Inherit Eternal Life (Luke 10:25-37)

30 April 2017
Pastor Art Brammer, Tay Street Baptist Church
http://www.taystreetbaptist.org.nz

I. The first question: Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal

life? (v. 25-28).
A. The background of the one who asked: he was a lawyer, an
expert in the Mosaic Law.
B. The motivation for the question: he was testing Jesus, as an
examiner above the teacher.
C. The concern of the question: he was asking how to inherit
eternal life.
You have to be a part of the family to have the rights to the
possessions of the family.
D. The common thinking of the Jews: you have to do something to
gain eternal life (in contrast to Ephesians 2:8-9).
E. The answer Jesus gave: rather than allowing Himself to be tested
by the man, Jesus turned the test on him.
God promised the Jews life if they lived by His commandments
(Leviticus 18:5).

II. The second question: Who is my neighbor? (v. 29-37).

A. The motivation for the question: wanting to justify himself.
The man felt guilty for times that he had failed.
Jesus condemned him For his own understanding of Scripture.
B. The answer Jesus gave: the story of the Samaritan (v. 30-37).
C. Could this lawyer obtain eternal life by doing likewise? No.
D. Could this lawyer obtain eternal life by loving God supremely and
loving man sacrificially? In theory, yes. In practicality, no (Romans
3:20).

III. The unasked third question: Does God provides a way for
those who are less than perfect to have eternal life? Yes.