Devotinon - Thursday, Nov 8

Luke 10:25-37 contains the parable typically referred to as the Good Samaritan.  This parable is so popular that even those of no faith tradition will speak of being a "Good Samaritan."

The parable arises out of a challenge to Jesus.  "A lawyer stood up to put (Jesus) to the test, saying, 'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'"  This "lawyer" should not be confused with our understanding of a lawyer, one who works in courtrooms and such.  This lawyer would have been an expert on the religious laws of the day.  He was probably in one of the groups which opposed Jesus' words on the will of God. 

Jesus allows this lawyer to repeat for him the laws.  Jesus asks, "What is written in the law?"

"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."

The lawyer tries to justify himself, by asking "Who is my neighbor."  And Jesus tells the parable.

But there is one more line, in this exchange, which I would like to call to your attention.

When the lawyer gives his answer, Jesus says to him, "You have answered right; do this and you will live."  This morning, this is what stuck with me.  The lawyer asks what he must do to inherit eternal life.  When Jesus replies he omits the word "eternal."  Jesus speaks directly about living.

The preoccupation with eternal life sometimes encroaches on living.  When we become fixated on life after death we forth how important life is.  And, this comment from Jesus may suggest to us that to be truly alive is live as a Good Samaritan. 

One of the catch phrases of my young adult years was this:  "Don't be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good."

Eternal life begins when we start to live eternally.  Living eternally means to live in such a way as to link ourselves with the One who is eternal.  The path which leads to eternal life is a life lived well here, now.  This is reinforced for us in that when God sought to make salvation real he left behind the heaens in order to dwell among us.

Pastor Chris