known as Jews. In 722 B.C., Samaria fell to the Assyrian Empire, at which time non-Jewish people were brought into the region and the native people began intermarrying and created a mixed race of people, who were hated by their half-brothers and sisters. This continued through the time of Jesus and can be seen in John 4:9, during Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well.

Romans 12:20 (HCSB) - “20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.”

Note (v.35) - The extravagant concern demonstrated showed a limitless compassion that went far beyond a glancing concern. This Samaritan. In this passage, the Samaritan paid a full day’s wages as a downpayment for the man’s lodging. He literally pays this mans bill.

Titus 2:14 (HCSB) - “He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works.”

Practice Love (10:36-37)

Consider the difference love makes (10:36) - “36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

1 John 3:16-18 (HCSB) - “16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need how can God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

James 2:13-16 (HCSB) - “13 For judgement is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, 16, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?’”

Carry out a demonstration of love (10:37) - “37 The one who showed mercy to him, he said. Then Jesus told him, ‘God and do the same.’”

🔑 Acts 1:8 (HCSB) - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”