GO AND DO LIKEWISE
LUKE 10:25-37
I HAVE BEEN TAKING YOU ON A BITY OF A REVIEW OF SOME OF THE BASIC POINTS OF THEOLOGY. WE TOOK TIME TO LOOK AT THE LORDS SUPPER, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN. I POINTED OUT TO YOU THAT IN JOHN 3 JESUS MAKES IT PLAIN THAT BEING “BORN AGAIN” IS THE ESSENTIAL DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH.
TODAY I WANT TO TAKE THIS ONE STEP FURTHER BY EXAMINING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE HEART OF A CHRISTIAN. I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT IT IS NOT EASY TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE HAVE TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED TO US IN A FAR DIFFERENT MANNER THAN THOSE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIAN.
WHEN WE ACCEPTED CHRIST INTO OUR LIVES AS SAVIOR AND LORD, WE BASICALLY ALLOW POUR LIVES TO BE AN OPEN BOOK. YOU MAY NOT THINK THAT THIS IS FAIR, BUT IT WORKS FOR ANY AREA OF OUR LIFE.
IF WE LOOK AT SPORTS AS AN EXAMPLE AND YOU SAY YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TEAM, THEN YOU LEAVE YOURSELF OPEN FOR OTHERS TO DETERMINE HOW GENUINE YOU ARE BY WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU DO IN SUPPORT FOR YOUR TEAM.
POLITICS IS GOING TO BECOME VERY INTERESTING THIS FALL AS WE WILL BE HAVING A PROVINCIAL ELECTION. IF YOU PUBLICLY PROCLAIM YOUR SUPPORT OF ANY PARTY, THEN YOU ARE ALSO ALLOWING OTHER PEOPLE TO JUDGE THE SINCERITY OF YOUR SUPPORT BASED ON WHAT YOU SAY OR DO.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR CHRISTIANITY. IF YOU PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED THAT JESUS IS YOUR SAVIOR, THEN YOU MUST ALSO PUBLICLY SUPPORT THAT DECISION BY MAKING HIM YOUR LORD. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIVES, NOT JUST ON SUNDAY BUT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
BECAUSE OF OUR PUBLIC STAND FOR CHRIST, WE ACTUALLY ALLOW PEOPLE TO JUDGE THE SINCERITY OF OUR DECISION BY HOW WE LIVE. THIS IS WHY TO CLAIM JESUS AS SAVIOR IS NOT ENOUGH. HE ALSO MUST BE LORD OF OUR LIVES.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE LESSON OF THE DAY. IN THIS PASSAGE, A PHARISEE IS TRYING TO TRICK JESUS BY ASKING HIM ABOUT THE LAW. HE ASKS JESUS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SIMPLE QUESTION, “WHAT MUST WE DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?” OR AS MATTHEW RECORDS “WHICH IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT OR LAW?”
THIS IN FACT IS A VERY COMPLICATED QUESTION, AND ONE THAT IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY COULD HAVE LEFT JESUS IN A LOT OF HOT WATER. ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT BASED ON THE LAW BUT ON FAITH. NO ONE COULD KEEP THE LAW, AND IF YOU COULD, THEN SALVATION WOULD BE BY YOUR OWN WORKS AND NOT BY FAITH.
THE PHARISEES WERE EXPERTS AT THE LAW. THEY SPENT MOST OF THEIR TIME MAKING SURE PEOPLE KEPT THE LAW AND PUNISHING THOSE WHO DID NOT.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE LAW WAS THAT IT WAS SO COMPLICATED. IT HAD WELL OVER 600 PARTS TO IT, AND EVERYONE WAS GUILTY OF BREAKING IT AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER. NOW THIS LEADER WAS TAKING AIM AT JESUS AND TRYING TO CATCH HIM IN AN EMBARRASSING POSITION.
HOW COULD HE PICK ONE OVER THE OTHER? WAS THERE ONE THAT STOOD OUT MORE THAN THE OTHER? IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION TO ANSWER.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE. SUPPOSE I WERE TO ASK YOU WHICH OF THE ROAD LAWS WERE MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE OTHERS. SO YOU DECIDE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE, BUT IS IT ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN OBEYING A SPEED SIGN. THE POLICE IN OUR COUNTRY EXPECT US TO OBEY ALL OF THE LAWS, NOT TO PICK AND CHOOSE THE ONES WE THINK ARE MORE IMPORTANT. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE LOOK ON AN OFFICERS FACE WHEN HE OR SHE COMES UP TO YOUR CAR, AFTER PULLING YOU OVER FOR SPEEDING AND WHEN HE ASKS WHY YOU WERE SPEEDING, YOU REPLIED “I THINK THAT STOPPING AT RED LIGHTS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT OBEYING THE SPEED SIGNS.”
JESUS OUTSMARTS THE PHARISEE BY TURNING THE QUESTION BACK TO HIM. “WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?” JESUS ASKED. CONSIDER THE REPLY OF THE PHARISEE:
LUKE 10:27: “27 HE ANSWERED: "’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, ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’"
THIS REPLY HAS TWO POINTS IN IT. THE FIRST IS TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND THE SECOND IS TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
THE FIRST THING TO NOTE HERE IS THE ORDER THAT THE SCRIPTURE PUTS THESE STATEMENTS IN. LOVE GOD FIRST AND THEN YOUR NEIGHBOR.
SOMETIMES, IT IS NOT EASY TO LOVE GOD. THERE IS A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR THIS. WE ARE NOT ALLKNOWING AND DON’T KNOW HIS FULL PLAN. IT COULD BE THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US DO, BUT FOR SOME REASON WE DO NOT WANT TO DO IT. WE WANT TO BE LIKE JONAH AND SAIL AWAY FROM NINEVAH.
IT COULD BE THAT THE TASK THAT GOD HAS FOR US DOESN’T MEET OUR STANDARDS THAT A GOOD CHRISTIAN TASK SHOULD, OR WE ARE AT ODDS WITH THE PERSON GOD WANTS US TO WORK WITH.
IT IS SO EASY TO HATE. IT’S REALLY PART OF OUR OLD NATURE AS A RESULT OF THE FALL, THAT KEEPS COMING BACK TO HAUNT US. WE DON’T WANT TO WORK AT RELATIONSHIPS, WHEN THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF US. I HAVE KNOWN PEOPLE WHO WOULD GO FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH, BECAUSE EACH CHURCH WOULD TELL THEM TO WORK TO RECONCILE A RELATIONSHIP, OR AT LEAST BE CIVIL TO THE OTHER PERSON OR PERSONS. LET THEM MAKE THE CHOICE TO CONTINUE TO HATE. JESUS TAUGHT:
MATTHEW 5:43-45:
“43 ¶ "YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY.’ 44 BUT I TELL YOU: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, 45 THAT YOU MAY BE SONS OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. HE CAUSES HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND THE GOOD, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS.”
RATHER THAN FOLLOW THE TEACHING OF JESUS, WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT, THEY WOULD CHOOSE TO GO TO DIFFERENT CHURCHES UNTIL THEY GOT THE COUNSELLING THEY WANTED, WHICH WAS “HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM, THEY ARE HOPELESS AND WILL ONLY DRAW YOU DOWN.”
NOW THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN SADLY THIS COUNSEL IS THE APPROPRIATE COUNSEL TO GIVE, BUTG ALL TO SADLY IS THAT IT IS THE FIRST AVENUE TO BE FOLLOWED INSTEAD OF A LAST RESORT.
CONSIDER WHAT JESUS ALSO SAYS IN THIS PASSAGE:
MATTHEW 5:39-46:
“39 BUT I TELL YOU, DO NOT RESIST AN EVIL PERSON. IF SOMEONE STRIKES YOU ON THE RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO. 40 AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SUE YOU AND TAKE YOUR TUNIC, LET HIM HAVE YOUR CLOAK AS WELL. 41 IF SOMEONE FORCES YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH HIM TWO MILES. 42 GIVE TO THE ONE WHO ASKS YOU, AND DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM THE ONE WHO WANTS TO BORROW FROM YOU. 43 ¶ "YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY.’ 44 BUT I TELL YOU: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, 45 THAT YOU MAY BE SONS OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. HE CAUSES HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND THE GOOD, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS.”
CLEARLY JESUS IS ESTABLISHING THE FACT THAT AS CHRISTIANS, THE IDENTIFYING MARK OF OUR CHRISTIANITY WILL BE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL PLACE OURSELVES IN POSITIONS WHERE WE WILL BE WALKED OVER, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THERE WILL BE TIMES WHERE WE WILL BE ABUSED BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEFS.
WHEN I WAS CONSIDERING GOING INTO THE MINISTRY, ONE OF THE SCHOOLS I LOOKED AT WAS MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO. I WENT DOWN WITH A FRIEND TO CHECK IT OUT. AT BREAKFAST ONE DAY THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AT THE TABLE I WAS AT. ONE OF THE STUDENTS WAS SPORTING A SHINER, AND EVERYONE WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY HE WAS DOING SOME WITNESSING ON THE STREETS OF CHICAGO AND A MAN SAID IF I HIT YOU YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TURN THE OTHER CHEEK. THIS IS WHAT THE STUDENT DID AND NOW HE IS SPORTING A SHINER AS A RESULT.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS PASSAGE IS SPEAKING OF. THIS WAS AN ACT OF PRIDE ON THE PART OF THE STUDENT. HE WAS PROUD OF THE FACT THAT HE TOOK ONE FOR THE LORD. HE WAS PROUD OF THE WAY HE WAS RECEIVED BY HIS FELLOW STUDENTS. WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO OUT LOOKING FOR A FIGHT, AND WE NEEDN’T WORRY FOR AS WE WALK THE CHRISTIAN ROAD, THE FIGHT WILL COME TO US.
LOVE AND FORGIVENESS ARE THE IDENTIFYING MARKS OF THE CHRISTIAN, TO ALL PEOPLE.
JOHN 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."”
THEREFORE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS SHOULD BE A BASIC COMPONANT IN OUR THEOLOGY AS CHRISTIANS. JESUS GOES ON TO ILLUSTRATE THIS TO THE PHARISEE WITH THE STORY ABOUT THE TRAVELLER.
THE DETAILS OF THE STORY ARE FAIRLY WELL KNOWN. A PERSON, PRESUMABLY A JEW, IS TRAVELING BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND JERICHO. HE IS ATTACKED BY THEIVES AND LEFT FOR DEAD.
TWO MEN, BOTH JEWS A PRIEST AND A LEVITE, COME BY, PILLARS OF THEIR NATION IN REALITY, BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP THIS INDIVIDUAL. THE MAN WHO WOULD HELP THIS INJURED MAN WAS A SAMARITAN.
IT GIVES US SOME CLUES AS TO THE IDENTITY OF THE INJURED MAN WAS, AS SAMARITANS AND JEWS HAD NO DEALINGS WITH EACH OTHER. THIS MAKES THE LESSON OF THE STORY EVEN GREATER.
ANOTHER LESSON TO BE GLEANED FROM THIS ACCOUNT IS THAT WHEN GOOD WORKS ARE PRACTICED, OTHERS WILL SHARE IN THE BLESSING. CONSIDER THE FAITH OF THE INNKEEPER. WE ARE NOT TOLD THAT HE KNEW THE SAMARITAN. WE ARE ONLY TOLD WHAT THE SAMARITAN TOLD THE INNKEEPER. WE MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT HE KNEW TH INNKEEPER WHEN HE SAYS “WHEN I RETURN.”, BUT IN REALITY HE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN LYING.
WHAT THE INNKEEPER SAW, WAS ONE MAN HELPING ANOTHER. HE SAW THE SAMARITAN PUTTING ASIDE ALL THE DIFFERENCES HE HAD WITH THIS INJURED PERSON AND DECIDING TO HELP HIM. WHY WAS NOT IMPORTANT OR JESUS WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE REASON. IT WAS LOVE FOR LOVES SAKE.
THIS KIND OF LOVE CAN ONLY BE INITIATED AMONGST THOSE WE ARE AT ISSUE WITH, AS IT COMES THROUGH GOD. OUR NATURAL DESIRE IS TO PULL AWAY FROM THOSE WE DISLIKE.
ALSO NOTE THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE TRAVELLER. THERE HAD TO BE SOME REASON FOR THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE NOT TO HELP THIS MAN. PERHAPS HE WAS OF LOW REPUTE AS WELL, AND SO THEY CHOSE NOT TO HAVE ANY DEALING WITH HIM.
WHEN JESUS WAS FINISHED HIS PARABLE HE ASKED THE PHARISEE WHO WAS THE MAN’S NEIGHBOR. THE PHARISEE NATURALLY ANSWERED THE SAMARITAN WHO HELPED. JESUS THEN GIVES HIM HIS MARCHING ORDERS, “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.”
THESE ARE OUR MARCHING ORDERS AS CHRISTIANS AS WELL. WE ARE CALLED TO PRACTICE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. PAUL TEACHES:
ROMANS 12:18: “IF IT IS POSSIBLE, AS FAR AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE.”
THIS IS NOT EASY TO DO AT TIMES. OUR NATURAL REACTION MAY BE TO SAY THAT A PERSON IS ONLY IN THE RECONCILIATION FOR WHAT THEY CAN GET OUT OF IT. WE ASK THE QUESTION IN OUR MINDS, “WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW? I MUST BE ON MY GUARD!”
JESUS DOESN’T PUT A TIME LIMIT ON FORGIVENESS. WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE AND FORGIVE, AND SHOULD A PERSON FALL AGAIN THEN WE LOVE AND FORGIVE AGAIN.
MATTHEW 18:21-22:
“21 ¶ THEN PETER CAME TO JESUS AND ASKED, "LORD, HOW MANY TIMES SHALL I FORGIVE MY BROTHER WHEN HE SINS AGAINST ME? UP TO SEVEN TIMES?" 22 JESUS ANSWERED, "I TELL YOU, NOT SEVEN TIMES, BUT SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES.”
THIS DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU GET OUT A CALCULATOR AND A LITTLE BOOK AND KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE TIMES WE FORGIVE AND LOVE EACH OTHER.
LOOK AT WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS:
EPHESIANS 4:32: “BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS IN CHRIST GOD FORGAVE YOU.”
LUKE 17:3-4:
“3 SO WATCH YOURSELVES. "IF YOUR BROTHER SINS, REBUKE HIM, AND IF HE REPENTS, FORGIVE HIM. 4 IF HE SINS AGAINST YOU SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY, AND SEVEN TIMES COMES BACK TO YOU AND SAYS, ‘I REPENT,’ FORGIVE HIM."”
COLOSSIANS 3:12-13:
“12 ¶ THEREFORE, AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, HOLY AND DEARLY LOVED, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE. 13 BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCES YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU.”
THE WHOLE IDEA OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE IS TO RESTORE A BROTHER OR SISTER WHO HAS FALLEN, NOT TO GET RID OF THE BROTHER OR SISTER. REMEMBER PAUL’S TEACHING IN GALATIANS:
GALATIANS 6:1: “BROTHERS, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE HIM GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELF, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED.”
IT IS SO EASY TO SIT IN JUDGMENT OF PEOPLES ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE WRONG. PAUL TELLS US HERE TO PUT THE JUDGMENT BRAKES ON. HE REMINDS US THAT WE ARE TO PRACTICE DISCIPLINE WITH COMPASSION, AS WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IS EASY FOR US TO FALL AS WELL. THE ADDAGE “THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I” SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN OUR MINDS.
PAUL GOES ON TO TEACH US ABOUT LOVE IN CORINTHIANS:
1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8:
“4 ¶ LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND. IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD. 5 IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. 6 LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. 7 IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES. 8 ¶ LOVE NEVER FAILS.
IT IS VERY CLEAR, FRIENDS, THAT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS IS A FUNDAMENTAL MARK OF THE CHRISTIAN. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT A PERSON WILL NOT FALL AGAIN. SOMETIMES FORGIVENESS WILL BE HARD IN OUR OWN STRENGTH, BUT THAT IS WHEN WE DEPEND ON GOD’S STRENGTH TO GET US THROUGH.
THIS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, NOR IS IT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL, BUT GOD DOESN’T CALL US TO BE SUCCESSFUL. HE CALLS US TO BE FAITHFUL. THIS IS WHY PAUL CLOSES THIS CHAPTER IN CORINTHIANS WITH THESE WORDS.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:11-13:
11 WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I TALKED LIKE A CHILD, I THOUGHT LIKE A CHILD, I REASONED LIKE A CHILD. WHEN I BECAME A MAN, I PUT CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND ME. 12 NOW WE SEE BUT A POOR REFLECTION AS IN A MIRROR; THEN WE SHALL SEE FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY KNOWN. 13 AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.”
THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS THAT THE BIBLE TEACH AND THAT WE FOLLOW, MUST INCLUDE, THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE, AND LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. WE SHALL SEE OTHER FUNDAMENTAL TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH IN THE WEEKS TO COME.
