To be a welcoming, celebrating, growing family living out together the Way of Jesus— loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

If your toddler (18 months – 3 years) becomes “very active” before fellowship break, parents may care for them in the toddler nursery. An ADULT must stay with the child.

PSALM 104:24-34 How many are your works, L ORD ! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures., There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified, when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the L ORD endure forever; may the L ORD rejoice in his works—he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the L ORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the L ORD.

MOMENT

GENEROSITY MOMENT

GOD SIGHTINGS

MOBILE MEDICAL CLINIC For anyone without insurance Monday 6:00-7:00 p.m Free Dental Clinic Saturday May 21st Here at Hilltop 10:00 a.m. First Come First Served Basis

Manna Meal Free neighborhood lunch Saturday, May 29 11:30 to 1 pm ASK AN ATTORNEY May 25, 1-4 pm Call IN ADVANCE for appointment

HEALTHY COOKING MADE EASIER COOKING MATTERS: A FREE 6 WEEK COOKING WORKSHOP SERIES AT HILLTOP URBAN CHURCH 11:00 -1:00 P.M. SATURDAYS JUNE 4 TH, 11 TH, 18 TH, 25 TH AND JULY 2 ND, 9 TH FLYERS AND SIGN UPS ON TABLE Included: Free take home groceries to try NEW recipes on your family, meal planning and budgeting, a grocery tour for affordable, healthy foods ETC… Sign up BEFORE MAY 26th

Become part of the kind of family you have always longed for.  Sunday 5:30 p.m. The Safe House Church Planters: Eddy and Laura Hall At the Hall’s (NOT MEETING today)  Monday 6 p.m. House of the Broken Shepherds: Leo & Anna Mendoza At the church (NOT MEETING 5-16)  Wednesday 7 p.m. The Change Shepherds: Lisa Villegas & Michelle Anderson At Shon’s House  Thursday 6 p.m. R12 (Romans 12) Shepherds: Glenda Forbes and Chuck Palmer At the church

For urgent prayer needs that come up during the week, Call Glenda or another shepherd.

The Parables of Luke The Good Samaritan

A Parable is a Story, but not just a Story. It teaches us something about... - How we should live or - What we should believe

Luke (NLT) 25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27 The man answered, “‘You must love the L ORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” 29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.

35 “ The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

25 An expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus... Expert in religious law = “Lawyer” He stood up=Jesus is a Rabbi

25... to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” A Trap!

You don’t get an inheritance by doing something. You get it because you are part of a family! - Born into a family - Adopted into a family

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” Jesus answers a question with a question. The lawyer knows the Scriptures.

Deuteronomy “Listen, O Israel! The L ORD is our God, the L ORD alone. And you must love the L ORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

Leviticus Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the L ORD.

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” Our problem: We can’t do it!

Romans 7.25 “So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Justify = Saved; secured Justify his actions = Seeking to inherit eternal life by his own work

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. (Distance = about 17 miles)

30 They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. The victim had no identity. (but assumed to be a Jew) Was he alive, or was he dead?

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. Priest = Wealthy: Riding, not walking If victim was foreign, a priest had no legal responsibility. Touching a dead body = “Ceremonially defiled”

32 A Temple assistant [a Levite] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. The Levite worked under the authority of the Priest. Both lived in Jericho. Would he upstage his boss??

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Why despised?Racism Poor but compassionate

34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. First Aid: Wine=Antiseptic Olive Oil=Like salve

34 Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. Inn:In Jericho (home of the Priest and the Levite) All eyes in Jericho were on the Samaritan with the injured Jew! (Very dangerous for him.)

35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ Two days’ wages: A week of food and lodging. People could be sold as slaves if they did not pay their debts.

The Samaritan made great sacrifice. Time to help the victim. Poor, but gave two days’ wages (and maybe more). Risked his life to save a life.

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Lawyer asked: Who is my neighbor? Jesus asks: Who are you a neighbor to?

Lessons from The Good Samaritan 1.The rescue of the helpless victim is a gift of mercy -- just like eternal life is for us. - The victim cannot rescue himself. - Only the sacrifice of another can rescue him.

Lessons from The Good Samaritan 2. The actions of the Good Samaritan were costly: Risking his life to save the victim’s life. The Good Samaritan points us to Jesus!

Lessons from The Good Samaritan 3.Compassion comes from love, not the law. - The Priest and Levite were driven by rules. - The Good Samaritan was driven by love.

Lessons from The Good Samaritan 4. Racism has been around for a long time. “Despised” for who he was. But his character shines through.

Lessons from The Good Samaritan 5. Be a Neighbor!

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”