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Words From the Middle

At the intersection of Sacred and Profane

2016/07/10

Who is my neighbour?

Pentecost 8 Today’s Gospel lesson includes one of the best known stories in the Bible; the story of the Good Samaritan. At its heart this story is one of inclusion.

The story begins with someone, a lawyer, asking Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks how the lawyer thinks it works. The lawyer says to love God with all your heart, strength, mind and soul and love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus tells him he’s got it, so go ahead. It is at this point that the lawyer’s underlying question emerges when he asks, “And who is my neighbour?” The sermon title for this Sunday is “It’s a good question” and this is a good question but only if you are asking it for the correct reason. We can discern some of the intent of the question by the answer Jesus gave and it makes the Living Bible’s translation of Luke 10:29 quite helpful, “The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people, so he asked, “Which neighbors?” (Living Bible). The problem with the lawyer’s question wasn’t the question but the reason for the question. Jesus answered this gotcha question with a story that contrasts indifference and exclusion to mercy and inclusion.

Sometimes the Bible seems so far removed from us that it is incomprehensible but sometimes the message is pretty clear.

Knox Presbyterian It’s a good questions

https://wordsfromthemiddle.ca/wp-content/uploads/160710_Knox.mp3

St. Mark’s Presbyterian It’s a good question

https://wordsfromthemiddle.ca/wp-content/uploads/160710_St_Marks.mp3

Blessings,

Barry

Article by Barry / Pentecost, Preaching, Sunday, Year C / exclusion, exclusivity, Good Samaritan, help, inclusion, inclusivity, lawyer, levite, preaching, priest, question, questions, Samaritan Leave a Comment

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