Next Steps in Following Jesus: Love People

It was 26. August 1928 the woman called Mrs. Donna's you went into a Scottish Caf� and are consumed some ice cream and ginger break beer ginger ale. I think the goal here some ginger ale, which which had been purchased for her by her friends after consuming some of the ice cream and ginger beer and her friend poured some more of the ginger beer from the bottle into the glass containing the ice cream and to the other shop from the ginger beer bottle came a decomposed snail floated out of the bottle into the glass. The ginger beer bottle was of dark, opaque glass of the condition of its contents could be ascertained by an outside inspection. Sometime later, Mrs. Donahue brought an action of damages in the Scottish courts against the manufacturer of the ginger beer bottle, alleging that she had contracted a serious illness from consuming the ginger beer which would contain the decomposed snail became us on the famous case of the snail in the bottle and that this was 1928 and the question to be decided by the Scottish courts was whether a man called Mr. Stevenson who was a manufactured out of the ginger beer on a duty of care to Mrs. nonissue.

After all, there was no contract between Mrs. Donahue and the manufacturer of the ginger beer. Furthermore, there was no contract between Mrs. Donahue and the owner of the caf� because the ginger beer in the ice cream had been bought for Mrs. Donahue by a friend. So it came to the courts is a fascinating case and although the case was raised raised in Scotland. It was agreed that the principles had great implications for the laws of Scotland and England, and that was eventually decided by the House of Lords, which was then the supreme court in civil cases in the United Kingdom on May 26, 1932, and in this case, the question was who and law is my neighbor. That was the question was Mr. Stevens and the manufactured out of the ginger beer in which there was this decomposed snail was he in the legal sense.

Mrs. nonissue's neighbor. Did he offer her a duty of care and had Mrs. Donahue suffered damages in consequence of his breach of that duty of care after great deliberation. The Scottish courts said yes and it was held that in law Mrs. Donahue was Mr. Stevenson's neighbor. One of the large Lord Atkins said this, the rule that you are to love your neighbor becomes in law, you must not injure your neighbor, and the lawyer's question, who is my neighbor receives a restricted reply, you must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee, would be likely to injure your neighbor, who then in law is my neighbor.

The question seems to be persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when I'm directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called in question. This was a famous decision.

It really changed what is called in Scotland the law of the elect what is called in England and here in the United States. The law of torts and the implications have impact for you as you sue people who give you hot coffee and all kinds of things. But this case is intriguing for me not to because of his legal ramifications because the original question was asked by a lawyer not a lawyer in the House of Lords, but a lawyer who asked Jesus the same question who is my neighbor, who do I all a duty of care to whom I to help who is my neighbor and that question is brilliantly answered by Jesus and webmaster to open your Bibles to Luke chapter 10 as we look at this amazing story in the brilliant reply of our Lord Jesus.

We are continuing the series next steps in following Jesus. Last week we thought of our great call to love God, to love God with all our heart, with all her soul with all her mind and their neighbor and herself. After all, we have been greatly loved by God, as we thought of the story of the prodigal son in the fire loss people matter to God in our there is joy in the presence of the angel over one sinner that repents another of focus is this having received the love of God in our hearts. We are to love others and a lawyer asked the question here in verse 25 of Luke chapter 10. Let's first of all, read his question, and all the lawyer sued up to pretend to the task, saying teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life not a lawyer not only asked a good question. That lawyer should ask you not only asked a good question. He asks the right person. What was he to do to inherit eternal life.

How does someone get into the kingdom of God. How can someone be assured that when they die they have eternal life is difficult, as needed to think of a more compelling question. What shall I do to inherit eternal life. I must say I don't hear that question asked of me as much as I would like. I had a lot of questions about how can I have a more comfortable life. I have questions like pastor, why would God allow this situation.

John what must I do to have a better marriage I can.

I care for my kids when am I going to get a job lot of these kind of questions and I suppose they are all good questions.

Not like this one, the holy's Scriptures deal with this vital issue of eternal life. Have you ever asked that question. What must I do to inherit eternal life would be your answer. Do you believe in eternal life. Do you believe that you will live forever, and if you do hello are you going to inherit that eternal life. Can you have the assurance that when you die go to be with God in heaven forever because after all the Bible very clearly states that there is a heaven and that is a health and if that is true, and it is this question is a good one.

Yes, you may be trying to put Jesus in a bit of a corner putting Jesus to the test, but nonetheless the question is one that we must all answer and grapple with what must I do to inherit eternal life. We are so absorbed by only the lives. Though we know that were not going to be on this planet forever and that any moment we could be ushered into eternity. It seems to me that were not asking this question is much as we shoot that's a question is a very good one. Here is the answer. Verse 26 he Lord said to him what is written in the law is a lawyer.

He should know it. How do you needed the answer to 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. This lawyer is a good lawyer is giving a perfect answer to the question, according to the law.

The law says that I'm to love God. Deuteronomy 6 I'm to love God and time to love them with all of my heart, with all of my soul and with all my strength and I also know from the law that I'm to love my neighbor as myself and he verse 28 he Jesus said to them, you've answered correctly do this and you will live, but he is a lawyer desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor, the lawyer answers correctly.

Loving the Lord our God and loving our neighbor as ourselves leads to eternal life.

If you perfectly love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. If you do that all of the time and if you truly love your neighbor as yourself when it comes to eternal life. You're going to do very very well. You'll get in to heaven.

The lawyer gives the correct and the very precise summary of the law. If you can fulfill the law. He will live. But does that stop does the lawyer really think he can love the Lord his God with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength. Does he really think that he is loving his neighbor as himself. Does this lawyer does he recognize his inability to keep the law. The law that he knows in his head.

This it really worked out in his life perfectly so that he loves God and he also loves his neighbor as himself that he understands he was in need of the mercy of God and of the grace of God and in answer to the question, who is my neighbor verse 29 Jesus tells the story is a beautiful story is we saw last week that Jesus is the master storyteller.

As we looked at Luke chapter 15 here is another of the stories that we have recorded in Luke, in which is unique to Luke's gospel. Verse 38 Jesus replied, is the story the 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 there by chance a priest was going down the road when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him pass by on the other side, but the Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he sent him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him and the next day he took out two denarii iron gave them to the innkeeper sink take care of him and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back that's the story of Jesus is going to asked the lawyer question. Which of these three do you think proved to be our neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers.

He said the one who showed him mercy and Jesus said to him you go to likewise is not brilliant story. Here is a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, a journey of about 17 miles. A journey downhill involving at the center of about 3400 feet down the rocky and a very desolate road and as he journeys he dropped. He's beaten and is left half dead.

So this man is on the terrible road is rocky is desolate.

He dropped his left half dead and notice.

He is totally unable to do anything for themselves and then to religious men Tend to be on the same road. One is a priest and the other is a Levite and they should've known better and they see the man and his needs, but they give him absolutely no help. In fact, it appears they go out of their way to avoid this wretched man. They knew the laws well and they knew the law sides under the Mosaic law.

You are to love your neighbor as yourself.

They knew the law they knew what they should do. But the showed no compassion, no mercy. They simply don't want to get involved. The text says verse 31. Again, not 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 pass by on the other side. Jesus is emphasizing that although they see the man and the sea has need is obvious the man is half dead he's wounded. He's bleeding is possibly unconscious and they just keep on going there aware of a need but practice a policy of non-involvement. It would do that. You see someone in need, and you know you can help them and you just keep going you.

You pretend is that what you don't see them. If you're with someone else. You don't even talk about it.

You just keep going and noninvolvement policy. The problem is not theirs. Someone else can handle it. That got religion.

They know the law.

They know what they should do, but they don't have love. They have no compassion.

They have no mercy for their fellow man. They have the law in their heads but love and mercy are not in their hearts, not in the hands they do not love their neighbor as themselves to be learned from the story. Don't forget the original question, who is my neighbor. What do we learn what we learn. First of all, something that this lawyer didn't get we trust as a result of hearing the story. He didn't get the point that in love. Jesus reaches out and down to you and me.

This man left half dead on the Jerusalem Jericho Road is a picture of all of us is and that is very flattering picture but it's a very accurate one.

This man who is assaulted whose robbed his left eye, half dead can do nothing to save himself. He cannot improve his condition laughed to himself. He's going to die just as the lawyer is totally unable to love the Lord his God with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength and to love his neighbor as himself by himself. Is there anyone here who would say that you always have love your neighbor as yourself. The reality is were very selfish people were very self-absorbed. We would like to think in general that were trying people that we reach out to others, but we, too, don't we often practice a policy of noninvolvement it someone else's problem with this man that we call the good Samaritan. If this man had not come. The victim would've died. Do you understand, in the eyes of God's that all of us cannot save ourselves. That's the gospel that we have all sins with all broken the law. Not one of us loves the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

We love ourselves and just if we can help our neighbor. We like to do that. It makes us feel good and we can boast about good but none of us do that all of the time, but God in his love as result of last week in his grace and his mercy has reached down in Jesus Christ and has provided for us eternal salvation. Remember what the angel of the Lord said to Joseph you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who will save his people from their sins. And every time Mary and Joseph called Jesus name Jesus. The message was being proclaimed Savior rescuer delivered or that Jesus comes to save us. This is the good news of the gospel that sin has devastated us that sin leaves us down and makes us half dead, and unless there is divine intervention. We will die.

That is, by ourselves, we will never ever inherit eternal life. However good we are. We will not by ourselves receive eternal life.

We can make it to heaven on the wrong we need help with the divine help. We need a Savior we need someone to give us eternal life, and this is what God in his great love is done understand that you like this man on the Jerusalem Jericho Rd., Garden's gray sense, Jesus on the rescue mission.

Paul says, for while we were still weak. Why we were still helpless. While we were still powerless at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. That would unable to remedy ourselves, we can get opposite Welland brush yourself off and make it down this road by ourselves know we are to sinful. So Paul says that God sees as he sees this week he sees as helpless. He sees this powerless to remedy our situation and so he sends Jesus at the right time to die for the ungodly. That's why so sad that today there is this great emphasis on self-help inner motivation, self actualization, all of these will fail. All of these are falls, not one of them will take you to heaven, they will never give you eternal life by yourself, you will never reach God on your own. Jesus Christ is the only answer in Jesus, God's love and grace reaches darling Don Don to us is given this beautiful name Emmanuelle God with us and this help comes not in some dogma and ritual art, religion, or a church, but in the living person of Jesus, the Savior of the world who dies for our sins and rises again for our salvation and offers us freely eternal life and forgiveness of sins. When we receive a mentor hearts into our lives, Savior is my Savior. That means I need to be saved, means left to myself.

I will not inherit eternal life left myself up on the broad road which leads to destruction, but Christ comes to save me to forgive me and to transforming as I receive them as my Savior and Lord Marge understand the point is this, that we who have received God's love.

We who have received God's mercy must now reach out in love and mercy to her neighbors in the parable of Jesus recounts that we just read here in the chapter 10 who acts as the neighbor that strike you. It was the most unlikely of people.

It was a Samaritan and in that day that was racial and religious discrimination and prejudice by the Jews against the Samaritans, the Jews regarded the Samaritans as unclean. They wouldn't eat with them.

They regarded them as bad people. What a surprise for a Jewish lawyer to learn the man who brings help is a Samaritan because it was a very relevant parable for us today living in the United States the very relevant parable for us here in Charlotte. Here are people who despise one another. The Jews looks on the Samaritans as inferior.

The Samaritans didn't worship at the temple in Jerusalem, but in my anger got Azeem the Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, the writings of Moses as authoritative, but it is a Samaritan who has compassion and provides for the man's every need. Notice how Jesus emphasizes the Samaritans compassion verse 33, a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was know he doesn't go to the other side becomes right to where the man is and when he saw him, he had compassion. The priest, the Levite had no compassion that hard self-centered self-absorbed crowded out again.

People in the Samaritan is this compassion leads to action. He went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine that was costly set them on his own animal brought him to an end and took care of him next day he took out two denarii. I gave them to the innkeeper say take care of them and whatever mode you spend. I will repay you when I come back but you don't even know the man and he's your enemy he's Jewish. Why would you do all that for him since the is the surprise of the story is done certain people in certain people as inferior to other people in the world than Americans who don't have your backgrounds. They have different beliefs they don't see things as you see them this man who is assaulted as an trauma, but the Samaritan came to where he was and he is a lavish and loving in his care. He doesn't just do the minimum, or we would've admired the man if you just burned up his wounds and try to get a mop and say well try and make it done to Jericho by the I'm busy. I've got to go up. That would've been good, but know he does much more than that gives costly oil and wine to take care of this man is he brings up his wounds, put some of these animal takes him to the in pace for Ottomans's lesson. If there's anything more I'll be back and I'll take care of it. Whatever schedule the Samaritan was on this totally blown his day is changed. Nothing is more important than providing mercy and compassion to this man.

Have you ever loved someone like that you think in your life where you did that for someone not someone you know not someone in your family know someone who looks like you know someone at Calvary church. We have done that to an enemy someone you look down on someone and look down on you, who is our neighbor. What kind of answer is Jesus giving this is radical living isn't it know we who have received the love of Jesus. Here's the point to read charts with the same love to those in need that my love for others floors and grows from Christ's love for me, the more you understand how much God loves you and the more you understand of God's grace in your live, the more merciful the more compassionate you will be to those in need, particularly to those disadvantaged who is my neighbor, your neighbor is anyone who is in need and who you're able to help your neighbor, your neighbor is anyone in need and who you are able to help people around us and beyond a certain need in three there are many broken poor lonely and sad people here in Charlotte, some of whom are sitting here today, people in need people who need compassion. Some of them you may dislike some of them you may be prejudiced against you. So I'm not prejudiced really people you don't enjoy being with look different from your humility down on them. You would never admit that of course. But in your heart you look down on them. They may be poor they may be immigrants, they may have different beliefs they may have a different color. They may be financially wealthy but spiritually poor and perhaps their wealth promotes bitterness and you perhaps the poor, and you look down on them and you think, why don't they get a job and why don't they work like me. I had made something of my life. Why can they do that they may live in the suburbs. They may be in the inner city. All are in need of Jesus love displayed through you. We get so absorbed only with ability to process what. Let's face it is a national disgrace is what is our world needs what the Charlotte needs.

What is America needs. What does the world needs and needs the love of Christ through people like you and me reaching out and touching people one by one. Reach out to them, love them, you are the neighbor, don't be so locked into your own little world, your comfort, your problems, your own little circle of friends and family that you failed to see needy people around. We can become so self focused, and I confess that I can be so absorbed with the tasks of the day and the things that concern me and the things that I must do is very easy to pass by on the other side of zero, someone else will take care of that as a government problem. After all, they messed up their own life. Why should I help this individual who's got a drug problem. How should I deal with this person who's out of work.

Someone who's lost her job. Someone who is Rector marriage. Why should I care about them self focused. Sociologists today talk about what they call obsessive comparison disorder. I confess I'd never heard of it in those terms.

But is reading it recently observed obsessive comparison disorder is our compulsion to constantly compare ourselves with others producing unwanted thoughts and feelings that drive us to depression. The buying things to anxiety and all running discontents and the sociologist tell us that this obsessive comparison disorder whereby were always comparing ourselves with others, nor the does it isolates us and causes us to resent others instead of loving them instead of celebrating who we are and how God has plans for each one of us. Tonight I'm going to be speaking about abortion.

Why are we as followers of Jesus so passionate about life because we believe that God each of us in his own image. We believe that is why we take a stand against the killing of innocent unborn babies put it is also true that those who are living with an elderly person with her someone with a special need whether someone from a different background that all of us are made in the image of God and that this love that God has for us and goes to all the world is to be not only proclaimed with our lips and we must do that.

It also must be demonstrated in our lifestyle and biota actions instead of comparing what we have with others you doing that when Pepper Rogers coached UCLA his team had some bad seasons. So I read and recalling one Rogers told a reporter. My dog was about about my only friends and I told my wife that a man needs at least two friends so she bought me another dog well it's good to have friends in the particularly with mother having a losing season and when things are tough though we only the friends of course, who would be so arrogant to say that they could go through life alone that we don't need other people.

None of us would be so foolish. None of us would be so Arctic it would be of course we need others and were so thankful when people reach out and kindness on the mercy and compassion to ask, particularly when were done but my question for you is are you doing that with others don't close your heart. Don't close your eyes to your neighbors loving your neighbor often require sacrifice entire human resources just as this good Samaritan gave what he had. The use of these animal, the wine, the auto money he gave of himself, why because a man was presented to him in need, and he was a neighbor to that individual to their first task you have you personally receive God's love in Christ. You acknowledge your own sinfulness. You cried out to God for mercy. The parable of the good Samaritan demonstrates that the lawyer was in need of mercy. You may be like the lawyer you know the answers you know the Bible. But there is no reality. You have no compassion or little compassion little mercy I would let your religious inwardly your hollow your heart selfish like the priest you like the Levite you go by on the other side and the sad reality is, it doesn't even bother you. You're so absorbed with your own life is God for Christ in spite of our selfishness and our self-centeredness loves us despite who we are and we understand only I hope we do that religion and ritualism can save us that by ourselves in our own strength. We cannot love your neighbor as ourselves, and we need God's love. We need Calvary's love in our hearts and in our lives. And the more I know of God's love and the more I appreciate the forgiveness and the mercy of God.

The mode I'm going to reach out to others in the do you love your neighbor as yourself and other people who say they love God, but they seem to have difficulty loving others. Sadly, that sometimes true the churches in the we sing hymns about loving Jesus we teach it, but sometimes we don't even show love to her brothers and sisters here.

John writes in first John four verse 11 beloved of God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Verse 19 we love because he first loved us.

If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he's a liar and he who does not love his brother, for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen under this verse very well because my mother courted it, my brothers and I were fighting, but it's a profound truth, isn't it, how can you say you love God's. When you treat your brother like that doesn't work doesn't know John says this commandment we have from him.

Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Yes, it starts here it starts with your brother and know the question is not so much who is my neighbor who's going to take care of me. The question is am I a neighbor to those in need. That's the question that's a question I'm asking you not who is serving you, not who is taking care of you, but are you a neighbor to those in need. Martin Luther called Christians to be Christ to your neighbor by that Luther meant that we are to so matter, the love of Christ were neighbors that they see something of Jesus in us is not a beautiful thing when people serve us come to us, particularly when were Darren, particularly when were DD, particularly when we've messed up and we see Christ in the person and that sister compassion. It's full of mercy, kindness, and the wonderful thing you doing that stuck to your home to your family to your friends to your children through your parents but your husband is your wife see Christ love and you we have many children growing up in homes but don't really see that we have many husbands who feel. I don't know if my wife really loves me will fly out wives who feel I'm not sure of my husband loves me. We have reply Calvary church to say where is the love of Christ. I don't feel it is I should. Christopher Morley said if we all discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to see every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that we love them but leave it to the last minute of your life to tell someone you love them, make sure your mom and dad know that you love them, make sure that brother or sister that you haven't spoken to perhaps for years, but you love them, make sure that brother that sister at Calvary that you had that difference with and that you've kind of ignored and in the gallery I gave you sort of pass by on the other sites don't do that.

Make sure they know you love them reach out and love to others.

Starting with but certainly not confined to your own family. Jesus says love your enemies, that the gospel love your enemies.

This is what God has done for us when we were enemies of God. Christ came and died for us now open your heart to God's love receive the love of Calvary contemplate the cross when we see our Savior dying for us and then with this divine love in our hearts will be reach out to that lonely neighbor that difficult person at work that family member who makes it pretty clear that he or she doesn't like you nonperson from a different culture that awkward person in your ALG you think either neighbor. This is the love of Christ reaching out to others. This is the next step in following Jesus loving people.

Our father help us to do that you give us the supreme example in our Savior, who loved us when were very unlovable when we were weak when were helpless from her part was, in fact, when were enemies, but thank you and your grace that you love us and no as we have received that love helpless father fill our hearts with your love and families at work and neighbors in this sad world.

The world of division in the world of prejudice and discrimination. May we be different.

Help my brothers and sisters this week.

Father is the goal home was to go to their communities as they go to school tomorrow is the go to the bank as they go to the factory as they go to the hospital wherever they are. Father, may we be radiating the love not just in the words within our very lives. Help us, we pray, we thank you in Christ name