Neighbours and Friends/Ladies Retreat

KEY TEXT: LUKE 10

Who are my Neighbours? / Friends?

We may all know the parable of the Good Samaritan, when an earnest Lawyer asked Jesus this question in the book of (Luke 10:29) but it can be a little confusing. The “neighbour,” it would appear, is the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho who was beaten and left for dead (Luke 10:30). The neighbour is the object, the one of whom the three other characters encountered. But in the end, Jesus says the Samaritan who helped his man "proved to be the neighbour" (Luke 10:36–37).

So here we are, along with the lawyer, trying to figure out whom we're supposed to love. Remember, the issue started from verse 25-27 when the Lawyer quoted the law of LOVE and asked again trying to justify himself “who is my neighbour” as to say who is to Love? Jesus turns the question around. Look at this man who acts in mercy. Stop asking, "Who is my neighbour?" There are deeper questions to ponder. "When we are done trying to establish, 'Is this my neighbour?' — the decisive issue of LOVE remains.

To many of us when we are making a decision of who is my neighbour, we consider: ethnicity/ social-status/country or township/blood-relation/someone always good to us/ just to mention a few. We look inside ourselves first and like a magnet we stick to one who we might resemble in character, as having things in common. Or sometimes we might find someone vulnerable to use for our selfish end and use them.

However, let us see how our Lord Jesus Christ chose his friends from the book of (Roman 5:10) “For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life”

(John 15:13) “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends”.

 What a friend we have in Jesus. I think we should start our prayer this morning with thanksgiving and singing of his praises.

·      (Song: I’ve found a friend in Jesus, the Lily of the Valley Lyrics) (Romans 5:5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

·      Pray for the outpouring power love of the Father on our heart that we might love one another

Eph 3:18-19) may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

·      Pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to know the love of Christ. As you can only give what you have. (Romans 5:8) But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The heart full of the Love of God ----------It’s the heart of service:

·      (For God love the world and gave His only begotten son)

·      (Jesus loves us and lay down His life for us to die, even the death of cross)

·      Just has the Lord told the Lawyer from the book of Luke to follow the steps of the Samaritan, so all he instructs us in the book of (John 13:34-35). A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

·      Jesus instructed Peter to demonstrate his love for Jesus by feeding the Lamp and Sheep (John 21:15-17). In another time, Jesus instructed Peter to comfort other (Luke 22:32) Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

·      (2 King 4:3) Elisha then said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbours—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels and set aside the full ones.”

·      Would you agree with me that even the neighbours of the woman also benefited from the miracle as most likely the woman must have returned the vessel back with some oil inside the vessels?

·      (2 Corinthians 4:7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are now earthen human vessels and it’s the time for us to go to our neighbours/friends to borrow their empty vessels of lives of hopelessness and present them in prayer for God to fill them up with Hope of Glory/ despair and depression with unspeakable Peace/trouble and pain with God’s Comfort

·      Lord in your mercy full me up with your grace and power to go to my neighbours/friends to share your Peace/Comfort/and to Feed them with your Word

·      Ladies Retreat: Pray for the shed of the love of God on all our ladies at this year retreat 2019. Love of God is the benchmark. By love of God we can serve one and other/seeking the comfort of others and honouring others above yourself. (Romans 12:10) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honouring one another.