A tremendously important question we should all ask, not as a trick question but as a matter of life and death is: What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
One day you will breathe your last breath and you will die. A doctor will declare you dead, an autopsy may be performed and a death certificate written. Funeral arrangements will be made, your body will be either cremated or buried into the ground. Your friends and relatives will grieve. Your body will start to decompose – dust to dust. But what about your soul?
In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. God made man in his own image and likeness and gave him freedom to serve and love him. But man fell into sin and brought estrangement between himself and God. Through sin, death came into this world and this is why we die. But God in his grace has determined to redeem man. God gave His Son Jesus, who came to the world for one great purpose, not to be served but to serve us by giving his live as an atonement and ransom for our sins. We can go to him and confess our sins to him, then he forgives us and cleanses us from everything. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved and have eternal life with him.
If you are saved how do you live? Do we keep sinning so grace may abound? Surely there must be a genuine change in our heart and conduct as evidence that we’ve received from God this extraordinary inheritance. When we put our faith in Jesus He will give his Spirit to help us be more like him. We have to allow the Spirit to work through us. Nobody is ever allowed into heaven on the basis of good works they have done because even our best works are spoiled with sin. We are not saved by our good works but we’ve been saved to do them.
Head: How would you change your life if you got a huge inheritance?
Heart: Think about what it cost God for you to have an inheritance of an eternal life.
Hands: Love God, and love him above all others, love him more and more, with every part of your being, your heart and your soul and your mind and your strength. Love your neighbour as yourself.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus that through your death on the cross I have eternal life in you. I confess my sins and ask for forgiveness. I want my life to bear fruit that your spirit produces in me. Help me to love you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Help me to show your love to my neighbours as well. Amen.
A song to listen to: The Passion
Petrina Rangiawha – Living Church Creek Road
