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Simple

Neighbor Day 14 Wounded One: Digging Deeper

May 7, 2020 by Shannon Vicker Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Wounded One!

The Questions

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?

Luke 10:25-37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

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.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Original Intent

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?
Luke simply identifies this man as an expert of the law. We don’t know his exact job or role, but we do know he would have been well versed in the law of Moses, or the Torah, which are the first 5 books of the Bible. He comes to Jesus wanting to know how to gain eternal life. He was likely looking for a checklist of what he needed to do in order to earn eternal life. However, Jesus turns the question back to this man, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”. The man answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This dialogue leads the expert to ask, “who is my neighbor?” He is looking for a box to check in effort to prove to himself that he is keeping the law and worthy of earning eternal life.

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?
While the Samaritan man who helped is the obvious answer, we need to understand the relationship between Jews and Samaritans in order to see the significance of the point Jesus is making. Samaritans were despised by Jews. Israel had been split into 2 kingdoms, the southern and the northern. In the northern kingdom, people married from the hated Assyrian empire. Due to that they were seen as a mixed race, people who were not true, pure bloodline descendants of Abraham. This created a separation between these two groups of Jews. Jesus uses this parable, intentionally selecting the characters of His story to be religious people pitted against a Samaritan to show not only who a neighbor is, but also how to be a neighbor. It would have required a true act of love for the Samaritan to take care of this man regardless of the cost. Jesus is forcing the expert to look inside himself and realize radical love would require caring for others no matter who they are or where they come from.

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?
The obvious answer is how to love our neighbor. However, when we look deeper into the parable, we see it is often easy to justify unloving behavior. The expert was looking for justification for his behavior and confirmation that his rule-following was enough to satisfy God. However, it never would be and Jesus uses this illustration to show the expert exactly this reality. We learn what a true expression of love looks like from the parable. In this case, it is loving beyond ourselves to meet the need of another. Sometimes the need is obvious, as it was with the injured man. Other times a need is only recognized in a relationship with others as the Holy Spirit gives us insights. Either way Jesus’ point is simple, care for one another with radical, humble, generous love.

Everyday Application

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?
The expert has all the head knowledge of what the Old Testament contains. He is all about living in the legalities of what Scripture says. This expert is attempting to live a “good enough” life, one that will earn him salvation, on his own. However, being a true believer is not about checking boxes and living a “good enough” life. The truth is, none of us are capable of living a good enough life, because the standard is impossible high. Only absolute perfection is acceptable, which is why God, in His great love, sent Jesus to perfectly fulfill what we never could. Jesus offers His own righteousness to us, while He takes our imperfections. The question we must wrestle with is will I be like the expert, trying to do it on my own, or will I surrender, allowing God to live and love through me?

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?
Mark Black writes, “The astute reader recognizes this Samaritan is acting just as Jesus has acted: he has compassion, he touches the ‘unclean’, he heals, and he uses his possessions for the benefit of the needy.” Jesus was the perfect neighbor during His life on earth. The Samaritan in the story took care of a man who would have despised him. The reality is, Jews and Gentiles alike treated Jesus with contempt in His last days, yet Jesus still loved them enough to die on the cross. He was still willing to give up His life for us. When we look at Jesus, we see He was unconcerned with race or lineage, but instead He was concerned with our need, specifically our spiritual need. If we behave as Jesus did, we will live a life that shows love to all peoples regardless of race, religion, social status, or anything else we often allow to divide us. It means treating all of humanity as our neighbor.

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?
Matthew Henry writes, “It is the duty of every one of us, in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.” As I reflect on these verses and the quote from Matthew Henry, I cannot help but relate them to the time we are living in. I cannot think of a better time in our lives to be a neighbor. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. While this pandemic demands we live life practicing a new concept of social distancing, it is not an excuse to deny love to others. It is not a pass to forget about our neighbors. If anything, this illustration shows us how we need to look beyond what is right in front of us, instead looking for the need. It requires us to lean in to how God is asking us to be His hands and His feet in a time when people are so desperate for truth and answers. The needs may be obvious, or they may only be known in a relationship, or as the Spirit prompts our hearts. This isn’t a time to withdraw into ourselves, but instead offer help and love as we are able. The question is, are we rising to the challenge of loving our neighbors with the same radical, humble love demonstrated by the Samaritan and Jesus Himself?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Wounded One!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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This is Neighbor Week Three!
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, Forgiven, Generous, Grace, Hope, Peace, Scripture, Service, Simple, Strength, Struggle, Suffering, Thankfulness Tagged: compassion, healing, help, hope, love, mercy, neighbor, tender

Seeds Day 10 Empowered To BE

May 17, 2019 by Sarah Young 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 8:26-40
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Romans 8:9-11
John 14:9-2
Ephesians 3:16-20

Seeds, Day 10

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to BE your favorite animal?
To soar like an eagle?
Carry 20x your weight like an ant?
Change colors like a chameleon?
Do acrobatics like a dolphin?

The Kratt Brothers have been helping children learn about animal “super powers” for decades.  At the beginning of each episode, they introduce an animal, highlight its unique traits, then ask something like, “Can you imagine if we really could join the pack and howl with the wolves?”  The brothers jump into position and ask “What if…” as they transform into cartoon characters who go on a creature adventure experiencing firsthand the super powers of the animal.

As I considered this Journey Study, several questions immediately stood out:

What if we lived like we had access to the Holy Spirit?
What if eternity really could be changed by our simple, willing obedience?

I couldn’t help but think of the Kratt Brothers’ enthusiastic “What if…!”

It’s easy to look at biblical men like Joseph, Daniel, Peter, or Paul and think they were super-humans with special powers.  We put them on a pedestal, figuring we could never be like them – teaching, preaching, healing, changing lives, and building God’s kingdom like crazy.

We read about strong, brave women like Ruth, Esther, Hannah, and Mary categorizing them as heroes of faith while quickly writing off OUR ability to have the same impact.

But WHAT IF…

What if we DO have the same power as Peter and Paul?!
What if we CAN make a difference in our families, communities, and ultimately the world like the heroines we admire?

What if?!

In Acts 8, we find another biblical hero, Philip; a man God used to alter the course of history.

We find Philip in Jerusalem, having just returned from Samaria.  He’s busy preaching the gospel, and despite the persecution believers are facing, the church is growing!  Demons are being cast out; the paralyzed and lame are being healed.  God is obviously at work!

In the midst of all this action, an angel tells Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  (Acts 8:26)

What would you have done?
Pulled up GPS on your phone for exact directions?
Checked the weather app to see what you need to pack?
Looked at your calendar for your next available opening?

Of course Philip didn’t have a cell phone, but even if he did, I’m not sure he would have done any of those things.  Scripture says he simply “rose and went.” (verse 27)

Makes me think about Abraham when God told him to sacrifice Isaac.
Or when Jesus called out to James and John, “Follow Me.”
Or when an angel woke Joseph up in the middle of the night, “Flee to Egypt.”

In each instance, like with Philip, God said….
They did.

No questions asked.
No waiting, planning, or second guessing.
Just pure, simple, IMMEDIATE obedience.

As a result, God did amazing things.

In Acts, God had prepared a divine appointment for Philip.
There on the road was “an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure.”

The angel instructed, “Go over and join his chariot.” (verse 29)
Again, Philip obeys.

He doesn’t stop to play out scenarios in his head or worry about offending him or
being ignored.
He just goes.
RUNS actually.

Approaching the chariot, Phillip hears the man reading in Isaiah, about Jesus.
The man had questions.
Philip had answers.
How convenient!
Like it was meant to be!

Philip explains the Scriptures, tells him about Jesus, and the Ethiopian eunuch believes!

As if God planned it, at that very moment, they came upon water, giving Philip the opportunity to baptize his new brother.

As the eunuch comes up out of the water, an angel whisks Philip away, and the men never see each other again. The eunuch continued on his way rejoicing.
I can almost guarantee you, he told his friends and family what happened.

“It was crazy. I was sitting in the chariot, reading the scroll and all of a sudden this strange man appeared and asked if I needed help understanding the passage.  Actually, I did!  I was so confused, but he answered all my questions! I gave my life to Jesus, and then we passed some water, so I got baptized!  But when I came out of the water, the dude was gone!  He vanished!”

And remember, the Ethiopian was a court official.
I’m going to guess he also shared his incredible story at the palace.
Guards.
Cooks.
Butlers and maids.
Visiting dignitaries.
EVERYONE, even the queen herself, heard alllllll about it.

One act of obedience, and God used a single man to spread the gospel throughout Africa.

How many lives were impacted because Philip went to the road?
How was history changed because Philip ran up to the chariot?

Philip didn’t have any special powers.
He wasn’t an extraordinary man.
BUT the extraordinary GOD used him to do powerful, extraordinary things.

What if we were like Philip?

What if we surrendered our plans and started each day with,
“Here I am…use me however you need.”

What if we were willing to come alongside others in our lives, regardless of race, economic status, sexuality, or religious beliefs?

What if we were ready to hear their stories and listen to their questions?

What if we were ready to explain the hope we have in Jesus?

What if?!

You don’t need a special suit or incredible imaginations like the Wild Kratt brothers to be a heroine. If you believe in Jesus, YOU have super powers.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALREADY IN YOU,
LIVING AND ACTIVE,
READY TO DO POWERFUL, EXTRAORDINARY THINGS…
if you are ready and willing!

What if we say YES to God…no matter what?

Can you imagine?!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Seeds Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Seeds!

Posted in: Brave, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Life, Obedience, Power, Seeds, Simple, Used Tagged: Be, Beautiful, Empower, empowered, If, Immediate, Strong, Super Power, What

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