19 Feb
2013

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR

Affirm

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
Psalm 133:1-2

TEXT

Luke 10:29-37 (NASB)
Looking for a loophole, he (a religion scholar) asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”

Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

“A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’

“What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”

“The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

READ

Here was goodness that was not meticulous, but merciful, not standing on pedestals to be worshiped, but bending in lowly service over the lost. Here was goodness not pharisaical, but friendly, not terrible, but tender. And yet in that very tenderness and friendliness there was a regal something that made men’s consciences flutter and tremble like an aspen leaf. Children sat upon his knees, and yet strong, hard Fisherman Peter, stricken in conscience at the moment of greatest fishing prosperity, found his knees giving way under him and crying in spite of himself, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Never did majesty and meekness so blend and become so beautiful as here.
-E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of Every Road

Declare

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom

and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

Revelation 5:12-13

18 Feb
2013

WITH YOU THERE IS FORGIVENESS

Affirm

If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O LORD, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

Psalm 130:3-4

TEXT

Luke 7:41-43 (NIV)
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Declare

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in Heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all people, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, to Jesus the mediate=or of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Hebrews 12:22-24

Follow Me!

Follow Me! Follow Me! Follow Me!