Hmm. Good evening everyone. Today is the 18th of March. It's Monday evening. And I want to talk about tonight a scripture that a lot of people have debated over the years. A lot of people have tried to explain it away. Luke 10 27 says and he answered and said answering said thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbor as thyself now I want to talk about the last part tonight of thy neighbor as thyself I've had a A lot of people say, well, the neighbor has got to be God's elect. It's not the heathen. You don't have to love the heathen. Well, I disagree with that. I think that your neighbor is someone living close to you, living next door to you, living down the street from you. That's who your neighbor is if you look it up in the English language. It's not just one of God's elect that you appear to love. in fact he says in this passage he says verse 29 be willing to justify himself he said to Jesus and who is my neighbor and of course God Jesus Christ gives him the example of the man that was stripped of his raiment and wounded, and how the Levite passed by, and the priest passed by on the other side. But the Samaritan bound up his wound, poured oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And this was his answer to who is my neighbor. This wasn't even the next door neighbor of the guy. The guy didn't even know the fellow that he picked up and helped. You know, we're living in a me generation. Everybody's thinking about me, me, me, me. Where am I going to go out to eat? You know, I've got to get tickets to the football game. I've got to get tickets to the basketball game. I've got to go on a cruise. I've got to go on a fishing trip. I've got to do this. I've got to go to a conference. I've got to do this. But how much are they really thinking about those that are hurting? How much are they really thinking about their neighbor? You say, oh, you're just preaching a works doctrine Larry. That's all you're preaching is a works doctrine You're not gonna bring me under the commandments Larry Well, I'm not gonna do anything that's for sure This is Christ talking here You know, this is Christ talking here. You know, a certain lawyer stood up, tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said it was written in the law. And he answered, said, Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. And he answered him, Christ, thou hast answered right. This do thou, this and thou shalt live. Well, who is our neighbor? And what does it mean to love our neighbor as ourself? You know, that's a big, tall order, is it not? Just think how much we're in a self-love today. You know, people concerned about their haircuts, the suits they wear, the ties they wear, the shoes they wear, the car they drive. the clubs they're involved in, the jewelry they wear, their bank accounts, and on and on and on. And who of us can say that we care as much about our neighbor as we do about ourselves? You know... We're even told to love our enemies, are we not? We're even told, you know, to love our enemies, let alone our neighbors. Now I know that sometimes our neighbors aren't the easiest people to love in the world. I've got some neighbors that are not very easy to love, but you know. Psalm 44, 13, Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision of them that are round about us. Psalm 86, Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Well, you know, we are to show kindness to all men, are we not? It's a tall order. I'm not saying I can do it. I'm not at all putting myself up on a pedestal because I don't fulfill that law very well myself, I must say. But you know, I think that sometimes we have to stop and think about how we're treating other people. Psalm 15, 3, He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh as a reproach against his neighbor. Who is my neighbor? Proverbs 3.29 Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Matthew 22.39 The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. put away lying thou shalt speak every man truth with his neighbor. Romans 15 to let us every one of us pleases neighbor for his good edification No, I'm not speaking... I'm not a legalist. I'm not saying loving your neighbor has anything to do with your eternal salvation. But we are commanded to love our neighbors. Whether you like it or not. You may not like your neighbors. You may not like to help other people. You know, you may say, I don't want to get involved in that. Larry, you're preaching a social gospel. No. I'm not preaching a social gospel. I'm teaching what the Bible teaches. Galatians 5.14, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. All the law is fulfilled in one word. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scriptures, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Ye do well. James 2.8. There is none other greater commandment than these. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13.10. Matthew 19.19 honor thy father and thy mother and thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself well we're taught this on many fronts and you know I think it's important that we show kindness to those that are hurting to show charity and love to those who are downtrodden, to show empathy for those that are in distress. Let us never forget this. May the good Lord be with you today is my prayer. God bless.