April 22nd WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR?

Who is My Neighbor? When you think of your neighbor, you likely think of someone who lives next door or in the same neighborhood. When Jesus was asked this question, he was responding to religious lawyer—a Jew and a student of the law. You will recall that Jesus had answered his previous question with a question—how do I gain eternal life? Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, all thy mind, and all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself. The lawyer asked the next challenging question: "just who is my neighbor?" Jesus as the master teacher answered with a story [parable] that illustrated the point clearly. The Story of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37: A Jewish man was traveling alone. He is overtaken by thieves, beaten and robbed and left to die in the ditch beside the road. Other travelers, a priest and a Levite, both religious men, see him lying in the ditch and pass by on the other side of the road. The third man, a Samaritan, saw him, cared for him, bound up his wounds, and took him to a nearby inn, paid the innkeeper and said he would pay when he returned if further charges were incurred. Even the lawyer was able to figure out which one was neighbor to the man who was robbed. [the one who showed mercy] There is meat for application in this parable...let's examine it and see where we might fit in! First of all there was the thief. His philosophy was “what’s thine is mine—and I’ll take it if I can! we might refer to him as a taker. Secondly, there were two religious men who ignored the man. They were today’s equivalent of an archbishop or seminary teacher of theology. They didn’t want to be inconvenienced and they certainly didn’t want to spend any money. By using these people in high religious positions, Jesus is pointing out that religion itself is not what makes the difference. Their point of view was “what’s mine is mine and I’ll keep it if I can!” We might refer to them as keepers. The third passerby was the Samaritan. He was from a hated and rejected group of people by the religious Jews. If they were to help anybody, it would not be a Samaritan! The Samaritan has compassion, tends to the man's wounds, puts him on his donkey and takes him to the nearest Inn . He leaves instructions and money to take care of him until he heals—offering to pay more if needed. His philosophy was “What’s mine is thine—and I will give it if I can. We would refer to the Samaritan as a giver. Being religious is not the answer to the question—in fact someone who is a religious outcast may be more open to the truth and may act on the truth because of their humility–they may show mercy and compassion more openly than those who are just obeying a set of rules. Although parables are meant to teach one principle that the Lord always explains, there is an application for each of us as an individual believer—"Am I a taker, keeper, or giver? For further thought, let us look at some Biblical characters whose actions/decisions indicate what they were: TAKERS... Eve? The Bible says that she “took and ate” the forbidden fruit. She was the first taker. Cain? He took his brother's life in a fit of anger fed by jealousy. David? He took Uriah’s wife and took Uriah’s life! He was the king and yet, he was a TAKER! Judas? He took 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. A Taker that paid a bitter price. Saul? (Paul) He took the lives of the Christians in the name of his religion—He was a taker of innocent lives. KEEPERS... There was a youthful and wealthy man who came to Jesus—He was a good man and wanted to know what to do to have eternal life. He was a keeper of the commandments and Jesus loved him. When Jesus told him to sell what he had and give to the poor, to come and follow Him he wanted to keep what he had and went away sorrowful. He was a keeper–he loved what he had more than he loved Jesus and he had truly made his possessions his god. His problem was not that he was rich but that he loved his money [love of money root] more! There were two other notorious keepers. Their names were Annanias and Shaphira and they sold a piece of property in order to support the church. However, they decided to lie about the amount received so that they could receive the glory for the gift but keep the balance for their own pleasure. They were keepers and glory seekers and paid with their lives. Keepers that wanted to be known as givers. GIVERS... Joseph who gave up his freedom in order not to sin against God. David who became a giver after being broken and repented of his sin. He asked the Lord to “create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.” Zacchaeus, the tax collector. Most all the tax collectors added extra for themselves when they collected the legal taxes. After he met Jesus he gave back four fold to those he had cheated and gave half his goods to the poor. He became a giver after he met Jesus Saul who met Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a giver—Paul gave his life! Jesus the ultimate Giver. He gave His life that we all might know Him and be saved from eternal damnation. He said “greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends.” As He was giving his life on the cross, he hung there between two takers! One thief said to him “if you are really God, get us down from here!” The other thief [taker] asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. At that moment, the thief became a giver, and Jesus said those wonderful words—"today you will be with me in paradise." Are you a taker, a keeper, or a giver? The answer definitely impacts our relationships. What about 1] your relationship to the Lord? 2] your relationship with your spouse and family? 3] your relationships in your work or business? We make a living by what we get—we make a life by what we give! When you think about your relationship with the Lord, are you always asking for something—something that would benefit you? Is your prayer life a presentation of your shopping list? Are you giving your time to the Lord, not just here at church but every minute of every day? Prayer nourishes Christ life within you—are you making this a priority? Are you giving to the Lord’s ministry? My pastor says you are never more like Jesus than when you are giving! He also says that when you feel moved to give, you can be sure that it’s the Holy Spirit speaking because the flesh always wants to take or keep. In our family relationship, if you are a taker, you are setting a horrible example for your kids. We come into this life as takers, wanting what we want when we want it. Without Jesus, we will stay that way. But when we receive Him, there will be a change. Is your wife glad to see you? Do you love her as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her? If you do, she will not struggle so much to be submissive. In the area of physical intimacy, Women want to be hugged and listened to. Men are often demanding—a taker—in this vital area. Most wives feel used—I wonder why? If we set the example, our children will be encouraged to be givers . The measure of success is your grandchildren—are they setting the same priorities and putting the Lord first in their lives? In the business world, some businesses are in the business of taking. Their offers are tricky, manipulative and some are downright cheating the customer. If you are in that kind of business, you can either be a change agent or get out. The Lord hates unjust weights and measures—that means cheating the customer. On the job, shouldn’t we as Christians show up early for work, stay late, and display excellence in our work? We should give a little more than expected. That’s a good rule for your customers—under promise—over deliver—exceed their expectations—good measure pressed down. What if you have a job that robs you of time with your church and family? Certainly there are emergencies in all businesses, but if this happens as a rule, it spells trouble on the home front. If you give it all at the office, there is nothing left when you get home. I’ve never heard of a dying man saying “I wish I had spent more time at the office.” The Scripture says we should examine ourselves. Am I a taker—a keeper or a giver? Are you a good neighbor? We see that religion—church membership—is not the answer to our problem! In all the vital relationships of life Jesus will change us supernaturally to be givers as he did Zacchaeus, Saul/Paul, the thief on the cross and others. He is ready to change each of us today if we will only yield our lives to Him. Then you will understand--Who is my neighbor? Not just someone who lives next door but anyone you come in contact with—and we should be alert to meet needs. OVERVIEW WITH HIHGLIGHTS OF lUKE 9:51 - 13-21: LUKE 9:51 – 13:21 Preaching, healing, and discipling. That in capsule form summarizes Christ’s daily activities during much of His ministry. Luke records the healings with meticulous attention to detail, as befitting a doctor. When John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus questioning whether He is the Messiah, Jesus has only to point to His miracles as proof of His claims. And as He preaches and heals, Jesus patiently prepares His followers to carry on the same kind of ministry. The stakes are high, the cost of discipleship is steep, demanding nothing less than self-denial and wholehearted commitment. But the goal of saving lives (9:56) makes it all worthwhile. In 8:39 Jesus gives instructions to the man: Don’t preach a sermon, just give personal testimony of God at work in your life. And the result? “He went all through the city telling everyone about Jesus’ mighty miracle.” Has God made a difference in your life? Then share that testimony with one person (at least) every day. Firsthand experience with God is too precious to keep to yourself. Chapter 9: A Ministry of Multiplication! In 9:51 We see that the Lord had “set His face” toward Jerusalem. In other words, He was determined and focused on “to complete the will of His Father”. As He was going on His journey, He continually moved and worked in the lives of those He met along the way. And He continually taught as He walked! v.60 “allow the dead to bury the dead”…speaking of the lost ‘dead to Him’ to take care of the lost….YOU HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO: go, publish abroad through all regions the kingdom of God!!! Don’t busy yourself with looking back but be focused on where you are headed…TO DO HIS WILL! Plow straight rows by focusing across the horizon on An Object! Chapter 10: Sending Out the Seventy …! As Jesus moves south into the region of Judea, He focuses on the training and commissioning of His disciples. In addition to the twelve, He now equips and sends 70 others to minister in His name. PRAY, GO, and this is the way you are to travel. HEAL, tell the consequences of non-reception. When they return, Jesus initiates a “postgraduate” program of discipleship covering such topics as prayer, hypocrisy, covetousness, anxiety, watchfulness and His own approaching death. Along with the training of those sympathetic to the Savior, Luke also records the growing hatred of Jesus’ enemies. When the Pharisees disapproved of Jesus’ apparent disregard for their traditions He responded with a series of woes against their hypocrisy. The 70 returned awestricken because of the response of even the demons to the power given to them. They had the Wrong focus: The Lord told them in v. 20…do not rejoice at this, but that your names are enrolled in heaven. In v. 27, the lawyer attempts to challenge the Lord: …”you must love…” You have answered correctly…do this and you will live endless life in the kingdom of God. But the lawyer continued in his challenge…Who is my neighbor? The story of the Good Samaritan: What is thine is mine and I’ll take it if I can. TAKER….BORN A TAKER. What is mine is mine and I’ll keep it if I can…DEEPLY RELIGIOUS …HOARDERS, KEEPERS! What is mine is thine and I’ll help you if I can…the GIVER, the servant, the good neighbor! Jesus said, Go and do likewise! V.37 v. 38-42 A casual reading of this account of Mary and Martha may give you the impression that Mary was lazy and unconcerned, while Martha was industrious and faithful. But don’t miss Jesus’ evaluation of the situation! It is Mary, not Martha, whom Jesus praised. Being with Jesus was more important than being “so upset over all these details. Would an outside observer say about your life that it more closely resembles that of Mary or that of Martha? Why? It is natural to admire the person who does so much for God. After all, anyone who can teach a children’s class, sing in the choir, bake a pie for the potluck, visit shut-ins, and still maintain one’s sanity must be doing something right. Right? “The last thing one knows is what to put first!” Are you letting some GOOD things crowd out more IMPORTANT things? Do you let a TV program crowd out a better book, or even the GREATest Book? Do you allow a clean house to keep you from pursuing a clean heart before God? Decide to do an IMPORTANT task today even if some GOOD ones have to be postponed. Take it from Mary, you won’t really miss a thing. Chapter 11: “Teach us to pray…” Here is how! V. 1 – 13 The division of loyalty…the strong man principle…”must be filled with the Holy Spirit”…the Lord’s first priority – “v.28…those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it! v.34 eye (conscience) is sound and fulfilling its office, your whole body… Cleansing the outside and not concerned for the inside…v. 39 “these you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.” V. 42 Laying burdens of the Law on others and not doing anything yourself…responsible generation! His enemies became more enraged…v. 54…”secretly watching and plotting…that they might accuse Him.” Chapter 12: Training the Twelve “Be on your guard”…are you on your guard? Against leaven? Hypocrisy…Fear Him Who after killing has power to hurl into hell…yes, I say to you, fear HIM. V. 5…. *v. 8 openly confess Him…or He will deny you likewise. *don’t blaspheme the Holy Spirit *don’t be afraid or anxious in your testimony – He gives the words/defense * GUARD – stay free of covetousness *v.21 don’t lay up treasures of the wrong kind in the wrong places! * the Lord makes provisions for us * Don’t be anxious and troubled *depend upon Him and not yourself * Make this your focus “Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also.” V. 31, 34 “where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Stay alert, ready, on guard. V. 36…anticipating His return! “You must be ready!” v.40 “much given, much required” v. 48 Teaching that is plain and to the point is bound to produce some enemies, and Christ’s teaching is no exception. His sermons are seldom veiled and His purpose is never simply to make truth comfortable or palatable. Consider this pointed statement, “You, too, will perish unless you leave your evil ways and return to God.” 13: 3, 5