“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25)

Luke 10:25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 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.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

—Luke 10:25-42 (NRSV)

February 21, 2021 Sermon Notes

Ever since Christmas we have been following Jesus’ ministry in the gospel of Luke. After his baptism he called his first disciples and preached and taught throughout the country of Israel. Last week was the turning point of his ministry as he was transfigured before his Peter, John, and James. Coming down the mountain, he set his face towards Jerusalem in preparation for his death on the cross.

The drama builds in Luke 10:1-24 as Jesus sends 72 followers out to prepare the way for him. His teaching and ministry was to take on an even greater notoriety, and more forceful opposition. In Luke 10:25 a teacher arrives to test Jesus with the question, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

On the surface, this seems like exactly the right question for someone to ask Jesus. Peter has just declared him to be the Messiah and he was transfigured on the mountain. However, the text implies that this teacher was not asking the question with a genuine desire to learn. Instead, it was an attempt to trap Jesus with his own words. Christ turned the tables back on the teacher and made him answer his own question.

Summarizing Old Testament teaching

The teacher responded with what we know as the “golden rule.” These instructions did not originate with Jesus, they are quotes of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. However, he then fleshes out those commandments with the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing the need for believers to care for the lost and forsaken and that our neighbors are not always the people we expect them to be. Christians have traditionally seen this as a call to active outreach and mission to the world. 

The very next story seems to take things in a different direction. Jesus visits the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is busy doing the work of the kingdom. She is serving and providing hospitality for her guests. Meanwhile Mary simply sits at the feet of the Lord. Even as she demonstrates a good Samaritan kind of love, Christ seems to chastise Martha and commend Mary for her inaction. This almost feels like conflicting advice. What can possibly be learned from the pairing of these two stories?

Go and do, and sit and stay

Part of the key to understanding these two texts is to look at the rhythm of Luke’s gospel. Jesus’ busy ministry of healing and teaching is punctuated by times of prayer and solitude. He routinely goes up the mountain to spend time with God before coming down and preaching to the crowd. What was true for Jesus is true for us. It is simply unsustainable for us to actively do the work of ministry without also spending time with God. 

Prayer, Scripture reading, and time in worship provides the grace we need to continue actively serving others. It is an opportunity to be spiritually refueled, but refueling is ultimately pointless if  we do not actually use it to go anywhere. Our love of God is incomplete if it does not inspire us to love others. This is what Jesus tried to help the teacher understand. Eternal life is not just about what happens after we die. It is also how we live in the world now. This is what James meant when he said “show me your faith by your works.”

Lent is our opportunity to reevaluate. Like the 72 disciples, we have been sent out to prepare the way for Jesus. Sometimes we forget what we are doing and attempt to justify ourselves before Jesus. He turns the tables on us and reminds us that we are called to love God and love neighbor. Whenever that task gets too big, he invites us to come back and sit at his feet, so that we might be refilled with the power of his Holy Spirit.