Jesus Christ provided the world with an example of perfect humanity. Jesus'
ministry challenged the old law by providing an unwavering example of the
love we are to have for God and for others. The love that Jesus displayed
for humanity was indiscriminate, unconditional, and revealed the loving
nature that God holds for all people. Jesus' extensive outreach to the poor
and marginalized was an anointing from God the Father to heal the spirit and
give hope to people through the display of compassion, mercy, justice, and
forgiveness.
" The Spirit of the Lord is upon
Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent
Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and
recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18,19)
Likewise, Jesus called on others to display justice, mercy, compassion, and
faithfulness as the way to display their faithfulness and love to God the
Father.
" Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have
neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and
faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without
neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:22-24)
The Good Samaritan
27And he answered, "You
SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOUrself"
28And He said to him, "You have
answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."
29 But wishing to justify
himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus
replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell
among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him
half dead. 31"And by chance a
priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the
other side. 32"Likewise a Levite
also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33"But a Samaritan, who was on a
journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion,
34and came to him and bandaged
up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own
beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35"On the next day he took out
two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and
whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'
36 "Which of these three do you
think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"
37And he said, "The one who
showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the
same."
