Luke 10:25-37
Series Memory Verse: “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” Luke 6:36 (p.786)
- We Bring Hope To Our Communities.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (p.868)
- Choose compassion over indifference.
“Jesus replied with a story: ‘A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits… By chance, a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.’” Luke 10:30-32 (p.792)
“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (p.823)
- Identify needs.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.” Luke 10:33-34 (p.792)
“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?” 1 John 3:17 (p.942)
- Step up and take action.
“The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ ‘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 (p.792)
“Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” James 2:26 (p.931)
My Next Step This Week:
_____ I will identify one person who needs compassion and step up to serve them.
Small Group Discussion
One Thing: We Bring Hope To Our Communities.
Key Verse: “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” Luke 6:36
Bible References: Luke 10:25-37
CONVERSATION STARTER
// Was there ever a time that you needed help? What about a time when you saw someone else needed help? What was the situation and what did it feel like to give or receive that help?
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
By the time Jesus had given the parable of the Good Samaritan, there had been almost a thousand years of bad blood between the Jews and Samaritans. Israel was only a united nation under three kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. After Solomon’s reign, Israel became a divided kingdom, the Northern kingdom remained “Israel” and the southern kingdom became “Judah.” Israel was conquered and taken into exile by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., while Judah was conquered by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. These two “kingdoms” blamed their exile on each other and not their own unfaithfulness. These were brother tribes and all part of the same family, yet hatred for the opposite brother nation was endorsed for centuries before Jesus. This meant that a Samaritan, the Jew’s biggest enemy, doing the right thing would have been radical and revolutionary.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
// Read Luke 10:30-32 (p.792). Choose compassion over indifference.
- What is the difference between compassion and indifference?
- Have you ever experienced compassion in a time of need? Have you ever needed compassion from someone but received indifference?
// Read Jeremiah 29:11 (p.596). There is hope found in God and He desires us to prosper.
- What does it mean to have this type of hope?
- How can we bring this type of hope to our communities?
// Read Luke 10:33-35 (p.792). Identify needs. We can choose to help those in need and love them as their neighbor, just like our Father.
- What does it take to identify other’s needs?
- How can we choose to love others? Is there someone in need that you can help?
// Read 1 John 3:17 (p.942). God’s love should show up in our actions.
- How are compassion and love similar?
- How can God’s love cause you to show compassion to others?
// Read Luke 10:36-37 (p.792). Step up and take action.
- Is there someone who you can be a neighbor to right now?
- How can we show compassion to those in our community and bring them hope?
NEXT STEP
_____ I will identify one person who needs compassion and step up to serve them.
DIGGING DEEPER
Read Romans 12:12 (p.866). Jesus wants you to not focus on the cost of compassion. We have to rejoice in confidence in our hope found in Jesus and share that transformation with others.
Romans 15:4 (p.868), Proverbs 23:18 (p.497), 1 Timothy 4:10 (p.911), Romans 8:18 (p.862)