Needed: A Few Good Neighbors, Part 2

What draws people to a particular teacher. What's the attraction for someone to step into an unfamiliar building, take a risk with people they don't even know when. Perhaps they've never done so before.

Today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll answers those questions by looking at the model Jesus gave us is embedded in a story he told the answer might surprise you during the next half-hour will continue a message that started on yesterday's program. Looking at Luke chapter 10 titled his message needed a few good one with me for a few very few moments prayer would you do that please. Thank you for those who traveled to this very area we looked at today in these few scenes on video. Thank you for their presence, even as we meet today. Watch over and protect and use them effectively.

Father, thank you for touching our lives so that were able to lift our thoughts and priorities beyond our own lives and agenda see a people whose language we don't know in the world of culture, we've never been acquainted with in the midst of a region we've never been. Thank you for touching our life it one day some time past, when you capture this and you have begun to transform its we give today. Our father out of great joy. We have been provided for so bountifully by you and that goes on one day at a time and in our lives. One situation at a time. Thank you for meeting our needs because you have done that. We find great delight in returning to you a portion of these gifts be honored in the giving the motive behind and as we meet for this time of instruction. Your presence is among us, may we be stimulated and encouraged area of our lives.

Some specific area and he would point out this we pray all of this and we give no lovely name of Christ our Savior and all of his people say amen. Don't miss out on a special interview with Chuck Swindoll usually find this 30 minute conversation by going to Insight.org/conversation another message from chart titled needed a few good neighbors. Jesus gave his best words and did his best work among people on the street.

The crowd is gathered and they've heard him speak and they watched him do his work in the skeptic and the crowd according to verse 25 is called simply a certain lawyer teacher us says this lawyer. What must I do to inherit eternal life. Before you think about the question. Please notice the motive, he stood up and put him to the test Jesus and good pedagogical fashion doesn't jump in and answer the question he answers it with another question you tell me what is written in the law but how does it read to you this attorney.

I'm sure without needing to pull anything from the pouch simply spouted out a verse out of Deuteronomy 6 in a piece out of Leviticus 19 familiar to us, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.

That's what one must do as I read the law now Jesus said to him, you're right that keep on doing this and you will live. Verse 29 kicks off with. Again, the motive wishing to justify himself, trying to make himself look better than he really was.

He picked out a word.

Lawyers are known to do that RK who is my neighbor is at the person who lives right next door to me. Okay, I got two doors down our end of the block or is you neighbor if if we never met, but what if he's in another part of the town where I live. That is, that it is that a neighbor neighbor is there is a and an eloquent pause that we can't read about at that moment the wheels began to turn in Jesus, omniscient mind, and he puts together a story. Nothing like a story to communicate a point Jesus leaves the scene where there were standing and mentally takes the lawyer and those listening to another road and another time, a certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, the road is winding and there are lots of rocks and boulders in many places to hide and if you're long there is no one who will hear if you call for help with that, wrote this lawyer knew that and he says not surprisingly, he fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him and went off leaving him half dead. Pretty obvious what happened this man's a victim of a mugging. I'm sure by now the attorney is wondering what's this got to do with who is my neighbor and everything but it has a twist to it by chance a certain priest was going down on that road when he sees him. Don't miss that. He just doesn't want to get involved and then verse 32.

There's a Levite and he sees admin and the doesn't want to get involved, but a certain Samaritan, he too has plans like the other two here. He also sees the same thing they saw the something different for the last three words he felt compassion he got right down there with him and he bound up his wounds you would expect a position to write that that's important to Dr. Luke along with pouring oil and wine on the wounds and then, of all things, we read that he put him on his own beast. So we let him ride on the animal. He was riding on and he brought him to an inn and he took care of him just dump them off or somebody to take into a room. Notice the next words on the next day so he stayed that night with him.

No shoe. I was the Jew would have done that for him isn't gracious of Jesus to tell the story like this, rather than the other way. In fact, he doesn't just stay with him. He has to leave the next day and so he says to the innkeeper 35 take care of him and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you when you return. Not if I come back and check on.

I went quickly over the little money exchange.

He took out two denarii. I we don't have medium of exchange that involves a denarius you wouldn't know it. So allow me a denarius was one day's wage. So he left today's wage there will block help us understand how long that would provide four nights at the Inn. He writes in his fine work on Luke given the amount the Samaritan leaves with the innkeeper. The injured man probably has about 3 1/2 weeks to recover. If he needs it. Since the going in rate was 1/12 of a denarius to denarius two denarii. I would be to days wage doesn't even know when you notice the twist of this about Jesus as much is anything in his style.

Verse 36 looking now at the attorney who's trying to get his jaw off his chest, which of these three do you think proved to be correct. Not who is my neighbor which one proved to be a neighbor neighbor is not about the other person. Jesus is not concerned about what kind of person is my neighbor about what kind of person is my neighbors neighbor you see the core issue has nothing to do with where my neighbor lives looks like her language he speaks her color or how well we may or may not know one another. It has everything to do with what kind of neighbor in my put bluntly, the issue is not is my neighbor really lost but is my neighbors neighbor really say that and the attorney ceased.

He's failed every test before, but now he gets good marks.

Verse 37. When asked which one of these proved to be a neighbor. He said the one who showed mercy toward Jesus responded, you got it Maggie the Samaritan saw what others did not see because of the man he was. That to me is the message of the story. What you are determines what you see and what you see determines what you do, had to be a long moment for that attorney fees corner. He needs one of those Southwest Airlines commercials.

She want to get away but he can't.

He's caught just like we are. We may run to another state, but we can't escape what this is saying who are you, depending on that determine what you see what you do when the late great preacher John Henry Jowett was reaching very near the end of a very fruitful ministry.

He was asked on one occasion. What would you do differently if you had it all to do over again, he summed it all up in five simple words. I would major on compassion. If I had my brothers regarding the stone bar community church people. I would love it if we were known as people of compassion with those people over there in that little square building funny looking place over there and have any signs you know what they and how to love a guy like that fillet wrapped his arms around me reeked of alcohol. Several Sundays ago, I hugged him. Toby didn't have jobs, run over his heels so the want you know something we love having you here is some have a job as it will love having you here so Christmas Eve night he came back he gave me half a bag of candy means hungry so I got half day was at an honor gave me some important as he said he preacher back is a you know what we need guys like you around us. We respect you for being here. I know you did on the same thing is what makes a church great. I couldn't sleep. A number of nights ago when I got up and stood at the bedroom window and looked out one of those clear nights were the stars were shimmering light diamond studded nail heads the sky was clear, I'm out in California so long. I got scared air. I couldn't see Ende and I are I remember looking up in thinking thinking some some glorious days can split the sky is going to come back for his own and in fact someday yet future. He's going to return to the earth and establish his kingdom and he will reign as King of Kings and Lord of words. I thought all of this. That night I couldn't sleep not remember the line out of Matthew 25 that he will separate the sheep from goats.

Those who are resolving from those who are not in the sheep amazed at the joy of entering into his place of delight and presence and visible forgiveness all ask how could it be says when I was hungry and you gave me something to eat and when I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink and when I was in prison, you visited me, Lord, you hungry and we gave you something to eat when were you thirsty and we gave you something to drink prison and revisited new Matthew records it so simply, where Jesus says that inasmuch as you done it to the least of these my brothers you've done to me.

Oh, don't go to quickly.

There's a there's a syntactical technical inside.

I got a pass along to get the risk of really wiping out this great conclusion. So bear with me. It's called the restrictive attributed in that syntactical construction of the sentence, the emphasis falls on the adjective and requires the repeating of the definite article, inasmuch as you have done it to these even the got it under me to delete the lease hated the unknown, the hungry, the hurting dictated the prostitutes, the forgotten or as one mother of two children paraphrased.

I said he said I was afflicted with cerebral palsy and you listen to him to my faltering speech. I gently held my flailing hands.

I was born a down syndrome and you welcomed me into your church and your love reached out to me and the people said, Lord, when did we see you with cerebral palsy and listen to you when were you born with down syndrome and he said in that you did it, even to the least of these my people did that is so we miss it on in our pace/through life taking care of our own thinking.

Christianity is not about it's about souls in great need is about the broken and the bruised in the abused and the batter and the forgotten this about our spirited well it's about what we see determines what we do one data time when life it, I've been around the town of Christianity toe so seldom I don't know how would act if I saw whole church is so rare. Trust me, this community would have no need for us to canvas them with evangelistic crusades.

They couldn't stay out if they saw that Compassion the couldn't stay away. It's we don't know what happened to the lawyer I want to believe that he believed I want to believe that he stayed around till it darkened and the crowd left. He and Jesus talk through his salvation. I want to believe. He trusted Jesus as his own personal Lord but I don't know.

I want to believe that as a result of his trust in Christ, he became not a sophisticated professional but a compassionate neighbor. More importantly, I want to believe that that's what working to become. I have so far to go in and I know that some of you do to. You never met Christ. Perfect place to start is admitting your own selfishness and sinfulness and distance from God and and saying to the Lord.

I am not only want you I need you I can't know what it is to have that kind of compassion without your presence. Please come.

Please invade my life transform my thinking give me eyes to see what I've overlooked all my life Lord I think all of us are probably line up to feed Joni Erickson Donna out of love for her and respect changes are good, however we drive past. Most people in need. And therein lies the heart of the issue. Help us as we work our way on this long journey through the labyrinth of all the things that attract our time and attention teach us in the process to live. Let our hearts be broken.

Guard us from a perfunctory spirit in ministry. They are thoughts to Rob for those who are lost, just lost give us the pleasure of charming them into righteousness, disarming them from all of their criticism of Christian because of our compassion. In Jesus name, listening to Insight for living Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll.

He's teaching from Luke chapter 10 and the parting words from Jesus were these go and do the same if we stay with us because we set aside several minutes to hear some closing comments from Chuck and to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insideworld.org then let me remind you about the commentary series. Chuck is written on all 27 books in the New Testament Matthew through Revelation the final touches on this comprehensive collection of the two full-length hardbound books on the Gospel according to Matthew and for anyone who is curious to learn more about Matthew or any other portion of the New Testament to be grateful to have these commentaries from Chuck on your shelf there called Swindoll's living insights on the New Testament, and you find all the details for requesting a copy online@insight.org/offer. In fact, while you're visiting the online store. Be sure to check out all the great ideas for any occasion, including the wide variety of fun ideas for your kids and grandkids and for a more unique gift idea, you might consider our selection of whole being coffees from around the world which IQ presented a study on the entire book of Matthew that was called the King of Kings.

That's right.

Dave is a radio family. We spent the last 11 months January through November.

Walking through every single chapter in the Gospel according to Matthew.

It was an emotion filled journey alongside Jesus and now I'm devoting the better part of December to applying what we built during the grand crescendo that swelled in the last chapter. Remember the parting words from Jesus. Of course you do. He said therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I've given you, and be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

That's Matthew 2817 through 20.

No way.

We don't dismiss this command of Jesus as though he was singling out the professional Christian whatever that means. This command was directed to you and to me people that love the Lord Jesus Christ. So let me ask how is God moving you right at this moment to live out the great commission of Jesus with your family with your friends and even with your neighbors and what is your part in making disciples in all the countries of the world as we come to the conclusion of another ministry year. This is the perfect time for you to invest in things eternal you play a significant role in making disciples. Your contribution to Insight for living ministries will be used by God to reach broken hearted, discouraged people who are burdened down by guilt and confusion and shame.

In fact, I can't think of a better way to exercise our God-given assignment that did give generously. So these dear people might hear about God's grace and then rubbed into his forgiving embrace, let's do this together. Let's get involved in this wonderful opportunity to make disciples together. Remember, we don't have to do it alone. Jesus said I'm with you always, even to the end of the age so it's you and me in our Lord Jesus Christ teaming up together. How exciting is please jot down his contact information and respond to Chuck Swindoll today.

Choose from several different methods for getting in touch. Use the convenient mobile app or give directly online insight.org/donate to speak with one of our friendly ministry reps call us if you listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 again that's 1-800-772-8888 if you prefer to give a year-end gift online today, simply visit insight.join us again tomorrow when Chuck Swindoll describes what he calls the God of the limitless possibility that's next time on Insight for living. The preceding message need a few good neighbors was copyrighted in 2005 and 2019 sound recording was copyrighted in 2019 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited