A Friend At Midnight: How Does Jesus See Life?/ 真夜中の友： イエスはどのように人生を見ていますか？

  Luke 11:1~8.  

Big Point: Jesus deals with wants, needs.  How we pray and for what is important to Him, therefore, is important to us.

As we look at this passage this morning, realize that it does not stand-alone.  The parallel passage 平行記事 is found in Matthew 6:9~13 right after the teaching on the Mount called The Beatitudes: Blessed are the …, teaching on Salt and Light, on murder, adultery, divorce, oath taking, vengeance, loving even your enemies, giving to the needy and then comes the part where the followers of Jesus wants to learn how to pray.

It is in this context we find a very deep and simple answer to God’s heart over our perceived needs and desires.  There is some basic ‘stuff’ here that is usually passed over.  Hopefully, we will not be doing that this morning—as we continue our study of Miracles and Parables. 

The Followers of Jesus noticed something that the Master was doing and they wanted to be part of it. 彼らは主がやっていることの一端を担いたかった。 They saw Jesus praying.  It most likely was not the first time they had seen Him drop to one knee or lift His hands in prayer, but this one time was used by God’s Holy Spirit to really give these men—and us—something really great Teach us to pray. 祈ることを私たちに教える A Vehicle on which Man can talk with the Creator and here is how it is to be done: When you pray, say:

Opening address:Father: 父よ Built on a relationship.  You can’t call Him Father unless you are His children.  It is not addressed to any other creature or being.  In Matthew, He said: “Our Father in heaven.”  This is the one you talk to.  This is the one you give the place of the Only One who can really give anything.  “Our Father” built on a relationship as you being His Child.  Upward.  Toward the Heavens where He lives.  Our Father who lives in Heaven.  Giving it up to the One who is above all things—like in the Creed we say, HE IS THE ONE!

“Hollowed be Your Name” 聖なる御名 As you address this One who lives in Heaven, you MUST come to grips with this truth: He is Holy. His Name is Holy.  The Holy One of Israel.  God Almighty is holy!

When you talk with Him, it is not to be done lightly: Yo, Heaven Dude!  He is Holy so all that is said to Him is to be done in a Holy manner.  Not to be taken lightly. You are addressing the Holy God Who lives in Heaven and His Name is Holy.

 “Your Kingdom come…” “Your will be done on this earth as it is done and as it is in Your dwelling place.” あなたの王国がもらたらされます. You are entering into a location now that is to be like it is in heaven.  His Will is to be done whatever the issues are.  His Kingdom is forever and ever.  This prayer or petition is for the better of two worlds to be realized. 

A lesson in what we really need is found next.  (This is not a systematic study of needs assessment but it is a simple ‘form’ if you will, in how to pray.) Beware of this and notice that and understand what is behind the other thing.  As you pray—be aware.

Be aware of your needs. More than asking for bread, this could be understood as an awareness of WHAT we need and putting that need in the Holy Hands of the One who lives in Heaven—your Father.  We are to realize that our needs—all our day-to-day needs come from His Hand.  Even bread.  

 Governments have fallen when the citizens can’t get bread, and the same is true of the Spiritual Community as well. We are not talking about Socialism, or Capitalism or Communism or Anarchy. We are talking about the economy of God.  When God is in it…

Our God is faithful, He's faithful to say: 

It's not over, it's not finished
It's not ending, It's only the beginning; 

When God is in it, all things are new; 

 When God is in it, there is no limit; 

When God is in it, it's not over!

"Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:3~4. 黙示録21：3〜4  "見よ、神の幕屋が人と共にある。神は彼らとともに住み、彼らはその民となる。神ご自身が彼らとともにおれれて、らの目からすべての涙をぬぎいとってくださる。もはや死はなく、悲しみ、叫び、苦しみもない。なぜなら、以前のものが、もはや過ぎ去ったからである。"
神はそれにあるとき、それは終わっていないです！

Back in the 1600’s in England, there was a very effective pastor named Richard Baxter.  He was a man who was sick most of his life.  He believed in the Power of God to save and to heal but several times during his long life he became sick with all sorts of ailments.  Once, as he was going to preach, a cancerous looking tumor in his throat vanished while he was testifying to God’s mercies in his own life.  He suffered much, once saying he was “seldom an hour free from pain.”

Once during one of his long painful experiences, which he thought would end his life; he started a practice of giving 30 min each day to reflecting on the joys of God and on His Heaven.  He wrote then down.  To Baxter’s surprise he recovered and his thoughts became a book entitled The Saints' Everlasting Rest. He continued the practice of meditating on heaven a half hour each day because of the powerful impact it had on his life. He commended the same thing to his readers when he wrote,

If you would have light and heat, why are you not more in the sunshine? For want of this recourse to heaven, your soul is as a lamp not lighted, and your duty as a sacrifice without fire. Fetch one coal daily from this altar, and see if your offering will not burn . . . Keep close to this reviving fire, and see if your affections will not be warm.¹

And so be aware of your need for the Spiritual side of your life. It is the spark or flame that is needed to set afire your offerings of obedience and dedication.

 “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Or as in Luke: “⁴ Forgive us our sins, ···、私たちの負いめをお赦しください。...  THE item that separated us from His Heaven天の御国から私たちを区切らる一つのこと for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. ...私たちも、私たちに負いめのある人たちを赦しました。 THE one barrier  that separates us from each other お互い同士の間にそびえる障壁

Sin needs to be dealt with.  Sin is anything that separates us from Our Father Who lives in Heaven: He is Holy.  Because of His Holy State, our sinfulness keeps us away from Him.  You know what it is like when you do wrong, you don’t want to look into the eyes of the one who you sinned against.  You lower your eyes.  You want to run away from the ones you hurt.  You feel guilt and comfortableness.  It is at that point we need to come close to the ones we offended.  In this case, to come close to God.  We broke His standard. 

YUGAMI 歪み might be a better word for sin.  To warp, bend, strained or distorted.  That is what we did with His rules of life.  We tend to bend them to make it more comfortable on our side.  We strain the cords of love between others and ourselves.  We distort the truth in relationships.  And we have as a result: yugami…sin.

In this prayer Jesus is teaching us, He wants us to KNOW that we have sinned—come to grips with that reality and then forgive others of their warping, straining or distorting behaviors and attitudes.  Simply put: Forgive and you will be forgiven. 

And lead us not into temptation."'私たちを試みにあわせず '"  As the Psalmist prayed-lead my steps to please You. And there is more.  Ps 61:2 puts it another way.  From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. 詩篇61:2 2 私の心が衰え果てるとき、私は地の果てから、あなたに呼ばわります。どうか、私の及びがたいほど高い岩の上に、私を導いてください。

Or later from  Ps 139:24 “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 詩篇139:24 ことばが私の舌にのぼる前に、なんと主よ、あなたはそれをことごとく知っておられます。 Ps 143:10  Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 詩篇143:10  10 あなたのみこころを行うことを教えてください。あなたこそ私の神であられますから。あなたのいつくしみ深い霊が、平らな地に私を導いてくださるように。

Jesus is not teaching that God leads us into sin or into temptation. Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” マルコ14：38  誘惑に陥らないように、目をさまして、祈り続けなさい。心は燃えていても、肉体は弱いのです。」

And later, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1コリント10：13 13 あなたがたの会った試練はみな人の知らないものではありません。神は真実な方ですから、あなたがたを、耐えられないほどの試練に会わせることはなさいません。むしろ、耐えられるように、試練とともに脱出の道も備えてくださいます。

James 1:13~14 ¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed”. ヤコブ1：13〜14  13 自分の恥をあわをわき立たせる荒波、さまよう星です。まっ暗なやみが、彼らのために永遠に用意されています。14 アダムから七代目のエノクも、彼らについて預言してこう言っています。「見よ。主は千万の聖徒を引き連れて来られる。

Which now, brings us to the message this morning: asking for bread after lights out.  In short, it is called transformation AND openness.  If a man can ‘bother’ his neighbor at midnight for some bread-how much more open is our Father, who lives in Heaven and is Holy? He is in the place to help.  He is willing to help.  He is more than open to listen to our prayers and requests and He will answer.  He took our place on the Cross over 2,000 years ago and died AND was raised from the dead to defeat sin’s hold on us.  To beat YUGAMI’s hold on us and to set us free.  Transformation.  Ask, Seek, Knock… all night long! 求めなさい、探しなさい、そしてたたきなさい　一晩中!

Chuck Colson founder of Prison Fellowship visited a prison near the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil and made this report: this is a remarkable facility. チャック·コルソン（プリズン·フェローシップ） ウマイタ刑務所、ブラジルTwenty years ago the Brazilian government turned a prison over to two Christians. The institution was renamed Humaita, and the plan was to run it on Christian principles. With the exception of two full-time staff, inmates do all the work. Families outside the prison adopt an inmate to work with during and after his term.

"When I visited Humaita I found the inmates smiling- particularly the murderer who held the keys opened the gates and let me in. Wherever I walked I saw men at peace. I saw clean living areas, people working industriously. The walls were decorated with Biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs…  My guide escorted me to the notorious prison cell once used for torture. Today, he told me, that block houses only a single inmate. As we reached the end of a long concrete corridor and he put the key in the lock, he paused and asked, 'Are you sure you want to go in?'

'Of course,' I replied impatiently, 'I've been in isolation cells all over the world.' Slowly he swung open the massive door, and I saw the prisoner in that punishment cell: a beautifully carved crucifix by the Humaita inmates-the prisoner Jesus, hanging on a cross.  'He's doing time for the rest of us," my guide said softly.'"

I believe that God can bring that kind of transformation into our lives as well.  We are not inmates in a prison but we need to come to our Father, who is in Heaven and Who is Holy with as much dedication as those men.  Come to Him now, He can’t refuse! “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”  He loves to provide for our spiritual needs.

 “He paid the debts He did not owe, I owe the debts I could not pay, My Jesus took all my sins away.”  彼は、負う必要のな代価を支払った、私は支払うことができない債務を負っている。

__________________________________________________________________________

¹This material on Baxter was taken from Timothy Beougher and J.I. Packer, "Go Fetch Baxter," in Christianity Today, vol. 35, no. 15, December 16, 1991, pp. 26–27.

² This article came from December 24^th reading of Nick Harrison’s devotional book, “Magnificent Prayer” by Zondervan Press .  

 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay;
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And, now, I sing a brand new song,  “Amazing Grace.”
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

He paid that debt at Calvary.   

He cleansed my soul and set me free.
I'm glad that Jesus did all my sins erase.
I, now, can sing a brand new song,  “Amazing Grace.”
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

One day He's coming back for me To live with Him eternally.
Won't it be glory to see Him on that day!
I, then, will sing a brand new song,  “Amazing Grace.”
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
Yes, Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
by: Ellis J. Crum

Song we sang this morning…

1. Here I Am to Worship
2. Fairest Lord Jesus
3. In Christ Alone
4. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

 Come and join us next week and celebrate together!

The Centurion’s Faith in the Authority of Jesus 百人隊長のイエスの権威への信仰

(Luke 7:1~10)  Also, Matthew 8:5~13.
 AS THIS IS OUR SECOND MIRACLE in our series of Parables and Miracles, so, let’s review.  A miracle is a sign, an act of power that is done in such a way as to, hopefully, bring people to a deeper understanding of the Power of God 神の力. Also a teaching point in the Power of Faith in God神への信仰による力and thirdly, the depth of God’s Love神の愛の深さ. 

   From our list that was handed out two weeks ago, many of the topics are, for the most part, well known so this will not be designed to cover the stories as one would in Sunday School classroom.  We really need to go deeper and in doing so, bring us face to face with how we live our lives in light of the facts we are shown.  If the Truth of the Gospel does not change us where we are, there is little hope for any change at all.  If that were the case, we would be lost.  We would have no hope and there would be no real living message of Hope and Love that is able to be shared with a hurting, hopeless world.  We will become as hopeless as the rest of the world.

   In fact, when people got to that level of hopelessness in the first century, the ONLY advice and cure for those woes would be to drink hemlock and die.  But, as Messagers of the Gospel of Jesus, there is more to life than a blended leafy espresso that kills you--we have the Message of Life centered on the Person and Teachings of Jesus; the Son of God.

   So, our story today.  Turn with me to Luke 7:1~10.

  Jesus ‘entered’ Capernaum.  “When Jesus had finished saying this”…the calling of the 12, Love your enemies, judging others, what goes in comes out, wise and foolish builders.  Then, this event. What we get now is a clear story of God’s interest in more than what appears to be a nice man from Rome.

   Capernaum was described as the ‘Home of Jesus’ (Matt 4:13) and the place where He called Peter, Andrew and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John and later He chose the tax collector Matthew, also known as Levi, who most likely worked at the customs house (Matt 9:9) there in town.  Later, Capernaum was the location of a House Church led by Peter himself.  Capernaum was destroyed and abandoned with the Arab conquest in about 640—never to be rebuilt.

   A Centurion 百人隊長worked there in the service to Herod Antipas. He was a leader of, most likely, 100 to 1,000 men and was well paid for his services.  Mostly men of great valor, a centurion was to be firm with his troops.  This army office was a little different.  He seemed, from the text, to be a warm, caring man who gave a lot of support to the local Jewish community.  He was not from the Hebrew nation but knew of the social and religious practices of the Jewish People.  He did not want to cause Jesus to become unclean by having Him come into his house.

   And he calls Jesus “Lord”.  He seems to understand just Who this was he was addressing.  Lord means so much more then than now.  Then—it has a strong meaning of position.  Of Power.  Of authority. 

   And yet, the Army man had a low opinion of himself.  “I am not worthy.” Have you ever felt that way? Not being worthy of coming into His presence.  By not having the real spiritual guts to come boldly into His presence.  And yet, the Word encourages us to do just that! Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

   Here we have the answer to many peoples fears of how to approach this God of the Bible.  He does not want sacrifices,  no blood offerings, no cutting of the flesh to gain His attention, no acts of self-effacement to earn His consideration.  We do not have to recite prayers over and over again. Our position for prayer is a humble heart.  Ps 149:6  “For the LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.” And Jesus is looking for that kind of position from this appeal. 

  The elders were satisfied with the man’s quality of life.  They said to Jesus: “This man deserves to have You do this.”  --Because of what he has done for us.  He had built our synagogue.  He loves our Nation.  Thought he is a Gentile, he is a good man—a really worthy person.

  They are saying a lot!  A Jewish person usually has little to nothing to do with any Gentile, but THIS man was way different! He might have paid the cost to build the Great White Synagogue shown here but not really this one, as it was built in the late 3^rd century.  But maybe one like it under it’s white stones!  In any case, the elders really liked the man.  “Do it for him…as he has done SO much for us!”

  ⁶ So Jesus went with them.

   Getting close to the house, who should come by but the friends of this officer of Rome.  They come with an explanation of what Authority meant to their friend.  What he really is showing Jesus—and us today, deals with FAITH.  It all has to do with the presence of Faith.  We learn from Scripture that Faith involves humility, gratitude and service.  The Centurion has all three.  

Three qualities: ３つの資質

1.    Humility (humbleness) 人間性—I am not worthy.
2.    Gratitude (thankfulness) 謝意—his way of giving back to the community.
3.    And Service (assistance) 奉仕—he had a history of helping the Jewish group.

   Just stop for a moment. Give yourself a little three point check-up.  How is your humility? A Jr High young lady once told me that SHE was the most humblest person in her class.  Not at all like this man.  Others blew his horn for him. 

   Are you a thankful person?  Is gratitude easy to come from your heart toward others and toward God Himself?  How do you live a life of thankfulness?  By being Thankful in ALL things is key. 全てに感謝することが鍵ですIt might need some practice but are you filled with gratitude?

   And service-assistance--once again it is not how much I do that counts.  It is service without strings attached.  I’ll help you so that I can get some praise.  I’ll do this so that it will look good on my college report.  I will serve in this capacity or position so that I will look good. How do you ‘rate’ in just these three areas of living?  Might need to return to this later today and get it straightened out—through prayer and some personal introspection. 

   In this next encounter, let’s look at Matthew’s account from Matthew 8:7, Jesus answers him with “I will go and heal him.” Listen to what the officer said: ⁸ The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”  This is the second time he calls Jesus ‘Lord!’ 主と呼ぶ

   Say ‘the word’? 「ことば」と言うWhat word is that?  Is it a special section of words said in a special way?  Is it by moving a prayer wheel? Singing a song perhaps?  Maybe repeating the Prayer of Jabez? In a Spiritual language only angels know?  The use of special prayer beads?  What is the Word and what kind of power does THAT word have?

   Answer: The kind of power that shows that Jesus HAS the Authority to bring healing to a very sick and dying man.

   And it seems that the Roman officer both understood that and believed it firmly!

   Here was his understanding.  He was a man of authority.  More than perfunctory, or mechanical. He had authority.  He could and did say to his men: “Go there!” and they went there.  “Come here!” and they would come.  “Do this!” and he would do it.  Jesus saw that the officer understood His own authority.  You don’t HAVE to come— “But just say the word and my servant will be healed.”  That is authority that gets things done.  That kind of authority can move people. That kind of authority was present in the Centurion.  And that kind of Authority was very much present in the Person of Jesus.

   When Jesus tells us to love our wives, He means it.  When Jesus tells us to love our enemies, He is not kidding around.  When Jesus tells us to make disciples for His Name sake, it is to be done.  There is no other way to deal with such authority.

   Unless we ignore Him altogether.  Does He have that kind of authority over His People?  The answer is YES.  Are we doing what He wants us to do?  The answer is: not all the time.  Why?  Does He have the authority over us? 

   Jesus sees in this man something that was lacking even in Israel. ¹⁰When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those following Him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

   This is like a neon light flashing!  This kind of Faith should be emulated or matched.  He believes that Jesus was a Man of authorityイエスは権威の人Here is a demonstration of true TRUST本当の信頼を見せてくれている, CONFIDENCE確信, complete REST IN THE AUTHORITY FOUND IN JESUSエスに見られる権威に安らぐ and a complete awareness of God Plans.  In other words, the Jewish nation and us here at ICCS, can learn from this outsider. 

     Has He found such a one here this morning?  Are you that person?  It is key to remember it is not just one person He is looking for but a community of Faithful men and women.  Collectively, we must be strong!

   You see, this miracle is not just a story.  It has to be a sign for us to change our way of thinking.  Change our way of doing life.  We can’t afford NOT listen to Him and NOT act.  We need to grow in our Faith.  This Centurion’s effect of Jesus hit home in The Master’s heart.  He could see that it did not matter where Faith was found…in a Gentile…or in a Jew, Faith stands out as wonderful. 

   Why do we do the things we do?  Why don’t we do the things we ought to do? 

   We will need to answer that and let the Word of God come along side us for your answer AND for any action that needs to be taken. 

A Centurion's Excellent Faithは百人隊長の素晴らしい信仰

   To close this morning, this miracle has been a wild story of Faith, of Power, of Wonder and of Authority.  We have seen that ethnic cooperation was revolutionary then as it would be today.  The Samaritan, and now this Roman…and today we have the PLO and Israel shooting at one another.  Individuals here in the Chapel who are at odds with others.  We need to seek that same understanding.  That kind of Faith would affect our prayer life.  We can only imagine the impact on the world—even Enoki Cho—if the whole Church were able to visibly show how Christ leads us to respect ethnic diversities and to work across ethnic lines.  All people everywhere need His redemption. Is this an example of your faith as well? あなたも素晴らしい信仰？

   The Centurion’s Excellent Faith was aware of Jesus’ authority so much that he committed the well-being of his most trusted servant into the Hands of Jesus. Jesus saw that and rewards such Faith with an answer: the servant is restored.  If such Faith was possible even outside Israel, it can happen anywhere.  It could happen here.

   This is a time for relection…振り返り思い見る時間

좋은 질문 The Good Question 良い質問 Хороший вопрос

The Parable of the Good Samaritan   Luke10:25~37

Parable #2 “Got a question for ya.”

   When I was working on Long Island, New York back in 1973-77, I came across so many teens with questions.  They, like their society, asked questions about everything.  Government, Viet Nam, Drugs, Sex, baseball scores, girls, why I was doing what I was doing…all sort of questions.  There were some questions I always heard and they started like this:  “So, OK, I got just one question…”  (That was after about 25-200 questions.)  I learned that if I’d answer that “just one question”, there would be a dozen more just like that.  For some of the teens, asking questions made them feel safe.  They felt they were in control. 

   I was learning about teen ministries.  I was learning about human nature. 

And after answering about 10,000 questions like that, I started to answer the question with a question.  “If I would answer THAT question, would it be enough for you to give yourself to Jesus?”  In other words, was THAT question really sincere and were they really interested in hearing and following the answer.  9 times out of 10, it was not so.  In fact, one time, I told the questioning teenager not to ask Jesus into his heart because he was doing it with the wrong motive.  J-- wanted to get intimate with a young girl in the group and she would have nothing to do with him because he was not a “believer.”  As far as I know, J-- never followed Jesus.  As far as I know, the answers he had were really not that important to his life.

   I don’t think the man in this passage was like Jeff.  I believe he was serious and he was, from his point of view, interested in finding out the answer to his question.  “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  He also was basing the question on faulty theology.  He believed that he could do something—works—to get God’s Salvation.  He was certainly not alone. Many then and many today still believe that they can DO something to inherit eternal life.  So he went to the One who certainly would know the right answer.  He was not ready for the real answer.  Let’s read it now:

John 10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” He replied. “How do you read it?”

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.’”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply 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. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ 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. ³⁵ 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.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”  ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  

After such a sermon, this was said to the pastor on the way out of Church…"私はあなたが私の隣人を愛するのを見てみたい！" "I'd like to see you love MY neighbor!"

   This is a fairly well known parable. I would like to take us as far as possible from the ‘normal’ answers so that this will be more alive for us.  Granted, the story is commonly known but there is very importance that we go deeper and come out with a deeper—more personal answer that could change the way we do life.  There are five questions here. The lawyer asks two and the Savior asks three.  Let’s look at the first one.

FIRST QUESTION: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
   Here is what I am thinking.  This man wants to ask just the right question from the teacher.  You know the type?  Be the student that outshines the rest of the class.  He wanted to see if Jesus was a good as people said He was.  He tested Jesus with this question.  He stood up and just asked Him one of the most religious questions one could ask.  “Do you really know what the Law of God says about Israel and how we figure into the Plans of God?”  This ‘expert’ in the law, this lawyer, calls Jesus “Teacher”.  I don’t really feel he really believed Jesus was a Teacher at all.  He was not wearing the right kind of robes.  He did not have the right kind of attitude. Jesus was not from the right family of the Teachers of Israel.  I feel the lawyer was talking down to Jesus.

   And then Jesus turns the tables on him with two questions of His own.  He knew the lawyer’s heart.  He was not taken off guard.  It was one of those: “I got one question for ya!”  Jesus asks His two questions—like you should know this one!  26 “What is written in the Law?” He replied. “How do you read it?”  Jesus is looking for scriptural support He knows the man knows.  The expert gives the textbook answer.  Almost with Bible verse accuracy & all!

 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.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

   One learns from being with smug, arrogant people how to see beyond their questions.  Jesus knows this and goes for the man’s heart.  His core need was not what the expert was asking about.  Jesus knew the lawyer was a spiritual snob.  He was like every other expert in Israel.  In other words, Jesus was ready for his second question.  29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus his…

SECOND QUESTION:  Not wanting to be misunderstood and to justify himself, he asks:   “Who is my neighbor?” The expert tried to keep this subject in the classroom.  He would feel much more comfortable if he’d keep this dealing with this in the abstract—detached from real life.  The lawyer asks who his neighbor is in the hope that some people are not. Exactly where does his responsibility fall?  Does it have limits?  But Jesus would not allow this man to deal with the truth of God’s Word in a test tube.  Jesus would not define the term “neighbor” by doing a Hebrew word study.  He defined it by telling a story.  And you know the story.

   Jesus, again, is ready for this question.  He was a true teacher—just like what the expert called Him.  “I got a story for you…listen…”.  Here there was a cast of four main characters and one supporting cast member. The scene was a seventeen-mile journey on the Jericho-to-Jerusalem road.  The “certain man”-the victim, was one.  The priest was the second. The Levite was the third and the fourth, the hero in the story, was the Samaritan.  At the end, there is the innkeeper but he is not important to the parable.

    The PRIEST—sure, people would have thought he would have stopped.  They knew priest personally and they would do that sort of thing—unless he would be afraid of being mugged.  Surely the priest would have stopped.  It was his job to help people.  He was the professional Churchman—or so people thought—but he did not stop!  For one reason or another, he kept on walking—away from the man in need.  He passed the hurt man by going to the other side of the road.  He kept walking.

   I can’t imagine what kind of feelings the hurt man had at this time.  This is a parable and Jesus lets us know just what He wants us to know about the situation.  Then he saw help coming in the form of a LEVITE.  A Good Guy, if there ever was one.  In the Book of Numbers, we learn that the Levites were in charged with ministering to the priests and keeping watch over the Tabernacle. (Numbers 18:2-4, 6, also from 1 Chronicles 6, you can read all about the family clan.)  They were the ones who received the Temple Tithe.  Among this group are some pretty famous men:  In fact, here is a chart showing where they came from.  Samuel, Ezekiel, and Barnabas in the New Testament. But this Levite shuns the man and walks away!  So two men of similar Jewish background have failed to provide aid.  They were unsuccessful being neighbors: they failed.

   As is often the case, the bother and discomfort of helping have kept the man dying on the road.  Getting involved is costly, and for many the investment is too high.  But to refuse to help is a moral failure.  But…

   Then comes a man from another group.   The SAMARITAN was the anti-hero.  No one in the crowd would be rooting for this man.  He was looked down upon as a real outcast as his ancestors were a crossbreed group from the northern part of their country.  The Samaritans (the keepers of the Law) were from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.  In 2 Kings, the Assyrian king sent people from other nations to live in northern Israel.  After a while, a group who had survived the exile and kept the traditions of the elders of Israel built a temple on Mount Gerizim, near Shechem. (see John 4:20 “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”)  They still today follow the Torah and give sacrifices of lambs and such.  There is a group of Samaritans in Israel today that numbers just over 700.  They are the smallest Religious indigenous group in the world.

   In any case, the Samaritans were disliked, persecuted, and almost feared. And yet, in Jesus’ story, not necessarily set in historical truth, this man stopped and helped the beaten man.  He not only helped him with the cuts and bruises, he also put the man on his mount and took him to what was considered a local medical unit—an inn.  He then gave what would be today equivalent to three weeks salary to have him properly cared for by a medical staff.  He went the second AND third extra mile for the Jewish man.

   Jesus then asks: “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”  “The one who showed mercy toward him.”

   This lawyer did not even want to use the word “Samaritan”!  But he was right.  What do we do with that?

  •   Not that our ‘neighbor’ HAS to be someone we dislike…but we NEED to be looking for others to help.  Giving an answer for the faith you have.  Faith in action speaks louder than petitions.  Words without action is too loud.  Words without action is no action at all.  Where do you find your heart in the area of giving?  Of helping?  How can you and us as a Church show mercy?  As Jesus told the man: “Go and do likewise.”

   In this case, Jesus challenges us to ask ourselves whether or not we are good to neighbors who are in need.  We know that the Word of God is Truth and the Word is to be rightly understood and then rightly lived.  He is not interested in Sunday school answers.  He really intends us to demonstrate  His love to all we have contact with and beyond.  We need to beware that we do not just intellectualize the Truth.  We can’t afford to keep His Grace in the classroom: we need to live it out in our families …in our community …in our work place—so that the World will see and know that we are different because of what Christ did in us.  That we are different from the world.  Live life as ones who are filled with kindness and with gentleness so that they can experience the change as well. 
   It is often said that it is not enough to speak of the things of God, or to study them, but we must do it with appropriate tone.  When we speak of eternal life and of the things of God, we must be careful of how it comes across.  Life is fragile and so are the hearts of people around us.  We need to be careful how we appear.  We would do good to answer this question this morning: “Do I love God fully?”  That is a good starting point.  As we have said many times in the past, everything else grows out from that relationship.
   A real relationship with the Living God gives life.  It is the whole duty of Man. (Hosea 6:6) To respond to the Law means to love God.  To live by the Spirit of God means to love and to do acts of righteousness.  Romans 8:1-11 tells us that.  The lawyer was deathly confused—even though his answer was correct.  He still thought that eternal life was something he could earn—it is not—it is given to us by God’s Grace—freely.  And where does real help come from?   Is 41:10 I will hold you up with My victorious Right Hand. イザヤ41:10  "わたしの義の右の手で、あなたを守る。"

  The reply that was given was correct, so Jesus simply says, "Go and do likewise." Jesus' point: Simply be a neighbor. Do The Same! Do not rule out certain people as neighbors.  And this parable makes the point forcefully by providing a model from a group the lawyer had probably excluded as possible neighbors.

To love God means to show mercy to those in need.  An authentic life is found in serving God and caring for others.  This is a central principle of discipleship.  Human beings need to fulfill their created role—to love God and be a neighbor to others by meeting their needs.  Neighbors are not determined by race, creed or gender; neighbors consist of anyone in need made in the image of God.  So, I ask you: Who is your neighbor and how will you help him?