Won't You Be My Neighbor - Week 2

QI want to invite you to open your bibles with me to Lukes gospel and find with me chapter 10. This is week two of our new series called, Would you be, our neighbor. This series is based on the Great commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and Love your neighbor as yourself.” Last week we asked the question, how do we neighbor well.

Today I want to talk about three practices needed to build healthy communities in your neighborhood, workplace, where you play and at church. And I want to begin with a poll. I read an article this week that said, Eighty-one percent of Americans say America is more divided than united. And what I thought was interesting, was that although 81% say were more divided, this poll also stated that many believe Americans have much in common with one another.

And this boggled my mind… because although we have a lot in common with our fellow Americans, theres still a lot of divisions in our culture, and communities. So, what does that have to do with you and me. Well, we’re not just called, but were commissioned by God to be kingdom builders. We’re called to build healthy communities. Jesus actually teaches us to about that.. If you recall, when the disciples ask, teach us to pray, Jesus taught them, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

Jesus is losing for a healthy community to be explfreinced here on earth. Think about what he says in Matthew chapters 5-7 known as the Sermon on the mount. He calls us to salt and light in our communities. Do you remember Jonah and the large fish? God called the prophet Jonah to go to Ninevah, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire to preach repentance. Jonah didn’t want to go because they were Israel’s enemies but God said to Jonah “Shouldn’t I show concern for the great city Nineveh, which has more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know right from wrong, and many animals, too?” God loved the wicked city of Ninevah more than his prophet and people did.

I think that same attitude exists today in the church. We don’t care as much about our cities as God does. And so, I have this one over all question that I want to ask us this morning… Do we love the community that we live in? One of the emphasis of why we’ve been having church in Sunbury and now here in Orangeville, is to be a reminder that we live in communities.

We’re all from a different community. And there just shouldn’t be a love between you and me, and us, but also, we should have a heart for those that live around us. If I was to ask you, do you know your communities biggest challenge, would you know it? And Are you involved with anything within your community? Are you actively making your community a better place to live? How do you build community in these spaces as well as the other communities you are involved in?

How do you neighbor well? Well, lets look back in our Scripture of the good samaritan, and look in verse 25-28… Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind.” And “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live” The first way we can neighbor well is learning to practice civil discourse… Now, what does that mean.. well, Civil discourse is learning to see the best in others and giving them the benefit of the doubt. There is no denying that we live in a world that loves to argue. We live in a country that seems like there is always division, and disagreements.

SO, what should a Jesus following do? Jesus followers are called to build community, not tear it down because people have different opinions than we do. We’re called to practice civil discourse. Simple put, we’re called to act like Jesus towards others. Listen to some ways the Bible teaches us on how we should interact with others.. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 “Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” Colossians 4:6” “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:15 All of these scriptures remind us to choose our words carefully.

To make sure the tone of our voice is caring, and living, and we are agreeing or disagreeing with love, and patience. Because that leads me into the second practice… Practice seeing people as individuals not labeling them into categories. Look with me in verse 33 of the Samaritan story. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.” v33 I often wonder, do we often show compassion to those that we feel deserve it?

More os than those we would think do not deserve it? We categorize people. Think of the political season we are in.. We’re either republican or democrat, or independent or something else. Even in religion, we have Catholics and protestants, muslims and hindu’s and the list goes ion forever. The Bible even uses categories.. IN Galatians, Paul says, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female.

For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 And when we know these categories, it gives us a glimpse into peoples cultures and beliefs. But there does come a danger… we can very easily be lead to stereotyping people. And sometimes we get a little extreme with it. Think about the fight between republicans and democrats. To be honest, I think it has gotten so bad, that you’re either far left or far right.

I cant say I’m a republican without someone saying, all republicans hate gays. And I can’t say I’m a democrat without someone saying all democrats are baby killers. When we label and stereotype people, and we do not see people as individuals worthy of respect, regardless of their differences, communities tend to diminish. Thats what we see in this story of the good Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans hated each other but when the Samaritan came along and saw the Jewish man by the side of the road beaten and left for dead, he didn’t see a hated Jew or if he did, he didn’t let his preconceived stereotype influence him; he saw a fellow human in distress and need.

And so, the way we build community is to stop seeing other people in categories but as human beings worthy of respect, and love and kindness just like you and I need all of those things.. and by us seeing that others are needing a savior. Just like you and I need Him. Theres two lies I believe we as a culture believe. the first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them.

The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” Rick Warren Thirdly, we need to learn to practice hospitality. Look with me in verses 34, and 35 “Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins telling him ‘Take care of this man.

If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” vs 34-35 One of the things I really love about church is the fact that we gather every month and have a celebration Sunday. Where we come together and celebrate something…. Whether it be a birthday, or a retirement. Or anything else. But I want us to see that hospitality can leave the walls of the church and happen right in our back yards.

Do you know what hospitality is? Hospitality is the art of making people feel welcome and loved. It’s loving people where they are and inviting them in. There is something special about getting together; whether having people in your home or going to someone else’s home or going out somewhere, because there’s a deeper level of personal engagement when we get to know others in their personal space while using their own personal means to make another person feel comfortable and appreciated.

. Thats what the good Samaritan did…. Did you Cath the language used… He put the man on HIS OWN donkey. HE took him to an inn, where HE TOOK CARE OF HIM (implication is that he stayed with the man all through the night) The next day HE paid the innkeeper 2 silver coins telling him to take care of the man. HE promised to pay further expenses if needed.

To neighbor well means sometimes we need to give up what we want, to care for the needs of others. And maybe for some opeiople, we need to learn to give up our hostility towards others, so that hospitality can become a reality. That means, we need to be forgiving people. So, how can we neighbor well and show hospitality towards others? Well, Have someone over for dessert or snacks or dinner.

And you don’t need to go ever board… just inviting someone over for something small like dessert or to have a cup of coffee is a good way to start. Bring over a dessert, or some fresh backed bread to a neighbor.. in in Alicia’s case, share her eggs with others. Alicia keeps inviting people over to come get eggs, and in those moments she gets to show off her chicken coup and little farm area..

and it brings conversation and excitement. Heres somehting… make a picnic basket and meet someone in the park for a snack. I got that one from someone, when I was thinking about your marina Bible study. Buy coffee and donuts for people at work, or just for someone else. I know Alicia and I would get donuts and show up to peoples work and deliver donuts to them. Ir you can simply, pay it forward at the fast food lane, or somewhere else.

The list goes on.. be creative. Neighboring well means building healthy, godly communities wherever we are by loving our neighbors as ourselves. This is how we bring God’s kingdom here on earth. Lets pray. *