Luke 10:38–42

Luke 10:38-42 

English Standard Version 

  When we read this story, we have to remember that it's not meant to discourage us from serving.  Martha's serving is fine -- hospitality was vital in their culture.  The drawback is that she is distracted.  She is anxious.  She is so caught up in the tasks that she is missing the larger picture of who and why she is serving.  Her tasks have become overwhelming her and she is exhausted.

  When we focus on Jesus first, our fears should diminish.  We worry less about being unprepared and unqualified.  We worry less about appearing unworthy.  We realize that in Christ, we are enough, and that helps us find rest, even in the midst of busy-ness and numerous tasks.  We find ways to be with Jesus, to trust in Christ, even while we serve. 

Luke 10:33–37

Luke 10:33-37 

English Standard Version 

  Imagine the most despised person in society and making them the hero of the story.  That's what Jesus does -- no one would have expected a Samaritan to be the hero here.  For a priest and a Levite to pass the wounded man by and the Samaritan to show compassion is intended to shock the audience -- because Jesus wants to shock us.  Jesus wants us to step back from labels and think about acts of love and limits of love.  He wants us to realize that God thinks about love differently than we do.  God doesn't shy away from costly love.  Realize what this Samaritan does -- for a complete stranger, he not only inconveniences himself, but also writes a blank check so that this man can be healed.  He incurs great cost to himself for the sake of another.

  The idea is that we realize that we are the ones who are wounded.  We are the ones who need a Savior, and thankfully, Jesus is the one who comes with a willingness to incur costly love.  Jesus doesn't count the cost, but is willing to write a blank check, up to and including at the cost of his life, so that we might be healed.  Jesus shows us mercy.  

  If we hear this story enough, and let it marinate into our hearts, we are amazed at the love of God.  The more we do this, then it shapes us into a certain type of people.  We become the type of people we expand the limits on our own love, because we are busy giving thanks for the love of God that has expanded to include us when we are broken.

Luke 10:29–32

Luke 10:29-32

English Standard Version 

  The young lawyer here reveals the goal of his efforts.  He doesn't want or feel like he needs Jesus to justify him.  He wants to justify himself, that Jesus would be amazed at his logic or his wisdom.  

  Jesus, though, hasn't come so that we might make good efforts at justifying ourselves.  Jesus has come so that we might understand our brokenness and allow ourselves to be justified by God.  To that end, he pushes, gently, on the young lawyer's idea that love has boundaries or lawyers.  

  Jesus tells a story about a man who is left for dead by robbers.  A priest and a Levite come upon him, and they pass him by.  We don't know the reasons they did -- there are likely plenty.  Did they love the man like they loved themselves?  It's hard for us to know the limits of our own actions.  Where do we draw the lines?  We always do somewhere.  Jesus is trying to teach us that God doesn't draw a line.  There's no limits to God's love.  We can't justify ourselves -- the good news of the Gospel is that we don't have to.  

Sports, Disappointment, and the Gospel