The Full and True Jesus

The scripture said, “…the lawyer stood up to test Jesus.”  Test Him?  Test Jesus!?   Does he really want to test Jesus? But he does, he says, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus answers with a question, that is just like Jesus, a question with a question, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?”  he is saying,  think it out. Ah, the lawyer does well with his reply… he states the great commandment.

“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 love your neighbor as yourself.”

 Jesus replies, “you got it, do this and you will live!” Just when we think, question and answer period done. The lawyer says, “Who is my neighbor?

And thus, Jesus proceeds to tell a story.  Picture it….the story takes place  somewhere along the way between Jerusalem and Jericho, about 17 mile trail.

       It was a rough trail with caves along the way where robbers could hide, and it was considered a dangerous trail. Jesus says to the lawyer, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, 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 while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, (which is a days’ worth of wages for a laborer) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ PAUSE   “

Jesus asks the lawyer, “so which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”  The lawyer said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Point made!

The first person that came upon the dying man was the priest, surely he would helped this man, but the priest’s human side got to him.

Logically, he thought that he must stay clean, as he is the only one who can offer the sacrifices in the temple.  In other words, there was no way he could show mercy that day or could he show kindness to the dying man. He walked around him. This was not a convenient time for the priest, not a convenient time?  Not convenient?

It is true unconditional mercy and true raw love demonstrated in the most inconvenient times that Jesus is talking about.

The second passerby was a Levite. For certain we can expect him to have compassion.  After all he works at the temple. What does he do when he sees the dying man lying on the road?  Nothing!  He went around the other side of the road, walking around this man who needs help. Who do we walk around? Or are we Godly neighbors?

What happens next in the story!?  The Samaritan comes by and remember Jesus said, “he was moved with pity.”  Given the times of this story, and being a Samaritan, he is the last guy expected to be a model neighbor.  Gosh, Jesus can tell a story and drive home his point!

The Samaritan  approaches the fallen man, binds his wounds, pours wine and oil on the man’s wounds, he comforts him, picks him up and puts him on his animal, takes him to an inn and cares for him, and pays for the man’s stay so that he can recover.

And promises he will be back if he needs to pay more. He showed mercy, he was willing to help, and  care for him.  He gave his whole self with all his heart, mind, soul and strength and his money  to a suffering neighbor.

So in today’s scripture we have looked at the lawyer, the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan, and the dying man. 

Have I forgotten any one? Who in today’s scripture have I forgotten?

Yes!!! Jesus! And who is Jesus in this story?

Jesus is all knowing… The scripture said the lawyer was testing Him.  He knew that he was being tested.

Jesus  is kind and patient.  He is going to stop what he is doing and listen.  He is an open book. Sure, Mr. Lawyer, let’s talk, I am glad you asked.

Who is Jesus in this scripture?

Jesus is a great teacher.  He made the lawyer think it out, not just dictate  what the lawyer is suppose to do.

Who is Jesus in this scripture?  He is the Son of God who speaks of love and loves us. Turn to your neighbor right now and say Jesus loves you!

As you will hear in the communion words today, I will say to you now . These words are written by Bishop Peggy Johnson’s husband, Rev. Mike Johnson:

Jesus came to bring good news to everyone:

The young and the old;
The lost sheep of Israel,
but also to the Samaritans,
the gentiles,
and the unclean Ethiopian eunuchs.

Jesus called the ignorant working poor.
Jesus called not just men but women too.
Jesus called the corrupt and exploitive rich.
Jesus shared the gospel with the dangerously insane,
and those with contagious diseases.

Jesus found value in children and in the lives of hopeless beggars.

Jesus went against religious tradition to share the gospel.
Jesus went against the teaching of the Scripture to bring good news.
Jesus sacrificed his life to take away the sins of the entire world.
Jesus did not seek to be honored.
Jesus did not worry about being important.
Jesus knelt before others and served their needs before his own.

That is who Jesus is! Loving everyone and teaching us to do the same… to love our neighbor, across the street and across the globe.
Every time we read the Bible we need to see who Jesus is.

Are we committing to the church’s year-long challenge to read the Bible?

If we do, we will know his love and feel his love and be able to love our neighbor.

In today’s scripture and throughout the Bible he teaches us the way.

I grief at the closing of our airports to our global neighbors .  The Bishop stated this week that the words “give me your  tired, poor, and the huddled masses” has been the message of  the United Methodists and  has been  proclaimed for generations .

In today’s world, where our constitutional rights can be signed away inside a stroke of a pen, turn toward Jesus, our teacher, learn the word,  love our neighbor and stand up in love for them, and pray that our church will work toward becoming a group of people who honestly seek to follow Jesus and to be deep Christian believers who chooses Jesus. .

God created us as all neighbors! Why does it seem, when we hear of signed executive order, that we only hurt each other?

Jesus tells us to love the people across the oceans, the person we pass by in the store and  the person we sit next to at the doctor’s office, and  the people we work with and our enemies.  We are expected to love the most unlovable, at the most inconvenient time.   And love them with prayer… send up a breathe prayer.  Six or seven syllables under our breathe….  Jesus, protect him today … or her.  Praying for someone is loving! And how our communities would change if we loved our neighbor here and worldwide.

Let’s not put limits on this story in the scripture, or any story Jesus wants us to know… see and hear him in all his stories. Today’s story, titled the Good Samaritan is a life learning lesson told as simply as possible so we can get it. That is soooooo Jesus.  He wants us to get it!

So, when we come to his table today, come with love and take time to feel his love for you.  Savor the moment at the bread of life, take time at the cup, the blood of Christ.  He is giving us a gift, receive with intentional mind.  Be prayerful before you come and after.

You know he wants us to have the free gift of eternal life.  He honors that we have free will. He says, here is the gift of eternal life, we can accept it or we can walk around it.

Pray with me if you want the gift of him being your personal savior.   Lord.  We know you are Lord, Jesus Christ, and we are sinners.  We ask for forgiveness, and we accept you now as our personal Lord and Savior.  Amen.

If you prayed that prayer with me, go to the bible and know his word.

 Old Testament Lesson: Deuteronomy 15:10-11

Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”

Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:25-37

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 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.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, 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 while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Meditations For Your Week

Sunday, February 5~ Saturday, February 11

Sunday: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 Do you love the Lord with all you have?

Monday:  The lawyer asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:33 Who is your neighbor?  Prayerfully ask the Lord to plant in your heart a desire to help your neighbors.

Tuesday: “…a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he  saw  him, he was moved with pity.” Luke 10:33    Are you a Godly neighbor?  Have you been moved with pity for others?

Wednesday: Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37  Do you have mercy and go and do likewise as the Samaritan?”

Thursday“Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”  Deuteronomy 15:11  Jesus says to love your neighbor. Are your hands open to your neighbor?

Friday: When we read the Word, and learn who Jesus is, we will learn His great commandment to love our neighbor.  Are you reading the “one-year reading the Bible” challenge?

Saturday:  Start today, make it a habit to read the word.