Who Is MY Neighbor?

Intro

How would you describe the character of a neighbor? Where do they live? What makes them tick? Who is my neighbor?

In this video, we are going examine the misinformation about who neighbors should be,

And we will answer the question, “Who Is Your Neighbor?”

But we will also give you 3 bonuses.

They will be 3 essential concepts to support whoever your neighbor is

And if you want even more about this subject, get over to TimelessTalks.net and see the additional resources available.

Now, let’s dive into a very familiar Bible story. But be warned. If you THINK you know it, that is when you miss important details. So be careful. Follow along in your own Bible.

The story is found in Luke 10:25-37.

A lawyer came to Jesus with evil intentions. His plan was to ask Jesus questions in hopes Jesus would make a controversial response (or simply wrong). A snafu by Jesus would allow the lawyer to devalue everything Jesus said. This would be a big victory for the lawyer and improve his political standing among the other elite Pharisees.

He asked Jesus 1 question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (always a very important question)

He was not interested in eternal life. He was a religious lawyer. He was an expert in the Old Testament. He should know.

Jesus did not directly answer, but challenged the lawyer to answer his own question from the Scriptures.

The lawyer said, “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.”

Jesus said the man had answered correctly.  Then he told the lawyer to go do what it said — Love God with your whole being and love your neighbor as yourself.

Instead of looking smart and catching Jesus in a blunder, he looked foolish, and silly. Maybe embarrassed.

He looked like someone who KNEW what the Law said, but was NOT DOING IT. He did not Love God. He did not love his neighbor.

So, he determined to justify himself and not look so ignorant, even stupid,

Right now, I want to give you one of the 3 bonuses.

BONUS #1 has to do with self-justification. That is why many lies are told to others, and sometimes yourself. We keep personal secrets.

But here is the bonus:

You should live in such a way that you do not need to justify yourself to others.

Phil 2.15 says, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 

The lawyer is attempting to justify himself, so in verse 29 he asks Jesus,

to define who a neighbor was. He said, “And who is my neighbor?”

Now we need some background.  The Pharisees and lawyers had a strict, narrow definition of “Neighbor”.  A Jew’s “neighbor” had 2 qualities:

1) only full-blooded Jew;

(2) Only worshiped God in Jerusalem. 

The lawyer’s definition EXCLUDED all people that were not thoroughbred Jews such as the mixed-race Samaritans and certainly all Gentiles. Their definition started with the narrow group of full-blooded Jews and shrunk it further by worshiping only in Jerusalem. By THEIR definition they were NOT REQUIRED to love anyone else.

Is this the answer you need to the question “Who is My Neighbor”?

NO!

This is a great time for the second bonus.

Do not have a narrow definition of who a “neighbor” is.

Neighbors are more than people of OUR OWN RACE.  I remind my light-skinned friends that Jesus was a Jew. Jews are brown-skinned, and Jesus was a Jew.

He was brown-skinned, not white like artists have shown us for years.

Would you exclude Jesus as a “neighbor” because he has a different color skin than you?

This bonus has a 2nd part:

We must not say that our “neighbor” is only the person you worship with. Just as before, This is too narrow.

Check out Gal 6.10     So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

Our definition must be bigger than fellow worshippers.

Now back to the story.

Jesus answered the lawyer and our question Who Is My Neighbor by defining the word “neighbor” with a story.

An individual was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, on the road known as the “Red & Bloody way” because of violence. The man gets ambushed. He is beaten within an inch of his life. The muggers took everything they wanted including his clothes. He was ½ dead, and they left him to die.

Later, by chance a priest came by.

All Jews, and certainly the educated priests, would know to do something according to the law.

Exodus 23:4

“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.”

Isa. 58.7

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

If they knew this was the way to treat animals and the homeless, shouldn’t they help a man in trouble?

But after the priest had thoroughly observed the man, he kept as far away as possible. He did now want to get involved!

The man who KNEW better did not DO better.

Then a Levite came along and found this same beaten man still clinging to life. He too walked by as far away as possible. He, too, did not want to get involved.

He KNEW BETTER but did not DO BETTER.

These two religious leaders acted just like a lawyer.

The Lawyer KNEW better but was not DOING better.

And then a Samaritan came by.  He evaluated the situation, too. This man needed help NOW.

Take note: First, Samaritans were mixed-race people.

2nd, For centuries they had lived and worshiped God on Mt Gerizim, not Jerusalem.

The lawyer would certainly NEVER consider this man a “neighbor”.

But this Samaritan had one thing that the priest, the Levite, and the lawyer did not have.

He had compassion, empathy, and human-ness.

Unfortunately, there was no 9-1-1 he could call.

It was a Samaritan who did basic 1st responder aid and transported the man to an inn where medical care could happen.

It was a Samaritan who paid 2 days’ wages in advance for the man’s care.

It was a trustworthy Samaritan who promised to pay any amount additional for the man’s care if needed.

Jesus asked the lawyer which of the 3 men was actually a “neighbor”.

Are you ready? Here is the answer you have been waiting for!

Jesus is asking the lawyer if his narrow definition would still apply.

The lawyer’s answer revealed a change.

The lawyer said it was the one who was merciful, that was empathetic, tender, and humane.

It’s my opinion that the Lawyer could not say “the Samaritan”. It would have choked him. But what he said is far better, anyway.

Jesus did not fuss at the lawyer.

He did not condemn the man’s definition.

He did not insult the well-educated lawyer for a bigoted concept.

But Jesus kindly, graciously tells this lawyer to do the same thing. Be merciful.

Here is your answer.

A Neighbor is someone who begins with a compassionate heart that leads to merciful action.

Think about it. How many times in the gospels was Jesus compassionate?

We are all being told through this story to be compassionate.

Right now, someone needs YOUR help.

Care for the sick, even those with Covid. Since they are home, take something comforting to their door, knock on the door and leave.

And WHEN you come up to an accident or a mugging. Don’t pull out our phone and start filming!

Call 9-1-1, and get involved!

BE A NEIGHBOR!

Demonstrate your love for them just as if they were your own family!

BE A SAMARITAN! Be merciful!

Jesus told us himself in Matt 5.7 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 

If you ever think you might need mercy, be merciful now.

And James says,

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  James 2:13

Can you remember Who a Neighbor is”?

A Neighbor is someone who begins with a compassionate heart that leads to merciful action.

NOW, 1 last bonus:

Now that you KNOW Who your neighbor is, What will you DO?

Since you KNOW BETTER, then DO BETTER.

Being Bible-Smart will not save you.

God will not reduce your punishment, or increase your reward because you know the Bible.

It is a matter of DOING it.

Listen to James 4:17 So whoever KNOWS the right thing to do and FAILS TO DO IT, for him it is SIN. 

For more information on these ideas, go over to Timeless Talks.Net, and find Additional Information from many sources, both text, and video. The link is in the description.

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Until we can visit again, Goodbye for now.