During the life of Jesus, he was once asked by an expert in the law, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” We find this account in The Parable of the Good Samaritan in the gospel of Luke 10:25-37. The answer from Jesus is found in verse twenty-seven,
“‘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.’”
Jesus is posed with a question about what it means to follow the law of God. The law says to love God and to love neighbor. But who is our neighbor? Who is worthy of our Love? To answer this question, Jesus tells a story about a man who is beaten and left for dead. There are two religious Jews who would have been expected to stop and help. Neither do. Surprisingly, the only person who steps up to help the man in his plight is a Samaritan. He breaks a massive ancient near eastern racial barrier between Jews and Samaritans because it is the honorable thing to do. Where the first two fail, the last man succeeds and loves despite the cultural and racial divide.
This story is a parable that we all must find ourselves in. Will we be the religious elite who refuse to love based on bias, or will we be the societal outcast who loves beyond what is required? Will we follow the instructions of James who forbids favoritism in Ch. 2:8-9,
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture,
“Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism,
you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
In a world that is increasingly divided, it is important that Christians around the globe do the hard work of allowing Jesus to be their common denominator. The culture would encourage division over race, but Jesus invites us to be united in love. The culture divides over politics, but followers of Jesus are united under a heavenly kingdom. There are endless divides within religion, but Jesus offers a grace that brings unity. Join us for our new sermon series, “Common Denominator: Finding Jesus in every situation/circumstance.”
What binds us together as Christians is our love for God and one another. It begins with our love for Jesus. When we love Jesus and understand what it means to do unto the least of these as if we did it to him. When we see Jesus in every situation, there is no person who is undeserving of love. Because I have been showed so much mercy by God and I am called to do the same for others, regardless of our differences. I hope you will join us on Sunday mornings as we learn together?
Speaking of Sunday mornings, beginning in February we will be launching a new opportunity on the second Sunday of each month. Following the 11am worship service, we will open the Gathering Café for a time for people to ask questions about the church, ask questions regarding how they can get connected. This will available for those who are currently attending or newcomers. This “Starting Point” will also give individuals an opportunity to meet the staff. I hope you will join us in praying for this new endeavor and by all means if you are new to the church, have questions about membership or would just like to stop by for a few minutes for a conversation, please do!
Remember… “With God, All Things Are Possible!”
Serving together for the Glory of God,
