The One Who Shows Mercy
Click here to listen to this sermon. “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise ” (Luke 10:36–37). Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! The man who comes to “test” Jesus is an expert in religious law. Our text calls him a “lawyer,” but the Gospels more often identify such people as “scribes.” These men are often depicted as hostile toward Jesus and acting in league with the Pharisees. Typically, they let it be known that they considered Jesus’ observance of the Law to be deficient. In contrast to the majority of scribes in the Gospel accounts, however, this one shows no overt antagonism toward Jesus. Still, with his opening question, you sense there is going to be more than a little tension. “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” he asks. What does anyone ever do to get an inheritance?...