Our life is made up of choices. Pastor Alex shared with us this morning that a human adult makes 35,000 choices each day! Every choice we make has consequences. One of the most important choices we have is whether or not to love our neighbor.

Jesus addresses this choice in speaking with an “attorney” in the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. Another word for attorney in the day was “scribe”; one who new the Old Testament extremely well. He had a lot of head knowledge. After a little conversation, the scribe asks, “Who is my neighbor”, to which Jesus replies with a parable. Basically, the scribe is asking, “Who do I NOT have to love…”? Jesus, through a masterful story, helps the scribe to see that we are to love our “NEAR-BOR”. Anyone near us is our neighbor.

Information isn’t the answer. The priest and the Levite in the story should have “gotten it”, but did not. The samaritan had compassion…”feeling with”. He saw the need and engaged the need. In verses 34-35, we see action: went, bound, poured, set, brought, took, took, gave, said, repay. That is a lot more than head knowledge!

1. How are you going to keep the Great Commandment of “loving people” in the front of your mind and not let the emphasis fade now that the sermon series is over?

2. Do you have routines in your day? What song gets you motivated? Play that song each day this week as you commit your day to Him.

3. You will have a great opportunity to love a lot of “NEARbors” this week with family in friends in town. How will you practically love and serve them over a week of Thankfulness?