Seeing Clearly

Good morning and welcome to another week of church here at the Bridge. I am so glad that we could be here together this morning. One of the great challenges of faith in life is dealing with the challenges of how do we show our devotion to God. This is a question that rages on across the generations. It was even a common question in Jesus time. Turn with me to...

Luke 10:25–28 NIV

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “ ‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

The Two Commands

It is always amazing to me how these two commands constantly come out in sermons and in my study. I know its a shocking revelation that the hallmark of Jesus ministry the two commands of Love God and Love your neighbor are interwoven in the scriptures. Yet, it always amazes me that we still are struggling with this two commands. After last weeks sermon I realized that I still struggle with them.

It is the struggle of cutting through the fog of seeing which is the most important one in our life. It is important that we have clarity of thought and vision on how we are to understand our role and work as Christians in this world.

I couldn’t help but think about this idea of clarity when I read this passage. Here is a teacher of the law trying to test Jesus (never a good idea). I mean come on Like Jesus doesn’t know the answer. Not only does Jesus push back he challenges the man to see and understand his own beliefs.

It reminded me of when a great fog can roll into a city.

The Fog Rolls in

Growing up in Pittsburgh we were no strangers to fog. Especially with the hills and valleys. In fact it often made it really interesting because you could be up on a hill and have a clear view of the surrounding area and then you might drive down a hill and be engulfed by a large cloud of fog. Then go up another hill and be out in the clear again. Fog would often create some amazing images too in the city.

Pittsburgh With Fog Cover

IT always amazes me to see this city. I don’t often love city landscapes but Pittsburgh is a beautiful city to look at. You can see though how the fog settles in the low points. From above its easy to see but when you get down in it its much harder to see what happening.

That is one of the challenges that we face sometimes. We see things like God’s commands and we get in the thick of it and we can’t see past the fog. Or we can’t see past what is right in front of us. This happens often when it comes to the two commands. Some of us think that we should be spending all our time loving our neighbor. Some people think that we should be spending all our time loving God. Everyone prioritizes it a little differently. Thankfully shares with us two stories from Jesus’ life that help us to gain a clearer view of this.

Luke 10:29–37 NIV

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

The Good Samaritan

This is a well known story and it is one we often reference when it comes to how we are to treat our neighbor and who our neighbor is. One of the biggest hallmarks of this story is the way the Levite and the priest treated the who was robbed. These two individuals are often cited as the reason that we can’t get so focused on our religious piety because if we do we may miss the very person that God calls us to serve.

This became clear to me when I was reading one of my commentaries. The Author talked about his experience in the city and when he encountered someone passed out drunk on the sidewalk. He called EMS and while he waited another homeless person came and helped the man he was trying to.

The author was expressing his remorse that he could have done more. In many ways he was identifying with the priest and the Levite. It was in this story that I came to the realization that he was in the fog.

When it comes to helping people we often feel like we can do more. If we don’t succeed or someone does it better its easy to feel guilty and beat yourself up about it because you want to be helpful. Yet, this author wasn’t the priest or the Levite. He called EMS and he waited around to make sure this person got help. He didn’t walk to the other side of the road to avoid the man. He cared but he could only see that his love for this man wasn't enough.

The other danger of the fog is we can be forced into tunnel vision. Fog obscures the vision we have for things outside what is right in front of us. At times it is good to be focused and dilegent in our responsibilities but sometimes it causes us to miss important things like in our second story.

Luke 10:38–42 NIV

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Martha

This story about the life of Jesus was purposely chosen by look as a ending to the story of the Good Samaritan. Its placement is too perfect. Right after a story about the importance of caring for our neighbor we have as story about Jesus showing the importance of Loving God.

Martha was in the fog of doing the work. She was in the fog of the activity that she couldn’t see what was there. Jesus!

This story is a reminder of how important it is that we maintain our relationship with God. That we spend regular time with him in prayer, instruction, and his presence.

Jesus makes it clear that the most important thing when it comes to the two commands that he laid out before the people that Loving God is the highest priority. It always should be the first priority over the needs of the work.

The Fog lifts

The truth is that fog is temporary. Fog may stay for short amounts of time and sometimes it stays for long periods of time. We have to be careful in those times though. It is when the fog lifts that we get to see the full glory of the view.

The Fog Lifts: Picture of Pittsburgh

Like the city of Pittsburgh. It is neat to see the fog and what it does but it blocks some of the beauty of the City. Without the fog its amazing to see it in all its splendor.

Our relationship with God is like this. When we remove the fog we can see that these two commands aren’t at odds but they work in unison. We are called to love God first and foremost. It is our primary responsibility. It is and should be our first love and passion in life. Yet, we express our love for God by loving our neighbor. By showing care and compassion that is filled with the leading of the Spirit. Directed by the Spirit and guided by the Spirit of God. Not for our benefit but for the benefit of God’s Glory. We can’t become so focused on the work that we lose sight of why we are doing the work.

It is in the balance of recognizing that God’s calls us to love. He calls us to first love him. To give ourselves to him. This than out pours into the world around us in the loving care of our fellow humans. We can’t ever afford to let the fog block our view of this. We can’t let the fog block the view of God and we can’t let it block the view of our neighbor.

Let’s Pray.