Well, it's always a blessing to be here Sunday after Sunday and be reminded of who Christ
! through the ministry of the Word of God that comes to us in so many different aspects.
! Through singing of songs and even through the instrumental of that song and seeing the scripture
there for us to meditate on as we were listening to the music itself and through the special music
that happens, through the ministry of teaching that happens in the Sunday school setting and now
in church time as our children are going to be going out there. But now, to sit underneath the
Word of God and to be reminded of what God has for us is a tremendous blessing. And then later on,
as many of you will be going to small groups and then throughout this week we'll be coming back on
Wednesday night or your conversations with individuals throughout the week in the ministry
of the Word that is happening day by day is a tremendous blessing for us as a people to be
able to do that freely here in the United States. Well, as I was thinking a little bit this morning
and throughout this week about the message and the passage for today, something that just came to my
mind is how busy life seems to be. Do you ever find yourself kind of getting caught up in the rat race,
the flow of the schedule and the difficulties and complexities of life and all the things that
bombard you from day to day that just continue to overwhelm? I mean, if you're a husband or a wife,
there's the desire to meet one another's needs and to meet expectations and how often we as husbands
joke around about that honey-do list that's waiting for us on the weekends so that we can get some of
those things finished in the house that we tend to put off during the week. Or if you're a mom and you're
trying to get your kids back and forth to all the activities that they're a part of, whether it be
sports activities or school activities or the play or the musical or whatever it might be, the challenges
of life that tend to invade the day-to-day. And of course, if you're involved in any kind of
business, if you're employed in any way, you know that there's the challenges of trying to meet
expectations of your boss. Then there's the difficulties that often happen in the office
dynamic of trying to not step on people's toes and trying to not hurt people's feelings. And if
you're a manager, to try to manage that team without causing any degree of friction in your workplace.
And that can be a challenge. And then add to that all the things that we just kind of add to our
plate from day to day. The important things like watching football games that are happening today.
Or the things that happen just keeping up with the day-to-day duties of house and home and maintenance
of cars and all of these things that bombard us day after day that sometimes it's just exhausting.
Have you ever stepped back and wondered,
if I could just move out into the country,
if I could just kind of pull away from this rat race and then everything would be simpler.
And of course, those of you who grew up on a farm
know the fallacy of that and all the
work that comes in to being on the farm and managing the property and taking care of
the animals and all that is involved with that.
And maybe you're wishing you could move into the city so everything would be simpler.
But do you ever think,
God, if there was just
one or two things
that I could concentrate on.
Just one or two things that I could devote my energy to.
If you could condense the scripture down to just two commands,
then my life would be really easy.
And you know where I'm going with this.
Because, in fact, Jesus did do that for us.
In fact, Jesus did say that all of the law and the prophets,
the 66 books that we have in the scriptures,
have been condensed down to two summary statements.
Two guiding principles.
Two commands that God has given to us
to make life simple.
Or simpler.
And if we align ourselves to God's perspectives,
if we order our priorities
so that God is pleased in these two areas,
we'll be fulfilling all that God expects of us
from Genesis to Revelation.
That is a little liberating thought, isn't it?
And we're going to take a look at
one of those commands,
the second of those commands,
in Luke chapter 10 this morning.
So turn with me, if you would,
to Luke chapter 10.
And I want to begin to look at this little narrative,
this account of Jesus' life.
And I want us to understand
the significance of this command,
love your neighbor as yourself.
Of course, it flows after the first and great commandment,
which is to love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your might.
That's the first and greatest commandment.
And the secondary commandment,
the one that follows soon after,
is loving your neighbor as yourself.
And we'll find,
as we begin to do this in our life,
as we begin to align ourself to his perspective
in relationship to loving our neighbors
as we love ourself,
that then it'll make a love for God
a little clearer.
There's something about loving difficult people.
There's something about understanding the challenges
of that employee or that distant relative,
perhaps,
that always seems to make trouble for you.
There's something about that
that points you
to the wonder of God's love
for you and for me
as stinkers of people,
as stubborn individuals,
as self-oriented.
We begin to appreciate
the magnitude of God's love for us
as we apply this love for others.
So look with me, if you would,
at Luke chapter 10.
And I want to just kind of begin
to read this together.
We're going to take this just a verse at a time.
And I want to help us to understand
the significance,
the significance of loving your neighbor
as yourself.
Let me read.
Luke chapter 10, verse 25.
If you're a guest with us this morning,
in the Pew Bible,
on page 869,
it says this,
And behold,
a lawyer stood up
to put him to the test,
saying,
Teacher,
what shall I do
to inherit eternal life?
What shall I do
to inherit eternal life?
Now,
this is an important question
that we're going to delve in today.
And I want you to know
that this is the ultimate question.
This is the most significant question
that anybody in this world
could ever ask
because it involves
your future trajectory.
It involves your future destination.
And so here we are.
This lawyer,
or this scribe,
is asking this question.
He stands up to put Jesus to the test.
Now,
to help us get a sense of the context,
where is Jesus in the flow of his ministry?
Let me just describe
some of these things for us.
First,
this is Jesus.
He's kind of in the back end,
the tail end of his ministry.
He's six to eight months away from the cross.
He has already set his face
to go to Jerusalem.
That happened in Luke chapter 9.
And now,
he is kind of dotting his way
through Samaria and through Judea,
various kinds of ministry
in various places,
making his way gradually
to Jerusalem
for that final moment
that will climax
in his death,
in his resurrection.
Now,
Jesus has seen his fair share
of antagonism.
And this hostility
from the scribes
and the Pharisees
continues to rise.
Their difficulty
with his ministry
is almost in your face.
It's almost non-stop.
Wherever he goes,
from city to city,
he knows he can be met
and confronted
by this group of individuals
who is always challenging
his statements,
who's always questioning
his authority,
who's always raising questions
about his origination
and wondering whether or not
he's somebody who's credible.
Jesus has already been transfigured,
and on at least two occasions,
he's already told his disciples
that he's going to Jerusalem
to die
and to rise again.
His Galilean ministry
has come to a close,
and now here Jesus is
somewhere,
perhaps even on his way
to Jerusalem
to make,
he's here,
and he is answering
this question
somewhere along the way.
In the sequence of events,
we find Jesus
in the flow of ministry,
and he's visited Jerusalem
or the surrounding area
of Jerusalem
three times
before he actually goes
to the cross.
We find that in
the book of the Gospel of John
as we're moving through.
And here,
this lawyer
is putting Jesus
to the test.
He stands up,
which was just a,
was a sign of respect,
and Jesus,
even though this is
in a public instance,
is dealing with this person
individually,
seeking to draw out
his heart.
And I want us to see,
first of all,
that this question
affects your eternity.
This is a significant question,
who is my neighbor,
because it's a question
that affects your eternity.
This lawyer says,
what shall I do
to inherit eternal life?
This lawyer or scribe
was an expert
in the interpretation
and the understanding
of the law,
the application
of the Mosaic law
and rabbinical traditions
for the Jewish people.
As an expert,
he would have given
most of his life
to the memorization
and the study
of the scripture.
Certainly having
the books of Genesis,
Exodus,
Leviticus,
Numbers,
and Deuteronomy
memorized,
kind of placed
in his memory bank,
but perhaps
many of the other
Old Testament books
as well.
He was the go-to man
when it came
to knowledge
about the scripture,
doctrines that the law
would have expounded.
He would have known
the intricacies
of the commands,
the history of Israel
and the specifics
related to God's word
to the prophets.
But here we find him
putting Christ
to the test.
Look at that
at the very beginning
of verse 25.
He stood up
and put him
to the test.
Now,
we don't know his heart
and Luke doesn't tell us
what's going on inside
at this point,
but we find that
he is challenging
Christ in some way,
perhaps seeking
to discredit his ministry
or perhaps trying
to verify
whether or not
he was the kind
of religious figure
that the crowds
should follow.
As a scribe
and as an expert
in the law,
he would be
the go-to guy
to validate
a ministry
of a religious figure
and maybe people
were coming to him
asking him,
was Jesus somebody
to be trusted?
Well,
here he is
standing up
and asking
this significant
question,
what does it take
to inherit
eternal life?
This is
the ultimate question
and the answer
to this question
is imperative.
It is non-negotiable.
It is not optional.
That's the significance
of this question.
What shall I do
to inherit
eternal life?
the implications
of the answer
for this question
will determine
your destination
for eternity.
That's the significance
of this question.
I want to bring it
all home to us
as we think about
the significance
of the answer
to this
very important question.
And for such
an important question,
one would think
that Jesus
would be happy
to make the answer
clear.
Well,
let me tell you
how it happens.
Let me make it
very clear
what it takes.
And yet,
what we'll find
in this continuing
narrative
is that Jesus
is interested
in drawing
this lawyer out
and helping
to interact
with him
and build
relationship
and engage
him in some
level of discussion.
So Jesus
defers the question
back to this lawyer
so that he can
draw him
into this discussion
and so they can
begin to make
a connection
over this very
important
and significant
topic.
That draws us
to the next
aspect of this
question.
Not only
affects your
eternity,
but it also
is anchored
in history.
In order to look
towards the future,
it would be
important for
this lawyer
to look
to the past.
He would need
to look
to the law.
Notice what
Jesus says
in verse 26.
He says to him,
What is written
in the law?
How do you
read it?
Now,
at face value,
this is not
the answer
that one
would expect.
What is written
in the law?
Is that what it
takes?
To be a law
keeper?
That I'm a
law keeper
and because of
doing all of
the things,
aligning myself
to the commands
that God
has set in
the law?
That's what
it takes
to be a
person that's
headed to
the kingdom?
One would
not expect
Jesus to
move that
direction.
And yet,
that is exactly
the direction
that Jesus
takes.
And again,
Jesus is trying
to draw out
this lawyer,
this scribe,
this expert
in the law.
He knows
this is his
area of
expertise.
So he
continues to
draw him
out and
to feed
on this
curiosity
in the
hopes of
helping to
lead this
individual,
this scribe,
to a right
understanding of
why the law
was given
and what the
law actually
says about
a person's
life.
What would
he find?
What would
he discover
as he looks
into the
perfect law
of liberty?
What would
he find
as he is
understanding
the expectations
of God
for our
lives?
I want us
to recognize
that in
looking back,
Jesus is
helping to
establish the
fact that
he is the
Alpha and
the Omega,
the beginning
and the end.
He is the
unchanging God
and his
standards and
his character
are the same
yesterday,
today,
and forever.
You see,
what the law
is,
is not a
reflection
necessarily
of God's
desire to
box you
in and
to make
you compliant
as much as
the law
is an
expression
or a
reflection
of God's
character
himself.
The reason
why God
has given
us the
law
is not
so that
we have
some level
of measuring
up to his
expectations,
but so
that we
can really
get a
better
picture
of who
he is.
His
character
comes
through
the law.
His
purity,
his
righteousness,
his
holiness,
and as
we compare
ourselves
in looking
at the
law,
we recognize
that we
fall
woefully
short
of the
standard.
There is
nothing that
we can
do to
measure up
to the
expectations
that God
has given.
And in
this
stunning
reply,
not what
we would
expect,
Jesus
seeks to
reaffirm
the significance
of the
law and
connect it
with what
he has
said and
stated already
in the
past,
that he
has come
not to
abolish
the law
but to
fulfill
it,
and that
he will
fulfill
the law
in
himself.
The law
does have
demands
that must
be met
and they
can only
be met
in Christ.
Well,
the lawyer
has the
right answer
as we
find in
verse 27.
What does
the lawyer
say?
The lawyer
says,
well,
you shall
love the
Lord your
God with
all your
heart,
with all
your soul,
with all
your strength,
and with
all your
mind,
and your
neighbor
as
yourself.
And,
he says
to him,
you have
answered
correctly,
do this
and live.
Jesus
continues to
engage
this
lawyer,
continues to
draw him
out,
he doesn't
pounce on
him,
he doesn't
try to
correct him
or attack
him,
but he
leads him
into this
discussion,
tries to
help establish
the standard
of the law
that exists,
and tries to
help him
understand that
he will
never measure
up
to the
expectations
that God
has for
his life.
Those who
know God
will be
transformed
in how
they live.
Now,
Jesus
is going to
do the
work
of leading
this
conversation
that it
was meant
to have.
The effect
now is
beginning to
land.
As Jesus
says,
now do
this and
you will
live.
Now,
notice in
verse 29,
now the
force of
this command
is coming
true in
the heart
and life
of this
lawyer.
And how
does he
respond?
He says,
and he,
desiring to
justify himself,
said to
Jesus,
and who
is my
neighbor?
Who is
my neighbor?
He's beginning
to understand
how woefully
short he
falls to
the standard
of loving
the people
around him.
The scribes
and the
Pharisees
in particular
had a
challenge.
It was
difficult for
them to
even love
people within
their own
Jewish
nationality.
He knows
that his
love is
pretty exclusive
when it
comes to
loving his
neighbor.
It's not
nearly as
extensive as
perhaps he
would have
read in
the law
itself.
Matter of
fact,
if we were
to flip
over a
couple of
chapters in
Luke and
go to
Luke chapter
15,
we would
find that
this is
the issue
that the
scribes and
the Pharisees
have with
Jesus
primarily.
He mixes
it up with
tax collectors
and sinners.
Who is
this kind
of guy?
In their
minds,
he was
disqualified
for ministry
because of
the company
that he
kept.
No,
their love
wasn't
broad like
Jesus'
love.
They saw
even in
his life
how their
life was
certainly
different.
In their
minds,
Jesus was
totally
disqualified
because he
was a
friend of
sinners and
eats with
them.
How could
a religious
leader be
involved with
such a
company of
individuals?
Well,
Jesus takes
this opportunity
now to
dig in.
Jesus
wants to
now help
to develop
this important
question.
Now that
he has
the lawyer's
attention,
now that
he has
drawn him
out and
involved him
in this
dialogue,
now that
he has
commended
his expertise
in the
law,
now that
the beginnings
of a
relationship
have taken
place,
and this
lawyer is
the one
now asking
the questions,
now Jesus
has a
captive
audience.
And now
we'll find
that this
question is
significant
because it
addresses your
availability.
And that's
point number
three.
It addresses
your
availability.
Now let me
read this
parable for
us and I'll
just kind of
summarize it
for us and
then I want
to just make
some observations
about the
kind of love
that we see
this good
Samaritan
have.
Beginning in
verse 30 it
says,
Now 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.
Now by
chance a
priest was
going down
that road
and when he
saw him he
passed by on
the other
side.
So likewise
a Levite
when he came
to the place
and saw him
passed by
on the other
side.
But a
Samaritan
as he
journeyed came
to where he
was and
when he
saw him
he had
compassion.
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.
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.
Now we
know the
story.
We're familiar
with this
account.
Here is
this man
not a
specific man
but some
general person
who's making
a journey.
Now this
may have
really
resonated in
the heart
of this
lawyer because
it's quite
possible that
this story
was actually
given,
this answer
was actually
given in
the area
around Jericho.
Because in
the following
account as
you kind
of drop
down and
look at
Luke chapter
10 verses
38 to
42,
you'll
notice that
Jesus finds
himself in
Mary and
Martha's
house.
They happen
to live in
a town of
Bethany which
is only a
couple of
miles away
from Jerusalem.
And on
this trip
it says
they went
their way
in verse
38.
Jesus
entered this
village.
So it's
quite possible
that Jesus
is actually
sharing this
story in
Jericho or
in the area
surrounding
Jericho.
So the
people who
were there
have made
that trek.
They know
how treacherous
this path
is.
It really
can resonate
with them
because they've
had that
experience.
They've
understood
the fear.
They know
how treacherous
that road
is.
They know
the dangers
that lie
along the
path.
They understand
how perilous
it can be.
Now Jericho
is about
15 to
17 miles
away from
Jerusalem.
It lies
about 900
feet below
sea level.
And Jerusalem
which is
about 2,600
feet above
sea level
to now go
down this
17 mile
track to
Jericho
900 feet
below sea
level.
That's a
pretty significant
decline.
About
3,500
feet in
elevation.
And so
this man
would have
been zigzagging
his way
through this
mountainous
pass
fraught
with
robbers
and it
became a
rather
perilous
journey.
Well as
we find
in verse
30
this man's
worst fears
came to
pass.
The robbers
come.
They stripped
him,
they beat
him,
they departed
from him
and they
left him
for dead.
Terrible
plight
for any
person.
A victim
of bad
circumstances.
But here
we find
in verse
31 a ray
of hope.
He may
have been
saying to
himself as
he was
observing
this scene,
Hallelujah!
Here comes
my helper.
This priest
was making
his way
down this
road.
Certainly
the priest
would provide
some assistance.
This would
appear to have
been the best
possible news
for this
victim,
this Jewish
man.
A priest
who was
expected to
be an
example of
spiritual
virtue.
the best,
the godliest,
and the
most righteous
man in
Jerusalem
and perhaps
in all
of Israel
at large.
If anyone
was moving
in the
direction of
the kingdom,
if anyone
was following
after the
standard that
God has
set,
certainly
it would
be a
priest.
Now at
this moment
I want to
just remind
us what
initiated this
parable to
begin with.
What shall
I do to
inherit
eternal
life?
For this
man,
for this
lawyer,
and anyone
who is
listening to
this story,
the priest
would be
at the
top of
the list
of
individuals
who were
certainly
headed to
the kingdom.
And yet
in this
story we
find the
priest is
the one
who is
avoiding the
very things
that God
has said
in terms
of general
and comprehensive
statements about
how to
emulate
God's
heart.
He was
not one
who would
love his
neighbor as
himself.
Yet for
all that he
knew about
the law's
demands,
he decided
that he
wasn't going
to take
the risk,
he was
going to
pass by
on the
other side.
Verse 32,
we find another
ray of
hope.
How did
this guy
get so
lucky?
Not only
does a
priest come
by,
but now a
Levite.
Fortunately
for this
desperate man,
another
traveler appears
on this
road,
a Levite
who would
have
assisted
the
priest,
who would
have been
exposed to
the law,
who would
have been
understanding
all that God
had said in
terms of his
expectations for
his people.
He would
have been on
the second
tier of this
list of
individuals who
were moving
into the
kingdom,
at least as
far as the
society would
have thought.
And yet,
for all that
he knew about
the law,
he too
passed by
on the
other side.
Two men
from the
spiritual class
of Israel,
the best
chance of
this wounded
victim,
both ignore
the opportunity
to show God's
love to this
individual who
is hurting.
Certainly,
his chances
are exhausted
at this point.
certainly,
the doom of
his future
has been
written in
the books.
And now,
comes a
Samaritan,
in verse
33.
But,
a Samaritan,
as he
journeyed,
came to
where he
was.
Unclean
from a
Jewish
perspective.
If this
man had
been in
good health,
he probably
would have
avoided it,
this Samaritan
himself.
coming from
a mixed
race because
they had
intermarried
with the
Gentiles.
So,
they were
pushed out
of the
covenant
community
and despised
by the
Jewish
people.
But,
this one,
moved with
compassion,
gets personally
involved.
He binds
his wounds,
he pours
on oil.
He wasn't
just interested
in moving
this man
out of the
way so
that other
travelers
would not
have the
burden or
the hurdle
of this
individual
lying in
the path.
he takes
ownership
of the
problem
and he
seeks to
address
the issue.
In
Jesus'
story,
as he
does so
well,
Jesus
turns
everything
upside down.
Jesus
has a
way of
reversing
all of
the
expectations,
this
surprise
ending.
Who
will be
the
hero?
Well,
the
villain of
the story
is actually
the hero
of the
story.
this
Samaritan
rises to
the top
as the
individual
who will
demonstrate
the love
of God
as God
expects.
So,
what does
this say
about our
love?
And what
does this
say about
our
neighboring?
Well,
let me
make some
four quick
observations.
First,
I want us
to see
that this
is a
simple
love.
It's a
simple
love.
Well,
when I
say simple,
I don't
mean that
it's simple
to do.
It's very
difficult to
do,
but it's
simple to
understand.
It's
straightforward
in its
approach.
It's
not very
complicated
or difficult
to realize
what's going
on in this
narrative.
It's easy
for us
to get
what this
Samaritan
is about,
and it's
really simple
for us
to understand.
It didn't
require somebody
who was flashy,
who came
from some
formal education.
He wasn't
a part of
the doctrinal
studies in
Jerusalem.
He wasn't
a scholar
by any
right.
He didn't
come from
a prestigious
background or
reputation.
He wasn't
even qualified
as it related
to his
ability to
care for
the real
physical needs
of this
individual.
For all we
know,
he didn't
go through
EMT training.
wasn't a
medic,
but he
was available.
He was
somebody who
was willing
to see the
need,
to recognize
that God
had sovereignly
and providentially
placed this
individual before
him,
and because of
availability,
he was willing
to act.
Interestingly
to me,
this is
somebody that
he hadn't
even met
before.
Wasn't part
of his
nationality,
was out
of the
realm
of his
own space,
and yet
he was
willing to
act.
So,
this is a
simple love.
We understand
what this
means.
The love
of the
Samaritan
was simple
in its
approach.
He saw
the need,
he met
the need
with the
resources
that he
had.
Nothing
complex
about the
problem,
nothing
difficult to
understand
about the
situation.
All it
took was
a willingness
to step
in and
to provide
the assistance
that he
could.
It was a
simple love,
but it was
also a
serving
love.
It was a
serving
love.
It didn't
require vast
knowledge of
the law.
It didn't
require an
ability to
answer the
deep questions
of doctrine.
You didn't
have to have
all the
answers.
You didn't
have to know
how to
parse out
the Old
Testament.
All he
had to
know was
how to
serve.
And in
this posture
of service,
he was
emulating
the Savior.
Jesus,
who we
know,
came not
to be
served,
but to
serve and
to give
his life
a ransom
for many.
And a
quick look
at Jesus'
life will
bear out
the legacy
of a
man,
our Savior,
who had
the
approach
of
serving
individuals.
Meeting
needs,
physical
needs
by the
feeding
of the
5,000.
Delivering
individuals
from the
bondage of
their health
issues and
casting out
demons and
helping to
heal those
who were
sick.
Even in
the wedding
of Cana,
he was
willing to
meet a
physical
need.
They were
running out
of refreshments
and Jesus
steps in
to help.
This is
something that
we can
all do.
If you
can pick
up a
shovel and
shovel your
walk,
if you
can pick
up a
rake and
rake your
leaves,
if you
can make
a meal,
if you
can make
a phone
call or
deliver a
text,
if you
can fix
a car,
whatever
you can
do is
a way
for you
to love
the person
across the
street.
Can you
do that?
Can you
do that
for yourself?
You find
that your
walk is
cleaned off
after a
snowstorm?
You find
that your
driveway is
salted because
you've gone
through the
effort of
making sure
that those
things are
taken care
of?
Well,
if you
can love
yourself in
those ways,
then God
is calling
us to
love our
neighbor in
the same
way that
we have
chosen to
love
ourself.
That is
the concept
here.
Can we
do this?
It's a
serving love.
Next,
it's a
selfless
love,
a selfless
love.
There's no
surprise here
that this
man took
some risks.
Perhaps
the robbers
were still
lingering in
the rocks
and he
was willing
to accept
the risk,
the danger,
so that he
could address
this man's
situation.
He put
himself in
harm's way.
He was
willing to
serve regardless
of the
potential for
injury.
And notice
he uses his
own resources.
We find
that here.
It says in
verse 34,
he binds
up his
wounds.
He pours
on oil.
He sets
him on his
own animal.
He brings
him to an
inn.
He uses
his own
money.
He
exhausts a
measure of
his own
time.
He's willing
to step
in and to
use his
resources that
are available
to him
to love
this man
who is in
need.
What often
stands in
our way,
I'll
personalize
this,
what often
stands in
my way
of serving
the people
around me
is my
own agenda.
What often
stands in
my way
is my
schedule,
my priorities,
my checklist,
my, the
things that
I think are
so important
to do,
so often
get in the
way of
serving the
individuals who
God providentially
places in my
path.
Those
intersection
points that
God does
by design
to give us
opportunities to
love the
people who
are in the
world.
Will we
be willing
to set
aside for
a little
bit our
schedules so
that we can
meet the
higher objectives?
It's really
surprising,
you look at
the life of
Jesus,
it never
ceases to
amaze me
that he
is never
in a hurry.
He's never
surprised by
the detour.
As a matter
of fact,
the one
time where
it says he
intended to
go somewhere
is he
intended to
go to
this one
place in
Samaria so
he could
meet this
lady at
the well.
Jesus was
willing to
be distracted.
He was
willing to
set aside
his agenda
for the
sake of
accomplishing
the greater
objectives.
The mission
of love
that God
has given
to us to
do.
And so
often the
need on the
surface
that need
that stares
us in
the face
is just
a superficial
way to
get beneath
the surface
and meet
the deeper
needs.
What are
those deeper
needs?
Someone who
cares.
Someone who
can sympathize.
Someone who
will listen.
Maybe someone
who will pray
with an
individual.
Someone who
will point
them to the
Savior.
will we
take the
opportunities
that God
gives to
us to
meet the
needs of
those around
us.
Now finally
here in
this section
it's our
Savior's
love.
It's our
Savior's
love.
Notice with
me in
verse 33
what does
it say?
It says
Now this
is an
amazing
word.
This is the
word for
pity.
And everywhere
it is used
in the New
Testament except
for the
parables that
Jesus shared
it is always
used to
describe the
attitude and
the ministry
in the life
of Jesus.
It is always
used to
characterize our
Savior.
He was one
of compassion.
And at least
12 times in
the New
Testament Jesus
uses this
word either
to speak of
himself or
to characterize
himself in a
parable.
This is the
ministry that
God has called
us to.
It is a
ministry of
our Savior.
So that when
we show up as
people of
compassion,
guess who
gets the
credit?
He does.
It is a
beautiful ray
that points
to our
beautiful God.
That's what
1 John says
in 1 John 4,
7 and 8.
Beloved,
let us love
one another.
For love is
from God and
whoever loves
has been born
of God and
knows God.
Anyone who
does not love
does not know
God because
God is love.
How is our
loving?
God is
How does it
show up?
Are we people
of compassion?
Are we people
who hurt with
the people around
us?
I had an
opportunity just
yesterday evening.
Someone who
I was in
conversation with
shared with me
that a little
less than a
year ago her
son had
committed suicide.
Now, that was
kind of an
awkward moment.
What do you
do with that?
Well, I'll tell
you, the most
important thing
you can do is
show compassion.
Show sympathy.
And sometimes
you don't even
have to say any
words.
Sometimes you
just shed a
tear.
Sometimes you
just pray.
Sometimes you
say, you must
be feeling
terrible.
You sympathize
with their
situation and
you seek in
that moment to
demonstrate the
love of Christ
and His
compassion for
people.
And it can be
as simple as
that.
You don't
necessarily have
to have the
right answers.
You just have
to show the
right love.
I can do
that.
I don't always
have the right
answers.
But I can
show the
right service.
It can really
be as simple
as that.
Bearing out
the gospel in
our communities
can be as
simple as just
showing love
and service
to the people
that God
puts in
our path.
Well, that
takes us to
our final point
that we'll
close with.
This is a
question that
appeals to you
immediately.
Well, it
appeals to you
immediately for
several reasons.
One, it
appeals to you
immediately because
this is what we
are going to do
this year as a
church in terms
of a strategic
initiative in
seeking to
nurture and
develop this
area of our
ministry.
How can we
be better
people in
terms of
loving God
and loving
one another?
And by the
way, this
neighboring
concept, this
loving our
neighbor as
ourself, doesn't
just happen in
your community.
It needs to
happen here
too.
It needs to
happen with
one another.
As a matter
of fact, a
pastor alluded
to this last
week from
John chapter
17 when he
read the part
of Jesus'
prayer that
says that
they might be
one as you
and I are
one and just
as Jesus
speaking with
the Father
so that the
world might
know that you
have sent
me.
Do you
realize,
do you
realize that
the confirmation
of the gospel
shows up in
how we relate
to one
another?
Do you
realize it
doesn't do
any good for
us to have
a bunch of
guests come
and visit on
a particular
Sunday if
they're not
seeing the
power of the
gospel working
in our
community?
If they're not
seeing the
oneness that we
have with one
another?
If they're not
seeing the way
that we relate
to one another
in terms of
caring and
loving and
just enjoying
each other's
fellowship,
that is the
confirmation,
that is the
stamp of
validation that
the gospel has
actually done
its work,
is how you
and I
love each
other.
So, yes,
we do need to
be about loving
our community
and loving the
people at the
grocery store
and loving the
serviceman who
fixes your car
or whatever
it takes.
Whenever God
creates an
intersection for
your life,
learning to
love the
people that
God has put
in your
path,
that is
important.
But we also
need to learn
how to love
one another.
And there's
some opportunities
we're creating
for that.
First, we're
creating that
opportunity in
terms of small
groups.
Those of you
who are part
of a small
group, you're
going to be
spending the
next 12 to
14 weeks,
however long
your small
group leader
wants to take,
in working
through a study
called the
art of
neighboring.
And I would
encourage you
to not only
participate in
that, but
there's a study
guide and make
the most of
this opportunity
for us to
learn what it
takes to do
this second
command, which
leads us to the
trajectory of the
kingdom, as we're
letting the word of
God transform our
hearts and make us
loving people.
So we're going to be
doing this in small
groups.
We're also going to
be offering this in
Sunday school.
Now, this is not my
idea.
Somebody in this
congregation had a
great idea.
What about people
who are not part of
small groups?
And we certainly
want everyone who
is a part of this
congregation, whether
you're a guest and
you're just trying to
check things out, or
if you're a regular
member and attender
of this church, but
you're not able to be
part of a small group,
we want you to be part
of this process.
We want you to feel
like you're connected
to the rest of the
body because we're
all in this together.
We all need to be
moving in the same
direction.
So beginning next
week, I'm going to
be teaching this
class.
We're going to be
going through the
same material, and
I would love to
have you as a part
of that, and so
see me afterwards,
and I'll let you
know where we're
going to be meeting.
So if you're not
part of a small
group, please take
part in this Sunday
school so that we
can all be on the
same page and moving
in the same direction.
Excuse me.
Now finally, we're
going to be doing
this on some
strategic holidays.
Now, it doesn't do
us any good to go
send you out and
say, hey, go do
this.
This is great if
we're not behind
this as a church.
So I want you to
know we're behind
this enough that we
want to help set
aside some time for
you to do this.
And I know that
life is busy, and
so we want to
designate at least
four strategic
weekends that you're
going to be out with
your community,
maybe inviting them
to your home for a
meal, maybe having a
barbecue, maybe going
and enjoying a
fireworks show,
whatever it takes to
engage your community,
your neighbors, in
building relationships
with them.
This art of
neighboring we want to
take seriously, and so
we're going to designate
at least four weekends
where we're going to
not have an evening
service so that you can
be about ministry in
your community.
We want to free up
space for us to do
what God is calling
us to do.
It's our desire, our
prayer, that God will
help to lead us in this
process of learning to
love as he has called
us to love, so that we
can emulate his heart
and so that we can show
his life in the world
around us.
Let's pray.
God, this is a
significant task.
We understand that this
lawyer asked the
ultimate question, a
question that has as its
future destination
eternity.
So God, as you are
shaping our hearts and
molding us into the
image of Christ, we pray
that your Holy Spirit
would show up in our
lives and help us to be
people who are truly
loving our neighbor as
ourself.
We need your help, not
only in terms of the
enablement to do this,
but the wisdom on how
to do it well.
Thank you for this
opportunity that we have
this year, and we pray
that you would be
pleased with our efforts
and that you would equip
us for this work.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.