Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Introduction

Opening Illustration: Mister Rogers opening

Fred Rogers: "All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That's one of the things that connects us as neighbors--in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver."

YouVersion: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

We’re in Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:25–26 ESV

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

Challenges Jesus - may not be hostile

Calls him “teacher” = respect

Wants “eternal life” - what’s that?

Not “living forever” - we all do that

Rather - good, quality, holy life

Might say, “Eternal life is living this life and the next to its fullest.”

1. Eternal life begins now

Not achieving with death, but available here

This is key for understanding Jesus’ lesson

How do we do it?

Responds kinda sarcastically - you’re a lawyer, what’s the law say?

Luke 10:27–28 (ESV)

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 neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

As a lawyer, he KNEW the answer

Similar to Jesus’ answer in Matthew

Tables were turned (Jesus/lawyer)

Matthew 22:36–40 ESV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Everything is “love God, and love people”

That will come back later

But only part of equation - Jesus says “Do this and you will live”

Key word: DO

Don’t just know it, act on it!

2. Commandments require action

Alexa every night

Play relaxing piano

Only listens to Tash

Why am I upset - she’s listening (spinning light), but not ACTING

Kinda what the lawyer is doing

He’s not in agreement with Jesus - he’s arguing

Look:

Luke 10:29 ESV

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

He’s making 3 mistakes here:

3 mistakes:

1. Don’t assume you have the first part right

Remember 2 commands:

Love GOD, and your NEIGHBOR

Glosses over the God part - assumes he nailed it

Illustration: Missing the first part?

2. Don’t assume the second part is separate

Might think, “I’m good at loving God, not so much my neighbor”

Impossible!

Monty Python - What makes you think she’s a witch?

She turned me into a newt! I got better...

If she turned you into a newt, how are you talking?!

I love God, but I don’t love people!

If you don’t love your neighbor, you aren’t loving God

Remember, love isn’t a feeling

Part of loving God, is obeying Him

3. "Neighbor” is not exclusive

We’re about to see this

Why the lawyer asks, “And who is my neighbor?”

Wants to rule people out...

Who is our neighbor?

Our family? Co-workers? Church members? Americans?

Who do we get to ignore?

He’s limiting the command - why?

To justify himself

Do I have to

Luke 10:30–35 ESV

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Jesus goes to a parable

Why? Makes a million points in a few words

I’ll take a few:

Points of the parable

The victim “deserved” his situation

Road from Jerusalem to Jericho was famous for crime (Josephus records)

Like walking in Garfield Park in Chicago

Most would go in caravans for safety

Sometimes we ask, “What did you expect?”

Girl goes to party alone, gets drunk, gets assaulted - what did you expect?

An excuse to not feel sympathy

Jesus = that’s no excuse

People make mistakes, doesn’t mean we turn our backs

This guy was by himself on a dangerous road

Clearly a bad idea, not an excuse to ignore him

The passers-by were the best candidates to help

Priest and a Levite - highest religious authorities

Social structure: Priests - Levites - Jews - Tax Collectors/Sinners - Samaritans/Gentiles

Priests were authorities on how to live life for God

Levites (tribe of Levi)

Numbers 3:5–8 ESV

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle.

Levites were in charge of taking care of the tabernacle and the Temple

Like a pastor and a staff member walking down the street

You would expect them to help, right?

The priest and Levite do not

May have had excuses:

Too dangerous to help

He’s a decoy for ambush

Late for Temple

It’s hopeless

I can pray for him

Brought it on himself

The Samaritan was the worst candidate to help

Remember the order, Samaritans are almost at the bottom

Maybe expected a regular Jew, but Jesus went for it

Jews/Samaritans HATED each other

Both racially and religiously

Some Rabbi’s taught not to help deliver gentile/Samaritan babies

Just bringing another sinner into the world

If anyone had reason to pass the victim, it was the Samaritan

The Samaritan showed agape love

The Samaritan jumped right in

Wasn’t asked, he didn’t pause, he just helped

Used wine as an antiseptic on his wounds

Used oil to soothe the pain

Set him on his animal, meaning he had to walk the rest

Gave enough money to care for 2-3 weeks

Saw the need, and met it fully

Didn’t check the man’s credentials

Didn’t find out his political affiliation

Didn’t even ask if he believed in God (never said he was a Jew)

And yet Jesus gave him credit as being neighborly

Not just neighborly, but in response to God’s commandment

Luke 10:36–37 ESV

36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Probably hard to admit

Notice he didn’t say, “The Samaritan”

He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus: Great! The that’s what you do!

Go love people when they need it!

3. Who is our neighbor? Anyone...

Notice I didn’t say everyone

This wasn’t his ministry - he left and continued on - returning later

He didn’t start Samaritan's Hospital

He didn’t start Samaritan’s Roadside Assistance

Simply saw an opportunity to help, and did it

We can’t help everyone, but we should be ready to help anyone in need

Closing

Might be thinking: I never see anyone like that...

Let me help you see it right now:

Samaritan’s Purse - that’s funny

Refugee opportunity

20,000 refugees from Afghanistan living on military bases

Asking churches through Samaritan’s purse to help them settle

People fleeing their war torn homes - hoping for opportunity

And the church has a chance to step up

Need 5-6 volunteers for 40 hours per week for 90 days+ (other smaller helpers too)

Find a living space, transportation, job, school, english, food, driver’s license, clothing, citizenship...

And perhaps most important - community

Jacob: I love the action steps!

Almost like we’re supposed to do something with the sermon!

They will likely be Muslim

Means they will pray to towards Mecca, wear Hijab, attend Mosque, eat Halal

But we, get to act like the good Samaritan

We get to love them like Christ

If you’re interested, email me ([e-mail])