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Listen to Him: Forty Steps on the Road to Resurrection
 Focal passage: Luke 10:25-38
   


Throughout our Lenten journey, we are learning that Jesus asks challenging questions. He invites us to think deeply, pushing us to go past our preconceived ideas and the quick answers we are often tempted to give. This week we will look closely at two familiar stories. Our challenge is to think deeply about these passages in an effort to more fully understand the message Jesus delivers. 

Luke 10:25-37

Verses 25-29    
Luke records an exchange between the expert in the law and Jesus. The expert asks Jesus a question, believing that he already knew the answer: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The expert also thinks that he is already doing all that God requires. Fishing for approval, the expert pushes the point. “Who is my neighbor?”  

In response, Jesus offers a compelling story which changes the conversation. The legal expert found himself in unexpected territory.  

Verses 30-32 
What do you notice about those who see the poor man’s condition but fail to respond? 

Verse 33 -35
Why did the Samaritan man get involved?

Notice the progression of the assistance that the man provided. He made the decision to move toward the hurting individual. He sees the interruption as an opportunity to care for a person in need. The Samaritan uses his resources of oil and vinegar to care for the man. The Samaritan puts the man on his donkey. He is taking the injured man with him and has assumed some kind of on-going responsibility for his welfare. The Samaritan finds a place for the man to recover and adjusts his schedule to remain with him overnight. The Samaritan dips into his own pocket and covers the cost for the lodging, assuring the innkeeper he will return. The Samaritan has assumed financial responsibility for the injured man’s on-going needs. 

When we consider this story, we realize that Jesus has shifted the question. Instead of wondering who we should help, Jesus calls us to consider what kind of person we are becoming. “What kind of neighbor am I” is the new and more challenging question Jesus invites us to ask ourselves. Am I the neighbor who is willing to change my plans to care for the needs of another? Am I the neighbor who is willing to use my time and resources to respond? And perhaps the most challenging question of all: Am I the neighbor who is willing to sustain my interest and my assistance for the long haul? 

Verses 36-37 
Jesus took the time to drive home his point, inviting the expert and all of those who are his disciples: “Go and do likewise.”  

How are you challenged by the response of the Samaritan? Why is it easier to think the definition of neighbor than it is to become the person who loves others in sacrificial ways? 

Luke 10:38-42
Luke sets another scene, and this time we join Jesus and his followers in the home of close friends. From other biblical references, we know that Jesus frequently visits with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Luke draws a contrast between the two sisters. Mary has assumed the position of a disciple. Unthinkable for a woman in the first century, Mary is actually seated at the feet of Jesus, listening to his every word. Martha is busy preparing a meal for the guests. 

When Martha complains that Mary is not helping her in the expected way, Jesus kindly reminds Martha that in spite of what she thinks, Mary has actually made a good decision. Mary is listening to Jesus but Martha is distracted by many things. 

Martha seems to be distracted by her own feelings and needs. In this moment, her focus is turned inward. Notice the use of the personal pronouns in her complaint to Jesus: 

“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Tell her to help me!” 

Martha’s work in the kitchen isn’t wrong. In fact, the food that she prepares will be enjoyed by Jesus and his disciples. The issue is with her focus. She has become frustrated with her sister, and in that moment, she has moved her attention to herself. 

Luke has placed these two encounters back-to-back in his narrative. On first glance, they do not seem to be related to one another, but perhaps there is a thread connecting the two scenes. 

Unless we are willing to spend time at the feet of Jesus, really listening to all that he will say to us, we will lose our focus.  We must arrange our lives to spend time with Jesus. We must make time to listen to him. In those moments, his love and grace flow into our lives. It is God’s love and grace that makes it possible for us to sustain our acts of service. We love others because we have received his love. Our consistent time with Jesus makes it possible to become the “neighbor” or servant God intends. 

How do you arrange your life so that you have time to listen to Jesus? How does your time with God effect your service to others? 

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