Proper Use Of The Law

Introduction

Wherever you’re joining us from this morning, I hope you’ll get your New Testament and go with me to the book of Luke. In Luke chapter 10. In fact, when you get to Luke chapter 10, and about verse 25, you can put a bookmark there or your finger there. We’ll be coming back to that text of Scripture from time to time this morning. We want to learn a lesson from the story that Jesus told in this text. A very familiar story, one of his most beloved parables. And that’s the story of the Good Samaritan. This was a Bible class this morning. I would open it up to the floor and ask you, what’s the lesson of the Good Samaritan? What teaching, what principle was Jesus trying to impart to both his disciples and to the one who came to him with the question that prompted the telling of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

And I’m sure someone would raise their hand and say, Well, the lesson of the story of the Good Samaritan is don’t be like that thief that beat the guy up and took his money. And we’d say, Yes, that’s a good lesson. Someone else would say, Don’t be like the priest and the Levite, who, although they saw this afflicted and battered man, they just walked right on by and did nothing to help him. And then surely someone else would shoot their hand up and say, the story, the lesson of the Good Samaritan is to be the Good Samaritan, to see the one in need, to actually stop. And lend a hand and lend your financial resources and care for somebody enough to stop and help them. And to which we probably say, you’re all three right.

Those are certainly three principles that we can learn that we’re not to live by the iron rule, which was the rule that the thief lived by. The iron rule says, what is yours is mine, and I’m going to take it. And neither should we live by what some have called the silver rule. That’s the rule that the priest and the Levite live by, and that is, what is mine is mine, and you can’t have it. But we understand one of the lessons, the lesson maybe of the Good Samaritan is to live by the golden rule. What is mine is yours, and you can have it. But this morning I’d like for us to look maybe a little differently at the story of the Good Samaritan. And while we understand that those three lessons are certainly lessons that we can draw from this parable, I believe there’s another lesson that Jesus was trying to teach the lawyer who came testing him.

And so let’s read again this story and see if there’s not also a lesson to be learned about how we approach the Word of God, of how we view and use the law of God. Read with me, please, in Luke chapter 10. We want to begin in verse 25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And he said to him, What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? So he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You have answered rightly, do this, and you will live.

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Then Jesus answered and said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. When he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds and pouring on oil and wine. And he set it on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day, when he departed, he took out two deneri and gave it to the innkeeper and said to him, take care of him. Whatever more you spend when I come again, I will repay you. So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, He who showed mercy on him.

Then Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise. I don’t want to diminish the principle that we need to be like that good Samaritan. We need to see people through eyes of compassion. We need to be willing to spend and be spent to help others. But having learned that lesson before, I want us to see what I think is another lesson, a valuable lesson that we can learn from this parable of the Good Samaritan. And I think what Jesus was trying to do is not just make this lawyer a man of compassion, but to get him to understand the proper use of the law of God.

1. Using the Law Just as a Mental Exercise

Who I think is exhibited by this lawyer who came testing Jesus and by many of the scribes and Pharisees who constantly came to Jesus, not with questions of sincerity, not as truth seekers, but of trying to manipulate both the law of God and the situation to get Jesus in trouble. And so here’s one wrong way that we can use the law, and I think it’s the way that the scribes and Pharisees use the law constantly, and that is to just use it just as a mental exercise. To look at the scriptures as just something to be studied, something to be learned, something to be memorized, something that we can excel in just for academic purposes. Now, don’t get me wrong. We need to study the scriptures.

We need to even put to memory certain parts of the scriptures. Many of us are working at that right now, of trying to memorize certain Bible facts and a timeline. But if we see the scripture simply as some kind of academic textbook to be studied. And even to be studied deeply, without making any kind of application in our lives, we’re using the law wrong. Turn with me. Hold your finger there in Luke 10 again and go back to the book of Matthew, chapter 23. Matthew chapter 23. Look at how the Pharisees did this. Jesus, in pronouncing his judgment against these Pharisees, these lawyers, these experts in the law, they knew the law meticulously. But look what he says about the Matthew 23, beginning in verse 1.

Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying, the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works. For they say and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens hard to bear, and they lay them on men’s shoulders. But they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Do not be a Pharisee. Don’t become so expert in your knowledge of the Word of God that you’re a walking encyclopedia of biblical knowledge. But it hasn’t changed your life in the slightest.

Academically. But they don’t really know the law.

2. A Means to Justify What We Already Believe

Another wrong approach, and one that we see this young lawyer in Luke chapter 10 doing is to use the law of God as simply a means to justify what we already believe and do. There’s an old saying that I like that that says, I’ve made up my mind. Don’t confuse me with the facts. And that’s true of too many of us in the religious world. That may be true of too many New Testament Christians. That we have our mind made up, maybe based upon what some preacher in the past has taught eloquently, maybe what our parents have diligently ingrained within us, to what our church believes, or what I believe and practice, and so I go to the scriptures as a proof text to say, see, here’s the verse.

As I understand it and apply it, here’s the verse that proves that I’m right. And here’s the verse that proves that you’re wrong. Notice, go with me again back to Luke chapter 10. Remember, he came to Jesus testing him. We’ll talk about that. That’s another improper use of the law. He came to him testing him. But look there in Luke chapter 10, verse 29, after Jesus had confronted him with the challenge of applying the law to his own life, Luke chapter 10 and verse 29, the text says, but he, speaking of that lawyer, he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor? You know, that could have been a wonderful question, couldn’t it? Who’s my neighbor? In the context of help me understand that commandment to love my neighbor as myself.

Help me understand that. Help me to apply that. Help me to see, open my eyes to see who my neighbor is. But that wasn’t the way the question was asked. The inspired writer Luke tells us that he said that, not an attempt to gain the truth, not an attempt to become a greater follower of God, but he said that attempting to justify himself. I recognize this as a challenge. But we need to approach the scriptures with an open mind. To be willing to be challenged, that my preconceived notions, the way I’ve always believed it, the way mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, elder so-and-so, preacher so-and-so, church at such and such address has practiced it. But to open my mind and look at the scriptures, not trying to defend, because I guarantee you, if you open up the law of God solely with the goal to defend your belief and practices, you’ll find something in there.

3. Using the Word of God as a Carnal Weapon

You may have to rip it out of its context, you may have to twist it and ignore other scriptures, but you can find something to defend what you already believe because you’re doing it the wrong way. Another lesson that we learn in Jesus’ interaction with this lawyer and telling this parable is the wrong way to use the law is to use the word of God as a carnal weapon. This lawyer did what the scribes and Pharisees were constantly doing against Jesus and against his disciples. They had weaponized the word of God and used it. Not as an effective weapon that it can be, but as a carnal weapon. Remember, at the beginning of this whole story of what prompted this parable was the lawyer came to him testing him.

We could probably spend the rest of our time this morning just going through the gospel stories of one confrontation after another with the Pharisees, where they would come to Jesus with some question from the law or about some practice that he was doing or teaching or something his disciples were doing. But their whole goal was, again, not to learn the truth and not even to try to get Jesus and his disciples to practice the truth. But their whole intent was to attack. Look what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 10. And let’s see if we can make an application in our life and our practice today. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. The Word of God is a weapon. It’s called the sword of the Spirit, after all, isn’t it?

But we need to learn the lesson that Jesus’ disciples were slow to learn, and the Pharisees never learned that this kingdom is not of this world. And so the weapons are going to be different.

Paul helps us to understand that in 2 Corinthians 10, verse 4. Actually, back up to verse 3. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 3 says, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. Yes, I am a human being. I have flesh and blood, and I might even have the capabilities to war according to the flesh, but Paul says that’s not the kingdom that we’re living in. Verse 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience to Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Yes, the word of God is a weapon. But Paul says it’s not a carnal weapon. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Now we may oversimplify that and say what he’s saying is we don’t use guns or tanks or missiles, and that’s certainly true. We have a kingdom, and we’re a part of a kingdom, and we’re even soldiers in that kingdom, but it’s not that kind of kingdom. But I don’t think Paul was making that such an obvious point. That we don’t go out and kill people for the cause of Christ. But I think what Paul is saying is, you don’t go out and try to destroy people for the cause of Christ. We don’t use the word of God to humiliate someone, to ridicule someone, and to elevate ourselves as being loftier and holier.

Look at the juxtaposition in Luke chapter 10 between how this lawyer used the word of God and how our meek and humble Savior use the word of God. Let’s make an application, even if I go to restore someone who has fallen away. I have an obligation, Galatians chapter 6, verse 1, James chapter 4. There’s other places that tell me I have an obligation to go to someone who’s fallen away, and I need to restore them. But what’s my motive? What’s my technique in doing that? Am I going to just tell them you are wrong? To ridicule them. Maybe just getting mad at them because they’re doing it and I can’t. Or am I going to them out of love? Or as Paul would say there in Galatians 6, in a spirit of gentleness.

4. Seek to Truly Understand It

The word of God is not to be abused in such carnal, selfish ways. What’s the lesson, or a lesson at least, in the telling of this story of the Good Samaritan? Jesus is trying to get this lawyer to say, yes, be compassionate, be like that Samaritan, don’t be like the thief, don’t be like the priest and the Levi. But I think he’s also saying, here’s how you approach the Word of God. First of all, we need to seek to truly understand it. Can you read that story of the interaction of this lawyer or any story of the interaction with Jesus with the scribes and Pharisees and come away with a good feeling about those people, the scribes and the Pharisees? They really wanted to know what the Word of God was.

No. But Jesus was saying, you can look at the law that says, love your neighbor as yourself. And if you look at it with the right heart and right intent and motive, you can know what that means. You can know who your neighbor is. Look over in the Psalm, Psalm 119, the longest Psalm, and if we view it as a chapter in our Bible, the longest chapter in the entire Bible, Psalm 119, and it dedicates itself solely to the law of God. If you want to know how to use the law and how to view the law, read Psalm 119. But let’s look at just one verse. Psalm 119, verse 18. Here the psalmist is trying to get us to see the attitude that this lawyer did not have.

Wondrous things from your law. Was Jesus trying to open the eyes of this lawyer in the telling of that story? Of saying, here’s how you approach the word. Don’t seek to avoid it. Seek to understand it. Say that prayer every time you open the covers of your Bible. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law. There’s a song based upon those words. And I’m going to just read the four lines of that song that says, Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me. Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Open my ears that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear. And while the wave notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.

Open my mouth and let me bear tidings of mercy everywhere. Open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children, thus to share.

What shall I fear while yet thou dost lead? Only for light from thee I plead.

5. Seek a Way to Accomplish It

Open my eyes. Illumine me, O Spirit divine. The right way to approach the law, that Jesus was trying to get this lawyer and us to see is that we need to approach it with the attitude, I want to know what God’s will is in my life. A second lesson that we can learn from the story of the Good Samaritan is the right way to approach the law is to seek a way to accomplish it. This lawyer, in testing Jesus and seeking to justify himself, it was obvious he was seeking a way to avoid practicing the law. If we do a little bit of study of history, we recognize that the Pharisees, the scribes and the Pharisees, at least some of them, had taken that law that said, Love thy neighbor as thyself, and interpreted it this way.

They would say, that’s a good law. Love your neighbor as yourself. And so I’m going to do that. I’m going to love my neighbor. But you’re not my neighbor. And you’re not my neighbor. And you’re not my neighbor. And yet you’re my neighbor. I love you. And maybe that was the attitude the lawyer demonstrated when he said, But who is my neighbor? And Jesus, in telling this story, said, You know who your neighbor is? Anybody. Anybody who you come in contact with who needs your love. And you so Jesus was telling us not just to be compassionate. That’s a powerful lesson from this parable. But I believe he’s also teaching us, here’s how we apply the law of God. We don’t seek to find a way out of it.

6. Be Willing to Put It Into Practice

We don’t look at the law of God. We don’t look at the scriptures looking for loopholes. Oh, see, I don’t have to do that because of this and that. And I found a way out of it. Rather, Jesus is saying, you approach the scriptures, not looking for a way out, but looking for a way to accomplish it. How can I do that? How can I put into practice the word of God? And lastly, I need to be willing to put it into practice. Look what he says there again in Luke chapter 10. After telling that powerful story, teaching that lawyer and teaching us who our neighbor is. Don’t forget how Jesus ends the parable. Even this lawyer who wanted to obfuscate and wanted to justify himself and came, we believe, not in sincerity with this question, he was led to the unavoidable conclusion when Jesus said at the end of this text, Luke chapter 10, verse 36, so which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?

He had to say, He who showed mercy on him. Jesus’ last words to this man. After not just teaching him about compassion, not just teaching him how to be a neighbor, but teaching him how to use and view the law of God. His last words, go and do likewise. That’s the antidote to just seeing the law as a mental exercise. I look for a way to understand it. I look for a way to apply it and accomplish it, not for a way out, but for a way in.

Conclusion

Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself, but do what it says. Don’t just take pride in the fact that you found the right church with the right preacher, who preaches the truth, and gives book chapter and first verse for everything we believe, and then leave the church building with little or no impact made into your heart, into your life and the practice that you do. James says, you’re deceiving yourself. If you hear the word and don’t do what it says, Jesus was trying to get this lawyer to see that he was deceiving himself in thinking that he could be an expert in the law and fail to understand it, truly understand and understand its application in his life. Will you use the word of God today as it was intended?

We may be separated at this time. But the word of God is still living and active and powerful, and it can still wash away your sins. Wherever you are, if you’re in the city of Orlando, if you’re in the state of Florida, the United States, or overseas, if you would like to study the scriptures further. If you want to open up the law of God and open up our minds and hearts together and say, open my eyes that I may see. We would love to study the scriptures with you. If you need some assistance in that, or insistence in obeying the gospel, please reach out to us. If there’s any way that we can help you as a church to understand the will of God and to put it into practice, we want to help you in that endeavor.

Look to the Word of God. And don’t seek a way out. But seek a way to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. Thank you.