Testing Jesus

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

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

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.’”

“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?” - Luke 10:25-29

It’s never a smart idea to ‘test’ Jesus. But that’s what this expert decided to do. What ends up happening is that a very good theological answer all the sudden becomes very practical. And the practical means that the expert is called to love. To really love. And that’s uncomfortable.

Debie Thomas, who has been our inspiration for this sermon series, puts the expert’s question this way (showing probably what he really meant):

“Who is not my neighbor? How much love are we talking here, Jesus? Can you be specific? Where can I draw the line? Outside my front door? At the edges of my neighborhood? Along the cultural and racial boundaries I was raised with? I mean, there are lines. Aren’t there?” – Debie Thomas, Into the Mess

Ouch! And yet, what an insightful reframing, right?

So now think about you. What are some of the things you wonder about when it comes to loving your neighbor? What are the questions behind your questions? Can you get honest with Jesus - I suspect he appreciates that a lot more than our posturing!