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36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

Luke 10

What is a neighbor? We can sometimes make this concept more theoretical and more complicated than it really is. Who is your neighbor? The people in close proximity to you. Your neighbor isn’t some you have to go out of your way to be with or to help, they are the people the Lord puts in your path as you are going along your way, just like the Good Samaritan. He wasn’t planning on helping someone that day, but he came across someone and he did what he could, that’s it… that’s the way. Who is around you? Who could use your help? Who could use a kind word or an invitation to church or a plate of brownies? Who could use help fixing their car or pulling some weeds or putting together a play set? Your neighbors are close. Reach out and say “hi” and see how you can help… and say a good word for Jesus.

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18 While he was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 They answered, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.”

20 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Luke 9

It doesn’t matter that you know everyone else’s opinion, or that you know all of the options, it matters who YOU say Jesus is. And by “say” I don’t mean how you answer a simple verbal question. You prove who you believe Jesus is by your actions. Trust me, you want to believe in Jesus.

Here’s a good honest discussion about who Jesus really is, from someone who is not yet sure, but is really trying to sort it out:

I included the whole discussion, but I think the best couple of minutes starts at 34:30

Reading Plan for 2021; livestreams: Shiloh.TV
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19 Then his mother and brothers came to him, but they could not meet with him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.”

Luke 8

What’s more important than family? Jesus. You aren’t doing your children, your parents, your spouse, or anyone else in your family a favor by giving them a “pass” for their bad behavior just because they are your family. Following Jesus many times will mean breaking with your family. They remain your family, you are still very much called to love them, but if the Bible says something along the lines of “Christians won’t do…” and they are doing those things… then you’re not helping them by pretending they are Christians even though their life choices prove otherwise. There’s a whole list of the kinds of people who “will not inherit God’s kingdom!” (1Corinthians 6:9) in the Bible. Just because they are your child, or your parent, or your grandparent, God isn’t making an exception for them because they’re in your family. Following Jesus will sometimes separate families. Jesus spoke directly to this idea:

34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn

a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be
the members of his household.
37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 

Matthew 10

Do you have family members you wouldn’t be willing to give up if it means genuinely following Jesus? It doesn’t always have to be that way, but sometimes it is. Are you willing to say to that loved one “I love you, but you’re not following Jesus,” or are you too scared you might lose them if you said something? Or worse, do you change your view of right and wrong based on how they want to live?

It is so easy to make an idol of our family… Jesus wasn’t disrespecting or lessening the love he had for his family, but he was demonstrating the love he has for his church. That’s enough to keep us thinking for years to come…

Reading Plan for 2021; livestreams: Shiloh.TV
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41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

Luke 7

How much has Jesus forgiven you? Does that affect your willingness to forgive others? It’s supposed to. The more we realize how much we have been forgiven, the more our gratefulness drives us to forgive others. No matter how much someone sins against me, I’ve been forgiven more of my sin against Jesus. There’s really no place for a grudge or unforgiveness in the heart of a Christian. That’s something we all have to grow in every day, so let’s start growing.

Reading Plan for 2021; livestreams: Shiloh.TV
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Join us Sundays 9AM & 10:30AM & Wed 7PM

Shiloh Baptist Church: shilohgarner.org
3414 N. Shiloh Rd, Garner, NC 27529