Neighbors

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 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.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 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. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 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. 35 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.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

We are neighbors because we are: Image Bearers

Who is my neighbor?

Samaria

Jewish Teachings on foreigners in Jesus’ time “If one see one of the Gentiles fall into the sea, he shall not fetch him up; for it is said, Thou shalt not stand up against the blood of thy neighbour. But such a one is not thy neighbour.” The schools of the Scribes taught, That the dust of heathen land defiled by the touch:-‘‘The dust of Syria defiles, as well as the dust of other heathen countries.” “Let no Israelite eat one mouthful of any thing, that is a Samaritan's; for if he eat but a little mouthful, he is as if he ate swine's flesh.”

The idea taught at the time was that foreigners were not your neighbors, that they were to be despised, and that they were not even worthy of human dignity.

Eisegesis vs. Exegesis

Deuteronomy 6:5 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Leviticus 19:18 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:33-34 33 “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

We are neighbors because we are: Image Bearers All human

Empathizing with being an outsider For the Jews, they could understand being stranded in a foreign land. For us, we all have been outsiders at one point or another. As Christians, we can empathize in that we were once outsiders to Christ but now have been brought near.

Ephesians 2:12-13 One in Christ 12 remember that you (Gentiles) were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Ephesians 2:19-22 One in Christ 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

We are neighbors because we are: Image Bearers All human Fellow Sojourners

Gaining Eternal Life Rich Young Ruler - The rich must give up their material possessions. Good Samaritan - Care even for the people you/your society hates/ostracizes.

Matthew 25:31-46 The Final Judgment 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Matthew 25:31-46 The Final Judgment 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:31-46 The Final Judgment 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Gaining Eternal Life Rich Young Ruler - The rich must give up their material possessions. Good Samaritan - Care even for the people you/your society hates/ostracizes. Final Judgement - Those who don’t care for the least will be cast out by God.

Jason and Jessica Shinn

Who is the neighbor God is calling me to care for? Call to Faith Who is the neighbor God is calling me to care for?