Watch this next video from Bob Payne. Listen as he shares about God’s love for us and serving others.

As we pursue our relationship with Jesus and experience His love for us firsthand, it should motivate us to love others. If you have never experienced God’s personal love for you, it is impossible that you will be able to share His love with someone else. 

Take time with your discipleship partner(s) to share a moment when you felt God’s deep love for you. 

It might have been when you first understood the depth of your sin and the abundant grace God has extended to you through Jesus Christ. Or you might remember how He saved you from a besetting sin. Maybe it was while you were enjoying nature.

Once we have experienced God’s love for us, our response is two- fold. Let’s look at what Luke says our response should include. 

Read Luke 10:25-28

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” (Luke 10:25-28 ESV)

Jesus approves of the lawyer’s two-part summary of all the Old Testament. Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. 

1. Why does loving God come before loving your neighbor? If we get the order of these two commands mixed up, what are the consequences? What happens if we remove Jesus as our ultimate motive in serving others? 

2. Do you have an example of when you were serving with wrong motives? (Maybe it was a time you were trying to impress someone, or hoping to get something back in exchange, or even trying to squelch some shame in your heart.)

Jesus continues his interaction with the religious leader in Luke 10 about this very thing. After Jesus tells him to love God and love his neighbor, the expert in the law asks, “Who is my neighbor?” 

Read Jesus’ response to this question in Luke 10:30-37:

30 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. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 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. 35 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.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:30-37 ESV)

3. In verse 30, who was traveling to Jericho? 

4. Every other character in this parable has been given a description. Why do you think that Jesus doesn’t give this man one? 

The question that the religious expert asked Jesus provided the opportunity for an important lesson. Jesus answered the question, but then He followed up His answer with a parable that illustrated the point of His teaching on the subject. The parable amplified the second great commandment (v. 27). In this single parable, Jesus drove home just who it was that this man was responsible for. His neighbor was anyone in need. His neighbor wasn’t the person he knew (or was even acquainted with). It wasn’t someone who shared his viewpoints or values. In fact, Jews couldn’t stand Samaritans and would travel days out of their way to avoid traveling through Samaria. It would be astounding to hear that it was the Samaritan that stopped to help the man on the road. It wasn’t the priest or the Levite like many would have assumed. This was the main teaching point that Jesus highlighted when explaining this parable. It was not about who the man on the side of the road was. Instead, it was all about who was being a good neighbor to him. 

In the same way, Jesus calls you to be a good neighbor by meeting the needs of the people in front of you.

Last week you had the opportunity to walk around your neighborhood and identify people who God is asking you to love in a tangible way. 

Share who God put on your heart. 

5. How does the parable of the Good Samaritan help you to better understand how to love your “neighbor”?

6. What are some tangible ways you can share God’s love with them this week?

For next week’s lesson you are putting your theology into action. Instead of meeting together to go through a lesson, you will be going out to serve together. Watch the video below to find out more. 

 

Matt Bates is the vice president of City Net, a nonprofit that has been working to solve Southern California’s homelessness crisis. Take a moment to hear his encouragement as you move forward in your journey to serve others.

Decide with your discipleship group what outreach you want to participate in together. If you need some ideas, you’ll find the service opportunities button below. 

We have been called to love God and love others. As followers of Christ, we become a visual picture of God’s love to those we come in contact with. We show His love by caring for people. As we engage in loving others, we are doing exactly what Jesus has asked us to do. The primary way the world will see the love of our heavenly Father is through His followers. 

 

* Pray that God will use you to love your neighbor with the love that only God can give. Pray that God will remove any barriers that might keep you from serving those in need.