WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.879
 42, Luke 10, verse 25 to 37.

00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:20.879
 And to encourage you all, if you're able to, to come to this evening to the Delaun lecture.

00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:25.940
 If you hear lecture, don't be put off by thinking, oh, that's something away up here, I couldn't

00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:26.500
 do that.

00:00:27.219 --> 00:00:28.160
 It's very accessible.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.259
 And we want you to be encouraged in God's words.

00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:34.740
 So do come tonight as well.

00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:39.259
 So let's read Luke 10, verse 25 to 37.

00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:48.340
 On one occasion, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.

00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:54.740
 Teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

00:00:56.140 --> 00:00:57.920
 What is written in the law?

00:00:58.500 --> 00:00:59.400
 Jesus replied.

00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.759
 How do you read it?

00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:03.600
 He answered.

00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:08.500
 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength

00:01:08.500 --> 00:01:09.480
 and with all your mind.

00:01:10.040 --> 00:01:12.500
 And love your neighbor as yourself.

00:01:13.780 --> 00:01:16.620
 You have answered correctly, Jesus replied.

00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.840
 Do this and you will live.

00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.460
 But he wanted to justify himself.

00:01:23.460 --> 00:01:27.439
 So he asked Jesus, and who is my neighbor?

00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:35.420
 In reply, Jesus said, a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers.

00:01:35.420 --> 00:01:36.680
 They stripped him of his clothes.

00:01:36.680 --> 00:01:41.620
 They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

00:01:41.620 --> 00:01:45.120
 A priest happened to be going down the same road.

00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:49.600
 And when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:56.759
 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

00:01:56.760 --> 00:02:03.000
 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was.

00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:07.920
 And when he saw him, he took pity on him.

00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:13.360
 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.

00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:20.879
 Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:26.979
 The next day, he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper.

00:02:27.920 --> 00:02:29.879
 Look after him, he said.

00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:36.639
 And when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.

00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:44.019
 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?

00:02:45.839 --> 00:02:50.479
 The expert in the law replied, the one who had mercy on him.

00:02:51.279 --> 00:02:54.799
 Jesus told him, go and do likewise.

00:02:56.199 --> 00:03:00.000
 Well, before Brian comes, I'm going to pray for you and for us.

00:03:00.099 --> 00:03:00.579
 Let's pray.

00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:04.459
 Father, again, we thank you for your word.

00:03:04.460 --> 00:03:07.960
 Thank you that we have access to it in our language.

00:03:09.640 --> 00:03:13.740
 Thank you that you have given to us gifted teachers.

00:03:15.100 --> 00:03:20.379
 We thank you for Brian being here this week and speaking here today.

00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:25.539
 And yet, Father, we are conscious that we have your word.

00:03:25.699 --> 00:03:26.740
 We have people.

00:03:27.359 --> 00:03:29.060
 We need your Holy Spirit.

00:03:30.299 --> 00:03:32.280
 And we pray for his help.

00:03:33.299 --> 00:03:39.740
 That through what we hear, it would be as if you are speaking to us.

00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:42.079
 Changing us.

00:03:43.079 --> 00:03:44.859
 Making us more like Christ.

00:03:44.860 --> 00:03:48.200
 This is our desire.

00:03:49.540 --> 00:03:50.020
 Amen.

00:03:51.920 --> 00:03:52.660
 Thanks, Brian.

00:04:04.140 --> 00:04:06.060
 It's a privilege for me to be here this morning.

00:04:06.700 --> 00:04:08.460
 I've had a great week.

00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:10.140
 One of the best, really.

00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:13.899
 And Vincent was asking me what I thought liked the best.

00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.659
 I mean, I saw, I know why Americans love Ireland.

00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:20.599
 My wife is sort of a fanatic when it comes to Ireland.

00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:21.419
 She's never been here.

00:04:22.159 --> 00:04:25.060
 But I understand it all now, after being here for a week.

00:04:25.099 --> 00:04:26.159
 And the best part is the people.

00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:27.279
 And I'm not just saying that.

00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:31.360
 That's really what you remember when you travel.

00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.379
 Pastor Johnny told me not to preach more than an hour and a half.

00:04:38.259 --> 00:04:42.280
 And Ross Campbell said it's okay if it goes two hours, but no more than that.

00:04:42.400 --> 00:04:44.699
 So, I'm ready, I think.

00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:57.300
 Thirteen years ago, about thirteen years ago, my father passed away.

00:04:57.300 --> 00:05:00.360
 And he had owned an auto shop.

00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:02.560
 Just, you know, they made repairs.

00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:06.300
 And they also had gasoline or petrol out front.

00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:08.819
 And he did that his whole life.

00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:11.900
 He had this business something like forty-five years or something like that.

00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:18.339
 And he had done it ever since he started that business or got in on it when he came back from the war.

00:05:18.579 --> 00:05:20.859
 And that's what he did his whole life.

00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:22.079
 And he built this business up.

00:05:22.179 --> 00:05:28.060
 And one of the amazing things was that at the funeral, there was a big line of people that come and greet you.

00:05:28.179 --> 00:05:29.159
 That's sort of how we do it.

00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:37.799
 And I stood there with my family for two straight hours for the people to come up and greet us.

00:05:38.660 --> 00:05:46.319
 And what I heard was story after story after story after story from all kinds of people that I didn't know about what my dad had done for them.

00:05:47.280 --> 00:05:48.939
 You know, a lot of people just, you know, condolences.

00:05:49.180 --> 00:05:53.600
 But person after person would come up and tell me a story something like, I can remember several.

00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:58.120
 But one saying, you know, I met your dad thirty years ago.

00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:01.199
 I pulled into his shop or I called and my car was broken down.

00:06:01.280 --> 00:06:03.740
 He came and picked me up in his own car.

00:06:04.780 --> 00:06:06.780
 Had my car taken to his shop.

00:06:06.779 --> 00:06:11.199
 He gave me his car to use until his car was fixed.

00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:16.279
 And then when I couldn't pay the bill, he gave me time to pay it.

00:06:16.919 --> 00:06:19.039
 And he would always loan me his car.

00:06:19.179 --> 00:06:20.859
 Because he said, my car broke down all the time.

00:06:20.919 --> 00:06:22.579
 And your dad would just always give me his car.

00:06:23.479 --> 00:06:25.899
 Or people would come up and say, you know, I couldn't pay my bill.

00:06:26.799 --> 00:06:30.719
 And your dad would just sort of cut it in half or just let it go.

00:06:30.779 --> 00:06:32.919
 And he said, you know, I think I probably never paid him everything.

00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:35.259
 And he never would demand it.

00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:38.719
 Or that he would do repairs for free.

00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:44.539
 Or he'd come around on the weekends after working sort of kind of like eight to eight almost every day.

00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.180
 Especially in the early years.

00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:51.459
 He'd come around on weekends and fix cars for people and work on their houses.

00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:53.819
 It's just one story after another after another after another.

00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:59.759
 And then when we pulled out to drive up to the cemetery, I looked back.

00:07:00.339 --> 00:07:01.060
 And I'm not kidding.

00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:05.599
 I couldn't see the end of the row of cars that were following us to come up.

00:07:06.300 --> 00:07:10.000
 And my dad was, he owned an auto shop.

00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:16.019
 And, you know, and this is, and I just thought, you know, this is a testimony to my dad's life.

00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:18.680
 And it was a testimony to all the people that he touched.

00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:24.939
 But all the people he touched, he didn't sort of touch them in sort of big, great ways that might have made the news.

00:07:24.939 --> 00:07:26.480
 Or that people would think about.

00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:28.199
 It was, nobody even knew these stories.

00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:29.339
 I didn't even know these stories.

00:07:30.379 --> 00:07:32.779
 And, but that's the way my dad lived.

00:07:33.739 --> 00:07:35.819
 And that's the way he gave himself for others.

00:07:36.599 --> 00:07:40.839
 If I asked you, what's the most important thing in the Christian life?

00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:42.079
 What would you say?

00:07:42.159 --> 00:07:45.619
 Now, we've read, Johnny read this text and you probably know the answer, right?

00:07:45.659 --> 00:07:46.679
 So the answer's already there.

00:07:46.699 --> 00:07:49.819
 But if we hadn't read this text today, what might you say?

00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:51.319
 And you don't have to answer out loud, of course.

00:07:51.799 --> 00:07:53.039
 But just be honest with yourself.

00:07:53.359 --> 00:07:55.359
 What's the most important thing you could do?

00:07:55.479 --> 00:07:57.379
 What's the most important thing in the Christian life?

00:07:57.599 --> 00:07:59.159
 What's the first thing that crosses your mind?

00:07:59.219 --> 00:08:00.579
 Well, probably several different things.

00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:04.000
 And certainly at the top of that would be love God.

00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:06.659
 Well, here's my question for you.

00:08:07.099 --> 00:08:11.379
 Is loving God more important for a Christian than loving your neighbor?

00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:13.759
 Is it more important?

00:08:14.979 --> 00:08:18.680
 Well, I suppose that kind of depends on what we mean by that, right?

00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:26.699
 Because it isn't more important as long as we're not thinking about them as things that you can separate.

00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:28.219
 What I mean is this.

00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:34.200
 Loving God is not more important than your neighbor if you look at it as these are sort of two things you do.

00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:36.500
 You love God and you've got that part down.

00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:39.080
 The neighbor part, I'm not really sure what that means.

00:08:39.180 --> 00:08:40.639
 They're sort of two different things.

00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:43.440
 What Jesus is doing in this story is he's bringing them together.

00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:46.300
 He's not separating them.

00:08:46.299 --> 00:08:51.120
 He's not saying, well, you know, you love God on one sort of part of your day.

00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:58.059
 That's your maybe private life with God and your, I don't know, your Bible reading and devotions and going to church and worshiping.

00:08:58.299 --> 00:08:59.179
 You do those bits.

00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:02.419
 And then this other part, you love your neighbor.

00:09:02.959 --> 00:09:04.859
 Well, that's not how Jesus actually speaks of it.

00:09:05.099 --> 00:09:08.639
 That's how this guy who comes to speak to Jesus sort of thinks of it.

00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:10.620
 That's sort of two different things.

00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:13.500
 Now, one comes from the other, right?

00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:18.519
 It's our love for God that flows into loving our neighbor, that produces our love for our neighbor.

00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.840
 But you can't separate them.

00:09:21.539 --> 00:09:25.740
 Because if we think about our Christian walk, our Christian life as simply loving God,

00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:28.200
 then the question becomes, what does that look like?

00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.620
 What does that mean in your everyday life?

00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:36.180
 Does it just mean your sort of private relationship with Jesus?

00:09:36.179 --> 00:09:39.339
 And the other thing is this, what does that look like?

00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:42.199
 What does love for God look like?

00:09:42.239 --> 00:09:43.500
 How does it show itself?

00:09:44.819 --> 00:09:47.739
 You know, these are sort of the questions that surround this text.

00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:54.079
 So, again, when I say that love for God is not more important than loving your neighbor,

00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:55.559
 what I mean is you can't separate.

00:09:56.139 --> 00:09:56.899
 That's all I mean.

00:09:57.339 --> 00:09:58.959
 And I think that's what Jesus is doing.

00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:03.299
 Now, like all the parables, you know, Jesus would tell these parables.

00:10:03.299 --> 00:10:05.559
 He would go around, and you can see it in this one, right?

00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:07.319
 And the guy comes, asks him a question.

00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:08.299
 They have this conversation.

00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.179
 And then the guy asks one more question.

00:10:11.459 --> 00:10:12.819
 And Jesus doesn't answer the question.

00:10:12.859 --> 00:10:14.039
 He just tells a story.

00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:16.019
 And he does this all the time.

00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:19.119
 Imagine coming up to somebody and asking them a question,

00:10:19.339 --> 00:10:20.939
 and they just start telling a story.

00:10:21.859 --> 00:10:25.159
 Don't really answer your question, but tell you a story.

00:10:25.219 --> 00:10:27.439
 And he did this over and over and over again, all the time.

00:10:27.819 --> 00:10:31.239
 I'm sure the people who are around him all the time, they would know it's coming.

00:10:31.239 --> 00:10:33.459
 Somebody would come and ask him a question, and one of the disciples would say,

00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:34.819
 here comes a story, I'm sure of it.

00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:37.740
 And then, sure enough, here comes a story.

00:10:38.620 --> 00:10:41.120
 And sometimes Jesus wouldn't even, you know, really,

00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.600
 sometimes he wouldn't even really apply it to people.

00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:45.100
 Just leave them with it.

00:10:45.340 --> 00:10:47.180
 And that's what Jesus' stories do.

00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:50.860
 Jesus' stories come to us, and we're really familiar with it.

00:10:50.900 --> 00:10:53.180
 So it can be really hard, because we know them really well.

00:10:53.520 --> 00:10:54.620
 Like a story of the Good Samaritan.

00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:56.940
 Virtually every Christian knows the story.

00:10:56.940 --> 00:11:01.420
 And it's easy to read it, and you think, oh, I know it.

00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:03.340
 And yeah, the Samaritan's a good guy.

00:11:03.460 --> 00:11:06.620
 There's dirty priests, and Levites, bad guys.

00:11:07.160 --> 00:11:08.780
 I really like the Samaritan.

00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:09.500
 Right?

00:11:09.540 --> 00:11:12.320
 We immediately sort of see ourselves in that picture.

00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.580
 But what we sometimes forget, because we're so familiar,

00:11:16.740 --> 00:11:19.560
 is these stories are meant to challenge us.

00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:22.460
 We're not meant to just read this as a story,

00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:24.040
 and then sort of go away thinking,

00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:25.640
 wow, I love that Samaritan.

00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:27.620
 He's a good guy.

00:11:27.800 --> 00:11:28.220
 A priest.

00:11:28.300 --> 00:11:29.580
 I can't stand that guy.

00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:31.360
 That priest and that Levite.

00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:32.180
 Oh, they're horrible.

00:11:32.179 --> 00:11:37.239
 And that lawyer who's bugging Jesus with all these questions.

00:11:37.359 --> 00:11:38.479
 He's an awful guy.

00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:40.199
 I love that Samaritan.

00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:42.559
 And then we sort of go our way,

00:11:42.819 --> 00:11:44.719
 and maybe don't think about it again.

00:11:45.479 --> 00:11:48.620
 The parables of Jesus are meant specifically to challenge us.

00:11:49.059 --> 00:11:49.219
 Right?

00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:52.699
 So that we read them, and we put ourselves in the story,

00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:54.379
 not just in the position of the hero.

00:11:55.959 --> 00:11:56.179
 Right?

00:11:56.199 --> 00:11:57.740
 Not just in the position of the Samaritan,

00:11:57.740 --> 00:12:01.939
 but how do we see ourselves sort of in each of the people in the story?

00:12:02.739 --> 00:12:04.259
 And be really honest with ourselves.

00:12:04.459 --> 00:12:05.419
 Where are we?

00:12:05.459 --> 00:12:08.139
 Where do we stand in relation to all these people?

00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:11.339
 Which person in this story am I most like?

00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:15.159
 And then, what does it mean to love my neighbor?

00:12:16.319 --> 00:12:16.500
 Right?

00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:17.039
 What does that mean?

00:12:17.359 --> 00:12:20.159
 What does the word neighbor even mean?

00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:21.419
 Right?

00:12:21.539 --> 00:12:23.659
 It's kind of a hard word, I think, sometimes for us,

00:12:23.699 --> 00:12:24.879
 because we think of a neighbor as what?

00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:28.219
 The people who live in the house next door or across the street.

00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:30.919
 Growing up as a kid, there was a children's show.

00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:32.439
 It was hugely popular.

00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:34.519
 And this guy would sing the song about,

00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:35.519
 Won't you be my neighbor?

00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:38.559
 That's the whole, I can remember it to this day.

00:12:38.620 --> 00:12:40.240
 In fact, when I hear the word neighbor in the Bible,

00:12:40.299 --> 00:12:42.179
 I don't care where I am, what I'm doing,

00:12:42.319 --> 00:12:44.379
 that song comes to mind immediately.

00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:45.860
 I think about this guy saying,

00:12:45.939 --> 00:12:47.099
 Won't you be, won't you please,

00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:48.620
 won't you please, won't you be my neighbor?

00:12:48.699 --> 00:12:49.979
 And I won't sing it for you.

00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:52.360
 That's what always comes to mind.

00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:54.460
 But I guess right off the bat, what we should say,

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.180
 if you want to know what a neighbor is,

00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:58.580
 it's who's around you.

00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:00.560
 It's the easiest way to think of it.

00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:02.300
 It's the people around you.

00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:04.240
 And it doesn't necessarily mean,

00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:06.220
 and often doesn't mean, sort of your friends.

00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:10.200
 The people that you sort of take to easily.

00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:12.659
 You know, it can be those people.

00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:14.620
 It doesn't exclude those people.

00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:18.240
 But quite easily, a neighbor is who's around you

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.259
 and who's in need.

00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:20.080
 That's it.

00:13:21.019 --> 00:13:21.139
 Right?

00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:22.960
 But just who's, the people around you.

00:13:23.019 --> 00:13:23.860
 Just think of it that way.

00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:24.679
 Right?

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:26.460
 Not sort of whether they're good friends

00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:27.939
 or how well you know them

00:13:27.939 --> 00:13:29.899
 or how long you've known them

00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:31.259
 or whether you're related to them.

00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:34.000
 It's love God and love people.

00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:36.080
 That's going to be the easier way to put it.

00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:36.360
 You know?

00:13:36.439 --> 00:13:38.100
 And in the Old Testament,

00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:39.159
 this was everything,

00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:40.299
 just like the lawyer says.

00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:43.299
 What's the middle of the law?

00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.159
 What's the center of the law?

00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:44.700
 What's easy?

00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:45.460
 You love God.

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:46.779
 Love the Lord your God

00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:48.340
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:50.419
 Love your neighbor as yourself.

00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:51.860
 Those are the two things.

00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:53.480
 Now, the Apostle Paul,

00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:54.399
 just like Jesus,

00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:55.620
 can say this.

00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:57.980
 The whole law is summed up like this.

00:13:58.200 --> 00:13:59.399
 Love your neighbor as yourself.

00:13:59.860 --> 00:14:01.439
 And not even mention the first part.

00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:02.980
 And I don't think it's because

00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:05.039
 Paul just sort of forgot the God part.

00:14:05.439 --> 00:14:05.659
 Right?

00:14:05.700 --> 00:14:06.559
 He writes this letter

00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.059
 to this church in Galatia

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:10.539
 and he's sort of dictating it

00:14:10.539 --> 00:14:11.939
 and then he sends it off

00:14:11.939 --> 00:14:12.500
 and later he's like,

00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:12.860
 Oh!

00:14:12.860 --> 00:14:15.139
 I always forget that first part.

00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:15.919
 That first bit.

00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:16.840
 Love the Lord your God

00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:18.080
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:19.440
 I always leave that out.

00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:21.240
 And I left it out this time.

00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:22.740
 I just put the neighbor part in.

00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.240
 Well, you know,

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.539
 it's not very likely

00:14:25.539 --> 00:14:27.860
 that the Apostle Paul of all people

00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:29.519
 would forget that first part.

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:31.180
 But he can say it.

00:14:31.659 --> 00:14:33.779
 The whole law is summed up like this.

00:14:34.259 --> 00:14:35.560
 Not just say,

00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:36.560
 Love the Lord,

00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:38.139
 but the whole law summed up,

00:14:38.420 --> 00:14:39.420
 Love your neighbor as yourself.

00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:40.960
 There's an example of it.

00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:42.240
 The two things can't be separated.

00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:44.360
 And Jesus can say the same thing.

00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:45.800
 Love your neighbor as yourself.

00:14:45.900 --> 00:14:46.759
 It's everything

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:48.740
 in a Christian context.

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:49.720
 It's everything.

00:14:50.180 --> 00:14:50.980
 And when you say

00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:52.259
 love your neighbor as yourself,

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.200
 as a Christian,

00:14:54.100 --> 00:14:55.220
 it is connected to

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:57.100
 and only makes sense in

00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:57.940
 Love the Lord your God

00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:59.259
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.820
 And if you think about

00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:01.879
 and think about

00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:02.940
 Love the Lord your God

00:15:02.940 --> 00:15:04.480
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,

00:15:05.139 --> 00:15:06.860
 it shows itself

00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:09.360
 in your love for the others around you.

00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:10.360
 Otherwise,

00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:12.919
 you're in danger of it just being words.

00:15:13.779 --> 00:15:15.440
 Or you're just in danger of thinking about

00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:16.399
 my relationship with God

00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.120
 as just sort of my own private thing

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:20.180
 where I'm reading the Bible and praying.

00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:20.960
 Those are good things to do.

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.500
 Don't get me wrong.

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:22.980
 I'm all for reading the Bible.

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:23.980
 I'm all for praying.

00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:24.940
 I'm all for going to church.

00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:25.659
 I'm all for worshiping.

00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:27.060
 Those things are essential.

00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:29.899
 But if we only think of our Christian life

00:15:29.899 --> 00:15:30.879
 and our love for God

00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.180
 as showing itself

00:15:32.180 --> 00:15:35.120
 in our sort of private life with God,

00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:36.600
 our private walk with God,

00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:38.420
 then we're missing out on the thing

00:15:38.420 --> 00:15:40.100
 that the lawyer here is missing out on.

00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:41.460
 And we're missing out on the thing

00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:43.080
 that both Jesus and Paul will say,

00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:44.659
 it's everything.

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.379
 Loving those around you

00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:47.560
 the way you love yourself.

00:15:47.940 --> 00:15:49.060
 It's the center of everything.

00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:50.899
 And so you know this story.

00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.399
 And Johnny's read it,

00:15:52.440 --> 00:15:54.120
 so I'm not going to reread the whole thing.

00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:55.360
 It's easily three parts.

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.460
 So you have this lawyer.

00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:57.800
 Now, this expert in the law.

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:59.220
 You might think of him as a scholar.

00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.100
 Sometimes the translation will say lawyer,

00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:05.940
 and that sounds like somebody who's in court.

00:16:06.040 --> 00:16:06.720
 It's not really that.

00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:07.840
 It's somebody who's an expert.

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:08.940
 That's what he does.

00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:11.840
 His whole life is spent studying the Bible,

00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:13.700
 which of course for them was the Old Testament.

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:14.740
 Right?

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:16.899
 And there's all kinds of rumors

00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:17.800
 going around about Jesus.

00:16:17.940 --> 00:16:19.300
 Everybody wants to know what he's like.

00:16:19.420 --> 00:16:20.639
 Everybody wants to talk to him.

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:21.860
 And some of the people

00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:23.460
 who knew the Bible the best

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:26.399
 were particularly interested in talking to him.

00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:28.680
 And sometimes they want to trick him.

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:31.060
 Sometimes they want to sort of trip him up.

00:16:31.059 --> 00:16:32.239
 And sometimes they're just curious

00:16:32.239 --> 00:16:35.239
 about what he'll say and what he thinks.

00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:37.079
 And so in this story,

00:16:37.859 --> 00:16:38.679
 in this story,

00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:40.139
 this expert in the law comes up and says,

00:16:40.239 --> 00:16:42.759
 Teacher, what do I need to do to have eternal life?

00:16:42.819 --> 00:16:44.179
 Now, we don't know.

00:16:44.479 --> 00:16:46.479
 I mean, certainly the guy knew from the Bible.

00:16:46.959 --> 00:16:48.339
 So it's probably likely he's like,

00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:49.619
 I wonder what Jesus is going to say

00:16:49.619 --> 00:16:50.679
 if I ask him this question.

00:16:51.479 --> 00:16:53.219
 And Jesus is great.

00:16:54.379 --> 00:16:54.819
 I don't know.

00:16:55.019 --> 00:16:55.639
 What do you think?

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.099
 That's what he says.

00:16:57.800 --> 00:16:58.420
 Because he knows.

00:16:58.500 --> 00:17:00.000
 Jesus knows this guy's a teacher

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:01.100
 and a scholar.

00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:02.040
 And the guy says,

00:17:02.180 --> 00:17:03.820
 What do I have to do to inherit eternal life?

00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:04.380
 I don't know.

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.120
 What's the law say?

00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:06.039
 You're the expert.

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:06.799
 Tell me.

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:09.120
 Jesus doesn't even answer him.

00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:09.519
 He doesn't say,

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.099
 You tell me.

00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:11.039
 What's it say?

00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:12.160
 So he knows.

00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:13.819
 I think he immediately knows

00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:15.140
 something's up with this guy.

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:16.799
 This isn't just a simple question.

00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:18.519
 And he knows there's something behind it.

00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:18.680
 I mean,

00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:20.259
 why would an expert in the law

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:21.759
 have to ask somebody,

00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.819
 What do I have to do to inherit eternal life?

00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:25.940
 And so Jesus,

00:17:26.120 --> 00:17:26.880
 and then he answers.

00:17:27.379 --> 00:17:27.719
 And he says,

00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:27.879
 Well,

00:17:27.939 --> 00:17:28.799
 it's love the Lord your God

00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:29.379
 with all your heart,

00:17:29.459 --> 00:17:29.719
 soul,

00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:31.299
 with all your heart,

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:32.119
 with all your soul,

00:17:32.199 --> 00:17:33.000
 with all your strength,

00:17:33.059 --> 00:17:33.699
 with all your mind.

00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:33.859
 I mean,

00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:34.699
 that's everything, right?

00:17:34.719 --> 00:17:36.480
 It means with your whole being.

00:17:37.439 --> 00:17:38.539
 You don't really have to think about,

00:17:38.699 --> 00:17:38.839
 Well,

00:17:38.919 --> 00:17:41.279
 the mind part is maybe reading

00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.279
 and the soul part.

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:43.500
 I don't know what the soul part is.

00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:46.839
 The life part is with your life and living.

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:49.079
 It just means your whole being.

00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:50.179
 Everything about you.

00:17:50.379 --> 00:17:51.059
 Devoted to God.

00:17:51.139 --> 00:17:52.199
 That's all it means.

00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.240
 And that's a lot.

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:58.500
 And then he says,

00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.039
 And,

00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:00.279
 love your neighbor as yourself.

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.180
 And Jesus says,

00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:01.940
 That's right.

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:03.039
 You got it.

00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:04.400
 You do that,

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:04.940
 you'll live.

00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:06.980
 Now,

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:08.059
 what I always imagine

00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:09.640
 is that after that,

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:11.019
 there was a little bit of silence.

00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:12.299
 Like the lawyers,

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:13.259
 you know,

00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:14.080
 because the lawyer came up,

00:18:14.120 --> 00:18:15.220
 he doesn't get an answer.

00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:16.460
 Jesus makes him answer.

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:16.960
 And Jesus says,

00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:17.360
 That's right.

00:18:17.420 --> 00:18:18.059
 You've got it.

00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.299
 Just do that.

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:21.299
 And what I imagine,

00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.200
 now I can't prove it,

00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:22.940
 but what I imagine is

00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:23.620
 there's a little,

00:18:24.340 --> 00:18:26.960
 just time of uncomfortable silence

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:29.380
 with the lawyers maybe looking around.

00:18:29.580 --> 00:18:29.740
 And, you know,

00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:30.740
 Jesus' disciples,

00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.080
 they're like,

00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:32.360
 here it comes.

00:18:32.820 --> 00:18:33.080
 Right?

00:18:33.120 --> 00:18:33.480
 They know.

00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:34.700
 And finally,

00:18:34.819 --> 00:18:35.360
 after a little bit,

00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:36.039
 the lawyer says,

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:36.339
 Well,

00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.299
 okay,

00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:38.740
 I've got one more question for you.

00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:41.259
 And Luke tells us what's going on.

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:43.759
 Luke says he wants to justify himself.

00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.400
 So he says,

00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:46.140
 So,

00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.620
 who is my neighbor,

00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:49.059
 by the way?

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:49.660
 I mean,

00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.839
 as long as we're talking about it.

00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:52.180
 What do you think?

00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:53.180
 Now,

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:54.559
 that question

00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.620
 exposes everything we need to know

00:18:56.620 --> 00:18:57.720
 about this young guy.

00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.120
 Because if you ask somebody,

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.000
 Who is my neighbor?

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:03.099
 What's the question behind the question?

00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.339
 There's a question behind there.

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.620
 The minute you say,

00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:08.880
 So who do I need to love?

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.819
 What are you asking,

00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:12.299
 whether you realize it or not?

00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:14.960
 Who can I kind of skip over?

00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:15.799
 Right?

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:17.759
 Tell me the people I really need to love

00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.759
 to fulfill this.

00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:20.039
 Because there's no,

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:20.880
 if you think,

00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:22.259
 if you immediately think it's everybody,

00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:24.059
 there's no reason you would ever ask,

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.400
 So who is my neighbor?

00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:26.420
 And I don't think it's because

00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:27.980
 he doesn't understand the word neighbor

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:29.700
 like the way maybe we don't.

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:29.920
 Right?

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:31.620
 He's an expert in the law.

00:19:32.100 --> 00:19:32.860
 So I don't think he's saying,

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:34.100
 What's the word neighbor mean,

00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:34.620
 by the way?

00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:35.759
 I've always wondered about that.

00:19:35.820 --> 00:19:35.920
 I mean,

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:36.980
 I've been studying the Bible

00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:38.039
 for my whole entire life.

00:19:38.100 --> 00:19:39.220
 I still don't get it.

00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:41.120
 I think what he means is,

00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:42.580
 So who do I need to be loving?

00:19:44.300 --> 00:19:45.039
 You tell me.

00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:48.420
 And Jesus doesn't tell him.

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.779
 He just tells a story.

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.740
 That's what he does.

00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:54.619
 That's how he replies.

00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:55.879
 So who is my neighbor?

00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:56.899
 Now just imagine,

00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:57.980
 you have to think about it for a second.

00:19:58.180 --> 00:19:58.539
 Imagine,

00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:00.000
 imagine saying to Jesus,

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:01.159
 Who is my neighbor?

00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:02.059
 And you're sitting there looking,

00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:02.819
 waiting for an answer.

00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:04.039
 And Jesus says,

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.519
 A man was going down from Jericho.

00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:09.740
 And as he went along the way,

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:13.559
 he got mugged and beaten and robbed.

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:15.419
 Hold on.

00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:15.799
 Wait,

00:20:15.899 --> 00:20:16.539
 did you not hear me?

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.119
 He had to think at some point,

00:20:18.179 --> 00:20:19.240
 maybe he didn't hear my question.

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.179
 The question is,

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:20.779
 Who's my neighbor?

00:20:21.159 --> 00:20:21.339
 I mean,

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.819
 I'm sure this is a great story and everything,

00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.879
 but who is my neighbor?

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:27.039
 And so Jesus now,

00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.079
 what Jesus will do with this story,

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:31.059
 I'll just go ahead and give the ending away.

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:33.619
 What Jesus does with this story is,

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:36.019
 he changes the guy's question.

00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:37.079
 He basically says,

00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:38.440
 You're asking the wrong question.

00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:41.079
 You don't get it at all.

00:20:41.679 --> 00:20:43.279
 Because to ask that question

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:43.819
 improves,

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:45.019
 you don't really understand.

00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:46.960
 So Jesus changes the question.

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.799
 He will answer it,

00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:50.779
 but it's sort of a long answer to say,

00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:51.160
 Hey man,

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.639
 wrong question.

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.259
 You don't get it.

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:57.399
 It's not about sorting out

00:20:57.399 --> 00:20:58.059
 who's your neighbor.

00:20:58.579 --> 00:20:59.819
 And then he tells this story,

00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:00.200
 right?

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.859
 He tells this story.

00:21:01.899 --> 00:21:03.539
 A man went down to Jericho.

00:21:03.639 --> 00:21:04.039
 Now Jericho,

00:21:04.139 --> 00:21:04.619
 this road,

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:06.639
 this road is a really dangerous road.

00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:08.619
 Usually when people travel on this road,

00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:09.660
 if they had any money or whatever,

00:21:09.660 --> 00:21:11.680
 they would bring guards or people with them.

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:12.880
 It's really well known.

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:14.060
 You can read stories about it.

00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:18.720
 If you travel down from Jerusalem down to Jericho,

00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:20.080
 it's really rocky

00:21:20.080 --> 00:21:23.140
 and lots of places for people to hide.

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:25.860
 People got mugged and robbed on it all the time.

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.259
 Really,

00:21:26.340 --> 00:21:27.080
 really dangerous road.

00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:28.120
 Right?

00:21:28.219 --> 00:21:29.759
 So I'm sure there's somebody sitting in the audience

00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:30.019
 thinking,

00:21:30.179 --> 00:21:30.299
 Well,

00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:30.699
 of course,

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:31.379
 served him right.

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:32.339
 Shouldn't have been walking down the road

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:33.079
 in the first place.

00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:33.919
 And so,

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:35.099
 he's walking down the road.

00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:36.000
 He gets mugged.

00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:37.099
 Jesus goes really quick,

00:21:37.159 --> 00:21:37.319
 right?

00:21:37.739 --> 00:21:39.519
 They beat him to death.

00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:40.579
 They leave him for dead.

00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:42.339
 All right?

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:42.739
 And remember,

00:21:42.819 --> 00:21:43.379
 the question is,

00:21:43.419 --> 00:21:44.119
 Who is my neighbor?

00:21:45.399 --> 00:21:46.199
 And Jesus says,

00:21:46.259 --> 00:21:46.359
 Well,

00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:46.539
 okay,

00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.339
 this guy's going down.

00:21:47.419 --> 00:21:48.079
 He gets mugged.

00:21:48.139 --> 00:21:48.599
 He gets half,

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:49.939
 he's left for dead.

00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.699
 And then,

00:21:50.879 --> 00:21:52.000
 a priest comes by.

00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:52.799
 Well,

00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.699
 if you're listening to the story,

00:21:53.699 --> 00:21:55.279
 and especially if you're that lawyer,

00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:56.539
 the expert in the law,

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:59.339
 the people probably have friends who are priests.

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.099
 And besides,

00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:01.720
 what do priests do?

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.859
 What's the job of a priest?

00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:05.859
 A job of a priest in Israel was to do this.

00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:08.059
 Was to maintain and keep the relationship

00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:09.299
 between God and his people

00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:10.839
 by offering sacrifices.

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:11.159
 Right?

00:22:11.659 --> 00:22:13.379
 He's the sort of go-between

00:22:13.379 --> 00:22:15.279
 between God and the people.

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:16.940
 He's the one who keeps the relationship

00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:18.460
 smooth and running.

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:20.700
 His job is to keep God

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:23.059
 and people sort of reconciled together

00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:24.180
 on a regular basis

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.099
 through the sacrifices.

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:25.359
 Right?

00:22:25.399 --> 00:22:26.180
 That's why he exists.

00:22:26.180 --> 00:22:27.620
 He only exists

00:22:27.620 --> 00:22:30.820
 to keep up that relationship

00:22:30.820 --> 00:22:31.720
 between God and people.

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.700
 That's what priests do.

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:35.360
 You're like the big-time hero, right?

00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:36.060
 That's what he does.

00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:37.660
 They can't really sort of function without them.

00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:38.440
 I mean, they can,

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:39.160
 but they don't want to.

00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:40.840
 And so the priest comes by,

00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:42.360
 and you must be thinking,

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.160
 if you're sitting there,

00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:43.620
 ah,

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:44.860
 it's going to help him.

00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:46.200
 Nope.

00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:48.220
 He saw the man,

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:50.299
 and he walked to the other side of the road.

00:22:51.860 --> 00:22:52.259
 Now,

00:22:52.940 --> 00:22:54.980
 people suggest all kinds of things for this.

00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:56.079
 Maybe the priest was afraid

00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:57.480
 if he's dead and he touches him,

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:57.680
 you know,

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.759
 he becomes unclean,

00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:01.019
 as though that's a good excuse.

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:03.720
 Or he just looks at him and thinks,

00:23:03.860 --> 00:23:04.059
 well,

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:04.860
 you know,

00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.420
 I don't know.

00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:06.339
 Maybe he's just resting.

00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.360
 I don't know what he's doing.

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:08.539
 But it's really clear.

00:23:08.539 --> 00:23:09.940
 He sees him over there

00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:11.440
 and crosses to the other side.

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:12.399
 Right?

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.740
 Of all the people

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:16.519
 who should know the phrase,

00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:18.720
 I desire mercy,

00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:20.339
 not sacrifice,

00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:22.119
 it should have been this guy,

00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:23.740
 the priest.

00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:25.740
 And what does he do?

00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:27.099
 He sees a person in need.

00:23:27.879 --> 00:23:29.240
 Maybe he knows he's a Samaritan,

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.420
 which makes it even worse.

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:31.079
 Sorry, sorry.

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.480
 Getting ahead of myself.

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:34.839
 He sees this guy in need.

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.960
 He crosses the street,

00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:37.039
 keeps right on walking.

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:37.139
 I mean,

00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.240
 well,

00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:40.619
 I mean,

00:23:40.659 --> 00:23:41.180
 what next?

00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:41.740
 Well,

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.180
 next comes a Levite.

00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:43.539
 Now,

00:23:43.639 --> 00:23:44.720
 who are the Levites?

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:46.019
 The Levites were the people

00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:46.899
 who helped the priests.

00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.059
 That was their job.

00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:49.879
 That was their,

00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:50.259
 you know,

00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:51.339
 they came from Levi

00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:53.339
 and their job was to assist

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.519
 in all the stuff

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.559
 that takes place in the temple.

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.460
 That's what they did.

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:58.000
 That's why they were alive.

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:59.240
 That's what God gave them to do.

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.500
 So you have the priest

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.960
 and then comes a guy

00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:02.379
 next,

00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:03.240
 right behind him,

00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:04.019
 the guy who,

00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:05.139
 his whole life

00:24:05.139 --> 00:24:07.019
 is devoted to helping the priest

00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:08.940
 keep the relationship

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:10.359
 between the people of Israel

00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:11.359
 and God intact.

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.200
 That's what they do.

00:24:13.859 --> 00:24:15.039
 That's what they exist for.

00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:16.039
 They exist

00:24:16.039 --> 00:24:17.759
 to keep that relationship,

00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:18.599
 that covenant,

00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:19.740
 intact

00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:21.660
 so that the people

00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:23.359
 can be before God

00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:24.339
 and worship God

00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:25.019
 and that's what they do.

00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:25.839
 They maintain

00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:26.960
 all the worship.

00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:28.700
 Everything that takes place

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.660
 between God and people.

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:30.799
 That's what they do.

00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:31.680
 They are,

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:34.019
 they are the religious elite

00:24:34.019 --> 00:24:34.619
 of the time.

00:24:34.719 --> 00:24:35.819
 Nobody is above them.

00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:36.919
 Right?

00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:38.179
 They are the ones.

00:24:38.919 --> 00:24:39.779
 They are the ones.

00:24:40.699 --> 00:24:41.919
 Nobody has more authority,

00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:42.259
 really.

00:24:42.719 --> 00:24:43.219
 Nobody is,

00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:43.459
 say,

00:24:43.479 --> 00:24:44.239
 more respected.

00:24:44.939 --> 00:24:46.699
 Nobody knows the Bible better.

00:24:47.159 --> 00:24:48.099
 Nobody lives it out.

00:24:48.159 --> 00:24:48.259
 I mean,

00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:48.879
 they're devoted,

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:49.859
 full-time ministers.

00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:50.539
 That's basically

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.359
 sort of what they are.

00:24:51.679 --> 00:24:52.259
 Full-time.

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:53.639
 And yet,

00:24:53.679 --> 00:24:54.639
 they see this guy

00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:56.799
 and they keep right on going.

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.239
 Now,

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.679
 we don't know,

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:01.319
 we don't know why

00:25:01.319 --> 00:25:02.319
 they kept right on going,

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.799
 but I would say this.

00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:05.059
 When we read a story like this,

00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:06.279
 we don't want to be too quick

00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:07.059
 just to be like,

00:25:07.179 --> 00:25:07.779
 just to think,

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.240
 oh,

00:25:08.899 --> 00:25:09.539
 awful.

00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:10.919
 These people are awful.

00:25:12.339 --> 00:25:13.859
 What we need to do is think,

00:25:14.399 --> 00:25:15.700
 so what about me?

00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:18.740
 If I'm walking down,

00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:20.000
 it didn't have to be

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.099
 just this scenario,

00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:21.399
 right?

00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.159
 Because what,

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:22.359
 I mean,

00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:23.500
 why did they stay away

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.019
 from the guy?

00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:24.639
 We don't know.

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.579
 But what's important is,

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.619
 they stayed away.

00:25:28.339 --> 00:25:28.579
 I mean,

00:25:28.619 --> 00:25:29.500
 maybe it was,

00:25:29.659 --> 00:25:30.339
 they didn't want to,

00:25:30.419 --> 00:25:31.399
 they didn't want to touch him,

00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:32.200
 they were afraid he's dead

00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:33.160
 and maybe that would make them

00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:34.100
 unclean according to the law.

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.600
 I don't know.

00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:36.019
 Maybe they just didn't have

00:25:36.019 --> 00:25:36.759
 time for it.

00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:37.380
 You know,

00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:38.340
 they've got some place to be.

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:39.420
 They've got some place to go.

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.800
 Something they have to do.

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:41.680
 I don't really have time

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.140
 for that guy.

00:25:42.320 --> 00:25:43.460
 He's probably going to die anyway.

00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:44.580
 What am I supposed to do?

00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.540
 I'm going to keep right on going.

00:25:46.060 --> 00:25:46.759
 We don't know why.

00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:48.880
 Certainly,

00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:50.580
 they had nothing to gain

00:25:50.580 --> 00:25:51.460
 from helping him.

00:25:51.560 --> 00:25:51.580
 I mean,

00:25:51.580 --> 00:25:52.759
 this guy is not going to be able

00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:53.860
 to give them something,

00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:54.080
 right?

00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:54.540
 They're not going to,

00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:56.440
 they have to completely invest in him.

00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.880
 They're not going to get anything back.

00:25:58.360 --> 00:26:00.120
 It's not really a win situation

00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:01.639
 for them and they can just ignore it.

00:26:01.659 --> 00:26:02.479
 They can just go by

00:26:02.479 --> 00:26:03.539
 as though it's not existing.

00:26:03.619 --> 00:26:04.179
 So we don't know.

00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:05.219
 But we do know this.

00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:06.019
 They just ignored it.

00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:07.179
 They just ignored the need.

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:08.179
 They didn't look at him.

00:26:08.439 --> 00:26:09.239
 They didn't do what they,

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:10.459
 they didn't even check on him.

00:26:11.439 --> 00:26:12.539
 And it's easy to look

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.039
 and we should,

00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:13.659
 we should look at that.

00:26:13.739 --> 00:26:14.159
 Of course,

00:26:14.219 --> 00:26:15.359
 that's the wrong thing to do.

00:26:15.619 --> 00:26:17.159
 But we don't want to be so fast

00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:18.099
 to look at them

00:26:18.099 --> 00:26:18.959
 and say,

00:26:19.439 --> 00:26:19.699
 oh,

00:26:20.199 --> 00:26:21.619
 I can't stand people like that.

00:26:22.699 --> 00:26:23.679
 I think one of the things

00:26:23.679 --> 00:26:25.079
 that the parable challenges us to do

00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:25.279
 is,

00:26:25.719 --> 00:26:27.039
 are we people like that?

00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.680
 And it doesn't have to be

00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:30.240
 because you saw a person half dead

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.259
 and you walked to the other side

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:31.740
 of the street.

00:26:32.659 --> 00:26:34.059
 Are we people like that?

00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:36.359
 Are we people who slow down

00:26:36.359 --> 00:26:38.599
 and take the time

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.639
 to invest in people

00:26:40.639 --> 00:26:42.279
 who can't give us anything back?

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:44.460
 Who have need?

00:26:44.659 --> 00:26:46.000
 And we have some way

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.339
 of fulfilling that need

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:49.019
 even if it's just to check on them.

00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:51.500
 Even if it's just to take time

00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:52.339
 out of our own day,

00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.480
 out of our own schedule.

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:56.460
 So we need to ask ourselves

00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:57.019
 that question.

00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.079
 And I think that's what

00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:59.339
 Jesus is pressing the lawyer

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.200
 to do, by the way.

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:02.319
 Because he's an expert in the law.

00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.259
 He could have said,

00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:04.279
 Jesus could have added

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:05.099
 another person.

00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.220
 A priest,

00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:06.880
 a Levite,

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.660
 and then a scholar

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.660
 of the law comes.

00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.400
 They would have all been

00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.039
 like friends

00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:11.860
 hanging out together.

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.099
 This was his crowd.

00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:15.339
 When this guy went

00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:16.440
 and hung around

00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:17.059
 with his friends

00:27:17.059 --> 00:27:17.539
 at night

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.160
 or wherever,

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:18.920
 whenever,

00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:19.740
 it would have been

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:20.700
 people like priests

00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:21.279
 and Levites.

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:21.980
 That's who he knew.

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:22.819
 He knew them.

00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:25.120
 It was his people,

00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:25.660
 his crowd,

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.920
 his peer group

00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:27.339
 or whatever.

00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.759
 And Jesus says,

00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:30.360
 look,

00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:31.299
 they walked right by.

00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.839
 The people who should know

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:34.120
 best of all

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:35.000
 what they should do.

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.460
 The people who know

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.579
 the most about the Bible.

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.860
 The people who know

00:27:38.860 --> 00:27:40.160
 the most about Israel.

00:27:40.339 --> 00:27:41.079
 The people who know

00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:42.700
 most about what pleases God.

00:27:43.120 --> 00:27:44.900
 The people whose job it is

00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:46.660
 to maintain the relationship

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:48.059
 between God and people.

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:50.140
 Turns out they're all talk.

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:53.520
 They do their jobs.

00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.580
 They get on with it.

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:55.660
 But it turns out

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:57.360
 they don't care about people.

00:27:58.020 --> 00:27:58.820
 And you can see it.

00:27:59.220 --> 00:28:00.300
 And then that raises

00:28:00.300 --> 00:28:01.100
 another question.

00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:02.380
 What does that say

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.360
 about their love for God?

00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:06.620
 And then comes

00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:08.080
 the most unlikely character

00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:08.580
 of all.

00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:10.960
 Sort of a half-cousin.

00:28:12.020 --> 00:28:12.259
 Right?

00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:13.140
 A Samaritan.

00:28:13.580 --> 00:28:14.259
 Now I won't get into

00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:15.140
 a big history lesson

00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:15.840
 about the Samaritans.

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.180
 It's just,

00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:16.800
 I'll say this.

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.119
 The Samaritans lived

00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:19.899
 up north in Samaria.

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.759
 And they were

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:23.000
 kind of half-Jewish.

00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:24.720
 They had their own

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.500
 sacrifices.

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:26.659
 They had their own temple.

00:28:26.819 --> 00:28:27.819
 They had their own priests.

00:28:28.379 --> 00:28:30.119
 And there was no love lost

00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:31.099
 between the Samaritans

00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:31.619
 and the Jews.

00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.200
 They didn't like each other.

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:35.019
 They were kind of close.

00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:35.980
 And you know how it is

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:36.519
 with people you're

00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:37.579
 kind of related to

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.279
 or you're related to.

00:28:38.419 --> 00:28:38.879
 You just have,

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:40.180
 it's sometimes the hardest

00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:40.919
 to get along with them

00:28:40.919 --> 00:28:41.539
 of anybody.

00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:42.399
 Right?

00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:43.079
 Sometimes it's harder

00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:44.460
 to get along with your family

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:46.639
 than your enemies sometimes.

00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:47.140
 You know what,

00:28:47.320 --> 00:28:48.000
 well maybe I'm just

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.620
 speaking personally.

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.020
 I don't know.

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:49.920
 And I don't mean

00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.700
 my immediate family

00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:51.400
 don't start thinking

00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:52.400
 about my marriage

00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:53.240
 or something like that.

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.040
 So,

00:28:54.320 --> 00:28:56.220
 they just don't like each other.

00:28:56.600 --> 00:28:57.640
 And a Jew

00:28:57.640 --> 00:28:58.960
 can't come in contact

00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.820
 with the Samaritan

00:28:59.820 --> 00:29:01.140
 without becoming unclean.

00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:02.660
 And they really

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.759
 just didn't like them.

00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:05.259
 He's the most,

00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:05.900
 so I'm sure

00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:06.759
 the Jewish audience

00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:07.300
 and the lawyers

00:29:07.300 --> 00:29:07.720
 thinking,

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:08.700
 oh,

00:29:09.020 --> 00:29:09.600
 so he's going to

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.460
 kick the guy in the head.

00:29:10.860 --> 00:29:11.280
 Right?

00:29:11.280 --> 00:29:12.040
 He's going to kick him

00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:12.560
 while he's down.

00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:13.660
 The priest didn't do

00:29:13.660 --> 00:29:14.520
 anything he should have.

00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:15.759
 The Levite didn't do

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.420
 anything he should have.

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:17.300
 The Samaritan's

00:29:17.300 --> 00:29:18.180
 going to finish him off.

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:19.580
 Certainly.

00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:20.279
 Right?

00:29:20.320 --> 00:29:20.800
 He's going to just go

00:29:20.800 --> 00:29:21.779
 kick him while he's down.

00:29:22.560 --> 00:29:23.820
 There's no chance.

00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:25.440
 There's no chance

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.080
 in the first century

00:29:26.080 --> 00:29:27.060
 a Jewish person

00:29:27.060 --> 00:29:27.820
 is telling this story

00:29:27.820 --> 00:29:28.980
 and the Samaritan's

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.620
 going to be the hero.

00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:30.400
 No chance.

00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:31.000
 None.

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:31.420
 Zero.

00:29:32.140 --> 00:29:33.360
 Nobody listening to the story

00:29:33.360 --> 00:29:34.640
 is expecting

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:36.000
 what happens next.

00:29:36.860 --> 00:29:37.900
 He's just a Samaritan.

00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.420
 And what does

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.160
 the Samaritan do?

00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:40.400
 Well,

00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:40.920
 I'm not going to

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:42.000
 retrace all the steps

00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:42.640
 of what he does,

00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:43.880
 but you can say it

00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:44.420
 like this.

00:29:46.040 --> 00:29:48.100
 He invests

00:29:48.100 --> 00:29:49.000
 in this person

00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:49.580
 with needs.

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.820
 He goes to him.

00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:53.980
 He cares for him.

00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:54.920
 And he goes,

00:29:55.100 --> 00:29:55.759
 he doesn't just sort of

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.700
 throw some money at him.

00:29:57.200 --> 00:29:59.000
 He invests his life

00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:01.420
 in the life of this guy.

00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:02.700
 That's what he does.

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:05.259
 He gives him his time

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:07.780
 and whatever resources

00:30:07.780 --> 00:30:08.320
 he has.

00:30:08.520 --> 00:30:09.520
 He gives it to him.

00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:09.779
 Why?

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:10.639
 Because of what he's

00:30:10.639 --> 00:30:11.220
 going to get back?

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:11.500
 No.

00:30:11.579 --> 00:30:12.420
 I think that's the key.

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.779
 That's one of the keys

00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:14.379
 of this story.

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.579
 The Samaritan

00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:17.200
 has nothing to gain

00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:17.720
 for this person

00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:19.139
 has nothing to offer him.

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.519
 He's not going to get

00:30:20.519 --> 00:30:21.799
 anything back from it.

00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:23.500
 Right?

00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:23.900
 I mean,

00:30:24.139 --> 00:30:24.480
 you know,

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.059
 unless we start

00:30:25.059 --> 00:30:26.139
 building story upon story

00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:26.299
 and think,

00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:26.440
 well,

00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:27.379
 maybe the guy's rich

00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:28.240
 and later he'll give him

00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:28.619
 some money.

00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:29.079
 You know,

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:29.619
 it's like some kind

00:30:29.619 --> 00:30:30.700
 of fairy tale or something.

00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.519
 Turns out this guy's

00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.299
 the king of something.

00:30:32.379 --> 00:30:33.279
 It's not like that at all.

00:30:33.779 --> 00:30:34.359
 It's just some guy

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:34.900
 who's beat up

00:30:34.900 --> 00:30:35.480
 beside the road

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.319
 and can't help himself.

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.599
 And the Samaritan comes,

00:30:38.599 --> 00:30:40.579
 the most unlikely person,

00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:41.599
 not a hero,

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:44.579
 and he gives what he has

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:46.179
 to take care of this person.

00:30:48.219 --> 00:30:49.099
 And then Jesus

00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:50.199
 has a simple question.

00:30:54.439 --> 00:30:55.399
 Which do you think

00:30:55.399 --> 00:30:56.099
 was the neighbor

00:30:56.099 --> 00:30:56.939
 to the one who fell?

00:30:57.879 --> 00:30:58.439
 It's not,

00:30:58.819 --> 00:30:59.759
 who is my neighbor?

00:31:00.879 --> 00:31:02.099
 Jesus turns the question,

00:31:02.179 --> 00:31:02.659
 do you get it?

00:31:02.919 --> 00:31:03.819
 Jesus turns the question

00:31:03.819 --> 00:31:04.059
 to,

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.240
 so who was the neighbor?

00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:07.879
 Not who is your neighbor,

00:31:07.879 --> 00:31:08.459
 I'm going to tell you.

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:09.619
 Who was the neighbor?

00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:10.659
 And so what he's saying

00:31:10.659 --> 00:31:11.419
 to the guy is this.

00:31:13.639 --> 00:31:14.859
 The question is not,

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:16.500
 who is my neighbor?

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:17.319
 The question is,

00:31:17.899 --> 00:31:18.500
 who are you

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.619
 to the people around you?

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:21.859
 You,

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.119
 who are so quick to say,

00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:24.319
 love the Lord your God

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:24.779
 with all your heart,

00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:25.480
 soul, mind, and strength,

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.319
 and love your neighbor

00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:26.879
 as yourself.

00:31:27.819 --> 00:31:28.579
 And then Jesus

00:31:28.579 --> 00:31:30.079
 tells the story

00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:31.339
 about a guy,

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.659
 two guys

00:31:32.659 --> 00:31:33.819
 who should have known better,

00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:36.079
 who did not love

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:36.559
 their neighbor.

00:31:36.899 --> 00:31:37.179
 Yet,

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.679
 by their very lives,

00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:39.419
 they're associated

00:31:39.419 --> 00:31:40.539
 as people who love God.

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:42.339
 Priests and Levites.

00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:45.099
 And then Jesus just says,

00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:46.980
 I mean,

00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:48.599
 the guy says the right thing

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:49.019
 at the end.

00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.399
 The expert in the law says,

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:51.200
 Jesus says,

00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:52.159
 who is the neighbor?

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:52.759
 And the guy says,

00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:53.720
 the one who had mercy.

00:31:54.399 --> 00:31:55.119
 And Jesus says,

00:31:55.379 --> 00:31:56.339
 so go do that.

00:31:57.919 --> 00:31:58.099
 Right?

00:31:58.099 --> 00:31:58.859
 And he never directly

00:31:58.859 --> 00:31:59.919
 answers his question.

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:00.259
 In fact,

00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:01.220
 he does answer his question

00:32:01.220 --> 00:32:01.480
 to say,

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.099
 oh, by the way,

00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:03.459
 who's your neighbor?

00:32:04.879 --> 00:32:05.759
 Look around you.

00:32:07.459 --> 00:32:08.319
 That's the answer.

00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.740
 Who am I supposed to love?

00:32:11.459 --> 00:32:12.219
 Look around you.

00:32:13.079 --> 00:32:13.619
 That's it.

00:32:14.879 --> 00:32:15.659
 That's what he's supposed

00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:16.459
 to be concerned with

00:32:16.459 --> 00:32:18.919
 because his love for God

00:32:18.919 --> 00:32:20.759
 is going to be shown

00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:22.839
 in how he loves others.

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:25.099
 Because our love for others

00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:28.339
 is the most sort of tangible

00:32:28.339 --> 00:32:32.240
 or clearest example

00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:34.339
 or clearest revelation,

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:34.839
 if you will.

00:32:34.879 --> 00:32:35.980
 Maybe that's not the best word

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:37.379
 of how we love God.

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:38.259
 Our love for God

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:39.599
 has to show itself,

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:41.399
 not just be something we say.

00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:42.480
 Right?

00:32:42.639 --> 00:32:43.959
 And this is how Jesus,

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:44.299
 I think,

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.359
 is challenging us.

00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:47.079
 This is how he's challenging us

00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:47.639
 through this parable

00:32:47.639 --> 00:32:49.119
 because imagine this.

00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:53.459
 What if God had said,

00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:55.319
 all right,

00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:58.259
 I'm going to save the world

00:32:58.259 --> 00:33:00.660
 and here's what I'm going to do.

00:33:01.579 --> 00:33:02.559
 I'm going to go down.

00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:03.620
 I mean,

00:33:03.840 --> 00:33:04.360
 as though, you know,

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.579
 you have to bear with me.

00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:08.380
 And I'm going to spend time

00:33:08.380 --> 00:33:09.000
 with those people

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:10.440
 who are most like me.

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:11.579
 All right?

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:12.579
 I want to find the people

00:33:12.579 --> 00:33:13.680
 who are kind of like me.

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:15.920
 The people who have something

00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:17.180
 to offer me back

00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:18.840
 in my friendship with them.

00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:21.720
 The people who I'm just drawn to

00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:23.140
 because they have the same interests

00:33:23.140 --> 00:33:23.700
 as me.

00:33:24.520 --> 00:33:27.140
 They're into the same stuff

00:33:27.140 --> 00:33:27.740
 I'm into.

00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:28.640
 Right?

00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:29.880
 They have the same kind of history

00:33:29.880 --> 00:33:30.440
 as me.

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:31.840
 They come from the same

00:33:31.840 --> 00:33:33.820
 sort of background as me.

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.900
 We just have a lot in common.

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:37.700
 And, you know,

00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:38.380
 at the very least,

00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:39.460
 they're going to love me back

00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:39.900
 immediately.

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.360
 And we're just going to get along.

00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:43.220
 I'm going to go help those people.

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:43.860
 Well,

00:33:44.620 --> 00:33:45.920
 heaven would be empty

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:48.280
 of anybody

00:33:48.280 --> 00:33:49.620
 from all of creation

00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:52.959
 if God selected first.

00:33:53.399 --> 00:33:53.500
 Now,

00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:54.899
 who is going to be my neighbor?

00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:56.639
 And I'm going to base it on

00:33:56.639 --> 00:33:58.799
 the people who are most like me.

00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.179
 Right?

00:34:00.219 --> 00:34:01.159
 So I think Jesus,

00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:01.579
 of course,

00:34:01.639 --> 00:34:02.059
 in this story

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:03.419
 is pointing to his own love

00:34:03.419 --> 00:34:04.000
 for us.

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:05.359
 That he comes for us.

00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:06.279
 We have nothing.

00:34:06.599 --> 00:34:07.259
 He comes for us

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.219
 not because we have something

00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:09.259
 to give back to him.

00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:10.359
 Not because,

00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.759
 not because we're going to

00:34:11.759 --> 00:34:12.659
 sort of chip in

00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:13.559
 on that relationship

00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:14.239
 and make it,

00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:14.559
 you know,

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.460
 sort of fulfill

00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:16.760
 Jesus' sort of

00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:17.800
 personal being

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:20.460
 by adding something to him.

00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:22.320
 He comes and gives us

00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:23.240
 everything we need

00:34:23.240 --> 00:34:24.360
 when we are like

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:25.559
 the guy in the picture

00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:27.079
 who have been left for dead.

00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:28.900
 And that's the picture

00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:29.960
 he leaves with this lawyer.

00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:31.019
 And so,

00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:32.760
 that's how I think

00:34:32.760 --> 00:34:33.940
 we need to read this story

00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:35.300
 in just this way.

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:36.220
 Just the way Jesus

00:34:36.220 --> 00:34:39.679
 challenges this lawyer.

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:42.699
 To think,

00:34:43.240 --> 00:34:43.400
 so,

00:34:43.720 --> 00:34:44.559
 who is my neighbor?

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.079
 Well,

00:34:45.139 --> 00:34:45.820
 who's around me?

00:34:46.219 --> 00:34:46.440
 Now,

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.559
 you can apply this

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:49.159
 in really easy ways.

00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:50.059
 And I think the best way

00:34:50.059 --> 00:34:50.799
 to ever apply

00:34:50.799 --> 00:34:51.880
 any kind of Bible story

00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:53.639
 is to start small.

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:55.299
 Don't immediately think about,

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:55.679
 alright,

00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.500
 I'm going to

00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:58.000
 leave my job tomorrow.

00:34:58.440 --> 00:34:59.400
 I'm going to pack up.

00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:00.380
 I'm going to move to

00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.539
 the furthest place away

00:35:01.539 --> 00:35:03.340
 I can possibly go.

00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:04.340
 And I'm going to start

00:35:04.340 --> 00:35:04.820
 preaching,

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:05.219
 like,

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.219
 by Wednesday.

00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:07.460
 Alright,

00:35:07.539 --> 00:35:07.920
 we tend to,

00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:08.599
 I do.

00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:10.079
 I tend to think that way

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:11.159
 and forget about

00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:11.639
 all the things

00:35:11.639 --> 00:35:12.079
 that are happening

00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:12.779
 right around me.

00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:13.679
 Well,

00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:15.279
 the thing you do

00:35:15.279 --> 00:35:16.619
 about the way

00:35:16.619 --> 00:35:17.519
 you carry this out

00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.219
 is you just

00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:19.339
 look around you.

00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:21.440
 And in the simplest,

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:22.559
 easiest,

00:35:22.739 --> 00:35:23.179
 not easy,

00:35:23.259 --> 00:35:24.099
 sometimes it's not easy

00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:24.399
 actually,

00:35:24.819 --> 00:35:26.339
 but in the simplest ways

00:35:26.339 --> 00:35:27.779
 of helping anybody

00:35:27.779 --> 00:35:28.279
 in need,

00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:29.099
 anybody who can

00:35:29.099 --> 00:35:29.960
 use your time,

00:35:31.659 --> 00:35:31.779
 right,

00:35:31.839 --> 00:35:32.960
 anybody who can use

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:33.940
 what you have,

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:34.359
 your life,

00:35:34.419 --> 00:35:35.819
 just a piece of your life

00:35:35.819 --> 00:35:37.579
 that you can give

00:35:37.579 --> 00:35:38.539
 to somebody else

00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:39.819
 without hope

00:35:39.819 --> 00:35:40.619
 of return,

00:35:40.619 --> 00:35:42.420
 that shows

00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:43.319
 our love for God.

00:35:43.460 --> 00:35:44.119
 Because then we're

00:35:44.119 --> 00:35:44.900
 loving people

00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:45.460
 like the way

00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:46.380
 God loves us.

00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:48.099
 And it can be

00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:48.739
 really simple.

00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:49.759
 You can just have

00:35:49.759 --> 00:35:50.799
 a few extra minutes

00:35:50.799 --> 00:35:51.420
 in your day

00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:52.679
 that you can give

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:53.099
 to somebody

00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:53.579
 who you know

00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.380
 needs the time.

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:55.940
 Or when somebody

00:35:55.940 --> 00:35:56.839
 asks us,

00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:57.299
 hey,

00:35:57.359 --> 00:35:58.079
 could you do this

00:35:58.079 --> 00:35:58.539
 for me?

00:35:58.719 --> 00:35:59.259
 Could you help me

00:35:59.259 --> 00:35:59.900
 out on Thursday?

00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:00.380
 Here's,

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.659
 here's,

00:36:00.779 --> 00:36:01.099
 I'll just,

00:36:01.299 --> 00:36:01.920
 here's my,

00:36:02.299 --> 00:36:04.219
 my sort of response

00:36:04.219 --> 00:36:04.739
 is when somebody

00:36:04.739 --> 00:36:05.000
 says,

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.359
 hey,

00:36:05.659 --> 00:36:06.279
 do you think,

00:36:06.339 --> 00:36:06.699
 and I know

00:36:06.699 --> 00:36:07.179
 they're going to ask

00:36:07.179 --> 00:36:07.699
 me for a favor.

00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:09.219
 And I start

00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:10.099
 immediately thinking,

00:36:10.339 --> 00:36:10.639
 oh,

00:36:10.799 --> 00:36:11.500
 this week I've got

00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:12.079
 to do this,

00:36:12.139 --> 00:36:12.839
 I've got to do this,

00:36:12.899 --> 00:36:13.159
 I've got to,

00:36:13.259 --> 00:36:13.980
 so I'm already

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:15.039
 thinking of all the things,

00:36:15.059 --> 00:36:15.480
 I don't even know

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:15.799
 what they're going

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:16.819
 to ask me for yet,

00:36:17.179 --> 00:36:17.679
 and I'm already

00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:18.599
 thinking of all the things

00:36:18.599 --> 00:36:19.099
 that are going to

00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:20.039
 keep me from being

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.679
 able to help them

00:36:20.679 --> 00:36:21.239
 because these are

00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:22.179
 things I need to do.

00:36:22.759 --> 00:36:22.960
 Now,

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.559
 I'm not saying

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:24.219
 if you think that

00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:24.859
 you should start,

00:36:25.099 --> 00:36:25.460
 you know,

00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:27.579
 beating yourself up,

00:36:27.759 --> 00:36:28.279
 but we have to think

00:36:28.279 --> 00:36:28.859
 beyond those things

00:36:28.859 --> 00:36:29.159
 and think,

00:36:29.239 --> 00:36:29.359
 okay,

00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:30.679
 so what can I do?

00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:32.279
 And just easy things,

00:36:32.319 --> 00:36:32.759
 that sounds like

00:36:32.759 --> 00:36:33.480
 not much,

00:36:33.919 --> 00:36:34.179
 right?

00:36:34.339 --> 00:36:35.259
 It sounds like not much,

00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:36.720
 but as we do those things,

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:39.420
 we start to change

00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:43.100
 because we're applying

00:36:43.100 --> 00:36:44.620
 the love of God

00:36:44.620 --> 00:36:45.480
 to the world,

00:36:45.600 --> 00:36:46.560
 to those around us,

00:36:46.680 --> 00:36:47.800
 in the simplest of ways.

00:36:48.100 --> 00:36:49.040
 It might be ways,

00:36:49.180 --> 00:36:50.740
 and you might even

00:36:50.740 --> 00:36:51.660
 be called to do that

00:36:51.660 --> 00:36:52.340
 to somebody who's

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.020
 never going to say

00:36:53.020 --> 00:36:53.540
 thank you,

00:36:55.040 --> 00:36:55.780
 who maybe will just

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.480
 ask you again

00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.040
 and again and again

00:36:57.040 --> 00:36:58.100
 and never seem to care

00:36:58.100 --> 00:36:58.920
 that you're doing it

00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:00.520
 because they can't

00:37:00.520 --> 00:37:01.020
 give back

00:37:01.020 --> 00:37:02.260
 or maybe don't want to

00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:03.580
 or any number of things.

00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:05.380
 All I'm saying is this,

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.960
 Jesus is calling us

00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:09.840
 not just to be hearers

00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:10.500
 of his word,

00:37:10.699 --> 00:37:11.519
 but doers.

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:14.039
 And he gives us

00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:15.279
 opportunities all the time

00:37:15.279 --> 00:37:15.619
 to do it.

00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:16.179
 So I don't want you

00:37:16.179 --> 00:37:17.099
 to go away from here today

00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:18.860
 just simply feeling guilty

00:37:18.860 --> 00:37:20.099
 about all the things

00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:21.079
 that you maybe could have done

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:22.539
 that you didn't do.

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.440
 And I'm going to try

00:37:24.440 --> 00:37:25.039
 not to leave here

00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:25.840
 feeling that way too.

00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:27.319
 What we need to do

00:37:27.319 --> 00:37:27.619
 is think,

00:37:27.699 --> 00:37:27.940
 okay,

00:37:28.259 --> 00:37:28.539
 right,

00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:30.299
 God is speaking to me

00:37:30.299 --> 00:37:31.199
 in his word,

00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:32.400
 we're going out from here,

00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:33.840
 there's any number

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.480
 of people I can

00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.500
 spend time with,

00:37:35.559 --> 00:37:36.400
 I can give my time with

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:36.579
 because,

00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:37.280
 you know,

00:37:37.380 --> 00:37:38.300
 if you don't have,

00:37:38.380 --> 00:37:38.960
 you don't have to have

00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.480
 a lot of money,

00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:41.380
 the most precious thing

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:42.340
 you can give to anybody

00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:43.639
 really is just your time

00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:45.500
 to any degree,

00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:47.860
 even when you don't

00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:48.920
 have any time to give.

00:37:49.860 --> 00:37:51.599
 And even if that time

00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:52.200
 is not going to be

00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:53.380
 super pleasant for you

00:37:53.380 --> 00:37:54.340
 because of the person

00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:55.300
 you're with at the moment,

00:37:55.619 --> 00:37:57.480
 you can still give it to them.

00:37:58.460 --> 00:37:58.740
 Right?

00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:00.980
 And that's how we show

00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:01.720
 the love of God.

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:02.940
 By thinking,

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:04.619
 so who is,

00:38:05.180 --> 00:38:06.519
 which one is it going to be?

00:38:07.320 --> 00:38:07.780
 But think,

00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:08.160
 oh,

00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:09.760
 God's made it really easy

00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:10.200
 for me.

00:38:10.740 --> 00:38:11.480
 Who is my neighbor?

00:38:11.760 --> 00:38:12.300
 All I've got to do

00:38:12.300 --> 00:38:12.920
 is look around.

00:38:13.660 --> 00:38:14.639
 And there's some way,

00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:15.099
 somehow,

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:16.220
 that you can invest

00:38:16.220 --> 00:38:17.559
 in the lives of others

00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:19.019
 and show people,

00:38:19.240 --> 00:38:20.980
 and show people everywhere,

00:38:21.940 --> 00:38:22.960
 our love.

00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:24.500
 And what are we showing?

00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:25.320
 Not our love,

00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:25.780
 but what?

00:38:26.440 --> 00:38:27.099
 God's love.

00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:28.840
 That's what we're doing.

00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:29.600
 You see,

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:31.460
 Jesus is pushing

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:32.900
 this expert in the law,

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:33.480
 this scholar,

00:38:33.600 --> 00:38:34.539
 he's pressing him

00:38:34.539 --> 00:38:36.019
 to be more than words,

00:38:36.500 --> 00:38:37.559
 more than just knowing

00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:38.500
 all the right answers,

00:38:38.820 --> 00:38:39.579
 but to be somebody

00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:40.860
 who is not just a hearer,

00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:42.079
 but a doer.

00:38:42.940 --> 00:38:43.680
 And then he says,

00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:45.200
 go and do what you're hearing.

00:38:46.300 --> 00:38:46.900
 Let's pray.

00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:51.180
 Lord,

00:38:51.220 --> 00:38:52.740
 thank you for the time

00:38:52.740 --> 00:38:53.440
 we have in your word.

00:38:53.539 --> 00:38:54.460
 Thank you for how you speak

00:38:54.460 --> 00:38:55.539
 to us in stories

00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.860
 and ways that we can clearly

00:38:56.860 --> 00:38:58.800
 hear and see

00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:00.940
 that can become part

00:39:00.940 --> 00:39:01.660
 of who we are.

00:39:02.660 --> 00:39:03.059
 Lord,

00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:03.880
 help us not to just

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.579
 go away from this,

00:39:04.660 --> 00:39:05.860
 just reading it

00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:06.780
 or hearing it again

00:39:06.780 --> 00:39:07.500
 for the who knows

00:39:07.500 --> 00:39:08.160
 how many times,

00:39:08.280 --> 00:39:09.880
 but be changed by it,

00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:11.099
 to be challenged by it.

00:39:11.920 --> 00:39:12.200
 Lord,

00:39:12.300 --> 00:39:13.800
 and we all feel our,

00:39:14.940 --> 00:39:15.860
 we all feel how we've

00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:16.559
 come up short

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:18.299
 so we confess,

00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.079
 Lord,

00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:20.900
 that we haven't lived this way

00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:21.639
 the way we should

00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:23.759
 and we confess

00:39:23.759 --> 00:39:24.759
 and we come to you

00:39:24.759 --> 00:39:26.759
 believing that you forgive us,

00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:29.840
 that you don't hold it against us,

00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:32.380
 and that however much

00:39:32.380 --> 00:39:33.940
 we haven't done in the past

00:39:33.940 --> 00:39:34.679
 is in no way

00:39:34.679 --> 00:39:36.559
 keeping us

00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:39.159
 from being empowered by you

00:39:39.159 --> 00:39:39.739
 this week,

00:39:39.860 --> 00:39:40.199
 today,

00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:40.739
 tomorrow,

00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:41.219
 whenever,

00:39:41.799 --> 00:39:43.139
 to love those around us

00:39:43.139 --> 00:39:44.279
 and share the love of Jesus

00:39:44.279 --> 00:39:45.019
 with the world

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:46.980
 and show our love

00:39:46.980 --> 00:39:48.619
 for the God who loved us.

00:39:49.259 --> 00:39:49.739
 Amen.