591. Gospel of Luke - Chapter 10 (#4) - The Good Samaritan - (#1) - July 8, 2024

[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.

[00:00:21] I'm prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today. Lord, I pray that you would reveal to everyone listening how much you truly love each and every one of them.

[00:00:33] In addition, I pray that everyone listening would have favor with both God and man. I ask this in Jesus name, amen. This is Proverbs 8, beginning in verse 1.

[00:00:47] Does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice. She takes her stand on the top of the high hill beside the way where the paths meet.

[00:01:00] She cries out by the gates at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors. To you, amen I call and my voice is to the sons of man.

[00:01:14] Oh, you simple ones understand prudence and do fools be of an understanding heart. Listen for I will speak of excellent things and from the opening of my lips will come right things for my mouth will speak truth.

[00:01:35] Whickiness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness. Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge.

[00:01:54] Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold for wisdom is better than rubies and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

[00:02:09] I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.

[00:02:28] Council is mine and sound wisdom. I am understanding I have strength by me kings reign and rulers decree justice by me princess rule and nobles all the judges of the earth.

[00:02:48] I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me riches and honor are with me enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold yes then find gold and my revenue then choice silver.

[00:03:10] I traverse the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of justice that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth that I may fill their treasuries.

[00:03:24] The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his way before his works evolved. I have been established from everlasting from the beginning before there was ever an earth when there were no depths I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water before the mountains were settled before the hills I was brought forth.

[00:03:53] While as yet he had not made the earth or the fields or the primal dust of the world when he prepared the heavens I was there when he drew a circle on the face of the deep when he established the clouds above.

[00:04:13] When he strengthened the fountains of the deep when he assigned to the sea its limit so that the waters would not transgress his command.

[00:04:24] When he marked out the foundations of the earth then I was beside him as a master craftsman and I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him rejoicing in his inhabited world.

[00:04:43] And my delight was with the sons of men. Now therefore listen to me my children for blessed are those who keep my ways here instruction and be wise and do not disdain it.

[00:05:01] Blessed is the man who listens to me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors for whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul all those who hate me love death.

[00:05:29] Now friends we will take a closer look at that verse prior to closing today but what I'd like to do is go to the earth and pray for the Lord.

[00:05:55] I am here to close today but what I'd like to do is go to where we were on last Wednesday's podcast. Now ordinarily I have a regular podcast on Thursday but last week we celebrated the birth of our country on the 4th of July.

[00:06:15] So we are going back to Wednesday's podcast and we left off in the 10th chapter of Luke and today we are going to be going over the parable of the good Samaritan.

[00:06:31] So we will be beginning on verse 25 and behold a certain lawyer stood up and tested him saying, teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life.

[00:06:47] Now friends I am reading out of the Nelson study Bible and today my podcast is going to be a little bit more intimate than I usually make it because this is a story that is very dear to my heart.

[00:07:06] And it's also a story that holds a lot of meaning and a lot of value in life. So I am going to be spending two days on this particular parable of the good Samaritan.

[00:07:22] But what I'd like to do is to begin by reading the commentary for verses 25 and 26 in my Bible. The question posed by the lawyer is really a challenge since the verse speaks of the testing of Jesus. This is a similar though probably distinct event from Matthew 22 versus 34 through 4.

[00:07:52] Or marks gospel chapter 12 verses 28 through 34. To inherit something is to receive it. In other words the man was asking what must I do to share in the reward at the resurrection of the righteous at the end.

[00:08:18] Now that story is also found in Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. We know that as the book of Philippians chapter 3 verses 11 through 14.

[00:08:34] The Old Testament basis of this question is the hope of resurrection and that is referred to in the Old Testament book of Daniel chapter 12 verse 2.

[00:08:48] Jesus cougared the lawyers test by having him answer his own question. Now that's a brilliant way to do that, but that is the way that Jesus operated.

[00:09:04] And if you have been paying attention and if you have been in this study of the book of Luke, you find that that is often the case. Now when they made reference earlier to Matthew's gospel and marks gospel in those two gospels we begin with the lawyer and the lawyer asks Jesus and he wants to test them.

[00:09:32] So the first question he asked is what must I do to inherit eternal life? Now that is also found in Matthew's gospel and that is also found in marks gospel.

[00:09:49] But the gospel of Luke takes it a step further and it all boils down to verse 29 which we will find out in just a moment.

[00:10:05] So what I'd like to do is go to verse 26 at this time and he said to him, what is written in the law? What is your reading of it?

[00:10:21] Now what I'd like to do at this time is to remind you of who the person was, who was asking Jesus this question. Now we've often talked about the Pharisees and the sagessees on my podcast but here we are talking about a lawyer.

[00:10:45] And this came up about a month or five or six weeks ago and we found out that the lawyer was so concerned with everyone following the law.

[00:11:00] That they were not interested in what Jesus was trying to preach. These people had not recognized Jesus as an authority figure and they often questioned him for what he did.

[00:11:15] Let's look at verse 27. So he answered and said, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself.

[00:11:36] So listen to the commentary for verse 27. The lawyer responded to Jesus' question by quoting, do the wrong amount chapter six verse five.

[00:11:48] A text that was recited twice a day by every faithful Jew. Now that is key that last comment I just said because these people this lawyer or the Pharisees or the sagessees would be repeating and quoting this particular verse two times a day.

[00:12:16] They were very familiar with the law and that is the point I'm trying to make is they were trying to trick Jesus. Let's continue with this commentary. This text summarized the central ethical standard of the law. The lawyer also alluded to Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18.

[00:12:43] The basis of the man's response is an expression of allegiance and devotion that also can be seen as the natural expression of faith since the total person heart soul strength and mind is involved.

[00:13:07] The theme of love for God is picked up in verses 38 through 42 with its emphasis on devotion to Jesus and in chapter 11, which will get to next week.

[00:13:24] verses 1 through 13 where the disciples are taught to be devoted to God in prayer. In verses 3337, Jesus develops the theme of love for one's neighbor.

[00:13:40] So, friends I often try to make this a point that I want people to understand that once you make the decision to receive Jesus in be your heart, you need to be all in.

[00:13:59] And those two words all in are in quotation marks and that's what this verse is talking about with all your mind and your soul and your strength.

[00:14:11] We are to put every ounce of energy we have in to receiving Jesus and getting to know Him. Let's go to verse 28, and he said to him, you have answered rightly, do this and you will live. Now listen to the commentary for verse 28.

[00:14:35] Jesus was not saying that righteousness is the result of works. Rather he was saying that love for and obedience to God will be a natural result of placing one's faith in the Lord.

[00:14:55] Those who believe in Jesus and follow Him will receive eternal rewards. Jesus states this principle to Peter in Matthew chapter 19 verses 27 through 30. Let's go to verse 29, but he wanting to justify himself said to Jesus and who is

[00:15:25] my neighbor. Now friends, that is the question that differentiates Matthew's account of this story because Matthew doesn't ask that question or marks account of this question that's why Mark doesn't ask that question in his gospel and that is why Luke is a little bit different

[00:15:54] because of verse 29, but because Luke asks this in his gospel then Jesus answered him and said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves who stripped him of his clothing wounded him and

[00:16:22] departed leaving him half dead. So friends, that's my second point for today a certain man fell among thieves and was beaten and left for dead. Now that is verse 30, listen to the commentary.

[00:16:45] Jerusalem to Jericho. This was a 17-mile journey on a road known to harbor many robbers. They would hide in caves along the way and attack their victims. Let's go to verse 31. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road

[00:17:13] and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite when he arrived at the place came and looked and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samiratin as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion

[00:17:41] and friends my third point for the day is a Samiratin had compassion. Now friends, that's all the time we have today and I am going to pick up this lesson right here on Wednesday's podcast.

[00:18:02] But before we close today I'd like to go back to our verse of the day in Proverbs 8 verse 36. But he who sins against me, meaning wisdom, wrongs his own soul, all those who hate me love death.

[00:18:26] Now friends, I often say that I predicate this particular podcast on wisdom and acquiring wisdom. And this entire chapter, Proverb chapter 8 talks about the goodness of having wisdom and all the benefits that are derived if you have wisdom in your life.

[00:18:56] Now I would like to have a call of action today and what I'm going to ask you is how important is acquiring wisdom to you. I really want you to give some thought to that question.

[00:19:41] I believe that you came to earth and died on a cross for me. Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and in need of a Savior. My Lord and Savior. Friends, if you repeated that prayer I want to welcome you to the family of God.

[00:20:19] Friends, tomorrow is testimony day. I invite you to join me and a special guest as we further explore wisdom today.

[00:20:32] Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make us say, shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lifted his countenance upon you and give you peace.