Who is my neighbour?
Luke’s gospel records this interaction between an expert in the law and Jesus,
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered: “ ‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37.
We here in Canada and the United States live in a time when it seems everyone wants to come here. The amount of asylum seekers and refugees on the southern border of the United States has caused a lot of controversy. The same is true to a lesser degree in Canada.
Many calling themselves Christians in both countries say there should be more control. That those seeking asylum or refugee status needs at the very least to be slowed if not stopped.
When I hear such a thing I as a Christian cringe. While I know there has to be controls on people entering Canada and the United States for the sake of security. Christians have to ask themselves am I reacting correctly toward those refugees most of whom are law abiding people just trying to escape a bad situation.
As a baby Jesus was a political refugee. He had to flee to Egypt. Matthew’s gospel records,
“When they had gone,(the Magi) an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son. Matthew 2:13-15.
Think about it what would have happened if Mary, Joseph and Jesus were not allowed to enter Egypt and sent back to areas under Herod’s control?
As Christians we need to put people first.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.
I agree to ensure the safety of any nation immigration in all its forms need to controlled. That being said we as Christians. Believers in Christ Jesus need to be doing what we can to help those who come to the borders of our nations.
We need to act as the good Samaritan did in the parable of Jesus I quoted above.
We should not be shunning them. We should not be seeing them all as bad, for by far the
the majority are not. They are individual souls in need of the love of Christ. A mission field coming to our doorstep.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
When you hear and see those refugees and asylum seekers on the borders of our nation do you show compassion and mercy?
Please think about it.
Luke’s gospel records this interaction between an expert in the law and Jesus,
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered: “ ‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37.
We here in Canada and the United States live in a time when it seems everyone wants to come here. The amount of asylum seekers and refugees on the southern border of the United States has caused a lot of controversy. The same is true to a lesser degree in Canada.
Many calling themselves Christians in both countries say there should be more control. That those seeking asylum or refugee status needs at the very least to be slowed if not stopped.
When I hear such a thing I as a Christian cringe. While I know there has to be controls on people entering Canada and the United States for the sake of security. Christians have to ask themselves am I reacting correctly toward those refugees most of whom are law abiding people just trying to escape a bad situation.
As a baby Jesus was a political refugee. He had to flee to Egypt. Matthew’s gospel records,
“When they had gone,(the Magi) an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son. Matthew 2:13-15.
Think about it what would have happened if Mary, Joseph and Jesus were not allowed to enter Egypt and sent back to areas under Herod’s control?
As Christians we need to put people first.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.
I agree to ensure the safety of any nation immigration in all its forms need to controlled. That being said we as Christians. Believers in Christ Jesus need to be doing what we can to help those who come to the borders of our nations.
We need to act as the good Samaritan did in the parable of Jesus I quoted above.
We should not be shunning them. We should not be seeing them all as bad, for by far the
the majority are not. They are individual souls in need of the love of Christ. A mission field coming to our doorstep.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
When you hear and see those refugees and asylum seekers on the borders of our nation do you show compassion and mercy?
Please think about it.
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