15 November 2020 - 11am Service
Jesus Talk: Good Neighbour
This Sunday we start our new preaching series Jesus Talk with a message from Dave Mitchell on ‘Good Neighbour’.
Jesus is on the move. In Luke 10 Jesus appoints 72 to go ahead of him ‘to every town and place he was about to go’. In Luke 13:22 we read ‘Jesus went through the towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem’ (13:33). In 14:25 we read ‘large crowds were travelling with Jesus’.
Jesus ‘way’ lies through Samaria from Galilee to Jerusalem and corresponds to Luke 9:51-19:44. It’s not always welcoming territory (9:51-56)- the disciples might feel like sheep amongst wolves at times.
Jesus teaching, usually in parables, is sometimes provoked by questions, sights and sounds on the road. The Good Samaritan is based around a risky journey through bandit territory. The three ‘lost’ things parables of Luke 15 have journeying and seeking in them. Not all the teaching and sayings in these chapters from 10-19 are chronological. But perhaps there is a body of teaching that teaches us how to live ‘with the end in mind’. How do we live out our discipleship on this journey of life with the Kingdom as our goal and destination?
Remember, our 7pm service is also looking at this topic, and Tim Dobson will be sharing with us. Check it out!
You will find discussion notes below to help you go deeper with this topic during the week.
DISCUSSION NOTES
INTRODUCTION | Read Luke 10:25-37
Loving God as we claim to, is intimately tied up with us loving our neighbour. But the concept of Love and Neighbour take on a richer and challenging intensity as Jesus gives us an example of what this loving looks like, in the Good Samaritan story.
STUDY QUESTIONS
What must I do to inherit eternal life? That’s a big question! Have you ever asked it? What is the answer? How connected is our love for God and our love for people in practice? Does this imply salvation through ‘works’ not faith’?
Why do the religious characters in Jesus story not help the victim?
Why is it so surprising that the Samaritan helps the victim?
How does this story shape our understanding of what Jesus means by ‘Love’ as well as what he means by ‘neighbour’?
Can we think of and share times when our religiosity has stopped us helping someone in urgent need? Are we guilty of only helping people who are part of our community and how could we change to include others not like us, even people we may feel as a threat?
Pray that this week Jesus helps you notice people around you with His eyes. Pray that the Spirit would teach and help you how to love your neighbour.