We Love 40509 | Week Two

January 10, 2021 / Philip Carroll

Acts 1:8  “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Luke 10:25-37 “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?” 27 He answered, “‘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.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

It wasn’t that they were unable, it’s that they were unwilling.

The question ISN’T

Who is my neighbor?
________________

The question IS

Will I be a neighbor?

John 13:35  “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It’s not always easy, but it’s never complicated. | Mike Breaux 

Jesus was willing to be disrupted because He saw people – not by the labels we create – but in the image of their Creator.

– Start with needs.

– Ambush with grace.

– Speak with boldness.

Being a witness like Jesus called us to be means being a neighbor where we’re called to live.

Start with needs.
________________

Everyone has a basic need to be known.

If we are to love our neighbors, we must first learn their names. | Lance Ford

Ambush with grace.
________________

Resolve your response before you react.

Jesus didn’t start with confrontation.

He started with bricks of love that built a bridge of trust that would eventually support truth.

Speak with boldness.
________________

Strive to gracefully speak truth and not bluntly spew judgement.

 

 

 

 

Save PDF Locally

Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your device

Save PDF to Google Drive

Click to save a copy of the filled-in notes to a PDF file on your Google Drive account

(For Apple devices, use Chrome browser or go to SETTINGS>SAFARI and uncheck BLOCK POPUPS.)