1. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother
and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. [1 John 4:20]
The Parable of Good Samaritan [Luke 10:25-37]
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. Teacher,
he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in
the Law? he repliedHe 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. You have
answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and you will live. But he
wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, And who is my
neighbor? Jesus said:
A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho (after worshipping)
he was attacked, stripped & beaten by robbers leaving half dead.
When a PRIEST saw him, but passed by other side
[Law says, Numbers 19:11 "Whoever touches the dead body of anyone will be
unclean for seven days"]
When a LEVITE saw him, but passed by other side
[Law says, Numbers 19:16 "Whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in
the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be
unclean seven days."]
But, when a SAMARITAN saw him,
~ he took PITY on him,
~ bandaged his wounds, poured oil & wine,
~ took him on his own donkey,
~ spent 2 denarii [2 days, wage of a labor] innkeeper charge &
~ committed to reimburse more expense if causes any.
Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell
into the hands of robbers?
The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him.
Jesus told him, Go and do likewise.
LOVE is the fulfillment of the law [Romans 13:10b]