We all say we know what love is but can you draw a picture of love? So is love more of a feeling or an action?
"What does love look like? It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. it has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." - St. Augustine.
Luke 10:25-29 tells us to Love completely.
"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life. He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou. And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"
1) What is the inner most part of a person's being? (Soul)
2) What is the inner most part of a person's reason? (Mind)
3) What is the inner most part of a person's emotions, will and deepest convictions? (Heart)
4) What is how a person uses the abilities and powers he has been given? (Strength)
What does Jesus mean by love your neighbor?
Transition: We must have the right definition for "neighbor" because Christ expects us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Read Luke 10:30-32
"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side."
Both the Levites (members of the tribe of Levi but not descendants of Aaron/assistants of priests) and the priests (descendants of Aaron who had priestly responsibilities in the Jerusalem temple) were held in high esteem by the Jewish people, so it had to shock them to hear them refused to help a person in need.
Don't make excuses. Seeing a need is not enough. If we have not responded to the needs of others, we have not fulfilled God's command to love our neighbor.
What would be a good excuse not to help someone? Trick question...there are no good excuses. Unless you are in danger, you have no excuse to not help someone, to not "love your neighbors as yourself". Just a kind word or a smile may be just what someone needs to get through a rough day.
Translation: Love motivates us to respond as God expects us to when we see someone in need.
Read Luke 10:33-37 "Respond in the right way"
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
We fulfill God's command to love our neighbor when we act compassionately towards those in need. Let's call it a "God Samaritan". Back then in Jesus' time the Jews didn't view Samaritans as their neighbors. The Jews and Samaritans were enemies. Why do you think Jesus made the hated Samaritans the hero of this parable? Like the Samaritans, we must be willing to alter our plans to help others. Sometimes we need to stop what we are doing and show the love of Christ to those in need even if they hate Him and us. We should not decide whose needs we will meet based on race, financial situation, gender, political, education, or social status.
Jesus calls us to show compassion to others NO MATTER WHAT!!
Closing we should continually ask ourselves "How can I respond in Love?" You should display Christ's love by sacrificially responding to the needs around you with compassion and grace. God does not want us to have just a "text book" definition of loving our neighbor. He wants us to demonstrate love for our neighbors in the real world by showing real compassion to those in real need.
A great example of showing compassion for others is by praying for their needs.
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