Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Pastor James Powell

November 24, 2024

Luke 10:25-29  //  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?”

Luke 10:30-37  //  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 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.”

  • Does God love ME?

1 John 4:16  //  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

John 3:16  //  For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

  • Why is it so difficult (for me) to receive God’s Love?
  • We tend to define LOVE at the level of our lowest experience with it.
  • Life has a way of teaching us lessons that we don’t yet know that we’ve learned:
    • to receive Love it must be earned
    • to receive Love I must be perfect
    • to receive Love it must be constantly pursued

John 1:14 (MSG)  //  The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

Romans 5:10  //  For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

  • Why is it difficult for me to love others?

Matthew 10:7-8  //  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

1 John 4:19  //  We love because He first loved us.

  • Receive God’s Love
  • “God Loves Me” (First 30 Seconds of Your Day)
  • Say it Back
  • Share It Around