Today, we see Jesus confront both pride and compromise in His dealings with a lawyer of the biblical law. Following on last week’s message, where Jesus taught that God is to be praised for His work in giving us spiritual truth, Jesus is questioned by a lawyer. The lawyer’s pride had been confronted, and he sought to put Jesus to the test. He later sought to justify himself in the eyes of the Lord with that famous question, “Who is my neighbor?”
However, instead of answering the question directly, Jesus shared the famous story of the Good Samaritan. What we find in the story is a redefinition of the question. We shouldn’t ask, “Who is my neighbor?” Rather, we should ask, “Whose neighbor am I?” We find in this account that the path to life eternal comes when we love the Lrod our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. And yet, again, the only way we can keep these commandments is through Jesus. Yet again, He gets all the glory.
To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them, as well as a short prayer, directly below the audio link.
Being a Good Neighbor
Luke 10:25-37
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald
- What do we know the lawyers in Jesus’ day?
- Discuss the contradiction in the lawyer’s question to Jesus in verse 25?
- In verse 26, Jesus references the Law. How were men saved in the Old Testament? What was Jesus view of the Law?
- What was the lawyer’s purpose in trying to clarify the word neighbor?
- What excuses might the priest and Levite have used for not helping the man in need?
- Why is it surprising that a Samaritan turns out to be the hero of the story?
- What is really more important, defining our neighbor or proving to be a good neighbor? Consider verse 36 as you answer.
- When Jesus said, “Go and do,” what kind of lifestyle is He seeking from those who follow Him?
- How can you live out the call of loving your neighbor as yourself?
Father in Heaven, there is so much hope, so much promise, remembering that You sent Jesus to be the light to the nations. Yet, we often forget that the brightness of His light is often realized through us, as we love You with all our heart, soul mind and strength, and as we love our neighbor as ourselves. And so, Gracious God, help us to love You more. Fill us with the Holy Spirit. Help us to look upon the world with the compassion of Jesus, to reach out to the hurting with the healing hands of our King. Motivate us to love others as we remember the love You have showered upon us. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
