Love Thy Neighbor (Luke 10:25-37) - 11/5/23

INTRO

• The Parable of the Good Samaritan

• A great question and a great answer.

• The wise and the unwise

  • Luke 10:21 – In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. (ESV)

• The changed heart understands MERCY (From God… to others)
  

The Lawyer’s Question

The lawyer

• An expert on Jewish law

• Influential in society

• Very religious

The age-old question

• What shall I do to have eternal life?

The man’s heart

• The context shows us he was testing Jesus.

Jesus answers

• What is written in the law?

• The law does not save, but the law shows us that we need to be saved (impossible to do)

• The law defines true righteousness, only grace can deliver it. The law was given to demonstrate to man their desperate need for grace.

• The law brings conviction… it points to our sin.

Love God and Love Your Neighbor

• Deuteronomy 6:5

• Leviticus 16:15

• Matthew 22:37-40

Do this and you will live (eternal life)

The Second Question

• Who is my neighbor?

• Justifying Himself

• Trying to limit the law and the responsibility

• God’s Grace vs. Mans works

  • What can I do?

  • His heart exposed!

Jesus’ Response

The Setting

• Seventeen-mile journey from Jerusalem to Jericho

• Winding rode through rocky terrain

• Historically dangerous trip

The Parable

Rather than loosen the definition of “neighbor,” Jesus radically expands it. The Lord tells the story of the good Samaritan (vv. 30–35), a story that blows all the categories of the day. The story • features the brokenness of this sinful world (v. 30), • exposes the emptiness of religion without love (vv. 31–32), • challenges the racism and prejudice we all can feel (v. 33), and • requires sacrifice and risk (vv. 34–35). THABITI ANYABWILE, EXALTING JESUS IN LUKE, CHRIST-CENTERED EXPOSITION COMMENTARY (NASHVILLE, TN: HOLMAN REFERENCE, 2018), 182.

The Meaning

• 2 religious leaders passed by

  • Selfish, Busy, Wrong focus

• The 3rd was not just a layperson, but a despised Samaritan.

  • Totally gave himself

  • Time, Talent, Treasures

  • Kindness and brotherly love

  • WORDS AND DEEDS

The What Now

• You go and do likewise.

• To love God is to love others.

• Receiving Mercy and Sharing Mercy.

• It is so much more than saying we are a Christian… It is BEING a Christian.