Point of Grace Worship 8.22.21 Sermon Notes – Parables of the Kingdom – “Graced, Mercied and Jesused”
Parable – A small past-time narrative that Jesus tells in order to communicate a deeper meaning. They “hide” before they “reveal” making the listener think, consider, question etc.
The Kingdom of Heaven (God) is what God is doing to reestablish His reign in creation through Jesus.
As a follower of Jesus I am called to be a “contender for His kingdom (reign)” …… but what does that look like?
Luke 10 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Round 1 – “an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus” Q1 – Lawyer, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Q2 – Jesus, “What is written in the Law?” Q2 Answer – Lawyer, “‘Love the Lord your God …; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Q1 Answer – Jesus, “Do this and you will live.”
Round 2 – “But he (the lawyer) wanted to justify himself” Q3 – Lawyer, “And who is my neighbor?” Q4 – Jesus, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho … … Which of these three do you think became a neighbor?” Q4 Answer – Lawyer, “The one who had mercy on him.” Q3 Answer – Jesus, “Go and (continue) do(ing) likewise.”
The Lawyer has been “Jesus’d”!
- Jesus resets the lawyer’s God paradigm from “lists” to “love”!
- Jesus’ parable reframes the lawyer’s “Who is the neighbor I am supposed to love?” to “Who is the neighbor I am supposed to be?” The Lawyer thinks he needs correct information for right living, but Jesus knows his greatest need is transformation for right becoming.
- The Jesus’d lawyer is left thinking … …? Who am I in the story? Who do I want to be? Who is Jesus?
The merciful have been mercied and need it!
The gracious have been graced and need it!
Prayer of the Week
My dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You now to be restored in You, to be renewed in You to receive Your love and Your life and all the GRACE and MERCY I so desperately need this day. Jesus, I do need your grace and your mercy this day – everyday. I do not ask thinking I don’t have grace and mercy from You – my asking is the cry of an open receiving heart. Thank you for Your immense and intense love for me which shows up as unmerited favor (grace) and rescue from what I justly deserve (mercy). Thank you for loving me so very well – I rest in your love and ask you to bring to mind specific ways you have loved me with grace and loved me with mercy lately. (Spend a few moments letting the Spirit bring to mind times you have been “graced and mercy’d” recently. Take whatever time you need to engage with Jesus over what He is revealing.) Jesus, I repent of times when I act like I don’t need grace and mercy. It is sad to think I am prone to “self-justify” or blame or excuse especially when I need to be humble and open to mercy. I do this to You and I do this to others – I am so very sorry. I am excited that You are leading me to be not only a receiver of mercy and grace but a giver. I am fully equipped to be gracious and merciful to others because You have been gracious and merciful to me. I get to love others with an over the top, long term, leads to healing kind of love because that is how I am loved by you. I know I will be tempted to go the way of the Priest and Levite from the parable – having a righteous agenda which blinds me to opportunities for loving mercy and grace. Not today – I am a child of God, agent of my Father’s love, recipient of immense grace and unfathomable mercy, filled with the Holy Spirit, alive with resurrection Life – today I get to love others well with merciful words and actions. It is who I am in Christ! This is going to be an amazing day!
Amen
Resources for this Week
Here are some suggested readings for each day of this week. The Meditation Hints below may help you listen and receive all God has for you.
Mon – Luke 10:25-37 Tue – Luke 19:1-10 Wed – Luke 17:11-19 Thu – Luke 14:1-11 Fri – Micah 6:6-8 Sat - 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Meditation Hints:
Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”
Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.
Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.
Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved.