Be Neighborly (Sermon Blog)
Loving Like Jesus in a Divided, Distracted World
In this week’s message, we continued our Those Red Letters series — taking a deeper look at the words of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. In Part 6: Be Neighborly, we unpacked one of the most famous teachings of Christ: the story of the Good Samaritan.
It’s a story many have heard, whether inside or outside the church. But as Pastor Steve reminded us, it’s far more than a feel-good tale about random acts of kindness. It’s a challenge to live mercifully, bravely, and without prejudice.
📖 The Good Samaritan Story — A Quick Recap
In Luke 10:25–37, Jesus is confronted by a religious expert asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” After affirming the greatest commandments — to love God and love your neighbor — the expert presses further, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus responds with a powerful story about:
A man beaten and left for dead
A priest and a Levite who both pass him by
And a Samaritan — a cultural enemy — who stops, helps, and cares for the wounded man at personal cost
In the end, Jesus asks, “Which of these was a neighbor to the man in need?” The answer was obvious, but telling — “The one who had mercy.” And Jesus simply said, “Go and do likewise.”
📝 Key Lessons from the Story
Pastor Steve broke down the story’s characters and how each one reveals something about our own hearts and choices.
Here’s what we learned:
The Robbers:
Represent those who live by taking. Their attitude: “What’s yours is mine — and I’ll take it.”The Priest and Levite:
Represent religious people too busy, too afraid, or too indifferent to show mercy.They valued personal safety, status, or convenience over compassion.
Sometimes we do the same when we avoid helping people we think made bad choices.
The Good Samaritan:
The surprising hero. He:Ignored prejudice and old grudges.
Took a risk to help.
Gave up his time, resources, and comfort to care for a stranger.
❤️ How Can We “Go and Do Likewise”?
Pastor Steve left us with three powerful takeaways on what it means to be truly neighborly in our everyday lives:
1️⃣ Love God First — But Humbly
None of us loves God perfectly. We must humbly ask for His help to grow our affections for Him.
Reflection Question:
Where in your life are you prone to wander from loving God fully?
2️⃣ Love Others Like Jesus Loves Us
Jesus raised the bar from “love your neighbor as yourself” to “love others as I have loved you.” That’s a sacrificial, unconditional kind of love.
Reflection Question:
Who in your life is hardest to love — and how might God be inviting you to love them like Jesus does?
3️⃣ Show Mercy — Even When It’s Risky
Mercy often requires bravery. It might cost us time, energy, or emotional effort. But it’s how we show the world we belong to Jesus.
Reflection Question:
When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone to show mercy? Is there someone right now who needs it from you?
📌 Homework This Week
Pick one person — a literal neighbor, a coworker, a classmate, or someone you’ve struggled with.
Pray for them.
Show them kindness.
Extend mercy without strings attached.
As Pastor Steve reminded us: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
📣 Join Us Next Sunday!
We’re nearing the conclusion of our Those Red Letters series, and you won’t want to miss what Jesus has to say next.
Join us this Sunday to learn more about what Jesus said in our current series Those Red Letters. Bring a friend — let’s grow together in loving God and loving people.
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