Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Who Is My Neighbor? – Part 1


Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” 

This week, Michael asks: What’s on your heart? Part of our calling is to love God’s people with the love of God. This is not a worldly kind of love. This is God’s unconditional (agape) love according to the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. God honors His word in us when we’re obedient to His calling according to His word of truth.

The world did not see the global pandemic coming. Our foresight in the year 2020 was not 20-20. However, this is all part of God’s plan. From God’s perspective, the Corona Virus was not a pandemic. Instead it was part of His Plan-Demic. Regardless of the panic, pandemonium and pandemics of this world, our Christian calling is to be faithful to the calling to which we have been called ... to be faithful to His word and fruitful in our Christian life. As Oswald Chambers said, “When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men and women to have such confidence in Him, that they will be the reliable ones.”

When our life is over and our time on earth is done, the question will be, “were you faithful to His Word?” Despite the cares of this world, Peter said, “cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a message of encouragement. God himself is the God of all comfort. Luke 10:25-35 “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So, he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’”
The lawyer came to Jesus with the right question but with the wrong motive. The right question is “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The lawyer’s second question revealed his wrong motive, “Who is my neighbor?” Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We’re called to love our neighbors as ourselves regardless of whether we agree or disagree with their “religious beliefs.” When people are ignorant of the truth of the Word of God, they cannot follow the will of God. The people of this godless world are not our enemy. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. The battle is for the hearts and minds of those whom God has called. As sowers of the seed of God’s word, He’s called us to sow the seed regardless of the ground on which it falls. The types of ground in the parable of the sower represent the receptiveness of the hearts of men and women in which it lands.

A good neighbor shows mercy and compassion on those who are beaten down and wounded by the cares of this  lost in sin world. Our responsibility is to sow the seed of the Word of God and to pray for the hearts of those upon which the Word falls.

The lawyer’s first question was “what must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus answered this question with another question, “you’re a lawyer who studied the law of God. How do you read the law?” The lawyer answered, “Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.” Jesus said, “That’s the right answer. Do these things and you shall live.” The lawyer’s second question was “who is my neighbor?” This question revealed that he had the wrong motive. The lawyer thought that a “neighbor” referred to the people that were like him. He thought that he and others like him could justify themselves by their own self-goodness.  

Let's continue Michael's message on "loving your neighbor" in the next post. 
In Christ, Brian

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