Mark 12:28-31 ESV
The Great Commandment
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.
NEIGHBOR →
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“But who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:25-37 ESV
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
27 And he [lawyer] answered, “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.”
28 And he [Jesus] said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he [lawyer], desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A 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.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 And the next day he took out two denarii [2 day’s wages] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
37 He [lawyer] said, “The one who showed him mercy.”
And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
So…my neighbor is my enemy, right?
My neighbor is the person I avoid.
My neighbor is the person that just bothers me.
NO.
But what does the passage say?
29 But he [lawyer], desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
The lawyer is trying to justify himself.
Jesus is speaking to his heart.
So, who is my neighbor?
ANY & EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING made in the image of God.
Do you see that?
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Our heavenly Father’s heart desires that ALL of His children are with Him.
Luke 10:33 ESV
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
‘splagchnizomai’: to be moved in the inward parts, i.e. to feel compassion
Phonetic Spelling: (splangkh-nid'-zom-ahee)
Cognate: 4697 splagxnízomai – "from splanxna, 'the inward parts,' especially the nobler entrails – the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. These gradually came to denote the seat of the affections"
Luke 7:11-15 ESV
Jesus Raises a Widow's Son
11 Soon afterward he [Jesus] went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier [‘movable stand on which coffin is placed’], and the bearers stood still. And he [Jesus] said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Who is this Jesus that takes time to extend kindness to a grieving widow?
Revelation 19:11-16 ESV
The Rider on a White Horse
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in[b] blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule[c] them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
This is Jesus.
Glorious.
Matthew 11:28 ESV
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Daniel 7:9-14 ESV
The Ancient of Days Reigns
9 “As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
The Son of Man Is Given Dominion
13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
This is Jesus.
Glorious.
Yet…Jesus cares about this broken widow.
This is God’s heart.
This is the heart of God for you.
This is the heart of God for your NEIGHBOR.
Luke 15:11-25 ESV
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he [Jesus] said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to[b] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[c] 22 But the father said to his servants,[d] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
How can we NOT have this same heart for the rest of His kids out there?!!
Are you praying for them?
Do you have a desire for them to repent & be saved?
Are we loving our neighbor as ourselves?
Everyone we meet has been made in the image of God.
Every human being is our neighbor.
I am inviting you to live on mission.
I am inviting you live in abundance.
I am inviting you into live this Life With Jesus.