Today, on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, contemplate the cross where we see our Savior dying for us, and then, with this divine love in our hearts, will we reach out to that lonely neighbor? a difficult person at work. Be their neighbor. This is the love of Christ reaching out to others. This is the next step in following Jesus.
Loving. People. Welcome to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, Senior Pastor of Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Followers of Jesus are called to love others. But that's sometimes easier said than done.
Today we're taking a closer look at this important command, which goes beyond loving our friends and families. were to demonstrate the very love of Christ to others.
So what does that look like? Here's Pastor John Monroe with this message, love people. Last time, we listened to the question asked by a lawyer to Jesus. Who is my neighbour? In our fallen nature we believe the world revolves around us.
We're all very selfish, self-absorbed. and self-centered. But we learned That God reaches down to us in love through our Lord Jesus Christ. and we need to reach out to others. Do you love others?
irrespective of your experience of human love, When God and His grace saves you, His love floods our hearts. In the miracle of conversion, we then grow in our love. Grow in our compassion for others, particularly for those who are in need.
So, Listen. as we see Jesus reaching out to us in love. What's going to be your response? Here is another. of the stories that we have recorded in Luke and which is unique to Luke's.
Gospel. Here's the story. 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 He passed by On the other side, So likewise a Levite. When he came to the place and saw him, pass 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 denariii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.
Now Jesus is going to ask the lawyer a question. 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. It's not a brilliant story. In the parable that Jesus Recounts that we've just read here in Luke chapter 10. Who acts As the neighbor. Does it strike you?
It was the most unlikely of people. It was a Samaritan. And in that day, there was racial and religious discrimination and prejudice by the Jews against the Samaritans. The Jews regarded the Samaritans as unclean. They wouldn't eat with them.
They regarded them as bad people. What a surprise for the man who brings help A Samaritan. Can I say what a very relevant parable for us today living in the United States? Here are people who despise one another. The Jews looked on the Samaritans as inferior.
The Samaritans didn't worship at the temple in Jerusalem, but in Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, the writings of Moses, as authoritative. But it is a Samaritan. who has compassion. and provides for the man's every need.
Notice how Jesus emphasizes the Samaritan's compassion. Verse thirty three a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, No, he doesn't go to the other side. He comes right to where the man is. And when he saw him, he had. Compassion.
The priest, the Levite, had no compassion in their heart. Self-centered, self-absorbed, proud, arrogant people, and this Samaritan. This compassion leads to action. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. That was costly.
set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, Take care of him. Whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back. But you don't even know the man. And he's your enemy, he's Jewish.
Why would you do all that for him? This is a It's the surprise of the story, isn't it? Do you look down on certain people? You look on certain people as inferior to you. Other people in the world?
They're not Americans. They don't have your background. They have different beliefs. They don't see things as you see them. This man who is assaulted is in trauma.
But the Samaritan came to where he was, and he is lavish and loving in his care. He doesn't just do the minimum. We would have admired the man if you had just bound up his wounds and tried to get him up and say, Well, try and make it down to Jericho, but I'm busy, I've got to go. That would have been good, but no, he does much more than that. He gives costly oil And wine to take care of this man as he binds up his wounds, puts them on his animal.
Takes them to the inn. Pays for him and says, Listen, if there's anything more, I'll be back and I'll take care of it. Whatever schedule the Samaritan was on is totally blown. This day has changed. Nothing is more important than providing mercy and compassion to Yeah.
Man. Have you ever loved someone like that. Can you think in your life Where You did that for someone. Not someone you know, not someone in your family. But have you ever done that to an enemy?
Someone you look down on?
Someone who looked down on you? Who is our neighbor? What kind of answer is Jesus giving? This is radical living, isn't it? No, we who have received the love of Jesus.
Here's the point. are to reach out. with the same love to those in need. That my love for others flows and grows from Christ's love for me. The more you understand how much God loves you, and the more you understand of God's grace in your life.
The more merciful, the more compassionate you will be to those in need, particularly to those disadvantaged. Who is my neighbor? Your neighbor is anyone who is in need. And who you're able to help. That's your neighbor.
Your neighbor Is anyone in need? And who you are able. to help. people around us And beyond us are in need, aren't they?
Some of whom are sitting here today. People in need. people who need compassion.
Some of them you may dislike.
Some of them you may be prejudiced against. You say, well, I'm not prejudiced. Really? People you don't enjoy being with Who look different from you? You may look down on him you'd never admit that, of course.
But then your heart You look down on them. They may be poor. They may be immigrants. They may have different beliefs. They may have a different colour.
They may be financially wealthy, but spiritually poor. And perhaps their wealth promotes bitterness in you. Perhaps they're poor, and you look down on them and you think, why don't they get a job and why don't they work like me? I've made something of my life. Why can't they do that?
They may live in the suburbs. They may be in the inner city. All are in need. of Jesus' love displayed Through you. We get so absorbed with the political process.
Well, let's face it, it's a national disgrace, isn't it? What does our world need? What does Charlotte need? What does America need? What does the world need?
It needs the love of Christ. through people like you and me. reaching out and touching people one by one. Reach out to them. Love them.
You are their neighbor. Don't be so locked into your own little world, your comfort, your problems, your own little circle of friends and family that you fail to see. Needy people Around. We can become so self-focused, can't we? I confess that.
I can be so absorbed with the tasks of the day. And the things that concern me, and the things that I must do. But it's very easy to pass by on the other side, isn't it? And so, someone else will take care of that. That's a government problem.
After all, they messed up their own life. Why should I help this individual? Who's got a drug problem? How should I deal with this person who's out of work?
Someone who's lost their job, someone who's wrecked their marriage. Why should I care about them? Self. Focused.
Sociologists today talk about what they call obsessive comparison. disorder. I confess I'd never heard of it in those terms, but I was reading it recently. Obse obsessive comparison disorder is our compulsion to constantly compare ourselves with others. Producing unwanted thoughts and feelings that drive us to depression.
To buying things, to anxiety, and all-round discontent. And the sociologists tell us that this obsessive comparison disorder, whereby we're always comparing ourselves with others. You know what it does? It isolates us. and causes us to resent others.
Instead of loving them. Instead of celebrating who we are and how God has plans for each one of us. Why are we as followers of Jesus so passionate about life? Because we believe that God made each of us in His own image. We believe that.
That's why we take a stand. against the killing of innocent unborn babies but it Isn't it also true? That those who are living. Were there an elderly person? Whether someone with a special need?
Whether someone from a different background, that all of us are made in the image of God, and that this love that God has for us and goes to all the world is to be not only proclaimed with our lips, and we must do that, it also must be demonstrated in our lifestyle and by our actions. Instead of comparing what we have with others. Are you doing that? When Pepper Rogers coached at UCLA, his team had some bad seasons, so I read. And recalling when Rogers told a reporter, My dog was about my only friend.
And I told my wife that a man needs at least two friends So she bought me another dog.
Well It's good to have friends, isn't it? Particularly when we're having a losing season. And when things are tough, Don't we all need a friend? Of course. Who would be so arrogant to say that They could go through life alone.
that we don't need other people. None of us would be so foolish. None of us would be so arrogant, would we? Of course, we need others. And we're so thankful.
When people reach out in kindness and in mercy and compassion to us, particularly when we're down. But my question for you. Are you doing that? with others. Don't close your heart.
Don't close your eyes to your neighbors. Loving your neighbor often requires sacrifice in time and resources. Just as this good Samaritan gave what he had, the use of his animal, The wine. The oil Money. He gave of himself.
Why? Because a man was presented to him in need, and he was a neighbor to that individual. Today I first ask you, have you personally Receive God's love in Christ. Have you acknowledged your own sinfulness? Have you cried out to God for mercy?
The parable of the Good Samaritan demonstrates that the lawyer was in need of mercy. You may be like the lawyer, you know the answers. You know the Bible. But there is no reality. You have no compassion or little compassion, little.
Mercy. Outwardly, you're religious. Inwardly. You're hollow. You're hard.
You're selfish. You're like the priest, you're like the Levite, you go by on the other side. And the sad reality is it doesn't even bother you. You're so absorbed. with your own.
Life. Praise God. For Christ. Who, in spite of our selfishness and our self-centeredness, loves us. despite who we are.
And we understand, don't we, I hope we do, that religion and ritualism can't save us, that by ourselves and our own strength we cannot love our neighbor as ourselves, and we need God's love in our hearts. And in our lives, and the more I know of God's love, and the more I appreciate the forgiveness and the mercy of God, the more I'm going to reach out to others. in need. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? How would you answer that?
You know, there are people who say they love God. but they seem to have difficulty in loving others. Sadly, that's sometimes true in the church, isn't it? We sing hymns. About loving Jesus.
We teach it. But sometimes we don't even show love. to our brothers and sisters here. John writes in 1 John 4 verse Eleven. Beloved, if God so loved us.
We also ought to love one another. Verse 19: We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, And he hates his brother, he's a liar. And he who does not love his brother, For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. I know this verse very well because my mother quoted it when my brothers and I were fighting.
But it's a profound truth, isn't it? How can you say you love God? When you treat your brother like that. It doesn't work, doesn't it? No, John says, this commandment we have from him.
Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Yes, it starts here. It starts With your brother. And now the question is not so much who is my neighbor. Who's going to take care of me?
The question is am I a neighbor? to those in need. That's the question. That's the question I'm asking you. Not who is serving you.
Not who is taking care of you. But are you? A neighbor. To those indeed. Martin Luther called Christians to be Christ.
to your neighbor. By that, Luther meant that we are to so mirror the love of Christ to our neighbors that they see something of Jesus in us. It's not a beautiful thing. When people serve us come to us, particularly when we're down. particularly when we're needy, particularly when we're messed up.
And we see Christ In that person? And that sister compassionate full of mercy, Kindness, isn't that wonderful? Think Are you doing that? Start at your home. Do your family, to your friends, to your children, to your parents.
Does your husband, does your wife? See Christ's love in you? We have many children growing up in homes. that don't really see that. We have many husbands who feel, I don't know if my wife really loves me.
We have wives who feel, I'm not sure if my husband loves me. Christopher Morley said, If we all discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that we love them. Don't leave it to the last minute of your life. to tell someone you love them. Make sure your mom and dad Know that you love them.
Make sure that brother or sister that you haven't spoken to perhaps for years. that you love them. Make sure. That brother that you had that difference with and that you've kind of Ignored and in the galleria you you sort of pass by on the other side. Don't do that.
Make sure. They know You love them. Reach out and love to others. Starting with, but certainly not confined to, your own family. Jesus says: love your enemies.
That's the gospel. Love your enemies. This is what God has done for us. When we were enemies of God, Christ came and died for us. No.
Open your heart. to God's love. Receive the love of Calvary. Contemplate the cross where we see our Saviour dying for us, and then, with this divine love in our hearts, will we reach out to that lonely neighbor. that difficult person at work.
That family member who makes it pretty clear that he or she doesn't like you. That person from a different culture, that awkward person in your ALG, you think. Be their neighbour. This is the love of Christ, reaching out to others. This is the next step.
in following Jesus. Loving. people. Our Father, help us. To do that, you give us the supreme example in our Savior who loved us when we were very.
Unlovable when we were weak, when we're helpless, when we're powerless, in fact, when we're enemies. But thank you in your grace that you love us. And now As we have received that love, help us, Father. Fill our hearts with your love. and our families at work and neighbors.
in this sad world. in a world of division. in a world of prejudice and discrimination. May we be different. Help.
My brothers and sisters, this week, Father. As they go home, as they go to their communities. as they go to school tomorrow. as they go to the bank. as they go to the factory.
as they go to the hospital, wherever they are, Father. May we be radiating the love, not just in our words. but in our very lives. Help us. We pray, we thank you in Christ's name.
Amen. This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God.
To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at the verdict. org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry.
Whether it's $5, $50, or more, your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam. It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte.
We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road. If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services. For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well What's your verdict? Do you love your neighbor? During the pandemic, we've seen that it is all too easy to become isolated. In spite of all of the emphasis on communication and technology, it's very easy to shut others out. and to focus on our own little bubble.
Don't be like that. Pray that God will open your eyes to see others to whom you can bring The love of Jesus. And in this series of next steps in following Jesus, we will think next time of the church. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
