Sermon: Rev Dr Ginnei Thang Ngaihte
SERMON : WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR?
By u2013 Rev. Dr Ginnei Thang Ngaihte
Bible verses: Luke 10: 1-2, 25 u2013 37. Sunday, the 28th September, 2014.
- The Pharisees concept of neighboris limited to those people who lives near or people living in the local community. However, what Jesusu2019 says about u201cNeighboru201d in His parable is contrary to that of the Phariseesu2019. Jesusu2019 parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-27 teaches us the way to recognize our u201cNeighbor.u201d Jesus was not only trying to uncover our prejudices, but also revealing Himself to us. He calls us to be like Him. His parable teaches us how to answer the question, u201cwho is my neighbor?u201d and in doing so, how to exercise our own hearts.
In the book of Mathew, Jesus said, u201cLove your neighbor and hate your enemy.u201d Your enemy may be someone by whom you are wrongly judged, persecuted in your workplace or your neighborhood. But, Jesus calls us to actively love those who hate us. The way to love our enemy is to see our enemy as Jesus does.
2. Who is my neighbor?
One of the most important things for us to do is to care like Jesus. From Jesusu2019 parable, we know that the priest did not like to care the wounded man lying half dead. He passed by thinking that doing so would defile him. Likewise, we want status or leadership but tend to leave all the duties and responsibilities to be done by somebody else. Even now, this is happening to so many Christians. From this point of view, what I would like to say is that we may like status or leadership but this can sometimes obstruct our way from doing good things.
3. The Samaritan who love like Jesus: There are three qualities of the Good Samaritan similar to that of Jesusu2019 :- i) He has compassion like Jesus, (ii) He take opportunity like Jesus and (iii) He sacrifices like Jesus
We should be ready to love someone who is going to lose his life. When Jesus saw 5000 crowds gathering together at a remote place, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, u201cThis is a remote place, and itu2019s already getting late, send the crowd away so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.u201d But, Jesus said, u201cThey do not need to go away, you give them something to eat.u201d This is how we are doing towards the needy people. We should have grace like that of Jesusu2019 which can move our hearts. The Good Samaritan not only cares and helps the wounded man but took him to an inn and took care of him.
Allowing time to pass for the sole purpose of waiting for ideal conditions is a foolu2019s excuse. Now is the right time to act. If we say that I will do tomorrow or later, time will go by and by and then things will remain undone until we die. I used to ask some missionaries coming to work in Thailand about the job they are doing then and now. Today, I do not say that you should not like status but the question is about the limited time that is left with us. We have little time to act. We have to think ourselves and ask God about the things we can do today. We should even try to do what we can do tomorrow.
Therefore, my brethren, what we called a good time or opportunity does not simply come to us outwardly. We need to seek and make opportunity by ourselves so that we can get chances to act. God wants us to shine our light into the world. With the blessings of God we shall do whatever we can at this very point of time. God bless you all!!
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Recorded By - Thangngaihsang Buite
Content writer, Media Team
