Know your neighbor -- Go and do likewise

Luke 10:28-37 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29  But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, 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, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 
34  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 
35  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 
36  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 
37  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”  And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” 

Hear the Word - Believe the Message

                                             The SIMPLICITY of being SAVED

ROMANS 10:9-17  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
11  For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
12  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
13  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
15  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
16  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”
17  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Be Humble - Let God do the exalting

                     The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
LUKE 18:9-14  He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
10  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 
11  The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 
12  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
13  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 
14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

God's Gifts by the Spirit

                                                   GIFTS from GOD

1 Corinthians  12:1-11  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
2  You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
7  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.