Big Idea: The Gospel calls us to a life above labels. Two questions: What does it look like to be a neighbor? Who is my neighbor? Luke 10:25–28 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And 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 answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” Luke 10:29 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” We have a natural tendency to limit the scope of those we consider our neighbor. Luke 10:30–32 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, 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. We can know the right thing to do and still not do it. Luke 10:33 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. What does it look like to be a neighbor? Being a neighbor is lived out by compassion and love to those in need. Love, not knowledge, is the key to being a neighbor. A true neighbor is one who is willing to look past the differences that divide and love others without prejudice. Who is my neighbor? My neighbor is the one with a need right in front of me. Luke 10:34–35 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Love does! Luke 10:36–37 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Wherever people need us, there we can be neighbors.