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WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

"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?""

The Bible says, “Love your neighbor…” (Lk 10:27) Jesus says, “Love your enemies…” (Mt 5:44) Too often, neighbors become enemies. In biographies of many great men and women, they share their agonies related to those who were quite close to them—their parents, brothers and sisters, friends, teachers, and mentors. Because of sins in this fallen world, neighbors become enemies. Today’s passage covers two stories: the story of the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ visit with Martha and Mary. The title of today’s message is, “Who is my neighbor?” Here, let us consider two different dimensions of love—action in love and priority in love.

First, “How do you read it?”(25-28)
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (25) Before, one rich young ruler asked the same question. (Mk 10:17) This expert in the Jewish Law asked Jesus about the way of eternal life. In Jesus’ time Jewish people practiced their faith based on two pillars: obedience to the Law and Temple Worship. In Joshua 1:8 we read, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Propsperity and success in this life is based on obeying the Law. But the Old Testament is not so clear about life after death. Will the observance of the Law be sufficient to guarantee eternal life? Or is there something else to do to gain eternal life?

For questions like this, a typical evangelical American Christian’s answer would be, “…confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Ro 10:9) “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved─you and your household.” (Acts 16:31) Jesus did not give such a quick answer. Probably, because it was before his death on the cross and resurrection. Anyway, Jesus was gracious and responded to him in love. “‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’” (26) Jesus respected his expertise in the Law. So he asked him what he knew about.  Look at verse 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.’” This man was excellent. He summarized the entire Law with this answer. This is what Jesus later said in Jerusalem as well. (Mk 12:29-32) So this knowledge was not uncommon. “’You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’” Jesus challenged him to love God and love his neighbor as himself. He instructed him to practice what he already knew.

Here is Jesus’ wisdom. It is wise to build on what people already know. Particulalry, those who regard themselves as experts in any field are usually proud. Many dislike those who merely lecture them. Instead, it is effective in helping those who come to ask a question in order to find an answer. This is Jesus’ approach of self-discovery—finding the truth based on what we already know. 
 
Second, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man…?” (29-37)
Look at verse 29: “But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” It is unclear why this man wanted to justify himself. By asking, “Who is my neighbor,” he was in fact asking, “To what extent should I love people around me?” In reply Jesus told a story.  It is unclear whether this is a parable (i.e., a fictional, hypothetical story) or a real story. But this story seems credible perhaps being based on a real event. Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.” (30) When I visited Israel in 2006, I passed through this area. Even now, the area still remains undeveloped. It is an area with stone mountains. People have to pass through this area to come to Jerusalem and yet it is unfit to develop paved roads. So it was not uncommon that people fell into the hands of robbers. This man was half dead after losing all he had.

Three people passed by. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So, too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. They were all busy. They probably did not want to be late for important meetings. Or they were afraid of possibly being attacked by the same robbers. Most of all, they did not want to be ceremonially unclean by touching the man who was wounded and bleeding. (Nu 19:11-13) The third person appeared. He was a Samaritan. From the perspective of the Jewish people, he was a member of one of the social classes which were outcasts. As he traveled, he “came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” The whole motivation here was human sympathy on a man who was wounded and suffering.  “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins 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.’” The Samaritan helped the man. He immediately treated the man’s wounds. He then transported the man on his donkey. He cared for the man for one night. He then asked the innkeeper to care for the man furtherand promised to pay him back.

Through this story, Jesus in a sense defines what a neighbor means. A neighbor is a stranger in need who comes into our path. Loving one’s neighbor is to help within our ability. This Samaritan met this stranger once. He might not have seen him again. Such action in love was spontaneous and genuine. We all can do such action in love once in a while. In real sense, this good Samaritan is Jesus. Jesus came in the most humble form in a manger like this good Samaritan. “He was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isa 53:3) Jesus sees our helpless state under the power of Satan. Jesus sees that we are all dead in our sins. (Eph 2:5). In his great compassion Jesus came to save us and “by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa 53:5b) Jesus satisfies all our needs. (Mt 6:33) Jesus paid the precious sacrifice on the cross to save us from sins. (Lk 23:43) Jesus came to give us life—full life that pleases God.

In our Christian journey we also see many good Samaritans who help us. Many came to us in the form of strangers. We never knew them. They had no particular reason to help us. They simply invited us in the name of Jesus. Many of them who helped us are unknown in this world. They did their actions in love and moved on. In many cases they are not even with us now. The ministry work is really about being good Samaritans. We all meet people in our paths in our journey toward the kingdom of God. We, out of compassion, help them quietly and consistently. Some people come to the Lord through our efforts and we can serve Christ together. Or in many cases we just meet as strangers and remain as strangers to them. Yet, we do help them.

Verses 36-37 read: “‘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.’” The fact that the hero of Jesus’ story was a Samaritan (a member of a mixed race whom the Jews despised) convicted the man about what it means to love one’s neighbor. Our neighbors are strangers in need who come into our path. The good Samaritans are still those who show mercy on stangers. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” (37) Jesus’ instruction was short and simple. Jesus wanted him to practice such compassion in his own life. Here, Jesus demanded love in action. Such love in action is doable. It is within our ability. Go and do it. This is Jesus’ way of loving one’s neighbor.

Third, “Mary has chosen what is better” (38-42)
This account in Martha and Mary’s home is quite different from the Good Samaritan story. Verses 38-40a read: “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” Jesus and his disciples came to Martha and Mary’s house. How many? Jesus plus twleve disciples came, so at least thirteen. Anyone else? We don’t know, but there were seventy two other junior disicples. If some of them joined as well (let’s say another twenty), then the group could have been more than thirty strong men. What would you expect to do in serving so many people?

Martha was busy preparing for all people. However, her sister Mary did not do anything but spend time with Jesus. Martha could not stand it and came to Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me.”  This was a legitimate request.But Jesus answered, “Martha, Martha…You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary chose what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” This is what the Lord Jesus alone could say. In a similar situation, another great teacher might have said, “Well, I am sorry to burden you with all the cooking for so many guests I have brought. Let me stop this teaching session for a while. Let’s go to the kitchen and get this done together.” Instead, Jesus defended Mary. Jesus commended Mary who chose what was better. Jesus aggravated Martha by teaching a greater spiritual truth—love in priority.
Martha was right in busily preparing food for Jesus and his disciples. But she was not wise in just doing it when this could have been his last meeting with her. Jesus was teaching the most important lesson of all. Food could be prepared later. But the priority was to listen to Christ. Martha’s sense of priority was not the best. She chose what was good (i.e., preparing necessary food for hospitaility) and lost what was better (i.e. paying attention to Jesus’ critical teachings at this time). Martha chose to cook first while Mary chose to be near to Jesus first. This is about priority in love.

In this life we all need to learn to choose what is better at the right time. In loving God, lack of action in love is a poor reflection of our commitment. In the same way, lack of priority in love misses greater chances of learning and growth. We need God’s wisdom how to discern the right demand between love in action and love in priority. “There is a time for everyhing, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” (Ecc 3:1-8) Priority in love is about what we we love first and thus do instead of what is needed. Actions in love demand our devotion to the tasks. Priority in love suggests to us to first be near to those whom we love.

Helping strangers in spontaneous ways like the good Samaritan did is one thing. It is quite another to be in a position of helping and serving others constantly. Over the years I have had an extremely busy life just as many of you have. In some cases my wife and I seriously considered stopping doing all things required and just rest. In times of stress both my wife and I had only each other to share our burdens. Each time we commited to love each other first before we tried to love others beyond our combined strengh and capabiliites. Spontanous action in love like the Good Samaritan requires a healthy reservouir of emotional, spritiual, and physical energy in order to sacrificially care for others. If all your energy is depleted and you have nothing more to give, then you can do nothing more.

Love in action requires compasson and capacity—we need some slack in our lives. When we are constantly in a hurry, it is not possible to engage in such spontaneous actions in love as the good Samaritan did. If our lives are filled with appointments and tasks filling every minute and hour, is it possible to extend our help to others? Do we have any room to help others? So in wisdom, we must sometimes stop helping others. Instead, we must sit and listen to Jesus as Mary did. In a few weeks we will have Spring Conference. This is time for us. This is time between God and us. Let’s pray that we may practice action in love and priority in love as we prepare for this conference. Following Jesus means to depend on him. We do our love in action with the strengh Jesus provides. In all of our love matters, we discern our priority in love with the wisdom Jesus gives. In love we take action. In love we choose not to take action but sit and rest instead. Most of all in distinguishing between these two demands, we love God. We must love our neighbor, but we must love God first in order to love our neighbor better.

March 7, 2010; Dr. Paul Hong; Toledo, UBF

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®;. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.