Series: Luke
Sermon Title: The Good Samaritan-PERFECT LOVE.
Passage: Luke 10:25-37

Reno Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove

Carson Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove

Campus Announcements / Service Moments

Reno Campus

• Fall Kickoff volunteer team 
• Men’s Breakfast | Aug. 24th 
• Women’s Retreat | Sept 20-22

Carson Campus

• Fall Kickoff volunteer team 
• Men’s Breakfast | Aug. 24th 
• Women’s Retreat | Sept 20-22

 

Series: Luke
Sermon Title: The Good Samaritan-PERFECT LOVE.
Passage: Luke 10:25-37

The Good Samaritan-Perfect love. 

1. The expectation of perfect love explained.
2. The experience of perfect love prophesied.
   John 15:13
3. The example of perfect love empowered.
   Luke 10:36-37, Galatians 5:22

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Is love primarily a feeling or an action?
• Are there people or groups I tend to avoid or ignore because of prejudice? How can I start seeing them through the lens of the gospel and Christ’s love?
• How has my schedule or busyness prevented me from loving others well? What changes can I make to ensure that I prioritize loving others, even when it’s inconvenient?
• What should be our ultimate motivation to show love and mercy to others, especially people who are different from us or may have moral failings?
• The Samaritan and the Jews were enemies, but the Samaritan stopped to show mercy to the man.  How difficult is it to do good to those who mistreat you?
• How does understanding the cost of Jesus’ love to us inspire us to be generous with our love towards others?
• Read Matthew 5:44. How does the gospel transform the way we interact with those who are difficult to love?
• How can we cultivate a heart of compassion that reflects the heart of the ultimate Good Samaritan?
• How does the gospel redefine our purpose in life, particularly in how we serve others?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Verse 27 references the importance of loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength. What can we do if we don’t feel love for God, or a desire to spend time with Him?
• What fears hold me back from loving others boldly and generously? How can I trust in the gospel to give me the courage to overcome these fears?
• How does the gospel redefine our purpose in life, particularly in how we serve others?
• All the problems and needs of the world can seem overwhelming, but how is God calling you to help the people that He has put in your path?

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• John 15:13
• Colossians 3:12 
• Philippians 2:3-4 
• 2 Timothy 1:7

 

RESOURCES:

• ARTICLE | Don’t Ask Who Your Neighbor Is. Ask Who You Are | Matt Martens
• PODCAST | The Good Samaritan: On Love | Tim Keller 
• BOOK | Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just | Tim Keller
• PODCAST | Justice | The Bible Project

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO TRY: False Self

1. One of the saddest stories of false self and following Jesus is the story of Judas Iscariot. Many of us know the story on the surface, however, when you examine the potential struggles of Judas, it appears he struggles with a false self. The desires of his role, position, and expectations within the 12 disciples. This unresolved struggle triggered his betrayal. The takeaway is when we fail to resolve the areas of our false self, it will ultimately lead to a betrayal. A betrayal of self, and savior.   Often times our false self is tied both directly or indirectly to areas of sin strongholds in our lives. Rich Villodas says it this way in his book Deeply Formed Life, “Sin is a principle of captivity to a power that permeates and contaminates our human reality. Sin is the word Christians use to name not simply our failed acts but also our inner and outer captivity.” Ongoing self-evaluation and awareness leading to transformational spiritual living is key to breaking through false self living, into our true identity. Some of the internal links of false self bondage are areas like Shame, loneliness, Arrogance, Ambition, etc.  The inner foundational pieces are where all our decisions, attitudes, and behaviors originate.

   Ephesians 4, instructs us to put off our old self. This is the crux of False self-disciplines. In order for us to experience the life attached to Jesus in its fullest as He describes in John 10:10, we must allow the Holy Spirit to identify and shed areas that interfere with a real attachment to Christ. “Awakening to our sin initiates a stage in the spiritual life classically understood as purgation, in which God gradually strips us of more and more layers of our own sinfulness.” (Ruth Haley Barton. Sacred Rhythms)

   Most of us want an awareness of God. However, what we need in addition is awareness of ourselves.

   Again, Rich Villodas shares, “The way of interior examination is about deeply listening to ourselves. In order to do this, we need a theology of examination for the purpose of self-awareness.”

   This week I would like to encourage you to set aside some time to do self-reflection.

   Here are a few steps to begin with to initiate false self-recognition.

   1. Create time and space for solitude.
   2. Invite the Holy Spirit into the time and confess any distractions.
   3. Pray Psalm 139:23-24
   4. Search inside yourself and ask, what is false about my persona that I believe based on scripture. 
   5. Invite God to begin the removal of the belief, attitude, or action.
   6. Replace it with a truth from scripture.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

How often do you allow yourself to be interrupted? Do you leave time in your day, during tasks and responsibilities, and in the middle of your to-do list to welcome inconvenient requests or conversations? One of the most humbling ways to find out the answer to this is to be a stay-at-home mom. I never realized how much I idolized my own time, my own needs, and my own schedule as when I had helpless children yelling “mom!” 10,000 times a day. It showed me how selfish I was, and how much I needed the grace, patience, and help of the Holy Spirit to be renewed in me each day.

When we don’t allow space in our day-to-day to be interrupted by what God may have for us or need from us, we miss out on so much. Something as simple as a run-in at the grocery store with an old friend, or a coworker that needs help can turn into a God-ordained meeting that can change the entire course of the day, week, or even someone’s life. We see in Luke 10 the story of a Samaritan who stop and give aid to a man that even the priests walked by. The passers-by had many reasons to not stop and help. There could have been fear, hate, societal rules about the state of uncleanliness of the man, racism, busyness…but it was the one who had mercy on him, who stopped and took the time to care for him that was remembered for his mercy.

In a society that is burdened with busyness and schedules packed to the fullest, with hatred for differences and the utmost importance of one’s own needs and protecting peace, it is essential that we don’t lose the wonder that comes with letting God interrupt us for His agenda. I did an experiment once, where whenever I was thinking about someone that I had a relatively close relationship with, I called them or text them on the spot. I told them directly that I was thinking about them and thought I’d give them a call. It forced me to stop what I was doing and allow time for connection and relationship, it made them feel seen and loved, and it allowed for amazing conversation.

I would challenge you this week to invite the Holy Spirit into your schedule. Ask Him to make you interruptible, and to bring moments and people in your path that need something from the Lord or from you. You will be surprised how encouraged you feel!

Emma Menesini Women’s Ministry Director

 

ROB HANS | SPIRITUAL FORMATION PASTOR