True Life Family Ministries- Bible Study

Friends Fail You	Ps. 35, 41:9-13, 55:12-23; Luke 17:3,4; Rom. 12:14, 17, 19
Leaving Home	Matt. 10:16-20; Luke 15:11-31; Heb. 11:8-16
Need of Peace	Ps. 1:1, 2, 4:8, 85:8, 46, 107; Rom. 5:1-5; Col. 3:15; 2 Cor. 4:8-10, 16, 17
Need of Prayer	Ps. 4, 6, 25, 42, 51; Matt. 6:5-15; Luke 18:1-14; John 17; 1 John 5:14, 15
Sick or In Pain	Matt. 26:39; 2 Tim. 2:3; Heb. 12:1-11; James 5:11-15; 1 Pet. 4:12, 13, 19
When In Temptation	Ps. 1:1-6; Matt. 6:24; Luke 21:33-36; Mark 13:33-37; Rom. 13:13, 14; 1 Cor. 10:13; James 1:12-25; Phil. 4:8
When In Trouble	Ps. 16, 31, 38, 40; 2 Pet. 2:9
When Weary	Deut. 33:27; Ps. 55:22, 73:26; Is. 40:31; Jonah 2:7; Matt. 11:28; 2 Cor. 4:16
When Afraid	Ps. 27; Matt. 6:25-34, 11:28-30; John 11, 17, 20; Rom. 8; 2 Cor. 4, 5; 2 Cor. 12:9
When Anxious	Ps. 107; Phil. 4:6; 1Pet. 5:6; Heb 13:5
When Bereaved	Luke 6:21; 1 Cor. 15; 1 Thes. 4:13-18
When Blue	Ps. 91; Matt. 5:4,10-12; 10:29-31; 11:28; John 14:1, 16, 18, 27; Rom. 8:28, 35-39
Comfort Needed	Job 5:19; 11:16; Ps. 25:5; 30:5; 42:5; 103:13; 119:50
Disaster Threatens	Ps. 20:6-9, 34; 118:5-9; 121; 126
When Discouraged	Ps. 23; 37:1-17; 55:22; 90:12-17; Phil. 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1-3
Facing Crisis	2 Tim. 1:7; Heb. 4:16

Studies, Outines & Applications

Miracles of Jesus- Feeding the 5000

Having Spiritual Power in Your Life through Christ

Unconditional Love

Christ's Last Words on the Cross

Who Is My Neighbor?- Understanding the Parable of the Good Samaritan

THE MIRACLES OF JESUS

MIRACLE # 19

FEEDING THE 5000

I. Observation

A. Passage Selected: John 6:1-14

Also in Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17

B. Jesus is the source from which all our needs are met, if we seek Him first and serve others second.

C. Found in all four Gospels- signifies it�s importance.

1. Context

This miracle�s message is so important that it is found in all four Gospels.

The location, as the gospel writers put it, is in a �desert� region. There was green grass so it wasn�t too barren. The word �desert� means a remote place. Maybe they used this term because in the Old Testament the desert was where God met, tested and blessed His people.

Jesus had withdrawn with the disciples for several possible reasons:

to be alone to rest

to give them some private instruction

because Herod was seeking Him

It was time to break bread, but the crowds followed Him.

After teaching all day, the disciples approach Jesus and suggest He send the crowd away to find lodging and food (according to Luke 9:12 and Mark 6:35). Many of them had evidently traveled a great distance to hear Jesus.

2. Content

a. His Suggestion

Jesus tells them to feed the people (Matt 14:16), and He asks Philip where they should buy bread to feed the people (John 6:5). Jesus is testing Philip. He is using this test to teach. His goal was for them to come to Him and ask Him to do it.

b. Their Supply

When the disciples question Him concerning the amount it would cost to feed the crowd, Jesus asks them another question. What do they have? Just a little boy�s lunch.

c. Their Suggestion

We can�t help them. The problem is too big. Send them away. (Matt 14:15) Rather than turn to Jesus, they give up.

d. His Second Suggestion

Feed them. Now they recognize their inadequacy. If they can�t do it on their own power, what should they do?

e. His Supply

(1) Organization

Perhaps Jesus has them organize the crowd into groups of 50 because it will make the crowd easier to count and the disciples will have a concrete number to remember. There wouldn�t be any estimating later that would distract from His lesson. Remember, too, that God is a God of order.

(2) Thanksgiving

Jesus gives thanks to God for providing the food. It shows His dependence on the Father. He is modeling for the disciples.

(3) Abundance

He breaks the bread and distributes to the disciples to give it to the multitudes. The impact of this routine on the disciples should have been overwhelming as they went back to Jesus time and time again to get what they needed.

f. The Significance (2-fold response)

(1) They recognize Him as a prophet.

They think He is the great prophet of Deut. 18:8. He is the one who is greater than Moses. Maybe they were taken back to the stories of Moses and the manna, Elijah and the widow, Elisha, etc. Yet now Jesus is doing the same thing on a much grander scale.

(2) They want Him to be a king (6:15)

They finally recognize Jesus is King. But not the King. They turn away when Jesus claims that He is the bread of life. They are too self-righteous to admit that they need a Savior. They don�t see sin as being serious enough for God to send His son to die. They want a King who will supply their needs but not save their souls.

II. Interpretation

A. Jesus is the bread of life who can provide life and supply it for the world.

B. The disciples failed to recognize their resource in Christ.

C. The biggest need that people have is spiritual, not physical.

D. Nothing is too small for God to use it. They didn�t think the little boy�s lunch was any help at all.

E. Beware of limited thinking when we have the greatness of God at our disposal.

F. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

G. Was Jesus trying to test the disciples and does He test us with the impossible to lead us to Him in whom all things are possible? Phil 4:13

H. Despite the 18 miracles Jesus had performed in the midst of the disciples up to this point, they were dense and their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:52) as to who He really was. They did not understand this miracle.

I. After the 5000 were filled, Jesus instructed the disciples to gather up the fragments and they filled twelve baskets. He was teaching them servitude. By seeking all that they needed in Christ and by feeding the crowd first, they too were fed.

[Top]

Jesus Last Words On The Cross-

Examples For Dealing With Life�s Toughest Trials

1. �...Father, forgive them for they know not what they do...� Luke 23:34

Jesus asked for forgiveness for those who scorned and mocked Him, who persecuted Him both physically and emotionally, who rejected Him and inflicted pain, great pain, upon Him. Even under the most grueling, most trying circumstances, when people hurt us, they probably don�t fully realize what they are doing or to what extent their actions are hurting us, or themselves, in turn.

If Christ could endure the pain and suffering which was inflicted upon Him at Calvary and yet find compassion for those who persecuted Him, then we must follow His example in dealing with our own trials and find compassion and forgiveness for those who hurt us.

2. �When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.� John 19:26-27

When we are hurting or having a tough time, under trying circumstances, we tend to assume the one�s who are closest to us will understand and that they will be all right. They usually do try to understand and somehow manage to make it through without us--without our interest in whatever they are doing at the time or have need of; without our support and understanding for whatever trial might be facing them at the moment; without our fellowship, love and care. But Jesus gave us a better example. During the most trying time of His life, He was concerned for the well being of His mother and instructed John to care for her.

He could have been preoccupied focusing upon His own needs and hurts, but He tenderly showed concern for those closest to Him, whom He loved. An example for us to follow during our own trials--remembering to care for those we love.

3. �And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.� Luke 23:43

Jesus recognized that this man, who was suffering the same agonizing physical pain and experience that He was, had infinitely less resources to deal with it. And when this man, a thief and criminal, acknowledged Him as Savior, Jesus responded to him with compassion. Many times, if we look around us, there is someone who may be experiencing the same amount of trial, pain and grief that we are, yet who has infinitely less resources to deal with it. In our pain and suffering, we can find strength through Christ Jesus to reach out to that one.

4. �And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?� Mark 15:34

Jesus is showing us here that we can be open with God, cry out to Him during our most difficult times of trial. We need to point the tough questions at Him and not at man. Jesus could have expressed anger at the jeering crowd or at the Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross and cast lots for His clothes. He could have called out to those who loved Him and were nearby for support or called a legion of angels to deliver Him. But in His hour of deepest trial and desperation, He turned to His Father in Heaven. Our Heavenly Father is the only One who can really help us in during the toughest times in our lives. Even though others can offer us their support, it is never adequate to soothe the hurt and meet our needs like that from the Father.

5. �After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.� John 19:28

Jesus had refused anything to drink up to this point. He may have requested it at this time to moisten His throat enough so that He could announce His victory. His task had been completed. He had fulfilled His purpose. In doing so, Jesus showed His humanity. He acknowledged that He had a need. We need to make our needs known to our Heavenly Father, who created us and understands our humanity. And I think we also need to be able to make our needs known to others, so that they might acknowledge our humility and find understanding.

6. �When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished...� John 19:30

Jesus was acknowledging that He had done all He could do. He had fulfilled His calling, completed His task. There was nothing more He could do or needed to do. He acknowledged completion. Perhaps, for us this is an example of acceptance, of surrendering all to the Father. When we have done all we can do and are to the point of exhaustion-- we have given all, considered all, done all that we possibly can, then we must acknowledge it to our Heavenly Father and to ourselves. We must hold nothing back and, in admitting we are at the end of our coping, at the end of our understanding, the end of our strength, we are preparing to commit the situation to Him.

7. �And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.� Luke 23:46

Jesus relinquished total control of Himself to the Father. He committed Himself wholly to God the Father when He had done all that He could. When we come to the place where we have given all that we feel we can give, reasoned all that we feel we can reason, hurt all that we feel we can hurt in a situation or circumstance, we must follow Christ�s example and commit ourselves fully to our Heavenly Father. In turning everything over to Him we relinquish the pain and open a door to healing and restoration.

[Top]

Unconditional Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

by Cari Callaway

What is Love?

This is what some kids had to say about love:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn�t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That�s love."
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."
"Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad, but you don�t yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings."
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay."
"Love is what�s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
"You really shouldn�t say �I love you� unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

In Matt 22:37-39 Jesus said �Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.�

If you love God your going to love yourself and then treat others the way you would treat yourself. You may ask yourself �Well, who is my neighbor?� They are not only the people who live next door to you, but everyone you may meet on the street, in school, or in a store. We are commanded to love these people. To love is a commandment.

John 14:15 says �If you love me, keep my commandments�

Also in chapter 15 of John verse 12&13 �This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.�

The world has taken the precious meaning of the word and reduce it�s meaning to beer commercials, or slang terminology. It has lost it�s purpose. Paul reminds the Corinthian church that the greatest gift to us is LOVE!
The only way to understand this is to know God because God is LOVE!

�And so we know and rely on the love God has for us, God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us.� (I John 4:16-17)

There are 15 characteristics of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, �Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.�

Love is a decision. Eph. 5:2 tells us that we should �Walk in love, as Christ has also loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor�.

We forget God�s greatest gift is LOVE. We might think it is FAMILY.
We might think it is a NICE HOUSE, GOOD CLOTHES, or GOOD FOOD. That is simply a part of our SINFUL NATURE. Jesus warned His disciples, as He also warns us today. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them, and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19) Jesus reminds us that everything else that we see in this world FAILS! It is corrupted by moths or rust or simply falls apart. Jesus tells that robbers and thieves steal these things that we would try to hoard up.

Love is action. 1 John 4:18-19 tells us �There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us�. That is action. He first loved us!!! In fact, He loved us so much that He was willing to give up His ONLY Son. God gave us the perfect gift of love, Jesus Christ. Jesus then put into action His love for us. He healed people from various diseases, opened blinded eyes, and put bones back in their proper places. Then He gave us the ultimate gift, His life. Jesus died on that cold, cruel tree and He shed His blood that we, as sinners, might have life. Jesus willingly gave us the ultimate gift of love.

There is a story about a man who was walking down the street.
He passed a used-book store, and in the window he saw a book with the title How to Hug.
He was taken by the title and, being of a somewhat romantic nature, went in to buy the book.
To his chagrin, he discovered that it was the seventh volume of an encyclopedia and covered the subjects �how� to �hug.�
Everyone knows that the church is a place where love ought to be manifested, and many people have come to church hoping to find a demonstration of love�only to discover an encyclopedia on theology.

What kind of church do you attend? Is it a place where folks can find a demonstration of love? Or is it only an encyclopedia on theology? Or is it filled with people who only care about themselves? Can people see and experience demonstrations of God�s love? Folks need to see our love! If we only come to church in order for people to love us, then we�ve got some problems with our church. There are admittedly times when we just don�t feel like loving others, but if those times are more often than not, then we�ve got some problems. Folks do need to hear the facts of the Bible, but they also need to feel the love Christ!

The Apostle Paul has three final things to say of Christian love.

1. Love never fails. When all the things in which men glory have passed away, love will still stand. The Song of Solomon 8:7 says "Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash it away." The one unconquerable thing is love.

2. Love perfects us. Love makes us complete. (I John 4:12-18) Love matures us, it allows us to see ourselves as we truly are and God for who He truly is. Love grows us: it keeps us from acting like children only concerned for our own desires. It is a process which will not be complete until Christ�s return.

3. Love is supreme. Great as faith and hope are, love is still greater. Faith without love is cold, and hope without love is grim. Love is the fire which kindles faith and it is the light which turns hope into certainty.

Paul has shown us that folks feel the love of Christ through other Christians.
The Corinthians did not understand love�do we?

[Top]

HAVING SPIRITUAL POWER

IN YOUR LIFE

By Sister Angela Dobbins

(Outline only)

Intro: Everyone can have Spiritual Power in your life... it comes through Jesus Christ!

Power to:

1. believe in �who� God created you to be

2. overcome obstacles and hardship, as well as sin in your life

3. recognize opportunities to allow God to work in your life--in you and through you in order to touch the lives of others

4. seize those opportunities and keep going even when Satan and the world is pulling you back

5. have peace and contentment in knowing you�re in the will of God and fulfillment from being obedient to Him

Let�s just look at Christ�s example of power--

1. Matthew 9- Jesus is healing people and answering questions of the scribes and Pharisees...

a. Matt. 9: 20-22 Jesus heals the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48

b. Luke 12-17 Jesus fed the 5000

c. Luke 38-42 Jesus cast out devil from young boy

d. Matt. 10:1 Jesus gave these gifts to His disciples

How can we have a portion of His power today?

5 Key Ingredients from the acronym POWER:

I. Potential- recognize our potential, believe in what God has created us to be

A. Acts 9: 3-6 Paul persecuted Christians-- threw them is prison. And he was probably the greatest evangelist who ever lived, next to our Lord Jesus Christ

B. I Samuel 17:12 David was but a shepherd boy who tended his father�s sheep, but he defeated Goliath with a sling and five smooth stones and became a great king because he had God�s power in his life

C. Ex 3:9-11, 4:1-7 Moses was not eloquent and slow of speech; he had killed a man in Egypt and had fled that country to escape the law, but God chose him to lead the children of Isreal out of bondage

D. We must recognize our own potential-- Rom. 12, I Chor. 12

II. Opportunity- seize the opportunities God has given us

A. A window of opportunity only stays open so long...

1. Priorities- Col. 3:16,17 �do all in the name of Christ�

2. Ps. 63:1- �search for God...�

3. Ps. 1:3 - �success through meditating in the law of the Lord"

B. We allow opportunities to pass us by & then we regret...how many times could we have spoken a word to someone, reached out to lend a hand, followed after the Holy Spirit�s leading us to do something?

III. Wisdom- 2 Types (James 1:5, James 3:14-18)

A. Wisdom from God- wisdom and understanding are evident by example of

1. A Godly life

2. Deeds done in humility that comes from seeking God and having His wisdom

3. Purity

4. Peace-loving nature

5. Consideration for others

6. Submissive will

7. Having mercy & the fruits of the spirit

8. Showing sincerity & impartiality

B. Knowledge as a �false type of wisdom� comes from Satan

1. Stems from bitter envy and self-ambition

2. Boastful, denying the truth

3. Earthly, non-spiritual and leads to disorder and every evil practice

C. Jesus, when tempted by Satan, showed wisdom (Matt. 4:1-11)

D. How to have it (James 1:5)

IV. Enthusiasm- great men and women of God have enthusiasm toward His work

A. Not lax in doing good

1. Romans 15;13-19 Example: Paul writes to the Romans- Paul was diligent and fervernt in word and deed

2. David slayed Goliath with enthusiasm; he wasn�t afraid or shy; he didn�t hesitate and with zeal he defeated the giant and the Philistine army

3. Col. 3:16... We are moved by leaders who show excitement and enthusiasm

4. Rev. 3:14 The church at Leodicea was luke-warm, not hot or cold, and God said He would spew them out of His mouth...think of Christian individuals whether leaders or mentors who have influenced and motivated you...look at the life of Christ, the apostles, John the Baptist, Paul, etc.

5. Joyfulness=enthusiasm- Ps. 5:11; 16:11; 35:27; Hab. 3:18;

Is. 61:10; Ecc. 2:26...�wisdom, knowledge & joy�; Prov. 12:20- �counselors of peace=joy�

6. Diligence- Prov. 12:24; Prov. 13:4; Acts 18:25; I Tim. 5:10; Heb. 11:6; I Pet. 1:10

V. Reverence: toward God and others, humility

A. reverence= �feeling of profound awe and respect and often love; to show respect�

B. humility= �meek and modest in attitude or spirit; not arrogant and prideful; submissive�

C. Examples of in the life of Christ

1. John 12:3- woman anointed Jesus� feet

2. Jn. 13:5-14- Jesus washed feet of disciples

3. Jesus' life as depicted in the Gospels was a demonstration in humility and reverence for the Father and toward others. Jesus was truly a servant leader and realized that everything He was came from His Heavenly Father. He regularly sought the direction of the Father and revered Him as the One True God, Creator of all and Giver of everything that is good.

[Top]

Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan

A commentary from BibleTexts.com

TEXTS

Luk 10:30-35 [+ 25-29, 36-37]

[25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"]

30 Jesus replied, �A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, �Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.�

[36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."]

REFERENCES

Luk 10:27 - love your neighbor as yourself

To explore additional references in the Bible and other writings, browse "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" at http://www.bibletexts.com/topics/l.htm#love-neighbor.

Luk 10:31,32

No 8:19-28 ["pass by"]

Luk 10:37

My 149:3

COMMENTARY

Luk 10:30-35 - Samaritan hero - a shocking story to Jesus' Jewish audience

See Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus (by Bernard Brandon Scott), pages 189-202.

The Samaritan is a mortal enemy, not the model of good comportment... What commentators have failed to notice is that the Israelite is excluded from being the parable's hero. To remain in the story the hearer cannot play hero but must become a victim... The hearer's only possible course is to identify with the half-dead and be saved by a mortal enemy... (pages 200,201)

As parable the story subverts the effort to order reality into the known hierarchy of priest, Levite, and Israelite. Utterly rejected is any notion that the kingdom can be marked off as religious: the map no longer has boundaries. The kingdom does not separate insiders and outsiders on the basis of religious categories. In the parable the Samaritan is not the enemy but the savior, and the hearer does not play hero but victim... Here the Samaritan is not converted. Gone is the apocalyptic vision of ultimate triumph over one's enemies. The world with its sure arrangement of insiders and outsiders is no longer an adequate model for predicting the kingdom. (pages 201,202)

See In Parables: The Challenge of the Historical Jesus (by John Dominic Crossan), pages 55-64,84.

See The Parables of Jesus: Red Letter Edition (by The Jesus Seminar), page 30,31.

Since there was a deep and longstanding hostility between Jews and Samaritans rooted in political and religious rivalry, a story with a Samaritan hero would have shocked a Jewish audience. The Samaritan breaks down social and ethnic barriers by serving as a friend and savior of the anonymous Jew who was waylaid on a dangerous road... (page 31)

See A Credible Jesus: Fragments of a Vision (by Robert W. Funk), pages 167-171, "The Samaritan."

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is commonly understood as an example story... I believe Jesus formulated it as a parable and specifically as a parable of grace... The listeners are simply incensed that Jesus would award the hero's role to the Samaritan... One thinks immediately of "love your enemies." ... The injunction would have to be turned around: "Let your enemies love you." In either form, the admonition is unthinkable in a tribal, honor/shame culture. Love was reserved for tribal members. Hate was the order of the day for aliens and members of other tribes. The story simply subverts the lived world of the peasants in Jesus' audience... (pages 167, 170, 171)

Scholars are sometimes asked why Jesus was killed. Very complex political, social, and theological answers have been given to this question, any or all of which have some degree of validity. But a simple rejoinder may be quite adequate: The parable of the Samaritan could easily have gotten Jesus killed. (page 171)

Luk 10:30-35 - Samaritan hero - a shocking story to Jesus' Jewish audience

To comprehend the shock this story would have produced to Jesus' Jewish audiences, BibleTexts.com invites you to consider any one of the following three scenarios:

1. You are a 1950's era white Anglo-Saxon protestant from Georgia . At a whites-only Sunday church service in Georgia, you are challenged by a guest preacher at the pulpit to answer the question, "Who is your neighbor?" This question came after he had just quoted the Old Testament (Lev 19:18) passage, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

The guest preacher then told you a story of a fellow-Georgian white guy who was traveling through Mississippi in 1952. This white Georgian was brutally beaten up inside a white bar he had visited for the first time. (In the bar he had been bragging about how Georgia Tech had beaten MSU in a recent football bowl game.) Even though the man appeared dead, the police were not called. The local preacher was in the bar at the time of the beating, but the guys who beat up the Georgian man were from the preacher's congregation and from prominent families, so he left immediately after the beating. A church deacon was there, too, but he also left immediately. Several of the guys in the bar carried the Georgian man out to a nearby black part of town to frame black folks for the supposed death.

Note: In the period between post-Civil-War Reconstruction and the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960's, it was not uncommon for blacks to be framed for a variety of violent crimes that actually were committed by whites. During that period many lynchings of innocent blacks were based upon completely fabricated allegations. Also during this period blacks also were systematically demonized by white racist groups (and even in a very popular, patriotic silent film), which were greatly influenced the American public and many politicians. Sadly men, women, and children in the racist group were portrayed in propaganda and political speeches as being true patriots and the heroic defenders of Christian values, which was the exact opposite of the truth. To explore authentic Christian values of the earliest Christians, see http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/genuine-christianity.htm.)

In the same way during the US conquest of what is now the American West, Native Americans often were demonized as savage heathens and falsely framed for violent crimes that actually had been committed or orchestrated by whites. Violent actions against Native Americans were also justified by the argument that the Native American's were obstacles to the development, expansion, and prosperity of the US.

An hour later a black man, who was coming home from working the evening shift at a local factory came upon the beaten-up white man and found that he was alive and now slightly conscious. No one in the black community had a phone to call a white doctor or white hospital, so the black man borrowed a neighbor's truck and carefully drove the man to the emergency room of a white hospital that was nearby, but not too close -- a hospital that he believed would also protect the man from the white men at the bar, whom he suspected had done the near fatal beating. At the hospital the black man offered to help the white man in any other way he could. The white man thanked the black man for saving his life.

The guest preacher at the pulpit then asks his white Georgian congregation, "Which of the three acted like a neighbor? The preacher, the deacon, or the black man?"

2. You are a contributor to and participant in the Conservative Family Values movement. You have come to a certain American city to attend a big Convervatives Family Values event announces, among other things, that the killing of US soldiers in Iraq is God's judgment against America's moral decay, especially tolerance of gays. (This description is based on an actual newspaper account.) On Sunday morning you happen to attend a nearby church before heading home. You are challenged by the guest preacher at the pulpit to answer the question, "Who is your neighbor?" This question came after the preacher had just quoted from Old Testament (Lev 19:18) passage, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

The guest preacher then tells you a story of another Convervatives for Family Values event attendee. He got lost while in that city. While walking through a run-down part of the city, he became ill, fell to the side-walk, and passed-out next to a homeless woman who was on top of a sidewalk grate, from which warm air was coming up to keep her -- and now both of them -- warm on that cold winter day. Soon another homeless man came by, took the man's watch and wallet, and swapped his own beat-up coat, hat, and shoes, for the man's very nice ones.

An hour later a small group of Conservative Family Values event people -- a preacher, a deacon, and some children -- also happen to be passing by there. They saw the unconscious man -- whom they thought was a homeless man sleeping next to his woman partner. As the woman began to stir, the preacher of the group spoke to the deacon and to the children saying what a sinful sight this was and how it illustrated the need for their Conservative Family Values movement. And they continued walking.

A few minutes later a well-dressed gay couple came by, arm-in-arm. They recognized the homeless woman, to whom they offered a bottle of water and a granola bar that one of the men had in a bag. When they tried to stir the man, they realized that he was ill and needed professional attention. He was barely conscious at first. The couple immediately dialed 911 to send for Emergency Medical Services. They took off their coats to cushion his head and to keep him warm until the EMS professionals arrived. The man thanked the gay couple as they told him to let them know if they could be of any further help.

The guest preacher at the pulpit then asks you, "Which of the three acted like a neighbor? The preacher, the deacon, or the gay couple?"

3. Soon after 9-11 you are enthusiastically attending a big evangelical event at a packed football stadium. A famous evangelical preacher has been blaming the 9-11attacks on the decline in moral values in America and also has been condemning Islam as an evil and violent religion and its adherents as under satanic control. (This description is based on an actual newspaper account.) On Sunday morning you happen to attend a nearby church service before heading home. You are are challenged by the guest preacher at the pulpit to answer the question, "Who is your neighbor?" This question came after he had quoted from Old Testament (Lev 19:18) passage, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

The guest preacher then told a story of another evangelical man -- a big man of Latino descent -- who was also in town to attend the same big evangelical event that you just attended. The night before the rally, after doing some shopping at a large suburban mall, when this man got to his car, he was harrassed and then beaten up badly by some local rednecks who had mistaken the Latino man for being of Middle Eastern descent -- like the hijackers on the 9-11 airliners. These redneck guys had been following the man at the mall and had even told two friends at the mall what they were planning. The two friends also had thought he was Middle Eastern. After the attackers left, the two friends -- one the son of a preacher and other the son of a deacon -- drove slowly past the scene where the man was lying motionless on the ground. Then they drove off.

In a few minutes an Iranian man -- a Muslim -- was driving with his family past the Latino man's car and the man's little daughter, speaking in her Persian language, pointed out the injured man to her father. The Iranian man stopped the car and went to the injured man's side. He put a blanket under the injured man's head and another blanket over him, while his wife used the family's cell-phone to call 911. The wife instructed a son to take a water bottle to the injured man, while they all waited for the EMS team to arrive.

After the EMS team had put the Latino man on a stretcher, he thanked the Iranian family for their kindness, as the father told him and the EMS people to let them know if they could be of any further help.

The guest preacher at the pulpit then asks you, "Which of the three acted like a neighbor? The preacher's son, the deacon's son, or the Islamic family?"

Copyright BibleTexts.com

[Top]