Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 10:1–3 (NLT)

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.

These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.

Luke 10:25–29 (NLT)

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say?

How do you read it?”

The man answered, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’

And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

”

“Right!”

Jesus told him.

“Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Luke 10:30–37 (NLT)

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits.

They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along.

But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.

A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.

Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.

Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.

The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man.

If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

The chapter opens with Jesus choosing 72 additional disciples.

Before He sends them out, He gives them a bit of a training and orientation.

First He lets them know in verse 2 the harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few.

In other words, there’s more to get done than people who want to do it.

Sound familiar?

He tells them the following about how to operate in verses 4-11:

Travel light - Don’t take much with you.

Don’t stop to talk while you’re walking.

(Avoid Distractions)

Declare peace in every home you go into.

If it lives there, it will remain.

If not, it will return to you.

(Every environment isn’t prepared to receive what you’re bringing)

Don’t move around.

Stay in one place, and eat and drink what they give you.

(Learn to be stable, consistent, and wait for the results to manifest)

Accept good things.

You’re worth it, and understand ministry doesn’t mean you don’t have to have money or resources.

Take what you’re given.

Heal the sick, and share the gospel.

If they reject you, publicly announce the gospel to them, move on, and let them know publicly.

They go out and do work, and return to let Jesus know the demons obeyed them.

Jesus affirms their authority, but then harnesses it properly by redirecting their focus to ensuring their soul is covered.

Jesus then prays a prayer of Thanksgiving, before He was asked an important question regarding the commandments.

The lawyer KJV version (an expert in the Jewish Mosaic and rabbinical law) tested Jesus.

The idea behind the ancient Greek word for tested isn’t necessarily mean or evil.

This may have been a sincere question from a sincere seeker.

The Biblical understanding of eternal life doesn’t necessarily refer to duration of life, because every person is immortal, either in heaven or hell.

It doesn’t refer to a life that begins only when we die.

Eternal life is a particular quality of life; a life that comes from God, and a life we can have right now.

In fact, an expansion of his question would likely read, “What must I do to inherit eternal life with God?”

“The first part seemed mildly sarcastic, ‘What does the Law say?’

In other words, ‘You are the lawyer who interprets the Law; you tell me what it says.’”

The lawyer measured himself against both commands.

He figured that he obeyed the first command well enough, but his keeping of the second commandment depended on how one defined “neighbor.”

i.

His first and perhaps greatest mistake was in assuming that he had fulfilled the first commandment.

When we really consider what the words mean, then who among us has loved God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind?

It is easy for us to be distracted in any one of these areas even when we worship God; even more so in our daily living.

ii.

His second mistake was in thinking that he could fulfill the commandment to love God with all he had and still possibly not fulfill the command to love his neighbor.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.(1

John 4:20-21)

iii.

His third mistake was in the way that he wanted to narrowly define neighbor.

If only our friends and those who are easy to love are our neighbors, then perhaps this man fulfilled it in an imperfect way.

It all depends on how broad the definition is.

The Jews in Jesus’ day did believe that you had to love your neighbor; but it was also taught among them that it was a duty before God to hate your enemy.

It all depends on who your neighbor is and who your enemy is.

Jesus knows this is His opportunity to address a deeper issue that existed amongst the Jews and Samaritans.

I don’t believe it was coincidental.

Instead, I believe it was very intentional, because Jesus wanted to be thoughful about undoing this separation that had been fortified by the Jews.

a.

A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves: The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was infamous for crime and robbery.

It wasn’t surprising to Jesus’ listeners that He set the story on this particular road.

i. “That road was famous for its lurking dangers, especially robbers (see Josephus, J.W. 2.451-75).”

(Pate)

ii.

“He was an obviously reckless and foolhardy character.

People seldom attempted the Jerusalem to Jericho road alone if they were carrying goods or valuables.

Seeking safety in numbers, they travelled in convoys or caravans.

This man had no one but himself to blame for the plight in which he found himself.”

(Barclay)

b.

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road: The priest and the Levite (both categories of religious officials) saw their Jewish brother lying in his terrible condition – but neither of them did anything.

They both passed by on the other side.

i. “Priest and Levite are mentioned here, partly because they were the most frequent travellers on this road, and partly to show that these were the persons who, from the nature of their office, were most obliged to perform works of mercy; and from whom a person in distress had a right to expect immediate succour and comfort; and their inhuman conduct here was a flat breach of the law.”

(Clarke)

ii.

Think of all the excuses that they could have used: