Won't You Be My Neighbor?
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Transcript
Introduction
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
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
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)
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
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:
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
He’s making 3 mistakes here:
3 mistakes:
3 mistakes:
1. Don’t assume you have the first part right
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
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
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
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
Points of the parable
The victim “deserved” his situation
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
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)
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
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 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
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...
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
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 (dan@visitcrosspoint.com)