“‘Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked.

The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’

Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.’” (Luke 10:36–37 NLT)

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In our last devotion, we looked at one role of ministry that’s key to personal revival: being an ambassador for Christ. Today, we’re going to look at a second role of ministry, also from Luke 10: being a neighbor like Jesus.

The great evangelist D. L. Moody once attended a conference on reaching the lost world. Soon, however, he grew frustrated with the proceedings because nothing was being accomplished. None of the attendees had come up with any viable strategies for reaching the lost. Moody, a man of action, decided to make a point. He instructed his song leader, Ira Sankey, to meet him at a certain street corner at 6 PM.

At the appointed time, Moody placed a little box on the sidewalk and said to Sankey, “Get up there and start singing.”

Sankey had an incredible voice, and soon a crowd gathered to listen to him. When he finished, Moody preached for a few moments. Then he said to the crowd, “I want you to go with me down to the civic auditorium, and I am going to tell you more.” The civic auditorium was where the conference was being held.

The conference attendees had left for dinner. Moody led the crowd into the auditorium and started preaching. The place was full. When the attendees returned, Moody stopped preaching and said, “We have to close our meeting because our brothers are here at the conference to talk about how to reach the masses. So let’s all go.” He made his point. You guys can talk about it all day long, but this is how you do it.

Moody’s emphasis on “doing” echoed Jesus’ message in the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10. In the parable, a Jewish man is robbed, beaten, and left for dead beside a road. Three travelers encounter the severely injured man. The first is a priest, probably coming from the temple. The second is a temple assistant. Both are well-respected in the religious community. Neither lift a finger to help.

The third man is a Samaritan. In Jesus’ day, Jewish people hated Samaritans. They considered Samaritans to be a racially impure and inferior people. Yet it’s the Samaritan who stops to help the man. Not just to offer his thoughts and prayers, but to tend to his wounds, transport him to a nearby inn, and pay for weeks of care.

Jesus concluded the parable with a pointed question: “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” (Luke 10:36 NLT). The answer is obvious, of course, but the lesson is lost on many people today.

Being a neighbor like Jesus has nothing to do with geographic or social common ground. It has everything to do with getting involved in the lives of other people, meeting their needs, and showing them grace and mercy. Being a neighbor like Jesus means sacrificing our time, energy, and financial resources for the sake of others. Your neighborhood is as large as you choose to make it.

 

Reflection question: What would being a neighbor like Jesus look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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&ldquo;&lsquo;Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?&rsquo;&nbsp;Jesus asked.
The man replied, &lsquo;The one who showed him mercy.&rsquo;
Then Jesus said, &lsquo;Yes, now go and do the same.&rsquo;&rdquo; (Luke 10:36&ndash;37 NLT)
*Enjoying Pastor Greg's devotional podcast? Let us know what you think with this <a href="https://form.typeform.com/to/Yk4TMdy7">quick survey</a>!*
In our last devotion, we looked at one role of ministry that&rsquo;s key to personal revival: being an ambassador for Christ. Today, we&rsquo;re going to look at a second role of ministry, also from Luke 10: being a neighbor like Jesus.
The great evangelist D. L. Moody once attended a conference on reaching the lost world. Soon, however, he grew frustrated with the proceedings because nothing was being accomplished. None of the attendees had come up with any viable strategies for reaching the lost. Moody, a man of action, decided to make a point. He instructed his song leader, Ira Sankey, to meet him at a certain street corner at 6 PM.
At the appointed time, Moody placed a little box on the sidewalk and said to Sankey, &ldquo;Get up there and start singing.&rdquo;
Sankey had an incredible voice, and soon a crowd gathered to listen to him. When he finished, Moody preached for a few moments. Then he said to the crowd, &ldquo;I want you to go with me down to the civic auditorium, and I am going to tell you more.&rdquo; The civic auditorium was where the conference was being held.
The conference attendees had left for dinner. Moody led the crowd into the auditorium and started preaching. The place was full. When the attendees returned, Moody stopped preaching and said, &ldquo;We have to close our meeting because our brothers are here at the conference to talk about how to reach the masses. So let&rsquo;s all go.&rdquo; He made his point. You guys can talk about it all day long, but this is how you do it.
Moody&rsquo;s emphasis on &ldquo;doing&rdquo; echoed Jesus&rsquo; message in the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10. In the parable, a Jewish man is robbed, beaten, and left for dead beside a road. Three travelers encounter the severely injured man. The first is a priest, probably coming from the temple. The second is a temple assistant. Both are well-respected in the religious community. Neither lift a finger to help.
The third man is a Samaritan. In Jesus&rsquo; day, Jewish people hated Samaritans. They considered Samaritans to be a racially impure and inferior people. Yet it&rsquo;s the Samaritan who stops to help the man. Not just to offer his thoughts and prayers, but to tend to his wounds, transport him to a nearby inn, and pay for weeks of care.
Jesus concluded the parable with a pointed question: &ldquo;Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?&rdquo; (Luke 10:36 NLT). The answer is obvious, of course, but the lesson is lost on many people today.
Being a neighbor like Jesus has nothing to do with geographic or social common ground. It has everything to do with getting involved in the lives of other people, meeting their needs, and showing them grace and mercy. Being a neighbor like Jesus means sacrificing our time, energy, and financial resources for the sake of others. Your neighborhood is as large as you choose to make it.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What would being a neighbor like Jesus look like in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Jesus calls us to follow the example of the good Samaritan by sacrificing our time, energy, and resources to help people in need.