Going For Bangladeshi Party Tomorrow (Reflections from Luke 10: 25-47

Tomorrow our Sunday school is joining some Bangladeshi workers for a fun fair.

Why do this? What are we proving? Does it even matter?

The answer lies in an interesting conversation where two questions were asked:

Here, a lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

And Jesus replied, "Wrong question - we should instead ask: Am I a neighbor?”

What is a "neighbor"?

Not the priest or Levite.

Like the lawyer, they had the "theology" and knowledge, but they didn’t care, didn't love, were too busy with their ordered lives.

It was the Samaritan.

He was probably not of the same race as the man in need. Might not have known a lot of Bible. But he interrupted his "journey", stopped and cared.

Who is my neighbor today? The one I can help. The one I could avoid and nobody would question. The one everyone is avoiding.

To love a neighbor, one has to be: Compassionate (v 33). Color blind (v 33). Cross culture (v 33). “Come” to the person (v34). Won’t be Convenient (v35). May Cost us (v 35). May not get Compensated (v 35).

Reflections From Luke 9 - What is Your reality?

There is the Transfiguration, there is also the coming down from the mountain (9:28-37).

There is the call – but it comes with challenges. There is the up-in-the-cloud experience, there will also be the down-to-earth reality.

The crowd marveled- “were amazed” - at the miracles of Jesus; but they also missed His message of the cross (9:38-45).

The disciples yearned for the glory of greatness; but they also stumbled over the simplicity of service (9:46-48).

James and John got it right and had power and gifting; but they got it all wrong when they had no love for people (9:49-56).

The people on the road declared, “Yes Lord I will follow you wherever you go”; but they also said, “Lord, please let me go first to . . . and then I will come.” (9:57-62)

Jesus wants us to choose Him every day; but He also cautions, “. . . but the son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Our living comes with the dying.

The higher way has the harder roads.

You want the Master; don’t miss the mission.

You want the rewards; but do you know the reality?