Luke10:2537 Andbehold,acertainlawyerstoodupandtestedHim,saying,Teacher,whatshallIdotoinherit eternallife? 26 Hesaidtohim,Whatiswritteninthelaw?Whatisyourreadingofit? 27 Soheansweredandsaid,YoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithallyourheart,withallyour soul,withallyourstrength,andwithallyourmind,andyourneighborasyourself. 28 AndHesaidtohim,Youhaveansweredrightlydothisandyouwilllive. ParableoftheGoodSamaritan 29 Buthe,wantingtojustifyhimself,saidtoJesus,Andwhoismyneighbor? 30 ThenJesusansweredandsaid:AcertainmanwentdownfromJerusalemtoJericho,andfell amongthieves,whostrippedhimofhisclothing,woundedhim,anddeparted,leavinghimhalf dead.31Nowbychanceacertainpriestcamedownthatroad.Andwhenhesawhim,hepassed byontheotherside.32LikewiseaLevite,whenhearrivedattheplace,cameandlooked,and passedbyontheotherside.33ButacertainSamaritan,ashejourneyed,camewherehewas. Andwhenhesawhim,hehadcompassion.

34Sohewenttohimandbandagedhiswounds, pouringonoilandwineandhesethimonhisownanimal,broughthimtoaninn,andtookcare ofhim.35Onthenextday,whenhedeparted,hetookouttwodenarii,gavethemtothe innkeeper,andsaidtohim,Takecareofhimandwhatevermoreyouspend,whenIcome again,Iwillrepayyou.36Sowhichofthesethreedoyouthinkwasneighbortohimwhofell amongthethieves? 37 Andhesaid,Hewhoshowedmercyonhim. ThenJesussaidtohim,Goanddolikewise. Weallaskfoolishquestions.WhenIwasingradeschoolIaskedafewnotsobrightquestions, andbyothersreactions,Iknewtheywereprettyfoolish.SomeofthesequestionsIsimply shouldhaveknowntheanswerto.Wealsomightaskdecentquestions,butwehavea preconceivedorexpectedanswerinourmindsbeforeweevenaskit.Inhighschool,ifIasked myparentsifIcouldgohangoutwithsomefriends,Iexpectedyesforananswer.Weall askedquestionslikethis.Butifwegetananswerthatwewerentexpectingorwerenthoping for,whatdowedo?Weaskanotherquestion,hopingtochangetheothersopinion,showing theirsupposedfaultyanswer.CanIgohangoutwithfriendstonight?No,youneedtowork onyourhomework.Butmom,cantIdomyhomeworklater? Thelawyerinourtextaskedafoolishquestion,andhegotananswerhedidntwant.Thenhe followeditup,tryingtojustifyhimself,andtryingtotriptheLorduponanotherquestion,andlimit theanswer.

WhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife?heasked.Thiswasafoolishquestion.Notthatitwasan unimportantquestion,eternallifeissomethingweallneedtobeconcernedabout!Thiswasa foolishquestionbecausetheexpectedanswerwaswrong.Andthatmadetheentirequestion wrong.WhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife?Wecanmakeguessesastowhathisexpected answerwas,butitmayhaveincludedkeepingsomelaws,observingthe10commandments,or perhapsasalawyer,hewasthinkinghecoulddefendhisrighteousacts,enoughtoletGod,the almightyjudge,rulethatheshouldreceivehisinheritanceofheaven.Butwhateverhisexpected answerwas,impliedwasthathehimselfcouldactuallydosomethingtoinheriteternallife.Hear thequestionagain:WhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife? SoourLordrespondstohimwithananswerhedoesnotexpect.[Jesus]saidtohim,Whatis writteninthelaw?Whatisyourreadingofit? Soheansweredandsaid,YoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithallyourheart,withallyour soul,withallyourstrength,andwithallyourmind,andyourneighborasyourself. WhatthelawyerisquotingisLaw101,asinLawandGospel101.Everypersonwouldhave beentrainedfromtheiryouthuponthis.Hesquoting,quiteliterally,thecatechismoftheOld Testament.JustlikewehaveLutherscatechism,theyhadthis.Deuteronomy6:45says, Hear,OIsrael:TheLordourGod,theLordisone!YoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithallyour heart,withallyoursoul,andwithallyourstrength.Andthelawyeraddsthesecondgreatest commandment,loveyourneighborasyourself.HeadmitsthattheBiblesaysinordertosave oneself,youmustfulfillallthelawperfectly.YoumustloveGodsomuchthatyoudowithyour heart,soul,andmindeverythingthatGodwantsandrequires.Andheadds,loveyourneighbor asifheisyou Jesusreplies,youreright!Godothisandyouwilllive.

Thelawyersquestionwasafoolishone,WhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife?Notonlyshould hehaveknowntheanswertohisquestionalready,buthisquestionwasreallythewrong questiontoask.Andmaybeeventous,Jesusanswerseemslikethewronganswer!Itdoesnt seemLutheran.IfyouwouldaskmeonadaythatIwasnotpreparingforthissermon,HowdoI gettoheaven?Iwouldprobablynottellyoutodoanything.Iwouldnottellyoutofollowallof10 2

commandmentsandtherestofGodslawperfectly,ortoloveGodsocompletelythatyounever doanythingagainsthim,andloveothersasmuchasyourself.ButthisistheBiblicalanswer. Thelawmustbefulfilledinorderforustoenterheaven.Ifyouwanttobesaved,itseasy:Gobe perfect.Theproblemis,wecantdoit.Wecantbeperfect.Thisisthecrushingrealityofthe law.GodrequiresustoloveHimwithallofourheart,andwithallofoursoul,andallofourmind. Weshouldnothaveanyothergods,weshouldnotmakeidolsoutofanythingoranyone,andwe shouldmeditateonGodsstatutesdayandnight,withoutfail.Andweshouldloveothersaswe loveourselves.Butwedont,andwecant. AndJesussays,goanddoit.Thisishowyouobtaineternallife. Butjustlikeuswhenwereceiveananswerwewerentexpecting,andweaskanotherquestion, hopingtoshowthefaultintheotherpersonsanswer,ortryingtocreatealoopholeforourselves, thelawyerasksasecondquestion.Whoismyneighbor?Withthisquestion,heishopingthat theexpectationwontbethathigh.Heshopingthathellmaybehavetoshowalittlemercyand compassionhereortheretothosepeoplethatarelikehim,andthatllbeit.Thenhellbeableto inheritheavenforhimself. Whoismyneighbor?Thisquestionseemstousevenmorefoolishthanhisfirst.Butas foolishashisquestionwas,weaskquestionslikethisallthetime,too.Infactweaskevenmore foolishquestions.ItdoesntreallymatterthatIdontwatchwhatIsaywhenIspeak,doesit? Godwillforgiveme.Theresnothingwrongwithgettingalittledrunknowandagain,isthere? ItsnotlikeImfallingawayfromGod.Whatssobadaboutalittlesinhereorthere?Istilllisten towhatGodsaysinhisword...Whatfoolishquestionsweask.Everytimewesinwehave failedtolistentowhatGodsaysinHisWord,andwereguiltyofbreakingallofit. SoJesusrespondstousasherespondedtothelawyer.Heshowsuswhatwearetodo.In thisparticularcase,howwearetoloveourneighbor. Amanisrobbedandbeaten,andlefttodie,nakedonthesideoftheroad.Threemenwalkby. Thetwothatshouldhaveknownbetterandhelpedhimapriestandalevite,passbyonthe otherside.ThemanthatdoesstoptohelpwasregardedbytheJewsastheenemy(andthe feelingwouldhavebeenmutual).Hetakesthisnaked,poor,helplessman,bandagedhis wounds,pours(whatwouldbetous)antibacterialcreamsonhim,putshimonhisdonkey, takeshimbacktoaninnandpaysthefullpriceofthebill. 3

AndJesussaysthisislovingyourneighbor.Goanddoit. Helpingandlovingourneighborisnotaseasyaswewouldlikeittobe.Itmeanslovingand forgivinganyonewhomwearemadatatthemoment.Itisanyonewhomwelookdownonfor whateverreason,becausetheyhaveoffendedusinsomeway.Itmeansgoingtothepersons weknowarelivinginsin.Butitmeanswhenwegotothem,notjusttobenicetothemand ignorethesinandpretenditdidnthappen.Itmeansdealingwiththeminthesamewaythat Jesusdealtwiththislawyerbygivingthemthelaw.Showingthatsiniswrongandthatit condemnsbecausethereisnowaythatanyonecankeepitperfectlyandsosavethemselves. AnditalsomeansgivingthemtheGospel,eventhoughitmaybeharderforustodothangiving thelaw.TellingthemthatJesushasforgiventheirsins. Theresonemoreparttolovingyourneighborasyourself:Howdoyouloveyourself?Youdo whateveryoucantokeepyourselfalive.Asmuchaswegiveofourselvesforourselves,canwe evergivethesameforsomeoneelse?Canweevergivethesameforourenemies?Canwe evergivethesameforallofourneighbors?Wouldweeverlaydownourlivesforallofour friendsandourenemies? No,butthisiswhatisrequired.Thankfullywehavesomeonewhodidallofthisforus.Jesus laiddownhislifeforthosethatcountedhimasanenemy...wewereenemiesofGod...buthe callsusfriends.Jesussawusbeaten,weak,andlyinghalfdeadonthesideoftheroad.Andhe hadcompassiononus.Jesushadcompassiononyouandme,notbecausewefirstdid somethingthatmadeGodfavorus,butbecauseweweresohelplessandlostandbeatenand weak,justlikeeveryoneelse.JesusbandagesourwoundsHeanointsusinthewatersofHoly Baptism,theeternalantibacterialliquidHeliftsusandcarriesuswhenwearetooweaktocarry ourselvesandHebringsusbacktoHisinn,thechurch,wherewearesurroundedbyfellow believerswhocanwatchoutforusandtakecareofus. SowhydoesourLordtellustodothesethingswhenHeknowsfullwellthatwecantdoit?Ifwe cantpossiblyloveourneighbors,(evenourenemies)enoughtoinheriteternallife?Goddoesnt needourgoodworks,butourneighbordoes.OurfullbillhasbeenpaidbyJesusGoddoesnt needourgoodworks.Ourneighbordoes.1
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GustafWingren,LutheronVocation

Weallaskfoolishquestions.WhenweaskwhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife?andwhois myneighbor,howcanIlovehimasmyself?wegetsomedifficultanswers.Theyaredifficult becausewecantliveuptotheexpectationsandsogaineternallifeforourselves.Thankfully Jesushasliveduptotheseforus.Jesuslivedperfectly,lovedHisFatherwithHisheart,soul, andmindHegaveuphislifeforHisenemiesandcountedthemasfriendsandHeanointsusin HolyBaptism,andHebringsusbacktoHischurchwhereHekeepsussafeuntilwefinally receivetheinheritanceearnedforusofeternallife. Amen.