Love this Neighbor:

Luke 10:30-35 “...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. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 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.’...”

What is a priest?

•  Leviticus 6:7 “...And the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and thereby become guilty...”
• A prophet presents God to the people, relaying the Word of the Lord.
• A priest presents the people to God, putting them in right standing.

What did the priest in this story do?

• He purposely ignored a person in need.
• He avoided helping someone.
• He considered his agenda more important than helping a half dead person.

Does this sound like a person who is bringing people to God?

What is a Levite?

• Numbers 3:11-13 “...And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the LORD...”
• The Levites were descendants of Levi that God chose to set apart in place of the firstborn that belonged to God.
• The Levites were to do the work of the Lord.

What did the Levite in this story do?

• He purposely ignored a person in need.
• He avoided helping someone.
• He considered his agenda more important than helping a half dead person.

Does this sound like a person who is doing the work of the Lord?

What is a Samaritan?

• John 4:9 “...The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) ...”
• The Samaritans were a racially mixed society with Jewish and pagan ancestry.
• They worshiped Yahweh, but their religion was not mainstream Judaism.

What did the Samaritan do?

• He saw the need.
• He had compassion.
• He met the need.

Luke 10:36 “...Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?...”

Why did Jesus ask the lawyer this question?

• The answer was obvious, since only one showed mercy.
• Jesus allowed the lawyer to answer his own question about “who is my neighbor”.

 Who is your neighbor?

Luke 10:37 “...And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise...”

What was the lawyers original question?

• “...Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?...”

 What is the answer to this question?

• Live like the Good Samaritan.
• Love God and love your neighbor.
• Consider all people you come across as your neighbor.
• Give up your agenda and spend yourself for the good of others.

 Matthew 5:7 “...Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy...”