2.12.16 3.15.2020 (WJCTT He Tackles Unbelief) The unneighborly nitpicker Luke 10.25-37
When Jesus Comes to Town • Sermon • Submitted
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1 Entice: The parable of the Good Samaritan is before us today. It is a story that begins with an annoyance. A trick question, a trap. Typical circumstances for Jesus. He does a brilliant job of flipping the man; posing His own questions, producing a pop-quiz which people like us are still sitting for today.
1 Entice: Some stories are too familiar to ease into gradually. The parable of the Good Samaritan is before us today. I know you know it I just hope that as we go through it together we can gain some fresh insights as to how we can better apply faith in Jesus to daily living.
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
2 Engage: If you don’t like questions. Personal questions, you will be uncomfortable. This passage is structured around questions. If you don’t like stories with clear heroes and villains you will be uncomfortable. The lines drawn in this story are pretty clear. If you don’t like to be challenged to go beyond your comfort zone you will be uncomfortable. Important things are often hard.
2 Engage: If you don’t like questions. Personal questions, you will be uncomfortable. This passage is structured around questions. The lines drawn in this story are pretty clear. If you don’t like stories that bring clarity you will be uncomfortable. If you don’t like to be challenged to go beyond your comfort zone you will be uncomfortable.
3 Expand: This passage unfolds as an interview process, a dialogue consisting of tough questions. They are tough because the obvious answers are not complete. The story, the parable provides the resolution needed to give a full, complete answer regarding the application of a central Biblical insight. Important things are often hard.
Important things are often hard.
Important things are often hard.
4 Excite: I hope you are excited not just to understand the Bible better but to have some strategies for applying it more effectively in your daily walk. Simple truths require work and repetition because they are hard. The heart of this passage is clear.
3 Expand: This passage unfolds as an interview process, a dialogue consisting of tough questions. They are tough because the obvious answers are not always complete, or right. The story itself-the parable-provides the resolution needed to give a full, complete answer regarding the application of a central Biblical insight.
Important things are often hard.
Important things are often hard.
Explore: Our treatment of others is the best guide to the depth of our relationship with God.
4 Excite: I hope you are excited not just to understand the Bible better but to have some strategies for applying it more effectively in your daily walk. Simple truths require work and repetition
because they are hard.
because they are hard.
The heart of this passage is clear. When Jesus comes to town; He exposes us, He helps us examine our life, He expands our faith…He enlarges our neighborhood. Because ultimately
Explore:
Explain: As we each wrestle with these questions, we will be led to a point where we can envision the right conclusion in our own lives.
Our treatment of others is the best guide to the depth of our relationship with God.
Our treatment of others is the best guide to the depth of our relationship with God.
Explain: As we each wrestle with these questions, we will Join Jesus in expanding the neighborhood.
1 How can I Inherit Eternal Life? 25
First question
1.1 We know his motive. (Testing Jesus)
1 How can I Inherit Eternal Life? 25
1 How can I Inherit Eternal Life? 25
1.2 We also know his background. (Presumably a priest or Levite would be more temple and sacrifice focused)
Personal
Personal
2 What does the Scripture say? 26-28
1.1 We know his motive. (Testing Jesus)
1.2 We also know his background. (Presumably a priest or Levite would be more temple and sacrifice focused)
2.1 Actually dual questions: “What does it say, how do you interpret it?”
Second question
2 What does the Scripture say? 26-28
2 What does the Scripture say? 26-28
2.2 Clear answer with a dual application:
Biblical
Biblical
2.1 Actually dual questions: “What does it say, how do you interpret it?”
2.2.1 Vertical: Love God.
2.2 Clear answer with a dual application:
2.2.2 Horizontal: Love your neighbor as yourself.
2.2.1 Vertical: Love God.
3 Who is my Neighbor? 29-35
3.1 The Parable discloses possible positive and negative motivations.
2.2.2 Horizontal: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Third question
3.2 The Parable contrasts identity and action.
3 Who is my Neighbor? 29-36 (Practical)
3 Who is my Neighbor? 29-36
3 Who is my Neighbor? 29-36
Practical
Practical
3.1 The Parable discloses positive and negative motivations.
3.3 The Parable subverts expectation. (Wreck it Ralph; who really wants to be the villain?)
(Emotional, Social, Cultural, Racial, etc.)
3.2 The Parable contrasts identity and action.
3.4 The Parable integrates and assimilates both axis of spiritual behavior.
(The unknown other…)
4 What must I do to be a Neighbor? 36,37 (notice how the question changes, from the identity of someone else to my own behavior)
3.3 The Parable subverts expectation.
(The robbers acted like robbers, the victim acted victimized, the innkeeper was hospitable…however the “religious” people were unspiritual and the outsider was the hero)
3.4 The Parable integrates and both axes of spiritual behavior.
4.1 Draw the right conclusion. (Show mercy)
(How to be devoted…how to be a neighbor)
Fourth and last question
4 How can I be a Neighbor? 36,37
4 How can I be a Neighbor? 36,37
4.2 Do it.
Transformational
Transformational
...notice how the question changes, from identification to action-AND…the original question is subsumed in the new question of the redeemed-
Shut Down:
what about others?
what about others?
1 This wonderful story is not hard to understand. But it is hard to put into practice. The true test of my faith is my willingness to apply it, to put it into action, to be merciful and live out the consequences of that transformed attitude.
4.1 Draw the right conclusion. (Show mercy)
4.2 Do it.
2 How long does it take to get to that point? I’ve been working on it 37 years and I still face challenges everyday. It is a good idea to start early. To make this story yours to engage in the same dialogue with the Master and prepare to be challenged every day. Yes, start now. Don’t wait. Let’s learn to flex our mercy muscles together.
Can I be your Neighbor?
Can I be your Neighbor?
1 Fred Rodgers was a genius. He knew his Bible and understood how to apply it to his context. What he did was to invert the question. When He said
Since we're together we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my neighbor?
He was politely presenting the message of Jesus. He was saying “You are my neighbor…and I will bring love and redemptive mercy into your life.” So-Jesus came to Pittsburg, PBS, and a huge television audience because Fred did not cross the road, avoid the issue, or stay above the sadness.
2 When Jesus comes to town-He does not hold a press-conference, there is no media-blitz; but He does answer the hard questions. With His own hard questions. He does not want us to rush out and prove ourselves He wants us to immerse ourselves in serving others. The more we focus on ourselves the less like Jesus we are. The more we focus on others, the more we get lost in our neighborly mission the more we are like Jesus and the next thing you know we are in the presence of the Master. Will you be a neighbor; When Jesus comes to town.