LOVE GETS INVOLVED SESSION 13. The Point. The Bible Meets Life. The Passage. The Setting GET INTO THE STUDY. 10 minutes

Transcription

1 GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Refer to the picture (PSG, p. 152) as you lead the group to respond to Question #1: When have you seen a random act of kindness? GUIDE: Direct attention to The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 153). Acknowledge that it s easy to be nice and kind when we feel like it, but the needs of others are not always convenient. SAY: Jesus called us to a higher standard: a standard of love that goes the extra mile. GUIDE: Introduce The Point (PSG, p. 153): Love for God includes a costly love for others. Comment that when we examine Jesus parable of the good Samaritan, we see a picture of loving compassion. SESSION 13 LOVE GETS INVOLVED The Point Love for God includes a costly love for others. The Bible Meets Life Anyone can be nice, and the world applauds random acts of kindness. Random acts of kindness are a good thing, but are they enough? It s easy to be nice and kind when we feel like it, but the needs of others are not always convenient. Jesus called us to a higher standard: a standard of love that goes the extra mile. He shared a parable to illustrate what loving compassion looks like. The Passage Luke 10:25-37 The Setting The passage of Luke 10:25-37, usually referred to as the parable of the good Samaritan, occurs in Luke s Gospel shortly after Peter s confession of Jesus as the Messiah (9:18-20) and Jesus transfiguration (vv ). After these events, Jesus turned toward Jerusalem, knowing that in Jerusalem He would be betrayed, crucified, and then rise from the dead (9:51; see vv ,43-44). Early in this final journey to Jerusalem, an expert in the law confronted Jesus with a question about eternal life in order to test Him (10:25). 152 Session 13

2 Luke 10: Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 26 What is written in the law? He asked him. How do you read it? 27 He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. 28 You ve answered correctly, He told him. Do this and you will live. KEY WORD: Love (v. 27) The complete devotion of one s entire being to God, not only in feelings, but in the actions of one s life toward God and other human beings as well. We can t love God without loving others. Verse 25. The passage begins with an expert in the law addressing Jesus with a question. A Jewish expert in the law in the day of Christ was an expert in Old Testament Law and would have been called on to interpret it in various situations. The experts in the law (also known as scribes or lawyers ) were most commonly associated with the Pharisees. His concern at this point was, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Another way of wording this question is, What must a person do to enter the kingdom of God? 1 (see Luke 18:18,24 25). This was a common question among the Jews. We can assume that since he stood, he was showing at least outwardly an act of respect for Jesus. Yet while the lawyer s question appears to have been a legitimate one and outwardly he appeared to demonstrate respect toward Jesus, Scripture tells us that his real motive was to test Jesus. It is not hard to envision this as the religious leaders of Jesus time did not trust Him and were wary of His teachings. The lawyer called Jesus Teacher. Jesus was referred to by this same term on many occasions in the Gospels. Jesus also referred to Himself as such (see John 13:13 14). STUDY THE BIBLE Luke 10: minutes GUIDE: Set the stage for the focal passage by sharing the information in The Setting (p. 152). READ: Invite a volunteer to read Luke 10: GUIDE: Explain that the experts in the law were also known as scribes or lawyers, and they were most commonly associated with the Pharisees. Note that the lawyer s standing to address Jesus (v. 25) was an act of respect, at least outwardly. The Jewish religious scholars at this time had been debating how Israel might regain and keep forever the inheritance it had forfeited through disobedience. The test the lawyer was giving Jesus was likely an effort to see if Jesus was a part of his group, or someone to be discredited and dismissed. Verse 26. As He often did, Jesus responded to the question by the lawyer with a question of His own in return. What SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF AUGUST

3 THE POINT Love for God includes a costly love for others. GUIDE Note that, as often occurred, Jesus answered a question with a question. The lawyer answered Jesus well by saying that we must love God with every part of our being. Use the Bible commentary 1 to offer some background on the lawyer s response. Call attention to the text of the Shema printed on PSG page 155. Note the lawyers addition of loving neighbor as oneself and Jesus positive response in verse 28. Clarify that loving God and neighbor perfectly is impossible apart from a saving relationship with Christ. DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 155): What is the relationship between loving God and loving others? (Alternate: When have you been dragged into religious or cultural debates?) TRANSITION: We can t love God without loving others, and we don t love others when we don t take action. is written in the law? He asked him. How do you read it? Jesus question showed the lawyer that his answer was found in Scripture. The lawyer was no doubt trying to justify himself by obeying the law and was trusting in his own good works. It is implied that Jesus, however, was attempting to lead him to a righteousness that was superior to what he could acquire on his own by being obedient to the law. Verse 27. The expert in the law answered Christ s question well by responding that we must love God with every part of ourselves: heart, soul, strength, and mind. This means we must devote ourselves entirely to God and love Him above everything else. And second, we must love our neighbor as ourselves, which is more easily done if we first love God more than we love ourselves. 1 The expert in the law actually referred to two Old Testament verses here. The first to love God completely is from Deuteronomy 6:5, which is also part of the Shema. The Shema is a prayer prominent in Jewish history and tradition that expressed the Jews faith and belief in the one true God. The liturgy consists of the core passage of Deuteronomy 6:4 9, as well as Deuteronomy 11:13 21 and Numbers 15: A devout Jew would have known the Shema and recited it twice a day traditionally as the first thing in the morning and as the last thing before retiring at night. The second Old Testament verse to love our neighbors as ourselves is from Leviticus 19:18. Verse 28. Jesus responded positively to the lawyer. You ve answered correctly. But then Jesus followed with a very difficult command: Do this and you will live. In this brief statement, Jesus appeared to be saying that to do this (to love both God and neighbor) produces an obedience to all God s commands, even to the gospel, which Jesus at that time was preaching. Eternal life depends upon keeping the commandments of God. Therefore, every person desiring eternal life must either keep God s commandments perfectly (an impossibility for sinful human beings), or accept Christ, who kept God s commandments perfectly. By saying these particular words, we can assume that Jesus intended to elicit an admission that the man had not done this, and as a result inquire about how he might gain the strength, knowledge, or ability to do so. However, as we see in the next verse, this is not how the lawyer responded. 154 Session 13

4 Luke 10: But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor? 30 Jesus took up the question and said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. KEY WORDS: Priest (v. 31) A class of male Jews descended from Aaron who were in charge of the sacrifices, offerings, worship, and maintenance of the temple. Levite (v. 32) Descendants of Levi, the lowest of the three orders in Israel s priesthood, whose role was to assist the priests in their duties at the temple. We fail to love when we don t take action. Verse 29. Instead of being willing to admit that he had tried to fully love God and his neighbor but had fallen short, the lawyer instead responded by wanting to justify his actions to Christ. In an attempt to convince Jesus that he was blameless with respect to his actions toward God and others, he changed the course of the conversation by asking Christ what the meaning and extent of the word neighbor was in the law. He mentioned nothing more about loving God, but questioned the second part of the command about who his neighbor was because it depended on how Jesus defined that word. The lawyer made some mistakes in this question to Jesus. One error was in thinking that he had fulfilled the law of loving God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind. It is impossible for sinful human beings to do this perfectly. Even when we are in the act of worshiping God, it is difficult to do this; and much more so in the stress of daily living. Another error in the lawyer s thinking was that it was possible to fulfill the command to love God totally while not loving his neighbor. Scripture states that if we say we love God but hate STUDY THE BIBLE Luke 10: minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to read Luke 10: GUIDE: Note the lawyer s question in verse 29 about whom he should judge to be his neighbor. Emphasize that we often fall into the same trap of categorizing people into groups who 1) deserve our love and compassion and 2) those who do not. Or we often sense the need to show love but we fall short in taking action. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 157): What prevents us from taking action to love others rather than just talking about it? (Alternate: Who are some neighbors we try to avoid in our culture?) 155

5 THE POINT Love for God includes a costly love for others. GUIDE: IN ADVANCE, obtain an object to represent sports. (Example: ball, golf club, tennis racket, team jersey, ticket stub, hat, etc.) Show the item, and comment that there are two groups of people at a sporting event, spectators and players. Note that while the spectators enjoy watching the game, players are constantly involved in the action. Note that we see no players in these verses. Stress that the priest and the Levite are only spectators. They observe the event but take no action to show love and compassion to the injured man. DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 157): What are the implications for us that the ones who passed by were religious people? DO: Invite volunteers to share their response to Barriers to Love (PSG, p. 158). 156 Session 13 our brother, we are liars. How can we love God, whom we have not seen, and hate our brother, whom we have seen (see 1 John 4:20 21)? Verse 30. Christ told the lawyer a parable to answer his question and show him the full extent of who a neighbor is. The parable was a simple story, but a powerful one. A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Although the man is not described in any detail, the Jewish audience would naturally have assumed him to be a Jew. Jerusalem sits approximately 2,500 feet above sea level; Jericho, which is 17 miles to the east, is about 800 feet below sea level. This was a treacherous road that was infamous for crime, so it probably wasn t surprising to the lawyer or others listening that Jesus set the illustration on this particular road. Thieves hid in locations provided by the natural landscape that made it easier to rob individuals as they passed by. People usually traveled this road in groups for protection. The man in the parable had obviously made a bad decision to make the trip alone, and as a result, the robbers took all that he had, beat him up, and left him for dead. Verses The parable continues by having first a priest and then a Levite both categories of Jewish religious officials pass by the injured man on the road. Both the priest and the Levite would obviously have been expected to stop and assist the injured traveler. But instead of doing so, not only did each of them pass by the man without stopping, but both went to the other side of the road as they passed in order to totally avoid the injured traveler. Many theories have been suggested as to why the priest and Levite would not have stopped to help the injured man. It may have been that these men did not want to defile themselves by touching what they presumed to be a dead body, as Old Testament law commanded. Others have speculated that these two did not stop to assist the injured man because each of them feared being attacked by the robbers themselves. However, the parable does not specifically imply these or any other motives for their lack of concern toward the injured man. Since both men are fictional characters, it would be pure speculation to try to determine their motives for not stopping to assist. However, both of these men, a priest and a Levite, who would have been expected to practice mercy and kindness, would have certainly been expected to offer assistance to

6 an individual, a fellow Jew, injured to that extent. Yet they neglected their duty in order to avoid the situation because they did not want to get involved. Luke 10: But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, Take care of him. When I come back I ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend. 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? 37 The one who showed mercy to him, he said. Then Jesus told him, Go and do the same. TRANSITION: Remind the group of the session title by writing it on a board or large sheet of paper: Love Gets Involved. Then write these words directly beneath the title: No matter what! Stress that love must take action. STUDY THE BIBLE Luke 10: minutes READ: Invite the group to read Luke 10:33-37 silently. KEY WORDS: Samaritan (v. 33) Considered half-breeds by the Jews, from intermarriages between the remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) and Gentile foreigners imported by the Assyrians after Samaria s conquest. Compassion (v. 33) The Greek term is related to the noun for a person s inward parts, the seat of one s emotions. An attitude of mercy toward others that should characterize the Christian s life. We are commanded to love no matter what. Verse 33. While this parable easily could have been used to illustrate the hypocrisy of the religious leaders in that day, Jesus surprised those listening by saying that a third man who passed by stopped to help the beaten traveler and this man was a Samaritan. Today, this story lacks the power it had in Jesus day because we lack the cultural context that would have made it so scandalous. Jews and Samaritans hated each other both racially and religiously. So, the despised Samaritan would have had reason to detest 157

7 THE POINT Love for God includes a costly love for others. GUIDE: When the group has finished reading, write a question mark (?) on the board or a large sheet of paper. Note there are a number of questions in today s Scripture passage. Remind the group of the question in verse 29: And who is my neighbor? Then call attention to verses 33-37, and invite members to find the question in this passage. Ask a volunteer to read it aloud (see v. 36). Note who is my neighbor? is no longer the question for us. Instead, it is what kind of neighbor am I? Stress that Jesus was showing us that His standard of love was a higher standard love that goes the extra mile and loves no matter what the circumstance. 158 Session 13 the Jewish man and not give another thought to passing him by. The injured man was from a different nation and had different beliefs from him; in addition, there was the mutual animosity the Jews and Samaritans shared for each other. So, although the Samaritan was the last person who would have been expected to have helped the injured Jew, the Samaritan had compassion on him when he saw the situation. He did not stop to think: Is this man my neighbor? Should I stop to help him? He simply saw a need and acted. There is no doubt that Jesus purposefully chose to use an outsider, and a man from a hated group of people, to be the hero in this story. He wanted to make the point that being a neighbor to someone is not dependent upon any parameters set by man. So in an extreme irony in this illustration, the two religious men failed to help a fellow Jew who was severely injured while an adversary had compassion on him. Verse 34. The Samaritan s compassion led him to give of his time and resources to the injured man. It appears that the Samaritan carried his provisions along with him, as was often the custom at that time, because he bandaged the wounded man s injuries and poured olive oil and wine the closest thing to medicine in those days on his wounds. The oil would have helped soothe the pain of the injuries and the wine would have served as an antiseptic for the open wounds of the beaten traveler. The Samaritan then put the injured Jew on his animal (some translations refer to the animal as a donkey) and walked with him to the first inn he could find, where he even took time to stay with the injured man overnight. Verse 35. The next morning, the Samaritan continued to care for the man by giving two denarii to the innkeeper and instructing him to care for the injured man. The denarius was a coin in the Roman currency system that equaled a typical day s wage. It has been speculated that this amount would have paid for up to two weeks lodging for the beaten man so he could recover fully. Furthermore, the Samaritan promised that if the innkeeper was owed any additional money for his time or trouble beyond that amount, the Samaritan would repay it upon his return. The Samaritan used not only his time to assist the injured traveler, but also his wine, olive oil, animal, and money. He freely gave of his personal resources to help someone in need with no thought of receiving anything in return.

8 Verse After finishing the parable, Jesus did not actually define who a neighbor is. Instead, He asked the lawyer a very simple question that provided something more than the answer the expert in the law had expected: Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? The answer was obvious, of course, and there was no proper response for the lawyer based on the evidence other than the man who had shown mercy. Although he had wanted to test Jesus, he could not give any other answer after hearing this illustration. It is interesting that although it was obvious to the lawyer who the true neighbor was, most likely because of his Jewish prejudice, he could not bring himself to say, the Samaritan. So although that would have been the most natural way to answer Jesus question, he instead replied, The one who showed mercy to him. In speaking the truth, the lawyer was in effect calling attention to his own mistaken idea that his neighbors only included those people that he loved or cared about. The parable revealed his own prejudices and no doubt affected him with regard to his own duty as a neighbor now that he understood that a neighbor was anyone he came in contact with who had a need. Jesus illustration made it so that he could no longer justify his former way of thinking. Furthermore, by the way Jesus spoke He indicated that we should worry less about the question the lawyer had asked ( Who is my neighbor? ) and should instead be more concerned with the question, How can I be a good neighbor? After the lawyer s response, Jesus did not lecture him on his mistaken thoughts on neighborliness; in fact, He only said a few words: Go and do the same. In other words, the lawyer was to act like the Samaritan in this parable and meet the needs of others he came in contact with, no doubt in the process of doing so finding that neighbors can be found in surprising places. SUMMARIZE: Jesus calls us to a higher standard than acts of random kindness that may cost us no more than the few bucks we may have in our wallets. His standard involves moving beyond religious behavior and self-justification. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We express that love as we love our neighbors those all around us. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 157): How do we move from random acts of kindness to an intentional lifestyle of costly love? (Alternate: How does Jesus story challenge you?) 1. Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992),

9 THE POINT LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: Love for God includes a costly love for others. Love for God includes a costly love for others. LIVE IT OUT How will you step into someone s life, get involved in a meaningful way, and express God s love? Consider the following ideas that are more than simple, anonymous random acts of kindness. > > Homeless. The next time you see a person who appears homeless and hungry, don t just hand him or her a dollar. Bring a nutritious meal and a clean, warm blanket. Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 161; see text to the right). Invite group members to think about which application speaks most to their needs. Wrap It Up GUIDE: Emphasize that in a world filled with people who need to experience the love of Christ, every Christian has a role to play in sharing that love. > > Homebound. Volunteer to deliver meals to those who are homebound in your community through a program such as Meals on Wheels. Make a personal connection and extended visit with at least one of the people you serve. > > Homeroom. Visit a local elementary school, and discover the persistent needs of the students. Talk with members of your group about starting an ongoing ministry to the school children to provide school supplies, food, tutoring, and other items that meet their needs. (Don t forget the teachers!) SAY: We may have limitations that prevent our showing God s love in the ways we used to show it, but God will still use us when we make ourselves available to Him each day. PRAY: Thank God for the amazing love and compassion He showed us in Christ. Ask Him for the strength to show His love actively to all people. 160 Session 13

10 ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/KRISTEN HILLER Foreboding terrain at the Wadi Qelt, which bisects Jericho. The following is from Who Is My Neighbor? (Spr. 2013), which relates to this session and can be purchased at biblicalillustrator. idolatry and uncleanness. They were called enemies in Ezra 4 when they attempted to help rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The Samaritans built their own temple on the slopes of Mount Gerizim. They had their own scriptures, the Samaritan Pentateuch, having rejected the writings and the prophets as authoritative. Samaritans showed hatred and hostility to Jews traveling to Jerusalem, so much so that many Jews preferred to bypass the region entirely. Read Eternal Life in First-Century Thought in the Summer 2016 issue. Previous articles Jesus and the Samaritans (Spr. 2012), SHARING THE GOOD NEWS Love is more than words; it involves action. A true love for God will be reflected in love shown for others, the kind of love Jesus displayed by giving His life for us on the cross. Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All, on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ. The Samaritans dated back to 722 B.C., when the hated Assyrians had exiled all but the poorest among the northern ten tribes of Israel. In their place were Elamites and Assyrians, who interbred with the poor Israelites left in the land, resulting in a half-breed race stigmatized with Jericho in Jesus Day (Spr. 1998), and The Jewish Lawyer (Win. 1991) can be purchased at www. lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical Illustrator for Bible Studies for Life. Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at or call Remind group members that page 2 in the PSG offers guidance in how to become a Christian. Encourage believers to consider using this article as they have opportunities to lead others to Christ. > > Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid (MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesFor Life). >Grow > with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). > > Additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesFor Life.com/blog. 161