Who is My Neighbor?

Happy Sunday!

Queen Elizabeth II gave her Christmas Address this week and referenced the story of The Good Samaritan.  Pastor David Winston also used this story in his sermon today.  It's a great story and provides an opportunity for us to do a bit of introspection, and self evaluation.  The Jews hated the Samaritans and tried to avoid them at all cost.  Who are you avoiding?  Who are you hating? Jesus knew what the man really wanted.  He wanted to try to trip Jesus up.  So Jesus told a special story or parable. Telling a story to Jewish listeners about a "Good" Samaritan was brilliant because they didn't believe a Samaritan could be good.  But would you expect anything less from Jesus? 

Luke 10:25-28 says, "Then an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. He said, “Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”  Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you understand from it?”  The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ Also, ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” Jesus said, “Your answer is right. Do this and you will have eternal life.”(Easy-to-Read Version).

The man failed to trick Jesus into going against the Law of Moses and might have been a little embarrassed.  "The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”(Luke 10:29 NLT).  "Jesus replied: As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side."(Luke 10:30-32 CEV).  Don't miss this!  The man laying on the side of the road injured was Jewish.  He was of the same nationality, ethnicity, and religious belief of the priest and the temple worker who passed him by.  These people were commanded in the Law of Moses to help others, but they refused to even help their own.

Luke 10:33-35 says, “Then a DESPISED Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.  Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’(NLT).

"So, now, tell me, which one of the three men who saw the wounded man proved to be the true neighbor?” The religious scholar responded, “The one who demonstrated kindness and mercy.” Jesus said, “You must go and do the same as he.”(Luke 10:36-37 TPT). 

Colossians 3:12-15 says, "As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of the same body you are called to live in harmony, and never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you."(Phillips).

Go and Do the Same!

Love and prayers, Cynthia