03 Sep Jesus Encounter | Part 8 “The Good Samaritan” | North Attleboro
Announcements:
NEW ENGLAND LOCATIONS ONLY: SAVE THE DATE!
WE ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO ADAMS FARM CORN MAZE AND MORE! CLICK THE LINK FOR INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS. THE TICKETS ARE A LITTLE LESS IF YOU BUY ONLINE.
ADAMS FARM REGISTRATION AND TICKET INFORMATION
ALL LOCATIONS:
*****************
Reminder: Please check your planning center profiles for requests to join and also remove members from the list that no longer attend as well as add members not listed. Thank you.
LEADERS: WE HAVE CHANGED UP THE DISCOVER CLASS WHICH USED TO BE GROWTH TRACK AND ARE ASKING ALL LEADERS TO RE-TAKE THIS A SOME POINT. BELOW IS THE CLASS SCHEDULE:
1st Sunday : Discover Waters – after 1st service
2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
IMPORTANT***** Please add
Go to your email, add no-reply@churchcenter.com to your contacts (PLEASE ASK ME IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND) THANKS!
no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and have your members add it as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site.
All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at: waterschurch.org/events)
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
*********************
Key Verse Luke 10
Ice Breaker:
Q. What was your very first vehicle that you owned? Why did you choose it?
Jesus Encounter | Part 8
Rediscovering The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Key Verse Luke 10
Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)
A story that seems to have a very simple meaning that we should love our neighbor no matter who that is. That we should love all people, even those who are different from us, and even those that we don’t like. And of course that is true.
That is one meaning of this story but there is a much more important point that Jesus was trying to convey.
Jesus doesn’t answer the Lawyer’s question. He is but he isn’t because clearly this story is about more than loving our neighbor.
The lawyer, having overheard what Jesus was telling his disciples, took the opportunity to ask Jesus about it.
- We Discover a Great Question (Luke 10:25)
A lawyer stands up to “test” Jesus.
This lawyer (not a typical lawyer we would think of), was an expert in the Law of Moses, a scribe, upper class of Israel, he was part of the religious elite.
He probably could recite from memory the first five books of the Bible. People would come to him to know how to obey God.
The lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test.
The Greek word for ‘test’ means to trap. This lawyer had evil intentions. He was seeking to trick Jesus. We may ask why would he want to trick Jesus.
The Gospel of Luke is written to Gentiles. Jesus taught the poor and sinners, all the people the Pharisees thought were beneath them. People like tax collectors, Roman Centurions, and prostitutes. This was upsetting to the Pharisees and fueled their hatred for Jesus. And secondly, Jesus regularly exposed their hypocrisy.
The lawyer, with the wrong motivation, asks a great question.
(Luke 10:25)
His question is similar to that asked in Luke 18:18. It is the same question asked in some 19-20 other times in scripture. This is a pretty important question.
Everybody would like eternal life. Everybody would like to know that when they die they are going to Heaven.
Hebrews 9:27
We cannot escape death. We can be alive physically but dead spiritually. Having no relationship with God equates to being spiritually dead.
The lawyer believed, as many of us were taught, that the way to heaven, to have a right relationship with God, or to find favor with God was to be religious; follow some rituals, or have some self-approval.
There is a popular thing in the world today: giving good vibes. But giving good vibes will not get us to Heaven!
Some Christians may wonder and have doubt that they are going to Heaven. We can know that we have eternal life.
1 John 5:13
Q. Reflect on the idea that religious rituals or self-approval alone cannot secure a right relationship with God. How does this perspective challenge common misconceptions about how to find favor with God?
2. We Discover a Great Command: God’s commands reflect His character.
Luke 10:26-27
Jesus answers the lawyer’s question by pointing him back to the Law. (Luke 10:26)
Jesus appears to be a little sarcastic. He knows that the lawyer is an expert in the law. He challenges his authority. You are a smart guy “What does the law say?”
Jesus also pointed the rich young ruler to the law in a similar manner. (Luke 18:20)
The Essence of the law is
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH THE CORE OF YOUR BEING, PERFECT LOVE TO GOD AND PERFECT LOVE TO MAN. TO LOVE GOD AND OTHERS PERFECTLY.
We were created for love. Love is the main subject. To be human is to love. We are created in the image of God, love is our deepest need. We feel the most human when we experience love. When we don’t experience love we feel like a robot or worse, like an animal.
Everything we do is dominated by the need for love. That is why when there is a deficit of love we find ourselves doing things we normally would not do otherwise. It is a trap of Satan who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
Jesus came to set the captives free, to proclaim liberty!
Q. Discuss the idea that “to be human is to love” and the deep human need for love. How have you personally experienced the transformative power of love in your life, and how can we better reflect God’s character of love in our relationships with others?
3. We Discover a GREAT CHASM. God’s command reflects our condition.
Luke 10:28-29
Jesus answered their question: “What must I DO?”. What is required of ME?
Jesus keeps pointing to the law.
The problem: We are incapable of loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. God’s standards are out of reach. The law shows us we need God’s help.
There is nothing wrong with the law (Romans 7:12-14). In fact, all of God’s commands are good. They are more than good, they are beautiful!
Discuss why the psalmist says he loves God’s law and how you now view the law of God.
Psalm 119:97 Oh how I love your law
James 1:23
The word of God is a mirror. It not only reveals God’s beauty and character but it also reveals who we are and who we can be in God. It exposes our fallenness. It is a mirror that reflects our own image. Scripture tells us the law is the schoolmaster that drives us to Christ. It reveals we have a problem and we need help.
The Lawyer is not finished.
Luke 10:29
He desires to “justify” himself. He was hoping for a technicality asking ‘who is my neighbor?’
He probably wanted to justify himself for the same reasons we try to justify ourselves. He wanted to make himself right with God.
Q. Consider the lawyer’s attempt to justify himself by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” What can we learn from this about the common tendency to narrow our responsibilities or create technicalities when confronted with God’s commandments?
4. We Discover the GREAT SAMARITAN – God’s commandments require a great SAVIOR. (Luke 30-37)
Q. How do the actions of the Samaritan in the parable illustrate the depth of God’s love and grace toward us?
Jesus was hated and rejected. The wine is representative of the Blood of Jesus that removes our sin. Oil is a representative of the Holy Spirit that heals and transforms us. The man placed on the Donkey is representative of Jesus taking our place on the cross. Jesus paid our debts free of charge!
Isaiah 53:3-5
Jesus is our great Samaritan. Lavish love poured out for us, extravagant love. Love that knows no boundaries!
Sermon in a sentence:
We INHERIT eternal life NOT BY WHAT WE DO but by WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US. Jesus Christ offers us FORGIVENESS, UNMERITED FAVOR, GRACE AND LAVISH LOVE to those who will repent and turn from their sin. We in turn are COMPELLED TO SHARE THE SAME with WHOEVER OUR NEIGHBOR IS.
Challenge: Reflect on your understanding of what it means to love your neighbor as yourself, as discussed in the parable of the Good Samaritan. This week, intentionally seek opportunities to show love, kindness, and compassion to those around you, regardless of their background or circumstances. Share your experiences and the impact it had on you during the next small group meeting.
No Comments