Choice Crisis: Life’s Cross-roads

Four Common Principles

Lk 10:30-37
 Background
• An expert in religious law tested Jesus
• “Man’s wisdom is his foolishness Rom” 1:22
• No wonder the ignorant seeks to test:
• The All-Knowing and Wise God
- By building a dam you claim to be wiser
- By harnessing His water using His material
 Should have Asked Job (38-39)

• Who darkens God’s counsel with words

without knowledge? Job 38:1
• “Who laid the earth’s footings ….” v6
• “Who shuts up the sea behind doors ….” v8
• “Has gates of death been shown to you?” v17
• “Does an eagle soar at your command … with
eyes detecting from afar? Job 39:27, 29
 His Noble Question
• Enquired about inheriting eternal life v25
• Jesus referred him to the “Law of Moses” v26
• Jesus’ answered from what he knew v27
• Told him to practice what he knew v28
 Lawyer’s Question v29
• “Who is my neighbor?”v29
• Meant to justify his position
• God-man and man-man relationship
• Referring to vertical/horizontal relationship
• Vertical informs the horizontal relation
• Four principles embedded in this parable
 Life Philosophies
• Life is a risk - victim
• Yours is mine - thieves
• Mine is mine – priest/Levite
• Mine is yours - Samaritan
 Life is a Risky - Victim (v30)
• Whatever is risky is terminal – Eccl 9:10
• As such better avoid:
- Careless living
- Eating carelessly (anything, any time)
- Walking carelessly (from Jerusalem to Jericho)
- Relating carelessly
 Yours is Mine – Thugs v30
• Can take it away from you violently
• Even at the cost of your life
• “God’s law, the standard of righteousness
having been removed …. Men shrank from no
crime by which he could gain wealth or
position” GC 60
• Thus store your treasures in heaven - Mat 6:20
• Where there are no moths, rust or thieves
 Mine is Mine: Priest-Levite v31f
• Both the priest and Levite passed by
• Unable to share their possession
• Time, money, food, clothes
• Were issue/material-focused
• Not mission & people-focused
• Not ashamed of self-centered gospel
Mine is Yours: the Samaritan vv33f
• Principle that readily volunteers to share
• Not issue but people-focused principle
• Acknowledged that all belong to God
• Including time, energy, body and wealth
• Regardless of background, status or gender
• Life must be valued above my possessions
 Bartering Integrity
• Multitude barter their integrity, and
capabilities for usefulness
 Appeal
• Faithfulness in tithes/offerings – a way of
revival & reformation Mal 3:6-8
• Be responsible and care for life
• Stop risking life with earthly things
• Stop taking what is not yours
• Stop being selfish
• Learn to be selfless