The Good Samaritan: A Way of Life Luke 10:25-37
This week's guiding questions are a bit late, sorry. Better late than never right? Here we go...
The author makes the point that "love knows no national boundaries." How do you respond to this in light of the global turmoil we are experiencing today?
The text states that " the relationship between devotion to God and the treatment of neighbor are intertwined." How do you respond to this?
On p. 52 the author writes about how parables "invite their hearers to enter a new world created by the story in the imagination and to exist in that world for awhile, so that one's own life and understanding of the world can then be compared to and critiqued by the imaginary world created by the parable."
How do you think people were affected by Jesus' parables then compared to now? How do you think the "new worlds" created for us by television, internet, and other media affect us today? How do we as Christians deal with this?
On p. 54 the author talks about how Jesus' parable challenged his audience about their prejudices about other people.
How do we confront our own prejudices and overcome them so we can represent and live like Christ?
Read the box on p. 55. What are your thoughts on this?
Finally, in the box on p. 53, we consider the idea of someone who "shocks us" by being a neighbor (in Jesus' definition). Who has shocked you? How did you respond?
What have you taken away from this week's study that will stay with you and bring change in your life?
See you Thursday!!
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteSorry I can't be there tonight. I really liked this chapter and this parable is one of my favorites. Have a great weekend and I will see you all soon.
Question #1: The author is correct. Love knows no national boundaries because it is the same wherever you go but in order to love you have to respect one another first and that's where we are lacking.
Question #2: If you love God than you shall love your neighbor as well. The problem with this is the word "neighbor" It can't be taken in the context of someone who lives next door or in our neighborhood but rather everyone we come in contact with is our neighbor. That's where it gets tricky!
Question #3: In Jesus' day parables were the only way they could communicate. Jesus could tell parables and everyone could relate. They were simple enough that everyone understood their meaning. Today we are faced with too many opeions, to many opinions and that darn free will that seems to get us in trouble. I often think how easy it would be if we could go back to just parables. We often think that if we see it on TV or read it on the internet that it is true. We as Christians need to be able to see God in what we read and hear. We as a society have allowed our standards to be dropped for the sake of the media. We've allowed their words to be the first we hear or read rather than God's.
Question #4: I try so hard to not be prejudice or to judge others. I have to catch myself when I am moving down that path and remember that I am not the one who should judge. Jesus is the ultimate judge my job is to accept others for who they are and what they represent. This, my friends, is easier said than done. This is a full time job and I fail each day but our amazing God forgives me and each day is new.
Question #5: I believe this to be true and I see it every day. To say you are a follower of God, to quote scriptures and to point fingers at others in the name of Christ is not what Jesus asked us to do. To be a follower is in your heart and actions. The Samaritan showed true compassion and didn't care what others thought.
Question #6: I loved to be shocked by people going out of their way to love others and to help others. The youth on mission trips always shocked me with their willingness to step beyond themselves to help others. I wish I were more spontaneous to be the "shocker". I always seem to over think things and then the "shocking" moment has passed. I need to work on this!
Question #6: I have always loved this parable and each time I read it I have a different take on it's meaning. This week I realized I need to be more like the Samaritan. Not only with strangers but probably more with family members and close friends. Being a "good Samaritan" is a daily struggle and a full time job that is never easy and never complete.