When we talk about the expert in Mosaic law that tried to back Jesus into a corner, there are two main points made that we should remember...

The first is that he asked what must “I do.”  And we know from our exploration of Scripture that we can’t do anything to obtain eternal life.  Jesus did it all.  It comes down to our faith in Him.

Some people want to weigh the good they have done to outweigh the bad.  I just doesn’t work that way.  We are guilty.  We did it--no matter what it was.  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

And like the Mosaic scholar, we try and justify what we have done.  “I was young.”  Or, “I was running with the wrong  crowd.”  Or, “I came from a family that didn’t teach me what I needed to know.”  And on and on...

The scripture says that “...he, willing to justify himself...”  He asked who his neighbor was.  Evasive question.  Getting around the issue question.  Avoid the problem with his attitude question.

I tell my class that we all meet different people; we all have different encounters with people.  Those are your neighbors.  They aren’t mine.  I have a different group of neighbors.  Those are the ones I am responsible for.  You are responsible for yours.

The expert in Mosaic Law (wanting to trap Jesus into answering a question incorrectly) asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus said, “love the Lord and love your neighbor.”  The expert, willing to justify himself, said, “Who is my neighbor”  Two wrong approaches.

Jesus didn’t answer questions, he told stories. And he replied with the story of three men who encountered a person who had been badly beaten and left to die.  A priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan.  The first two were religiously affiliated.  The third was a hated half-breed Jew-Babalonian. The Priest and Levite passed by the wounded man.  

The Samaritan did eleven things. 1. He had compassion. 2. He approached the man. 3. He poured oil and wine on his wounds. 4. He wrapped the wounds. 5. He put him on an animal to transport him. 6. He took him to an inn. 7. He took care of him. 8. He opened his pocketbook. 9. He paid the innkeeper to take care of the man. 10.  He told the innkeeper to spend whatever it took and he would repay him.  11.  He came back.

Jesus asked which of the three men was a good neighbor to the wounded man.   The expert in Mosaic law admitted it was the Samaritan.  He probably gritted his teeth and wished he had never asked the question.  Our neighbors are those we come in contact with.  Have compassion.  

Well, they did something to my back...what it was, I don’t know.  I thought it was a one shot procedure.  But no,  there is more.

But at least I can stand up straight today without pain.  Hallelujah.

It’s no wonder the cost of health care has skyrocketed.  There was one surgeon in the operating room and eight other nurses--each doing something different.

I thought computers were going to make everything quicker, simpler, more organized.  But...no.  They asked me for any changes I had in medications twice, I told them the changes twice and when I checked out...no changes were recorded.  Why ask???

And there were over ten printed pages of check out notes.  I threw eight in the trash immediately because they were useless.  The other two were mostly empty--what a waste of paper and ink. 

I am over the hill.  It’s a fact.  The waste due to government regulations drives me nuts.  They checked my name five times.  They asked me the same things at the check in desk, the entry nurse, the room nurse and one other time. Over and over again. Eventually you would think they would pass the information on. Nope, that’s not what they do.  Redundancy rules. 

Today I am going to have a procedure done on my back.  

All is well.

 I think the idea of the “branch on the vine” being trimmed off being considered as “You have to get out there and win people to Christ” is an interesting subject to discuss is because...back in 1954, the Baptist churches across America adopted a motto.

The motto was, “A million more in ‘54.”  They printed up tracts and members went door to door trying to tell people about Jesus.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the chance of someone you don’t know listening to you is slim.  Baptists reached their goal--as I remember.  But that growth spurt didn’t stick.

The way we reach people is better done by living the life in front of the world, making friends, and having discussions about our faith with people we meet or know when we get an opportunity.

I’m not saying I’m against door knocking, but better to do it with an invitation to dinner or a Bible study at someone’s home where you can get to know each other.

Either way, be bold.  I’ve always said, “Make a fool of yourself for Jesus.  What do you have to lose!”  And think about what might be gained by someone you tell.

In John15:1-2, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman...every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit he takes away...” Which scares some people because they think the fruit is winning a soul for Christ.  But that is not what fruit is referred to in the Bible.

Paul says it this way in Galations 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance...”  In other words, a Christian produces those nine attributes.  And those traits of your life is what draws people.  

But the life is inside the fruit.  And it falls in four different places.  Along the path, in the weeds, on rocky soil, or on good ground.  Some grows, some doesn’t.  And if it grows, it needs to be tended.

The Psalmist said it this way in Psalms 1.  “And he (the Christian) shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth his fruit in his season...”  Here, the Christian is the tree, but whether Christ is the “vine,” or the Christian is the “tree,” both have branches that bear fruit.

And the fruit is not another soul.  The fruit simply holds the seed for producing another child of God...but it doesn't always do that.  Your nine attributes of Godliness are the fruit that holds the seed for doing that. You don’t need to bang someone over the head with a Bible.  Just be Godly. And ready to share the gospel.  Truly care about people.  And their soul.

 I must be falling apart!! I forgot to post Friday, and here it is late afternoon and I still haven’t got it done today.  But you friends who are still trying to encourage me to keep on keeping on...thank you.

You read my frustration about my Ken-ken puzzles----well,  Connie Carman and Jeanette Harder both presented me with books of those puzzles.  True friends.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Carolyn Brown had kept me supplied with cut outs from her news paper which she cut out one each day, but having books with hundreds of puzzles is heaven on earth!!  Carolyn can take a break.

Jeanette gave me 5 by 5 puzzles, which are a challenge, and Connie gave me 6 by 6 which will stretch me.  I once tried a 7 by 7  and that was way over my head.  I am now happy.  When I get bored, I will have something to keep me busy.

My Bible class have all gotten their first shot and all but two have their second shot.  So week after next, we are going back to the classroom if everything goes well.  I am soooooo....ready.  We’ve been doing it by phone group, and it is really hard to teach looking at the face of a rectangular black phone.  I need some faces!!