The midland journal., 1945-10-05

thy mind; ana thy neighDor as tnysen.-
Luke 1927.
"What shall I do?" The question
of the lawyer In our lesson is
query which is on the lips or in the
minds of millions of men and wom-
en- each day. They want to do right
and want to be right, but their
lives lack the direction which only
faith in God can give them.
Never does the question 60 more
deeply than when 1t concerns mans
eternal welfare, as it does in our
lesson. Always that question in-
dicates that man is not able to de-
eide for himself, and needs the guild
ance of someone greater and wiser
than he. This should lead us back
to God, for only He can fully answer
it.
The story Of the Good Samaritan
| tell us what we must do to show our
love for God and man, and gives a
demonstration of how it is to be
done.
I. What to Do (vv. 25-28).
The lawyer "a student of the law
of Moses, and hence a theologian
! rather than an attorney was pos
ing a question to try to entrap Jesus.
He was apparently not much con-
cerned about eternal life and as
sumed that it could be obtained by
doing something.
We know that eternal life is gift
(John 1:12; Rom. 6:23), but if the
man wanted to have it by doing,
Jesus was ready to meet him. In
response to Jesus question ". 26),
the lawyer gave Him what the Jews
regarded as the summary of the
whole law.
The man who can perfectly keep
that law will have eternal life, de-
clares Jesus. But note that you must
do it, not just talk about it. And
you must keep the whole law, "for
| whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet stumble in one point, he is
become guilty of all'' James 2:10,
R.V.;: see also Gal. 3:10).
Observe that the commandment,
so highly commended by our Lord,
concerns a true love for God which
shows in an active love for ones
fellowman. @b
Love is the only thing that can
save our bruised and bleeding
world. How sad it is that in such
an hour of need there is so little
said in the church about love and
it is practiced even less. It is the
forgotten fundamental of all the
fundamentals of faith! Let us begin
to preach it and practice it!
III. How to Do 1t (vv. 29-37).
It is one thing to realize that one
ought to do thing; it is quite an
other thing to do it. Here we have
what may have been an actual Incl
dent given by our Lord as an object
lesson of the right and the wrong
attitude toward q fellowman in
need.
/. The Wrong Attitude tvv. 29-32).
The lawyers effort to justify him.
self by diverting attention to the
word "neighbor," which he felt
needed definition, showed that he
could not do the thing expected of
him. l a5
The reason for mans failure lies
primarily in his own weakness
and inability to do what God re-
quires, but is also revealed in his
pitiable and futile efforts to justify
himself. 1
The one who seeing his sinfulness
and his utter inability to keep Gods
law casts himself on the Lord is
ready to receive the gift of eternal
life. But the one who tries to defend
his position and justify himself has
shut the door on Gods grace and
mercy tsee Luke 18:9-14).
The parable of the Good Samar-
itan answers fully and finally the
question, "Who is my neighbour"
by making it clear that anyone
who is in need, regardless Of race,
social position, condition or re-
ligion, is our neighbor.
The priest and the Levite doubt
less had plenty of excuses for not
helping the wounded man, but let US
remember that excuses, while they
may count with men, mean only our
condemnation in the presence Of
God.
2. The Right Spirit.
It was the spirit Of Christ that
made the Samaritan show a COM
passionate and sacrificial interest in
the needy man. Only Christ can
make you and me like that. His
love in the heart is the only "good
neighbor program" that will ever
work.
Statesmen, philosophers - yes,
and the man in the street OF our
day are looking hither and yon
for an answer to the worlds need.
They all sense that we must have
something great, and tender, and
powerful to unite the hearts of men,
or we shall soon be in conflict
again. The next time we may well
write civilization off the globe. What
In the anewer2 Tnvet First q raal