February 23, 2025 -Love You Neighbor

LEVITICUS 20:1-22:33

Chronological Bible Readings

Exodus 21:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die, 2 except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother, 3 or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.

When I read this I thought of the good Samaritan story that Jesus told in Luke 10:25-37. The priest and Levite (people held to the law) walked by on the other side of the road when they saw the beaten Jew on the road. As far as they knew the guys could have been dead so checking on him would have made them unclean and unable to perform their duties if he was. I know that the story is to show that anyone can be our neighbor. That someone who might have been known as an enemy should still be treated as a neighbor. Loving your neighbor means to be loving toward everyone that we come across.

But I think we can also see that Jesus is showing that the first 2 commandments to love God and love our neighbor is more important than the laws for cleanliness. It would have been a sacrificial act of love had the priest and Levite helped the man. Had they been less worried about their own ability to do their job and how it would look if they became unclean, they could have been more like Jesus.

They would have become unclean which is undesirable. But we see from today's reading that there was something they could do about it. They had to be separated and go through cleansing rituals which would have been a great disruption and inconvenience but that is what it takes to act lovingly toward others.

We have to be willing to inconvenience ourselves. Jesus our great High Priest lived a whole life of sacrifice and inconvenience. He gave us His place beside the Father to humble Himself and come here as a baby. He lived under the rule and authority of earthy parents who cared for Him. Jesus, God Himself who created all things had to be cared for and provided for by those He created. He gave up the comforts of living in a home to live on the road with the disciples to preach, teach and heal. He gave up rest and comfort to preach, teach and heal for hours. The series the Chosen does a great job showing the physical strain that all this would have taken on His human body. Then to give the ultimate sacrifice of taking on the sins of all who would be His and giving His own life to atone for our sins.

That is what it means to love our neighbor which includes even those who are not like us or friendly to us. To love like Jesus. Being willing to give up our own comforts and convenience physically, emotionally and temporally.

Below is a clip from season 2 episode 3 of the Chosen. It shows the toll that a long day of ministering to people had on Jesus. And I love that it shows His mother coming to Him and caring for Him. It is worth watching the entire episode if you can because before this Mary tells her story of Jesus as her son and the disciples talk about rules and sins and begin acting very unloving toward each other.