NOTES: 1] The 'Good Samaritan' may be one of Jesus' best known stories, but let's be open to learning something new.
2] Some scholars see this incident as an extension of MT 22:35+, & MK 12:28+. The lawyer, an expert in the Mosaic Law, quotes DEUT 6:5, & LEV 19:18. 3] Today, a Levite might be an acolyte, etc. 4] Both Priest & Levite would've been rendered unfit to serve in the Temple if they'd touched what turned out to be a dead body. 5] The word Jesus uses of the Samaritan is 'compassion', literally, 'being moved in your guts'. Pity, as in some translations, is an inadequate word.

WARMING UP: Is there a particular journey we either look forward to making, or dread?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Afterthoughts from, follow-up to last week’s Group, or since?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

25-28    Are we in the habit of bringing a legalistic mindset to matters of faith & belief? Were we brought up that way? Trained that way? How come churches often get bogged down in legalistic approaches to faith, morals, life? When that happens, how hard is it to distinguish Gospel from Law? Whose Gospel? Whose Law? Has Law actually become Gospel for some people, even church members? How do we get hold of enough Grace to counteract that approach?
              Do we believe 'eternal life' is something we inherit, or something we have to work at, earn - or try to? Have we yet worked out 'who is my neighbour'? Well, who is? Who isn't? Are we loving our God, loving our neighbour? Pass, or Fail?

29-37    Would we rather fall into the hands of robbers, or some of our fellow Christians? How would people who know us feel about falling into our hands, or throwing themselves on our mercy? What kind of track record do we have on the various 'roads' of life?
              Given that both the Priest & Levite go out of their way to avoid the victim (see N.4), what strategies have we set in place to avoid helping people, 'getting involved', that kind of thing? What expectations do we have of our religious leaders, professional or lay, in caring for life's 'roadside victims'? What do we expect of ourselves? What light does Jesus' story throw  on why today's churches are reeling under snowballing charges of sexual abuse & the like? Might Jesus today tell a different story, about church leaders sweeping things under the carpet & justifying that on such grounds as 'legal advice', 'financial considerations', 'let sleeping dogs lie', etc.? What responsibility do we share with our leaders for 'picking up the pieces'? Even if it means changing our leaders? Or don't we want to get our hands dirty, either?
              Are Christian people as a whole any better neighbours to 'roadside victims' than 'outsiders' (like the Samaritan), or those of other faiths, or no faith? Have we made any ground at all on the whole issue of compassion since Jesus spoke these words?
              What do we need to do, personally, & as a church community to be sure we're 'going & doing likewise' in our own situations? Or, do we still think we can expect to 'inherit eternal life' some other way? Where does Grace come into all this?