“Through the Looking Glass” The Kingdom of Heaven as seen through the parables of Jesus
“For now we see through a glass…” – I Cor. 13:12
“PLEASE, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?”
The Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The QUESTION was:
“HOW DO I MAKE IT TO HEAVEN?”
The ANSWER is:
“Love God with ALL OF MY BEING;
AND
CARE ABOUT my neighbor as I CARE ABOUT myself.”
“AND” not “OR”… BOTH need to be done… so who is my neighbor?
“LOVE” EASY TO SAY “I LOVE EVERYBODY”
“CARE ABOUT” IS GOD’S COMPASSIONATE LOVE IN US!
The illustration (Parable) defines who my neighbor is:
MY NEIGHBOR IS WHOEVER I AM A NEIGHBOR TO.
The SAMARITAN was BEING A NEIGHBOR.
Why a priest, a Levite (priestly ancestry/history) and a Samaritan?
VETERANS… AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE… “NEIGHBOR” TO THE OPPRESSED… SACRIFICIALLY (SURE SOME SELF-PRESERVATION, TOO)
IF I WANT TO MAKE IT TO HEAVEN, I MUST “GO, AND DO LIKEWISE.”
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR BEING AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF… “DO THIS, AND YOU WILL LIVE”
If I’m beaten, on the side of the road, needing assistance, I would want someone to stop and help, even if it is messy… so, to love neighbor as self is to do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.
CAN WE REACH EVERYONE? EVEN THE GOOD SAMARITAN HAD ONLY ONE DONKEY… USE YOUR DONKEY!
THE HURTING WORLD IS ASKING,
“PLEASE, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?”
IF I’M DESTINED FOR HELL, WHETHER I KNOW IT OR NOT, WOULDN’T I WANT SOMEONE TO OPEN MY EYES TO THE GOSPEL?
“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 11:15