Luke 10:29-37 Strangers or Neighbors?
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 28, 2018 Luke 10:29-37
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) The lawyer couldn’t justify not loving God, but he felt he had a strong case for saying that there were some people who did not need to be loved equally. Also, Jesus had turned the tables on the lawyer and put the question back to him as if it was one everyone should know the answer to and if he didn’t, he wasn’t much of a student of the scriptures. Thus, the lawyer thought that his questions was really intelligent and would cause Jesus to have to think, but for Jesus it was a naturally easy question as He lived the two great commandments in every iota of His being, but instead of giving the lawyer a direct answer that he could argue with, Jesus told a parable.
(Understanding the Text) Jesus told the lawyer that the man in need was going down from Jerusalem on a specific road when he was attacked and stripped of everything. He was helpless. The journey was down the mountain to the east towards the Jordan River.
In Jesus’ story, He says that the priest was going down that road. This means that he was coming from Jerusalem. He was coming from serving in the temple. There was no excuse for wanting to not be unclean since he had already done his service in the temple and was heading home. It also means that it was the equivalent of coming home from church and seeing someone in need and ignoring him/her. This priest thought he had served God, but when it came to really serving God by helping one of God’s children, the priest rejected God. The Levite may have been going to Jerusalem or coming from Jerusalem; it doesn’t say whether he was going up or down.
The Samaritan was not in his home territory. He may have been travelling on business, or he may have been visiting someone, but that road would not take him home. Samaria was to the north not the east of Jericho. Thus, the Samaritan had an excuse not to stop. He was on his way to a destination and taking care of the hurt man would cause him delay on this important journey. However, a more important reason not to help the Jew was that the Samaritan knew that if the Jew were conscious, he would spit on the Samaritan before letting the Samaritan give him (the Jew) assistance. A third reason not to help was because of the danger that the thieves were still in the area, especially if the Samaritan was going somewhere on business.
I think it is important that when Jesus spoke of loving a neighbor, He did not speak of touchy feely liking for someone. Instead, He used the example of compassion, as in pitying someone. He focused on actions rather than emotions expressing love. I don’t have to feel bad if I don’t especially like someone as long as I have compassion on them and treat them with kindness meeting their needs as best as I can.
It is interesting that Jesus told the lawyer to go and act like the Samaritan did to an enemy. He was telling the lawyer to look outside of himself and see that the world is bigger than his own narrow little walls. He was telling the lawyer that his righteousness was as filthy rags if it excluded someone from his compassion. He was saying to the lawyer the same thing He said directly elsewhere. “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:27-36).
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I need to listen to Your lessons carefully and not think that I always have the answers. Even when I can spout out the correct words, it means nothing if those words are not an integral part of my being. I pray that Your words will be hidden in my heart so that I will not sin against You. I pray that they will become a part of who I am no matter what circumstance that I find myself in. Forgive me that I still keep You out of some parts of me. Help me to throw open the doors so that love for You will permeate every part of my being.