Bible Stories for Adults

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

Next Week - The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
Note: Ten "I"s for today's lesson are taken from speech by Tom Claus (Chief and Pastor of Mohawk tribe) at 1996 Promise Keepers in Dallas (10/26/96)

What situation led to Jesus telling the parable of the good Samaritan?
Luke 10:25 = A lawyer INQUIRED of Jesus what he must to inherit eternal life
What would Jews do to find God's will in a given matter?
Judges 18:5-6 = They would INQUIRE of the Lord through a prophet or priest
Could just any prophet be used to inquire of the Lord?
1 Kings 22:6-7 = No, it had too be a true prophet of the Lord
How could 400 other prophets be so wrong? Wouldn't they be statistically right?
1 Kings 22:20-23 = We are to discern God's will, not a popular opinion

Why did the lawyer inquire of Jesus about a heavenly topic?
Luke 24:19 = Jesus was considered a prophet of the Lord
Why don't we have to go to a priest or prophet to inquire of God's will for our lives?
Hebrews 7:24-25 = Jesus intercedes for us, we go to Him to INQUIRE of the Lord
How do we inquire of the Lord through Jesus?
John 14:13-14 = We pray in His name

Will God always answer when we inquire through Jesus' name?
Ezekiel 20:31 = God will not answer the unrighteous who inquire
How can we be certain whether we will be answered?
John 15:5-7 = If you remain in Me ... ask whatever you wish and it will be given you

How did Jesus reply to the lawyer's inquiry?
Luke 10:26 = Jesus said he already knew & pointed him to the source of INFORMation
Why would Jesus point the lawyer to God's Law for an informative answer?
Joshua 1:7-8 = The lawyer had studied the Law and knew its promises
Why would Jesus point to the Scripture to inform the lawyer? = God's word, the Bible
2 Timothy 3:16 = All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching...
Is it important that we are informed by the Scriptures?
Matthew 22:29 = Without the Scripture, we cannot expect to know God's will or power

Does the Scripture inform us about eternal life?
1 John 5:13 = Scripture written so that those who believe may know they have eternal life
How are we informed about what we are to believe?
John 20:21 = The Scriptures are written that we may believe

What answer did the lawyer give to inclusively summarize God's Law?
Luke 10:27 = Love the Lord your God with all ... and Love your neighbor
Would Jesus agree with this reply as an inclusive summary of God's commands?
Mark 12:28-34 = Yes, He gave the same summary to identify the greatest commandments
Was this greatest command of loving the Lord a new summary to the Jews? = Shema - hear
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 = Key part of the Shema, recited by Jews 3 times daily & in worship
Was the second command of loving our neighbor a new summary to the Jew?
Leviticus 19:18 = No, commanded by God to Moses

How did this summary of God's Law instruct the man what he must do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:28 = Do this and you will live

How does loving the Lord relate to keeping His commandments?
John 14:21, 23 = In loving the Lord, we obey His commands and He lives in us
How do we know what God wants simply by loving Him and living with Him?
Romans 8:5, 9-10 = If the Spirit lives in us, we will know His desires for us
What promise are we given if we love the Lord and allow the Spirit to live in us?
Romans 8:11, 28 = God will bless us both in this life and eternally

Why is the second command to love our neighbor essential to receiving eternal life?
1 John 4:20-21 = We cannot obey the first (loving God) if we do not obey the second
How do we know what it means to love our neighbor? = Love is shown in action, not words
1 John 3:16-18 = Use Jesus' example of love by giving all
Was this John's idea or was it God's?
John 15:12-13, 17 = Jesus said we are to love one another by giving completely
How important is love?
1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13 (Romans 13:10) = Anything else is worthless without love

Was this what the lawyer was looking for or did he want something more specific?
Matthew 19:16-18a = Like us, he wanted a specific task - what one thing, which ones
How did Jesus point out that you have to give your whole self, not just a part?
Matthew 19:18b-23, 29 = We are to love God more than anything and live in him

How did the lawyer show that he wanted an easy task to earn his way into heaven?
Luke 10:29 = He asked for a specific definition of who he needs to love
Did the lawyer have a valid question when asking who should be treated as a neighbor?
Leviticus 19:33-34 = No, even foreigners were to be treated as neighbors
Did the Jews practice this love of foreigners?
Acts 10:28 = No, they made laws that they were not even to associate with non-Jews
How was this barrier between foreigners destroyed?
Ephesians 2:13-16 = Jesus tore down the barrier with his flesh and blood

How did Jesus find it best to help the lawyer understand who was his neighbor?
Luke 10:30 = Told a parable of a man who was inflicted
Why would Jesus use a story about someone who was inflicted to show who we are to love?
Luke 4:18 = We are to take Jesus' example of loving the oppressed
Who are we actually serving when we serve others in love?
Matthew 25:37-40 = God Himself

Notes: While Jericho was only 17 miles from Jerusalem, it was 3600 feet lower
Road was narrow and rocky with sharp turns - prime area for robbers
Known as the Red Way or Bloody Way because of its danger
Many had few extra clothes, making them valuable to steal

How did upstanding Jews respond to the situation of their brother?
Luke 10:31-32 = They ignored and avoided him
How would this half-dead Jew have felt?
Psalm 142:3-4 = No one cares for my life

What was the priest and what was his job?
Numbers 3:10 = A descendant of Aaron chosen as priest to serve in the temple
Why would the priest feel he should ignore the half dead Jew and pass around him?
Leviticus 21:1-2 = Priests were not to be made unclean from a dead body
How was this even stricter for the high priest?
Leviticus 21:10-11 = High priest couldn't even attend funeral of parents

What was a Levite and what was his job?
Numbers 3:5-7 = Descendant of Levi (son of Jacob), assisted the priests
While not prevented like the priest from touching a dead body, why would the Levite avoid the man?
Numbers 19:11-12 = It would be a hassle to be unclean for 7 days
Why might the Levite have not just ignored his brother's need and gone around him?
Numbers 19:14 = Just being in the same room as one who had died made one unclean

After being ignored by two leading Jews, who finally involved himself with the inflicted Jew?
Luke 10:33 = A Samaritan
What was a Samaritan? = Not Israelites at all, worshipped God along with other gods
2 Kings 17:22-24, 33 = People from other nations resettled in northern kingdom
Did the Jews accept Samaritans as their brothers under God?
Ezra 4:1-3 = No, only descendants of Abraham were considered to be Jews
How well did Jews and Samaritans get along during Jesus' time?
John 4:9 = They would not even associate with each other
What did Paul later explain that the Samaritan already understood?
Colossians 3:11-14 = There is no difference, clothe yourself with compassion

How did the Samaritan invest himself and his resources into serving this Jew?
Luke 10:34-35 = He personally gave first aid and took care of all of the Jew's needs
How are Christians called to emulate this Samaritan?
Romans 12:13 = Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
How does the Samaritan's actions stand out above the sacrifices made by the priest and Levite?
Hebrews 13:16 = ...share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased
What did the priest and Levite miss about the importance of being clean for sacrifices?
Hosea 6:6 (1 Samuel 15:22) = For I desire mercy, not sacrifice

Did this parable help the lawyer understand how to be an instrument of God's love?
Luke 10:36-37 = Yes, he now understood what it meant to be a neighbor
Are we simply called to have compassion and feel for the needs of others?
Philippians 2:1-4 = No, Christian compassion means to be God's instrument in action
How did Jesus respond when he had compassion on those in need?
Matthew 14:14 = He responded in compassion and met their needs

How does Jesus further describe our calling to be His instrument?
Luke 6:32-36 = Love others without expecting anything in return, your reward will be great
But isn't faith needed to be rewarded with eternal life? Why are good deeds needed?
James 2:14-17 = Faith without deeds is no faith, deeds flow out from faith