Love Thy Neighbor, Pt. 2

In Luke the 10th chapter, we're at the point of scripture that we recall the parable of the good Samaritan. And whenever you come to a parable, what you need to realize is that you are walking a parallel road. They're going the same direction, but they're different. The first road that you walk on when you read a parable is the obvious message that's presented in the text.

Who is my neighbor? Jesus engages in a story that many of us are familiar with. But the second road that you're walking going in the same direction but different is an eternal truth that is about the kingdom of God. The text begins and a certain lawyer stood up and tested him.

You and I having the benefit of the doubt looking back instead of being in the moment we immediately think are you serious? I mean, a human with finite knowledge is going to test infinite wisdom. This guy has the nerve to try and trip up the son of the living God.

The mortal is challenging the immortal. Who does he think he is? And he comes to Christ and he says, "I have a question for you. How do I inherit eternal life?" Jesus gives him a very straight and solid answer. You're a lawyer. you figure it out. So, the attorney quotes the same verse that we read last week out of Deuteronomy.

Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your strength, and with all of your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Jesus says, you've got the answer. Do that and you'll have what you want. But have you ever met somebody that asks a question and they really don't want information?

When they ask a question, what they really want is an argument. Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you'll inherit eternal life." And the LAWYER SAYS, "YEAH, BUT WHO is my neighbor?" He wants to say that the word of God is not clear. That it's confusing.

That it didn't define clearly who the neighbor was. Because if he had a clear definition, if if maybe he got a a GPS Google pin dropped right on the guy's house, then he could go over there and love his neighbor. But until his neighbor was clearly identified, you can't expect me to keep such vague language.

And Jesus uses the story of the good Samaritan to explain exactly who your neighbor is. And he reminds us of this very simple truth that righteousness is not something that's on the outside of you. Righteousness is someone who's on the inside of you. >> So Jesus begins the parable of the good Samaritan and in it he tells us of three types of people.

He tells us about a wounded person and you need to know that in this life at some point or another you will be wounded. And then he tells us about wicked people. And what you don't ever want to be in this life is a wicked person because the Bible is very clear that the hand of God never leaves the house of the wicked.

He's always against them. And then he finishes by telling us about a worthy person. And the first lesson that we learn in this parable is that you should watch where you're going. Amen. >> Jesus tells about a certain man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and he fell among thieves.

The thieves stripped him of his clothing and they wounded him and they departed leaving him half dead. Other than the detail that he's a man, we don't know much about him. We don't know his economic status. We don't know his educational level. We don't know if he's married, if he's single.

We don't know many of these things. And the reason that I don't believe we know them is because Jesus wanted each and every person not to identify with the character, but to understand that as an individual, you should watch where you're going. When Jesus tells us that he goes from Jerusalem to Jericho, he's talking about a descending journey.

This man is going down. He's going the wrong direction. He's going down geographically. Let's just talk about it on the map. When you're in the city of Jerusalem, you are 2,300 ft above sea level. If you go from Jerusalem to Jericho, it is a short 20-mile distance. But every step from Jerusalem to Jericho is a step down.

Because when you get to Jericho, you are in one of the lowest cities on the face of the earth. You are 1,300 ft below sea level. So you go from 2600 ft up to,300 ft below. There's a fall of 3,600 ft between Jerusalem and Jericho. Not only is he physically going down, but he's spiritually going down.

Why? Because Jerusalem is the city of God and Jericho is the city of a conquered enemy. Jerusalem is where God lives. Jerusalem is where his house is. When David said, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." He was talking about Jerusalem.

King David told us in the Psalms to march around the walls of Jerusalem and say to the next generation, "God lives here." He was giving us the command to tell young people that Jerusalem is the place where God's presence is. Jerusalem is the place where God's best is.

Jerusalem is the place where you receive all of his promises. And when you walk away from God and when you walk away from his promises and when you walk away from his refuge, you are going the wrong direction. >> We meet the wounded and the circumstances that they were in was at the hands of the wicked.

For the Bible says he fell among thieves. Thieves are easy to identify because we can see their blatant behavior. These are the premeditated wicked, the ones who knew what they were doing and intended to do harm. Now, I'm not suggesting that any of you would act that way, but we all know individuals who do.

But you have to understand that there's different kinds of ways to be a predator. These people waited in the rocks and when they saw the opportunity they jumped on the man and they took his possessions physically violent. But how many of you know somebody who can inflict just as big a wound with their tongue as they can their fists? >> They're predators just the same.

A second kind of wicked person are the individuals we meet next in the story because it tells us about this man who's lying on the road half dead. And it says by chance a certain priest came down that road and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.

Likewise a Levite when he arrived at that place he came and he looked and he passed by on the other side. When Jesus was telling this story about a man going from Jerusalem to Jericho, the second that he mentioned Jerusalem, everybody went, "Oh." And when he went to Jericho, everybody went, "No."

And then they said, "He fell among thieves." And everybody went, "Ooh." And then he said, "But here comes the priest." And everybody went, "Yay!" Because the hero has arrived. The man who has the answers is here. And rather than come and serve this individual who's fallen prey to these thieves, he pulls out his cell phone.

He gets on the other side of the road. He takes a few pictures and he says, "Hash bad day." And then comes the Levite, another worker in the temple. He's not in the role of a priest, but he's someone who serves in the house of God. And everybody goes, "Oh, good."

But he does the same thing. He captures the moment, but only from a distance. He doesn't want to get too close, and he doesn't want to get too involved. And in this, we don't see the predatory wicked, but we see the passive wicked. How many people ignore problems that they could solve AND IN THEIR PASSIVITY THEY MAKE THE problem worse? >> You say, "Oh, preacher, don't be so hard on these people.

The law of Moses says that they couldn't touch a dead man. If a priest is on his way to serve in the temple and he touches a dead man, he's going to have to cleanse for seven days." True. That's in the law. But better to be a human being than to be a lawkeeper.

You see, everybody has a reason. Everybody has an excuse. EVERYBODY HAS A PIECE OF PAPER WHERE they can run and hide behind THE POLICY. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE ANOTHER HUMAN in desperate need? >> Do you come up with an excuse or do you make good?

There's only two kinds of people in this world. Those who make good and those who make excuses. And what you'll find when it comes to problem solving is excuses are useless. >> Look around you and see how much passivity has caused wickedness. If you want to destroy something, if you want to destroy anything, ignore it.

A relationship, a marriage, a business, your children, your relationship with God, your family, all of them can be destroyed by neglect. People see problems and pretend they're not there. Ignoring them does not make them go away. >> But when you challenge it, now you can change it. Say, "Oh, you don't understand.

I have a good excuse. I'm not ignoring my family. I'm just too busy. Much more to be important than to be busy. Not everything that you spend time doing is important, but your family is the most important thing you have. >> The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything.

In my new book, From the Tomb to Triumph, I take you through this resurrection truth. from the suffering of the cross to the empty tomb and into the authority every believer is called to live in today. >> This month, for your gift of any amount to support the work of Hegy Ministries, we want to send you Pastor John Haggy's new book, From to Tomb to Triumph, claim the victory of the resurrection.

And with your love gift of $125 or more, we'll send you our handcrafted Genesis 12:3 Olivewood Anointing Oil Set Box from Israel. And with your gift of $500 or more, in addition, you'll also receive the Prophecy Study Bible and His Glory Revealed. >> The Risen King reigns now and his power is at work in you. >> Call the number on your screen, use the QR code, or go to jhm.org/ org/spring. >> People make excuses about their marriage.

People make excuses about their poor performance. People make excuses about their children. They say things to other people. Oh, they never act like that at home. Liar. They're worse at home. They didn't put on their worst behavior in public. They're worse at home. They're just bad out here.

You make excuses. I'VE TRIED. I JUST CAN'T. I've tried to LOVE MY SPOUSE. I JUST CAN'T. I'VE TRIED TO CHANGE my ways. I JUST CAN'T. I'VE TRIED TO BREAK MY HABITS. I JUST CAN'T. I'VE TRIED TO FIND TIME TO PRAY. I JUST CAN'T. LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.

YOU can do anything you want to do. You can do it. YOU JUST WON'T do it. And that's an excuse. Whether it's predatory or it's passive, it's wicked. And Romans 1:18 says, "The wrath of God is revealed in heaven against all ungodliness." How much ungodliness? All the blatant kind and the passive kind.

And then it says, "So that the ungodly are without excuse." You say, "But I don't know how." Ask God. He'll help you. But whatever you do, don't make an excuse. The third person that we meet in this parable is the worthy. The wounded fell victim to the thieves.

The wicked ignored the man in his need. But then comes the worthy. And Jesus tells us in verse 33, "But a certain Samaritan," say that with me, "but a certain Samaritan." Now, early on we heard about the priest and everybody went, "Yay!" But now we hear about a Samaritan, everybody goes, "Oh no."

And as I said earlier, the more you study and the more you realize the truths and the principles in the word of God, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Don't think that bigotry and bias are new problems in our modern world. They go all the way back to the beginning of time. >> The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other.

Jesus went to the Republican National Convention and he said, "The hero of the story is a Democrat." And they went, "Oh." In John chapter 4, Jesus is sitting at the well of Jacob and he's asking a woman to draw water from the well. And the woman is a Samaritan.

And she says to him, "Jews don't have dealings with Samaritans." She was TALKING ABOUT THE STRESS AND THE strain between their two cultures. Why? Because Jews had a covenant and a promise from God to the land. But every time that they disobeyed God, they were removed from the land.

And whenever they were removed from the land, Samaritans moved into the land. And when Jews came back from being in exile, they intermarried with the Samaritans. And now the Samaritans were there forever. They were a generational reminder of Israel's disobedience. And they were considered a mongrel and a hated race.

When Jesus said, "A certain Samaritan," everybody just went, "Oh no, first this guy's beaten and now a Samaritan. He's going to eat his liver and kick him off the cliff. You ever notice how easy it is to give the most despicable behavior to the people you like the least?

Jesus never called him a good Samaritan. We did because of the way he behaved. Jesus just said a certain Samaritan. And I believe the reason he's just a certain Samaritan in the story is because God wanted you to know you don't have to be an angel to treat others well. >> All you need is a heartbeat.

All you need is flesh and blood. >> All you need is breath in your lungs and you can show someone the kind of love that Jesus Christ has shown you. It says a certain Samaritan came to where he was and he went to him. Notice the priests and the Levites ran from him and this guy went to him.

He got involved in his situation. And it says that he opened up his own purse and he bandaged his wounds. He poured oil and wine and set him on his own animal. And he brought him to an inn and he took care of him. The Samaritan went to where the wounded man was and he invested valuable things in him.

Oil was valuable. Wine was valuable. Not only were oil and wine valuable and cost this Samaritan something, but what the wine did is it washed away the infection. And what the oil did is it began the healing process. Jesus Christ used wine in his last supper at the communion.

He said, "This cup is my blood shed for the remission of sins." His blood washed away the stains of my sin. It washed away the sinful infection of my soul. But his holy spirit is the oil of gladness that has been poured over my life and it has healed and it has cleansed and it has rebuilt.

I'm thankful today that not only am I cleansed AND WASHED OF MY PAST, BUT HE'S REBUILDING me and strengthening me and healing me AND MAKING ME BETTER TOMORROW than I've ever been before. He didn't leave YOU WHERE HE FOUND YOU. HE FOUND YOU. HE HEALED YOU AND HE SET YOU FREE.

Every excuse that the priest and the Levite made, the Samaritan didn't even think about it. IF THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT TOUCHING THE DEAD BODY, HE DIDN'T think about it. If he was worried about the other thieves that might be in the area, he didn't think ABOUT IT. WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT FOR HIMSELF.

HE GAVE WHAT HE had and he started to heal this man's life and he takes him to an inn and he pays the fee. It says on the next day when he departed he took out two dinari and he gave them to the inkeeper and he said take care of him and whatever more you spend when I come again I will repay you.

Now, two dinari was enough for two days of lodging. And so, the Samaritan was planning on returning on the third day. So, Jesus concludes by asking the lawyer, "So, which one of these three, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan, took care of his neighbor? And the lawyer said, "The one who showed him mercy."

And Jesus said, "Go and do likewise, and you'll have eternal life." You see, it's not who you are, it's what you do. >> And it's not just what you do, but it's how you do it. And it's not for the honor and respect of those who are around you, but it's in obedience to the God who did that for you.

The Samaritan is worthy not because of where he came from. The Samaritan is worthy because of the righteousness that was in him that he used to show mercy. Do you see someone in need and run to figure out how you can be a part of help? Or do you quickly judge and come to a conclusion that they got what they deserved?

Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Mercy is receiving what you don't deserve. >> Jesus told his disciples, "A new commandment I give you. You love one another as I have loved you." That's written in John 13 and34. You love one another as I have loved you. How did Jesus love you?

He loved you when you were at your lowest and you needed him the most. I say this in closing. Jesus asks the question, who is worthy? Throughout this text, we've been walking a parallel road. And just like there was a Samaritan who came and showed mercy to this victim, Jesus Christ, our heavenly Samaritan, came to us 2,000 years ago.

We were fallen. We were beaten. We were left for dead. Satan, the predator, had done all that he could to make us slaves to sin. But Jesus Christ came to where we were. And he didn't pass by on the other side, but he began to heal us and restore us.

He washed us in his blood and he poured his holy spirit of anointing upon us. He made us a promise. He said, 'I go to prepare a place for you, but when I come again, just like this Samaritan told the inkeeper, "When I come again, church, King Jesus is about to come again." >> King Jesus is about to come again.

The Bible says that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day. When you follow the Jewish calendar that's presented in the Bible, 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, was here on earth and dwelt among us, and the third day began in the year 2000.

What does that mean? That means that soon and very soon the trump of God shall sound. The dead in Christ shall rise. And we who are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord with the air. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad because our redemption drawth nigh.

This battle is almost over. Our race is nearly run because the king is coming. The king is coming. The king IS COMING. HALLELUJAH TO THE LAMB of God. Would you stand to your feet? Who are you in this story? Are you the wounded going the wrong direction suffering?

Are you the wicked, the offender? the one who could have helped but didn't. Or are you the worthy? The one who says, "I'm going to do all that I can to love others like Christ loved me." With your head bowed and your eyes closed, if you're in this place today and you say, "Pastor, I'm wounded today.

In my heart, I'm wounded in my spirit. I'm hurting in my physical body. I need healing. If that describes you, would you raise your hand right where you are? We're going to ask Jesus Christ, the healer, the comforter, to come and pour his anointing upon you and heal your woundedness today.

Others of you could say, "Pastor, I'm wicked today. I'm not a predator, but I have ignored problems that I know I should solve. And today, I want to repent and I want to ask the Lord to help me have the courage and the strength to do what I know needs to be done.

If that describes you, would you raise your hand right where you are? And finally, some of you would say, "Pastor, I want to live my life worthy, worthy of eternal life by showing the mercy and the grace and the love of God that he has shown me to those who are around me."

And I'm going to ask that God give me the strength to do that today. If that's you, would you raise your hand? I want everyone in this room and those of you who are watching to join me in this prayer today. Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, >> thank you. >> Thank you >> for what you have done for me. >> What you have done for me. >> You have cleansed me >> from all of my sins. >> With your precious blood and you have healed me >> with your anointed spirited spirit >> and your grace >> and your love your love.

Now, Father, Father, >> give me the strength >> to face the challenges >> and the problems >> and the needs that I can meet >> so that I would show my neighbor >> the love >> that you have shown me through your son Jesus Christ. Let his light shine in me.

Let his grace give me strength. And let his mercy be the gift that I give to others as I learn to love my neighbor as myself in Jesus name. Amen. Would you give the Lord a hand clap of praise? >> In a world filled with noise, one message still brings peace.

At Hegy Ministries, our mission is clear. Proclaim the truth of God's word, equip believers, and reach the lost no matter the cost. From the sanctuary of hope to feeding the hungry and caring for the sick, from social media to our broadcast outreach, the borders of Israel and beyond, we go where God sends us.

But this mission is accomplished because of you. your prayers, your generosity, your heart for the kingdom. The world is desperate for truth, for hope, for a savior. Partner with us today at jhm.org/partner and be part of something eternal. Together, we are the hands and feet of Jesus. >> I want to thank you for joining us today.

I pray that you were blessed by this program. And I want to remind you that if you would like to see this program in its entirety, you can always watch by going to jhm.org. I pray that the word of God was a revelation to your heart and life about how you can have an impact each and every day, showing others his love, being his hands and his feet, and learning to love thy neighbor as thyself.

You've been watching Haggy Ministries.