City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And 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 answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

-Luke 10:25-28

Reflection

When seeking truth it’s important to ask the right question. A lawyer of all people should know this. Yet here we have a lawyer who fails in this fundamental task. He asks, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The problem with the question is it presupposes there is something the lawyer can do to earn eternal life. It is the wrong question. 

There were other times when people asked Jesus the wrong question, and Jesus told them they had asked the wrong question. Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus about the man born blind, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (John 9:1-3). Jesus immediately corrected them, telling them that neither had sinned but that this had happened so the works of God might be displayed in the man.

Here, Jesus takes a different approach by asking the lawyer to summarize the requirements of the Law. When the lawyer demonstrates a proper understanding of the Law’s requirements, Jesus tells him to try to keep the Law, knowing the lawyer knows he cannot do so.

That’s what prompts the lawyer’s next question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). The lawyer realizes he is incapable of loving everyone as himself, so he is trying to narrow the definition of “neighbor.”

Application

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

-Gal. 3:24.

Here, Jesus is using the Law as a mirror. He is showing the lawyer what the Law requires, that the lawyer cannot meet those requirements, and that he needs a Savior. It’s a great example of how to use the Law when sharing the gospel with others to lead them to Jesus. 

Prayer

Lord, help me follow Your example by helping those who don’t know You to understand their need for a Savior.