What Shall I Do? Luke 10:25

Luke 10

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?"

27 So he answered and said," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"

28 And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 "Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 "Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 "On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'

36 "So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"

37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (NKJV)

A man asked a question, “What shall I do?”

Ø Without a doubt, this is the most important religious question anyone can ask.

Ø It is our mission to answer that question, (Eph. 3:10-12)

Ø This man knew the answer and replies

Ø Love God & love your neighbor v.27

Ø Paul ends 1Cor. 13 by saying, “the greatest of these (gifts) is love.”

Ø First, love God 2) next, love our fellowman

Jesus replied, “Your answer is correct.” (v.28)

The man then asks, “Who is my neighbor?”

(v.29)

Ø Surely his neighbor is a brother Jew.

Ø   Certainly Jews and Samaritans had no dealings (John 4:9)

Ø Jesus’ lesson may have come as a shock.

Sometimes the lessons we learn from studying the scriptures may be a surprise.

Ø Whatever the Bible answer may be, we must be flexible, willing to change.

o James 1:23-25 “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) for he sees himself, and goes on his way, and forgets what manner of man he was. (25) But who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues he not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer, this man shall be blessed.”

Jesus teaches the lesson of “the good Samaritan”

vs.30-36

Ø My neighbor is he who needs my help.

Ø There is a danger in traveling alone.

Ø The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is full of hazards.

o Bandits would hide and lay wait for travelers

o Consequently travelers would prefer not to travel this road alone

o By worshipping together we grow stronger.

o There is strength in numbers.

This question, “what shall I do” is frequently asked.

Ø Some people really don’t know what to do. They need to be taught.

Ø Others know but lack motivation. These people need encouragement.

Ø In order to be a good and faithful servant we must first, love God.

Ø Next, we must love lost souls then the church will grow.

Ø There is a saying, “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care.”

Ø This lost world must see that we care that they have lost their way and we want to help.

- Bill Watkins

illustrations selected by editor