Who is my neighbor?

I want to read a lengthy passage of scripture as Jesus focus on two questions

Luke 10:25–37 (NASB95) 25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”(question 1) 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 NEIGHBOR 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 neighbor?” (question 2) (now notice Jesus begins to talk about the Good Neighbor or the good Samaritan) 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 neighbor 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.”

Now, let us not forget the first question asked to Jesus by the lawyer. what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Or how do I get into heaven? Before giving him the answer Jesus responds to him first with 2 questions of His own. He’s talking to a lawyer and its a lawyer job to know the law And He said to him,

1. “What is written in the Law? 2. How does it read to you?”

He lets him know that the answer that will come next he should already know if he has been at all paying attention to and reading his own bible.

Often times we become so religious that what we forget the very basic of our Christian beliefs or purpose.

Also sometime, there is a different between what is said and how we interpret it.

So jesus says, “what is written and how do YOU read it.”

Not how does the pastor read it, or what your mama says. How do you read it.

To the first question. How do we get to heaven, Jesus? Well.. you should already know this one..

And the man says, yes yes I remember hearing this one

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 Now I’ve see the YouTube, commercials and the billboards But I am frankly bothered by the I am second notion Mainly because I believe it is altogether non biblical.

When you read our text as this certain man quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 (NASB95)

Deuteronomy 6:5 NASB95

5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

all your might. He adds a very powerful and profound truth echoed by our lord in Matthew 22:37 and mark 12:30-31 Love your neighbor as yourself In Mark 12:31 Jesus says, this is the 2nd thing. Love your neighbor

Mark 12:31 NASB95

31 “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Church I would say to you today you are not second

Philippians 2:3 NASB95

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

God is first You neighbor is 2nd And you well... We live in such a narcissistic and selfish age that we have not learn or been challenged to look beyond our own need. We think we love God. We know we love ourselves.. but in all honesty we know nothing about the people who set next to us. But what about our neighbor? First, I have to say that you can’t love anyone at all without Loving God and God giving you the ability to Love “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

it is in the loving God that we get the energy to love someone else

again… 1 John 4:8 says God is Love

1 John 4:8 NASB95

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

and you can’t love your neighbor if you don’t love God first it is the very reason that we love, but on the other hand 1 John 4:11-12 says,

1 John 4:11-12

1 John 4:11–12 NASB95

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Then he says in verse 20 and 21

1 John 4:20–21 NASB95

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Now notice what Jesus says to the lawyer

Luke 10:28 NASB95

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

Luke 10:29 NASB95

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

(question 2)

Now this is the question of the hour……

Turn with me to Leviticus 19:18

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Against the children of your people... Here we see that the neighbor is extended to the Israelite only. So when the man of the law ask the question he thinks his obligation is only extended to those in his people group.. Those in his circle… those he likes… those who are like him… Those in the same political party…Those that are Christian…. Those that are the same race.. those who are in the same church…

Who is my neighbors!!!!

Jesus responded this way, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho

Jesus talks about a highway, a road. Life’s journey Jericho’s road was dark and windy.. it was dangerous..

Long ago it was known as the Bloody Pass because robbers would hide.. jumping out to ambush innocent passerby’s

This life is not always the easiest road or the straight way.. I can’t promise there wont be trails and pains. And on this road of life a man fell to robbers was beaten stripped of his clothes and left for death… A great injustice done to him Who is our neighbor? Jesus give him no name, he has no title.. those things are certain unimportant in this story. Martin Luther King answer the question this way, “He is anyone toward whom you are neighborly. He is anyone who lies in need at life’s roadside. He is neither Jew nor gentile; he is neither Russian nor American; he is neither Negro nor white. Any needy man on one of the numerous Jericho roads of life.” He adds this “So Jesus Define a neighbor, not in a theological definition, but in a life situation. One of the church great tragedies throughout its history is limiting neighborly love to those who are inside its walls.. Or that worship with the same ideas, or energy Who is my neighbor???

And I find myself so disappointed with the priest because he was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

I was disappointed cuz I know what was me..

And the Levite (the church people) also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. We missed up again.. we blow another chance… Listen we aren’t perfect and that comforts me but we have to do better. Maybe they were on their way to an important church meeting, or their regulations required they could not touch a bloody man before performing their temple duties.. Maybe even they where on the committee to fix that road.. Maybe they were to concerned about what other thought or would say.. You know we are second right.. Couldn’t they have just taken the time to have a little sympathy. Preacher I know you are on your way to church but.. there is someone on the roadside that just need a little love And if we reject them we are literally rejecting God. I know you’re busy sister but cant you just call and check on your sister.. Your neighbor is not limited to those who sit by you in church when pastor derrick says touch yo neighbor..

They are the ones on the road of life they fall down or are hurting..

They are those who are naked and weak and sometime there me and you..

Who is my neighbor?

Maybe the priest and the Levite said, what will happen to me if I help this man?

Paul says in Philippians 2:3 (NASB95)

Philippians 2:3 NASB95

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

YOU ARE NOT 2nd!!!

They should have asked themselves, if I do not stop and help, what will happen to my neighbor?

MLK says this,

“The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”

As the person sitting next to you.. who is my neighbor??? Look at them and say me…. But not just me, everybody…