“When people define “Christian” in terms
of having satisfied the minimum entrance requirements for getting into heaven,
it always leads to “where to set the bar” debates.” —John Ortberg

LUKE 10:25-28 — And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 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 (ref: Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

KNOW:
● The Old Testament Law was meant to bring forth conviction.
● The law shows us that we need to be saved.

GOING DEEPER: For most people, “Who is my neighbor?” = People like me, values like me, faith like me, politics like me, and morals like me.

LUKE 10:29 —**But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

● Seeing that perfectly loving God and loving my neighbor was impossible.
● He was seeking a way to be right in his own sight, a way to say, “I am a good guy.”
● Keeping “who is my neighbor” generic, allows me to pick and choose.
● Keeping “who is my neighbor” generic also is less messy, and less costly.

LUKE 12:30-32 — 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. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”

STORY

KNOW
We must guard against self-chosen service, and self-sacrifice; both are excuses to not do what’s right before God.

“So much of true ministry is not what I schedule but what comes as an intrusion to my schedule.” —Ken Gire

LUKE 10:33-35 —“But a Samaritan (hero), as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion (doesn’t need a reason). 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. 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.’”

WHO DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MORE?:
Who is My Neighbor?
● They will likely have deferring views on church, values, politics, and morals.
● See people, not projects.

**LUKE 10:36-37“Which of these three, do you think,
proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

“It is possible to pray regularly for the salvation of a loved one, a neighbor, a friend, or a fellow employee and let our concern stop with our prayer. But when we earnestly pray for the Lord to send someone to those unsaved people, we cannot help becoming open to being that someone ourselves.” —John MacArthur

NOTE: All three saw him, only one stopped to do something. How you see Lawrence will determine if you stop and give care. If you are more focused on preferences, you will never see people.

KNOW:
● Have you answered the question: How do I inherit eternal life?
● Has God placed someone on your path? Who?