25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” Luke 10:25-26

Loving Like Jesus Part 2

“At approximately 3:20 on the morning of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese was returning to her home in a nice middle-class area of Queens, NY…. She parked her car in a nearby parking lot, turned-off the lights and started the walk to her second floor apartment some 35 yards away. She got as far as a streetlight when a man grabbed her. She screamed.

Lights went on in the 10-floor apartment building nearby. She yelled, "Oh, my God, he stabbed me! Please help me!” Windows opened in the apartment building and a man’s voice shouted, "Let that girl alone." The attacker looked up, shrugged and walked-off down the street. Ms. Genovese struggled to get to her feet. Lights went back off in the apartments.

The attacker came back and stabbed her again. She again cried out, "I’m dying! I’m dying!" And again the lights came on and windows opened in many of the nearby apartments. The assailant again left and got into his car and drove away. Ms. Genovese staggered to her feet as a city bus drove by. It was now 3:35 a.m. The attacker returned once again.

He found her in a doorway at the foot of the stairs and he stabbed her a third time – this time with a fatal consequence. It was 3:50 when the police received the first call. They responded quickly and within two minutes were at the scene. Ms. Genovese was already dead…. ” [ THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 27, p.38 ]

1 st Century Equivalent – Luke 10:25 …  25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus’ reply: “You know the law, what does it say?”

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.” ( Luke 10:27 ) It is all about priorities. “You’re right, do that and live.”

Looking for a loophole…  But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ( Luke 10:29 )  We often try to reduce God’s commands to something we can live with and not have to change.

What do I have to do to get in? Jesus’ answer is to show him a picture of someone who IS in.

He knew the right answers… But was totally unprepared for what love looked like.

Love and compassion are not based on “earthly” worth. Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.” ( Luke 10:30 ) An unknown victim… a series of three individuals pass by.

First -  And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ( Luke 10:31 )  Excused?

Down the Road…  Leaving Jerusalem  Like Kitty Genovese’s neighbors, the first two didn’t want to get involved. They were not monsters, just regular folks, trying to get by in the world.

These two were caught up in a life-less religion. Like too many, they went to church but all that had little affect on the way they lived. What’s your story?,

Love Feels Something  But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion. (Luke 10:33 )  SHOCKING!!

“Compassion” (splanchnizomai) – refers to intestines or bowels  A “gut feeling”  He could not pass by!  It was not logical but love and compassion made it impossible for him to walk away!

Love Does Something  and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34 )  Expressing love, being loving, takes movement & concentrated effort.

Watch Him Love!  he went to him  he bandaged his wounds  he poured oil and wine…  he put him on his donkey --  he brought him to an Inn  he took care of him he walked

We can’t help everyone, or everywhere but we can make a difference somewhere!

Loving like Jesus… costs something  On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ (Luke 10:35 )  He put no limit on how much he would spend…

Love Demonstrates The Nature of Our Relationship to God 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”