Jesus Teaches The Lawyers Neighbor Hood Skills

Jesus Teaches the Lawyers Neighbor Hood Skills

Scripture Lesson

Luke 10:30-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan)

This parable is packed with invisible truths of our lives.

Jesus Teaches the Lawyers Neighbor Hood Skills

Scripture Lesson

Luke 10:30-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan)

This parable is packed with invisible truths of our lives.

In the aftermath of violent deaths this week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Dallas, Texas, I thank the church has to respond and provide a word on what it means to be a good Neighbor.

The deaths of young black males in encounters with white police officers call for the need of a bi-partisan political and legal response, beyond (but including) the statements and prayers of the church.

Speaking of Bi-partisan is there any socieital devid any worses then that Hatred between Jews and Samaritans it was fierce and long-standing. In some ways, it dated all the way back to the days of the patriarchs. Jacob (or Israel) had twelve sons, whose descendants became twelve tribes. Joseph, his favorite, was despised by the other brothers (Gen. 37:3-4), and they attempted to do away with him.

Later, Israel divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom, called Israel, established its capital first at Shechem, a revered site in Jewish history, and later at the hilltop city of Samaria.

The people who now inhabited the former northern kingdom—the Samaritans—vigorously opposed the repatriation and tried to undermine the attempt to reestablish the nation. For their part, the full-blooded, monotheistic Jews detested the mixed marriages and worship of their northern cousins. So walls of bitterness were erected on both sides and did nothing but harden for the next 550 years.

There are countless modern parallels to the Jewish-Samaritan enmity—indeed, wherever peoples are divided by racial and ethnic barriers.

In the text it tells us that That The Main Chacter is a Samaritan and out cast. Growing up and attending seminary in ATL I am a life long fan of OutKast wthey often remind me that at sometimes its ok to be proud of being an outcast.

But be fore we get to the Healing story we have a set up!

“Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?””

Luke 10:25 MSG

http://bible.com/97/luk.10.25.msg

This however was not just a question it was a test, the lawyer wanted to show the Jesus couldn't not handle the law so he yelled out bible 101? Jesus tell me about eternal life how does someone get into heaven. This is key because Jesus ministry was focused on earthly situations the here and the now. They wanted to move Jesus from the here and now to the pie in the sky and Jesus's turns it on their heads. But Jesus focuses the question on the idea of neighbor hood our Neighbors in the hood.

“He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” Luke 10:26 MSG

http://bible.com/97/luk.10.26.msg

Well in all the conversations this week around the killing of young black males. The real question is what does the law say? What is expected of a young black man in the country and how is he supposed to respond to the powers that be!

We are not dealing just with the law. Your would understand that if you knew the letter of the law that it's the interpretation of the Law that can make the real difference in all these senseless killings.

Point number one its not about the law it's how you interpret the Laws that matters!

When will we realize that it's the persons that make the law, and the persons that determine the meaning of the law and the persons that Carrie out that law that matters. Just because God said it until we do it, it ant gonna make a lot of difference. No matter what's on Books or on the scroll it how the law is applied to the real world

“Our courts and juries aren’t impartial arbiters — they exist inside society, not outside of it — and they can only provide as much justice as society is willing to give.” . (Jamelle Bouie opines on the consequences police officers commonly never face after using deadly force on citizens. In a separate article, Bouie critiques the officer Wilson’s and the grand jury’s image of “black brute” Michael Brown. [Link, link])

If you don't give folks the ability to change the entire system.

“When we blame private prejudice, suburban snobbishness, and black poverty for contemporary segregation, we not only whitewash our own history but avoid considering whether new policies might instead promote an integrated community.” (A report by the non-profit Economic Policy Institute explains how discriminatory policies in real estate, banking and finance over the past century contributed to the formation of mostly black, low-income neighborhoods like Ferguson. [Link]