Image Credit:  Joshua Earle - Public Domain Image via Freely Photos

This post is based on my pastor's sermon title "Neighbors in Every Place."

Neighbors in Every Place

You are invited to watch and listen to this message in its entirety here.

Every Place - Neighbors In Every Place - February 17, 2019 (Message) from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

Our neighbors are not just the people who live next door to us, but also people who are around us often.

Our focal passage for today is Luke 10:25-37.

And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 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.” ²⁹ But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The Good Samaritan

³⁰ Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. ³¹ And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, ³⁴ and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ ³⁶ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” ³⁷ And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

1.  Our neighbors are the people we go to church with.  People in church are broken too and they need building up.

2.  Our neighbors are in our communities.  They are in the coffee shops we often visit - ballparks, restaurants - any place we frequently visit.

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:14

 Get to know the people around you.

Establish a routine so that it is easier for you to make introductions.

Practice the Golden Rule.

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. - Matthew 7:12 (The Golden Rule)

 Ask them for help.

Ask how you can pray for them.

Invite them to church.

Tell them your personal story as a Christ-follower.

3. Our neighbors in the culture.

Don't throw rocks at people who are not just like us.  Throw ropes.

What keeps us from being good neighbors?

*Prejudices
*Busyness
*Lack of Generosity
*Absence of Christ-likeness

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2

We look like Jesus when we serve and love others.

You can't reach people who don't know Jesus if you don't know people who don't know Jesus.

You'll find all my posts about this Bible study series here.