Love Your Neighbor

It is very difficult to keep up with all the laws.  For instance, did you know the state of Maryland prohibits and sales of cosmetics tested on animals? Or Arizona it is illegal to record video of police within 8 feet of an arrest?  Some people do their own taxes and others hire CPAs to do their taxes for them.  When you hire an expert to do your taxes you are hoping they understand and can apply the IRS laws.  But, we all know that the tax codes have become so complex it becomes difficult to keep up with it.  Today there is an “expert in the law” who approaches Jesus.  The religious codes written by the Jewish leaders had also become very complex.  This person asked Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and begs the question—What is the most important law to keep?  Jesus agrees with the man’s answer:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 10:27

But, Jesus also knows why this man was asking the question, for Luke records, the “expert in the law stood up to test Jesus…. But he wanted to justify himself.”  The test was this: “Jesus, I’m doing all these things right.  Don’t I deserve to go to heaven?”  Jesus answers the man by telling one of the most famous parables called, “The Good Samaritan.”  It is very much a human interest story with a surprising twist that answers the man’s question: “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  May the Holy Spirit guide us to clearly understand Jesus’ answer when he says,

Go and Love Your Neighbor

The Answer of the Religious

When we listen to Jesus’ parable a question that comes to mind is this: “Which person am I most like in this parable—the priest, the Levite or the Good Samaritan?”  Then when Jesus says, “Go and do likewise” that is a punch in the stomach.  For Jesus’ statement forces us to take an honest assessment of our attitudes and actions toward human beings.  That includes politics, racism and society that is filled with so much hatred and anger today.  Who can say they have Jesus’ approval because they have met Jesus’ demands?  Perhaps, sadly, it is time to confess that we are more like this expert in the law than we’d like to admit.

Jesus’ parable would have vivid images to his hearers.  People taking a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho knew the mountainous pass that dropped 3,300 feet in 17 miles.

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.” 

Luke 10:30

People who are robbed have two choices—submit to their attackers and hope they don’t beat them up, or resist and defend what’s theirs and suffer a beating.  Our hearts go out to people who suffer in such a way, right?  He needs help.  But, sadly, the help would not come from religious people.

“³¹ It just so happened that a priest was going down that way. But when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² In the same way, a Levite also happened to go there, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.” 

Luke 10:31-32

These religious leaders were the opposite of “Go and Love Your Neighbor!” They could have had excuses like important appointments to keep or special religious ceremonies to perform.  While their excuses are not given, what is clear is that neither one had enough love for his dying neighbor to help him.  They were not keeping the most important law, “to love your neighbor as yourself.”

To be religious has different meanings to different people.  The dictionary says, “a devout, godly and faithful person.”  For some true religion would mean going to church on Sundays, saying their prayers before eating and going to bed.  Would Jesus call such a person religious?  Jesus might say it like this, “Don’t go to church, be the church!”  In our lives we see people beat up over racial divisions, political attacks and a society full of anger.  Yes, we can go to church to pray for the Lord’s solutions to their problems, or we can be the Church and Go and Love our Neighbor!  I understand the obstacles in the way.  I would like to limit God’s command to love.  Who should we love?  People who are like us!   When should we love them?  When they deserve it.  Why should we love them?  Because we want them to love us back.  It is easy to love people who don’t become a burden to us and our sinful nature can make all sorts of excuses to avoid taking a risk to help them.  Yet, sadly, I think most everyone would call us religious people. Everyone, except Jesus.

It was Jesus who loved people like us who sin against God’s law, who are unlovable, who fail to love God and love our neighbor with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  Jesus risked it all—his time, his glory and treasurers to come and live in our world, suffer our punishment on the cross and pay the penalty of all our sins.   Jesus is the answer to all who are religious only in name but not in function.  You are forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Therefore you are able to respond to Jesus’ parable with

The Answer Of The Redeemed

Jesus continues his parable with a twist no one saw coming.

“³³ A Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he felt sorry for the man. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day, when he left, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. Whatever extra you spend, I will repay you when I return.” 

Luke 10:33-35

The religious people failed the test about loving their neighbor. A half-breed Samaritan encountered the wounded Jew.  Remember, Jews hated Samaritans, so we would expect this man to walk on by.  But, this Samaritan loved his neighbor—a Jew!  He saw the hopeless man and was filled with compassion!  His compassion caused him to love his neighbor in several different ways! 

• He rearranged his schedule – where he was going was not as important as where he was.  A reminder for us that an interruption may be a divine appointment, an opportunity from God to serve those in need.
• Pulled the man out of the ditch – he restored life to a man who had lost all hope of living.  These actions aren’t easy, but if it was easy everyone would demonstrate compassion.
• Bandaged his wounds – think of how a helping hand can change a heart this is discouraged, sorrowful, hopeless.
• Put the man on his own donkey – transportation to a destination can save a life.
• Took him to an Inn – a place of safety
• Pay for his care – what does compassion cost?  It takes its toll on one emotions, drains one’s energies, costs times.

We also have similar opportunities to Love our Neighbor.  For some it is physical needs, for others it is experiencing a loss and difficult days.  The question is not, “Will I have opportunities to serve” but rather, “What will I do when I have the opportunity to serve?”  Will I be like the priest and Levite and look the other way, or will I be ready to do my best when called upon to serve?   This could be a huge burden when you think of people in your neighborhood who need a kind word, a helping hand or an act of encouragement.  However, the command of God and its application in our lives was so obvious, even the expert in the law got it right,

“ ³⁶ Which of these three do you think acted like a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?”  ³⁷ “The one who showed mercy to him,” he replied.”

Luke 10:36-37

While he knew the answer, he walked away in despair because he realized he couldn’t earn his way to heaven and he had not loved all people.

How can we ever hope to fulfill the greatest command of God, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.” How is it possible to be a Good Neighbor to everyone? 

“Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

Luke 10:37

First, we will be aware of the world in which we live in today.  When someone is down and out they will say, “Check their pockets” or “Kick ‘em when their down.”  It is also unnatural for us to have true love for our neighbor.  Therefore, we confess our sins for having failed to love our neighbor as God would want us to.  Then we need our thoughts directed to Christ who did love us perfectly.  Jesus couldn’t bear to see anyone suffering in hell and came to do what we could never do.  Jesus had compassion on people who were truly in need and saved them.  He offered his life to redeem the world from sin.  Jesus set us free!  Set us free for what?

Jesus set us free to take the risks to help others.  Jesus redeemed us to remove our excuses like limited resources or limited time, or I can’t serve everyone (which usually tempts us to think I can’t serve anyone).  Then remember Christ calls us to serve one at a time.  Christ is the one who promises that you will lack nothing, even as you confess, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing” (PS 23:1).  The promise from Jesus is that when I give up, Christ provides everything I need.  We can’t earn our way to heaven, but that’s what Jesus did.  We can’t love our neighbors perfectly, but that’s what Jesus did.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.  Jesus told this story to make the main point: we all have problems loving our neighbor.  We have issues with racism, politics and society where we can’t keep up with all the laws, let alone the most important one, to love God and love our neighbor.  That’s the point the poor lawyer missed.  Jesus did what we could never do.  Jesus focused his love on his Father in heaven and focused his love for every person on earth.  It is this love that Jesus has for us that motivates us to love others.  You can’t be a neighbor of others until you are neighbored by Jesus.  And when you are neighbored by Jesus you are a forgiven, redeemed children of God motivated to Go and Love your Neighbors.  So, let’s do it.  Let’s focus on our neighbors in need and help them.  Let’s focus on our neighbors’ greatest need, and give them Jesus.  Amen.