Go and DO likewise!

Reflecting on Luke 10:29-37

“Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)

Jesus reduces the God-pleasing life to this one simple rule.
Be a neighbour like this Samaritan, do what he did.
He did not need to change his religious perspectives.
He did not need to study the bible or go to church.
Just loving people like this was the key to life and living.
This is how we show love for God, by loving God’s children.
Even the ones that we would consider weak or wrong or wicked.

Studying the bible, and going to church can help us with this.
But these are not the point; they are meant to be supports.
The stories in the bible, especially the Jesus stories, teach us about love.
And being with other Jesus followers gives us encouragement and support.
Anyone committed to loving like this would gladly seek these aids.
But they are NOT the measure of a God-pleasing life.

In this parable, the Samaritan practices Jesus-like love.
He loves those who are His opponents, He sees them with mercy.
He sacrifices from His own wealth to bless and help the needy.
He associates with the unclean (dying, religious opponent).
He risks being ridiculed or even ostracized by his own people.
Jesus-like love is God-like love; this is how God loves us.

“Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35–36)

How do we find a God-pleasing church?
I was raised as a Christian to look for three things:
* Pure preaching of the gospel
* Proper administration of the sacraments
* Practice of church discipline
I now reject these things, because they do not reflect God’s heart.
These can be aids, but they are not the priorities.
If love is not pursued first, these things are just noise (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Some have called ‘loving your neighbour’ mere social gospel.
I see it as the gospel, it is the good news of how God loves us.
We love (like this) because God first loves us (like this) (1 John 4:19).
If you want to find a community of God-pleasing Jesus followers, look for love.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

It is not enough to believe, we need to do likewise.
Maybe instead of being called believers, we should be called doers.
Not because we are earning salvation, but because we are saved.
The grace and mercy we have received is the grace and mercy that we share.
The more I know this God-like, Jesus-like love, the more I will show it.
When I understand and appreciate how much God loves me, I am moved to do it too.

Allow yourself to be comforted by this radical love.
Allow yourself to be convicted by this radical love.
Allow yourself to be compelled by this radical love.
When we do it, will change us, and how we live.
And other people will know that we follow Jesus.
Because they will sense His love, being done among and through us.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for leading me to a faith community of Jesus followers that prioritizes love. Help us to do more than talk about it, help us to both know and to show this radical love of Jesus. Help us to go and DO LIKEWISE!