Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1936-03-06
LnprOpsd n SUNDAY
Uniform c~Tr~~r
--LESSON =
BY REV. p. B. FITzwATER, d. D.,
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago.
q Western Newspaper Union.
JESUS AND THE LAWYER

LESSON TEXT-Luke 10:25-S7.
GOLDEN TEXT-Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all
thy strength, and with all thy mind I;
1927.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Jesus' Story Of
a Good Neighbor.
JUNIOR TOPIC Who Is Ny
Neighbor?
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-How to Be Good Neighbor.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Whose Neighbor Am I?
The subject "Jesus Teaches
Neighborliness," chosen by the les
son committee, deals only with one
side Of the question; namely, mans
duty to his fellow men; whereas,
his first duty Is to God.
l. How to Inherit Eternal Life
wv. 25-2S).
1. The lawyers question ". 25).
The term lawyer" here means
zone versed in religious law, the
Scriptures" not lawyer" In our
modern sense Of that term. 1t
more clearly corresponds to our
theological professor. The lawyers
object was to trip Jesus, to induce
him to take such a stand as would
weaken his influence as a teacher.
2. Jesus question ". 26). "What
Is written in the law?" He sent
him to the law, the field which was
familiar to him. Jesus thus robbed
him Of his own weapon. Though
Jesus knew the motive Of the law
yer, he did not evade his Ques-
ton.
3. The lawyers reply ". 27). He
made an intelligent answer, de-
claring that the entire content Of
the law was embraced In love to
God and man.
4. Jesus reply ". 2S). The
Straightforward answer went to
the heart Of the lawyer. Perfect
love to God and man is truly the
way Of life. No man has yet had
or can have such love. His sinful
condition precludes its possibility.
The lawyer keenly felt this thrust.
He was defeated on his own
ground and, therefore, convicted Of
guilt.
II. "Who 10 My Neighbour"
wv. 29-37).
1. The lawyers question ". 29).
"Who is my neighbor" This Ques-
ton reveals the insincerity Of the
lawyer. Christ's answer had reached
his conscience and now he seeks
to escape the difficulty by asking
a captious question. Lawyer-like,
he sought to escape the difficulty by
raising a question as to the mean
ing Of words.
2. Jesus answer wv. S0-37).
Jesus reply more than answered
the lawyers question. In the par
able Of the Good Samaritan he
makes clear who is neighbor, and
also what it means to be a neigh
Dor and what loving a neighbor
means. Christ's answer had a dou-
BILE meaning. He not only made
clear "Who is my neighbour" but
also that the lawyer was not play
ing the neighbor.
a. This destitute and wounded
man, left on the wayside by the
robbers, Is a man who needs q
neighbor. My neighbor, therefore,
Is the one who needs my help,
whether he lives next door, or on
the other side Of the world. Love
does not regard locality, national
ity, or blood relation. Those who
have the spirit Of Christ can see
their neighbors on every hand.
b. What being neighbor means.
Our supreme consideration should
not be, "Who is my neighbor" but
Whose neighbor am I?' To be a
nelghbor Is
~. To be on the lookout for
those in need Of help ". 33). Love,
is always on a journey. 1t is keen
to discern the needs Of those with
whom 1t is brought into contact.
(2). To have compassion on the
needy ". 33). Christ's compass
sion was aroused as he came into
contact with those who were suffer-
ing and in need. Those who are
Christlike will be likewise moved.
(3). To give to those in need
". 34). Love does not calculate
the cost Of its actions. Whenever