Plymothian

” He will cut him to pieces and asign him a place with the unbelievers (v.46).”  How can someone who has been a member of Jesus’ kingdom be cut to pieces?  There are those who are in the church but who don’t really follow Jesus.  Jesus himself took one follower along, Judas, who later betrayed him.  I have had people ask me if Judas is in heaven.  I think not.  There are those who are in the church as security, but who do not understand Jesus’ call to forsake everything except him.  When it comes to the finish, they will be cut to pieces.

Luke 12:35-48

 ³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

 ⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

 ⁴² The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

   ⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Questions

1. How does Jesus describe how a person should wait for their master’s return?
2. What will the faithful manager take charge of?
3. What is the fate of the unfaithful?
4. Is jesus talking about a follower who loses his salvation?
5. How are you living the expectation of Jesus’ return?

We do not need to be anxious.  Over time we set up a system of worry where deep down we tell ourselves that we are not safe, we are not in control, we are not accepted or we are not seperate from others.  We have been created by God to rest in Him.  We are safe when we know him because even if we are killed we are His.  We ultimately are not in control, God is.  As we surrender our will to His, and live in harmony with His will, we experience peace.  God accepted us fully and completely when we came to Him for forgiveness in Christ.  We are never rejected by God after sincerely coming to him.  The sin in our lives is now something we sometimes do, but it is not who we are.  God has created us as distinct human beings.  We can develop healthy boundaries and unique personalities.  By observing nature, as Jesus did, we can see that God takes care of His Creation.  As the pinnacle of Creation won’t he relieve our anxieties if we will just release them to him?

Luke 12:22-33

²² Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life^[b]? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

   ²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

   ³² “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Questions

1. What should be a disciple’s attitude toward life?
2. What are life and the body more than?
3. What is the net affect of worry?
4. Do you worry about paying bills, saving for retirement, having a job, or taking care of your family?
5. Could you release your worries to God in prayer?  When?

Going Deeper

Observation

1. What bird does Jesus have his disciples consider?
2. What can not be added by worry?
3. Who was not dressed as finely as a flower?
4. What should a disciple not set their heart upon?
5. What should a disciple seek?

Interpretation

1. If a Raven is an unclean bird, how does this emphasize Jesus’ point?
2. Why doesn’t it matter that Jesus teaches the same principles using sparrows and not ravens in Matthew?
3. What kind of clothes would Solomon have worn?
4. What is the ‘Kingdom of God’ in this context?
5. What is a purse that doesn’t wear out?

Application

1. How could nature be an inspiration not to worry?
2. Why do people today suffer from so much anxiety?
3. How do people of ‘little faith’ allow others to increase their anxiety?
4. Where is your treasure?
5. How can you become ‘imperturbable’?

It is not that the rich man was a fool for sowing and harvesting.  He wasn’t a fool for the amount that he collected.  He did not redistribute his wealth.  He did not invest it in the poor.  It is the selfishness of the farmer that Jesus condemned.  This was in reply to someone who asked Jesus to plead his case with a brother over the inheritance.  We may think that it was wise for someone to get Jesus on his side.  However, the man wanted selfish gain and Jesus wouldn’t play his game.  Are you hoarding when you could support God’s work?

Luke 12:13-21

 ¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

 ¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

 ¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

   ¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

   ²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

   ²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Questions

1. What does life not consist of?
2. What did God say to the farmer in Jesus parable?
3. How is a person rich toward God?
4. How does the prospect of gain entice you?
5. How are you getting richer toward God?

I have had problems with being a people pleaser.  What often happens is that I see something as true and speak the truth.  Someone gets offended and I feel really guilty.  Also, I will sometimes move mountains in my job just to make people happy.  Looking deeper, it would seem, like many, that I did not create clear boundaries growing up.  I did not say strongly to myself, “I will fear God and I will not fear men.”  I now have to break free of this pattern.  It is not easy and I feel somewhat anxious sticking to my guns at home and in the office.  For some reason, church has not been as much of an issue.  Maybe there I remember more clearly to fear God only.

Luke 12:1-11

¹ Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be^[a] on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³ What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

   ⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

   ⁸ “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹ But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

   ¹¹ “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Questions

1. What did Jesus tell his disciples to beware?
2. Who should the disciples fear?
3. What is the yeast of the Pharisees?
4. How do you try to please people?
5. How could you develop a healthy fear of God?

Going Deeper

Observation

1. What were people doing to each other as the gathered to hear Jesus?
2. What will become of what a person  says in the inner rooms?
3. Why should a person not be afraid of those who can kill the body?
4. What does Jesus say about sparrows?
5. Why shouldn’t the disciples worry about being brought in front of synagogues?

Interpretation

1. Why does the Bible highlight the number of disciples at this point in Jesus’ ministry?
2. How were ancient Jewish houses constructed? 
3. What does it mean to ‘fear’ God in this context?
4. What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
5. Because the Holy Spirit teaches us does it mean that we should not study books?

Application

1. How can popularity lead to problems?
2. Could anyone call you a hypocrite because of your public face?
3. J.I. Packer has said that what a man is alone in prayer before God is what a man is and no more.  What are you?
4. Do you fear death?  Why?  Why not?
5. How has the Holy Spirit given you the right words at the right time?

A Pharisee invited Jesus around for a meal.  Jesus didn’t wash his hands in the ceremonial way and so the Pharisees started murmering about him behind his back.  Jesus wasn’t one for murmering and so he confronts the Pharisees directly.  One of the experts in the law feels that the insults go beyond the Pharisees and insult them too.  Jesus makes it clear, yes he is insulting them too.  Jesus gets things out in the open and condemns hypocrisy.

When I was growing up there was a family who were pillars in the church.  However, they would spread the latest news about everyone’s failings.  They rarely said anything to a person’s face, but they disapproved of them quietly behind their backs.  Many people were damaged by their self-righteousness; more people than I knew at the time.  They were squeeky clean on the outside, but inside there was something that seemed dark, critical and loveless.

We are all hypocrites to some degree.  We are concerned about our own reputations and we will cast others down so that we can climb up over their brokenness.  We are sometimes more Nietzschian that Christian.  We have a will to power and we see the church as somewhere to dominate others.  However, we should realise that our sins were as scarlet and Christ has washed them white as snow.  As I used to hear growing up, “People in glass houses ought not to throw stones.”

Luke 11:37-54

³⁷ When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. ³⁸ But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

 ³⁹ Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

   ⁴² “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

   ⁴³ “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

   ⁴⁴ “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

 ⁴⁵ One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

 ⁴⁶ Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

   ⁴⁷ “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. ⁴⁸ So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ⁵⁰ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

   ⁵² “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

 ⁵³ When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, ⁵⁴ waiting to catch him in something he might say.

Questions

1. What is on the inside of a Pharisee?
2. How should a Pharisee clean the ‘inside of the dish’?
3. How many ‘woes’ does Jesus proclaim?
4. How would you describe your speech about others?  Affirming?  Condemning?
5. How can you tell if someone has a frail ego when you hang out?

Going Deeper

Observation

1. What do Pharisees clean?
2. What should Pharisees do with their tithes and their attitudes?
3. What does an expert in the law say to Jesus?
4. What do experts in the law not help with?
5. How did the Pharisees and teachers of the law begin to oppose Jesus?

Interpretation

1. Why does Jesus talk about herbs?
2. How do Pharisees contaminate those around them?
3. Why is it appropriate for Jesus to insult his hosts?
4. How does law bring spiritual death?
5. Was all of Jesus’ Jewish generation condemned because they did not respond to Jesus appropriately?

Application

1. How might stars today portray a clean image but be unjust and unloving inside?
2. Do you love being singled out for praise?  How could you be free from this need?
3. How can a love for truth become a burden to ourselves and others?
4. How do truth, love, and time heal?
5. Do you read the Old Testament prophets?  Why would Jesus be concerned that people had heard their message?

Christians are to be transmitters of light.  We are to be lighthouses which warn of the destruction that lies just beneath the surface.  Many people are satisfying their senses and are unaware of how malnourished or malevolent their soul is.  Christians should be a light in such people’s lives exposing what needs to be cleaned.  However, this is not from a self-righteous perspective.  The Christian needs to receive light.  The Christian is living in a world that spreads darkness, they must let the light of Christ come in through what they examine.  This means a daily study of God’s Word, frequent times of meditation, and true rest in God’s presence.  As a Christian is transformed in public view, so their transformation is a light.  Are you shining?

Luke 11:24-36

 ²⁴ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

 ²⁷ As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

 ²⁸ He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

 ²⁹ As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

    ³³ “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,^[g] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,^[h] your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. ³⁶ Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Questions

1. How many spirits does an evil spirit bring to a clean house?
2. How are eyes described?
3. How does filling life with Christ’s light protect and transform a person?
4. Have you been cleaned thoroughly on the inside?  When?
5. Do you seek out darkness in your life and expose it to God’s light?

A lot of Jesus’ great arguments make sense.  In other words Jesus uses the philosophy of arguentation.  He puts together a good argument.  Many Christians today are swept by emotion.  Tonight at the men’s group I will talk about ‘A Cuddly Murderer’:  The cuddly murderer never swears.  The cuddly murderer is always polite.  He is on death row and he is reading his Bible.  He writes loving letters to his family.  He takes care of a sparrow that comes to his prison window each day by laying out a small dish of water and some seeds.  He’s such a caring and thoughtful cuddly murderer that he should be allowed to live …  Of course, we have ignored the fact that he murdered someone and we have not discussed whether death is a fitting punishment for murder.

So many times I see Christians hate a man (e.g. Al Gore) and discard the argument without logic.  The Pharisees were like this in the Bible.  They discarded and discredidited Jesus without really hearing him.  Jesus acknowledges that there are those who will be prejudice and they do not gather with him, they just scatter.

Luke 11:14-23

¹⁴ Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

 ¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

   ²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

   ²³ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Questions

1. How is Jesus’ authority over demons interpreted?
2. What is Jesus’ statement of fact that he gives in reply?
3. How does he show by logical reasoning that this ‘fact’ does not occur in his case?
4. Do you value logic and truth even if it comes from sources you don’t like?
5. Can Jesus’authority working through you overcome something oppressive?

Going Deeper

Observation

1. What was Jesus driving out?
2. In what two ways is Jesus tested (v.15,16)?
3. How many times is ‘if’ used?
4. What is the name of the authority people assume Jesus serves?
5. What is the statuse of those who are not with Jesus?

Interpretation

1. Who or what was Beelzebub?  What is the link with William Golding?
2. If people were not satisfied that Jesus’ miracles already were a sign, what kind of sign were people expecting?
3. Could ‘if’ be placed before ‘any’ in verse 17 and it still make sense?
4. What is a syllogism and why is that relevant?
5. How could the Kingdom of God have already come if Jesus had not died and risen?

Application 

1. How do people challenge Jesus’ authority today?
2. How is the existence of the church after 2,000 years evidence of Jesus’ authority?
3. Do you know how to construct and evaluate arguments like Jesus did?  How could you learn to do so as an act of worship?
4. How can we prevent churches from being divided by Beelzebub and falling?
5. How does Jesus bring the same harmony of The Kingdom of God (which remains standing) today as he did when he was physically present in Israel?

I have a friend called Suzanne at The Chapel who is an advocate for corporate prayer.  The Lord’s Prayer was given to the disciples to be used together.  In other mords it is communal liturgy.  That means that something special happens when a group of believfers can turn to a prayer that they all know and say it together.  I have been part of groups gathered from many different churches.  Someone would start the Lord’s prayer and we would all have that prayer in common.  It was very powerful.  Is liturgy something that you have gladly left behind, or could we have a little bit more?

Luke 11:1-13

 ¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

 ² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

   “‘Father,^[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.^[b]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴ Forgive us our sins,
   for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.^[c]
And lead us not into temptation.^[d]’”

 ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

   ⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

   ¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Questions

1. Can you recite the Lord’s Prayer?
2. How often should a person take their requests to God if they follow the passage?
3. What word does Jesus use to describe the kind of people who give their children good gifts?
4. Do you keep coming back to God until you know that he has answered your prayer?
5. Do you pray as part of a community?

Here I am at the beginning of another day and I am thinking, “Should I get busy?”  Things around me at work seem turbulent and I want to fix them.  I want to tie up all the loose ends because then I can have peace.  I want to get my work done so that I can be at rest.  However, with all of the doing nothing ever gets done.  When one worry is addressed another worry surfaces.  It is a chasing after the sun.  I gain nothing through all of my toils.  However, in the moment I can experience Christ.  I can sit at his feet now at the day begins.

The story of Martha and Mary gives us pause to recount which way is the right way.  Is it the way of activity or the way of rest?  When we put rest first it will stay with us in all the busyness of life.  It will bring peace to our soul.

Luke 10:38-42

 ³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

   ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Questions

1. Whose house is opened to Jesus?
2. What do Martha and Mary do?
3. Why is Mary’s choice better?
4. Are you task oriented or people oriented?
5. How can you let go of some tasks to focus on your relationship with Jesus?

Going Deeper

Observation

1. Who went with Jesus to Martha’s house?
2. Where was Mary seated?
3. What was the effect of all Martha’s preparation?
4. What was Mary’s rhetorical question to Jesus?
5. What does thinking about many things bring for Martha?

Interpretation

1. How many people, at least, was Martha hosting?
2. Was Mary alone at Jesus’ feet?
3. How is busyness related to anxiety?
4. Why does Martha assume Jesus doesn’t care for her?  How is she trying to control?
5. Why does Jesus say her name twice?

Application

1. Have you ever hosted a large crowd?  How did you prepare?
2. How is having visitors stressful?
3. Do visitors come to see you or your house?
4. How could you shed activity to be more at rest in Christ?
5. How is your anxiety connected to a need to control?

My NIV Application Commentary had this to say about today’s passage:

Other people in our church have felt called to be foster parents for days weeks, or months while a child is being placed for adoption.  Other have opted to serve that role for an orphaned teenager or runaway looking to reenter society.  Such ministries are usually sacrificial, but they are extraordinary examples of trying to be a neighbor.”

This is very timely.  Tomorrow it is possible that a nine-month old called Tahara will be coming to stay with my wife, my mother, my foster-son and myself.  She will stay for just as long as it takes for her 15-year-old mother to decide what she wants to do with regard to adoption or raising the girl herself.  God gives us just the right encouragement for the day.  Please pray that we would be the Safe Family that we hope to be.

Luke 10:25-37

²⁵ 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’^[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]”

   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^[e] 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

Questions

1. Who asked Jesus a question?
2. How did Jesus turn the question around?
3. What did Jesus’ answer show the expert they should do?
4. How do you look for others to be neighbors rather than being neighborly yourself?
5. How would you answer the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Going Deeper

Observation (answers we can all see in the passage)

1. What two commandments does the expert in the law emphasize?
2. How does Jesus affirm the expert in the law?
3. What two people pass the injured man by?
4. What kind of man attends to the injured traveler?
5. What does the helper do to take care of the injured man?

Interpretation(questions that require research and/or thought)

1. How do the commandments here resemble Jesus’ statement that these are the greatest commandments?
2. How would knowing who his neighbor was justify the expert?  Who was he neighborly to?
3. What was the road like from Jerusalem to Jericho?  How long was it?  What was it known for?
4. Why wouldn’t the Levite or the Priest touch the traveler?
5. How did Jewish people view Samaritans?

Application (how do we apply this to life?)

1. How do we try and justify ourselves?
2. How do you find out what it truly means to love God and your neighbor?  How do you work out the details?
3. Have you ever been surprised by who helped you in a time of need?  Have you ever been surprised by who did not help you?
4. How do church people pass by gays, Muslims, or the poor?  How can this be solved?
5. To whom might you show some mercy?
6. http://www.safe-families.org/ is the website of Safe Families.