The Role of the Church in the Community

Jesus on Community Outreach

Lesson #5 for July 30, 2016

Scriptures: [Luke 4:16-19; 10:25-37; Matthew 5:13; 13:3-9.; Isaiah 2:8; John 4:35-38][1].

1.    This lesson will focus on some of the experiences of Jesus and His disciples. What can we learn from them about community outreach? What was Jesus’s community?

Robert Louis Stevenson, best known for his adventure story Treasure Island, had been a sickly boy who couldn’t go to school regularly. Finally, his parents hired a teacher to educate him and a nanny to help with his personal needs. One night when his nanny came to check on him before he went to bed, he was out of bed, and his hands and nose were pressed against the window. His nanny firmly told him to get back in bed before he got a chill.

Robert asked her to come to the window and see what he was seeing.

The nanny came to see. Down below on the street, there was a lamplighter lighting the streetlights. “ ‘Look there,’ ” Robert said, “ ‘there’s a man poking holes in the darkness.’ ”—Margaret Davis, Fear Not! Is There Anything Too Hard for God? (Aspect Books, 2011), p. 332.—as quoted in Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Saturday, July 23, 2016.

2.    Read Matthew 5:14[2]. What does it mean to be “the light of the world”? Who was the best example of a true Light to the world? (John 8:12[3]) Could we “poke holes in the darkness”? Aren’t we supposed to be a “peculiar” people? Should Adventists do more mixing? To be “politically correct,” our government is trying to give priority to every kind of belief except Christianity! They assume that all religions and all types of beliefs are equal.

3.    Read Luke 4:15[4]. Jesus the young Rabbi from Nazareth was having a very successful beginning to His ministry in Galilee. People were surprised and attracted by the fact that His teaching was not like the teaching they were so familiar with from the authorities and the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29[5]) When He finished speaking, what He meant was clear; when the authorities spoke, they were usually vague or ambiguous in their teachings.

4.    Before long, He returned to His hometown in Nazareth. When Sabbath came, (Luke 4:16-30[6]) “as His custom was,” He went to the synagogue. They handed Him a scroll, and He read from Isaiah 61:1-2[7]. But, He did not read the last phrase which was their favorite portion.

During His childhood and youth, Jesus had worshiped among His brethren in the synagogue at Nazareth. Since the opening of His ministry He had been absent from them, but they had not been ignorant of what had befallen Him. As He again appeared among them, their interest and expectation were excited to the highest pitch. Here were the familiar forms and faces of those whom He had known from infancy. Here were His mother, His brothers and sisters, and all eyes were turned upon Him as He entered the synagogue upon the Sabbath day, and took His place among the worshipers.

In the regular service for the day, the elder read from the prophets, and exhorted the people still to hope for the Coming One, who would bring in a glorious reign, and banish all oppression. He sought to encourage his hearers by rehearsing the evidence that the Messiah’s coming was near. He described the glory of His advent, keeping prominent the thought that He would appear at the head of armies to deliver Israel.

When a rabbi was present at the synagogue, he was expected to deliver the sermon, and any Israelite might give the reading from the prophets. Upon this Sabbath Jesus was requested to take part in the service. He “stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him a roll of the prophet Isaiah.” Luke 4:16, 17, R. V., margin. The scripture which He read was one that was understood as referring to the Messiah.—Ellen G. White (1898). The Desire of Ages 236.4. Pacific Press Publishing Association. [Bold type is added.]

5. Read Luke 4:16-19[8]. Where have we heard these words before? (See Isaiah 61:1-2[9].) What was Jesus proclaiming by reading those texts? What language was Jesus reading? Hebrew. What was His mother tongue? Aramaic. He almost certainly also spoke Greek and perhaps Latin.

Jesus stood before the people as a living expositor of the prophecies concerning Himself. Explaining the words He had read, He spoke of the Messiah as a reliever of the oppressed, a liberator of captives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring sight to the blind, and revealing to the world the light of truth. His impressive manner and the wonderful import of His words thrilled the hearers with a power they had never felt before. The tide of divine influence broke every barrier down; like Moses, they beheld the Invisible. As their hearts were moved upon by the Holy Spirit, they responded with fervent amens and praises to the Lord.

But when Jesus announced, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears,” they were suddenly recalled to think of themselves, and of the claims of Him who had been addressing them. They, Israelites, children of Abraham, had been represented as in bondage. They had been addressed as prisoners to be delivered from the power of evil; as in darkness, and needing the light of truth. Their pride was offended, and their fears were roused. The words of Jesus indicated that His work for them was to be altogether different from what they desired. Their deeds might be investigated too closely. Notwithstanding their exactness in outward ceremonies, they shrank from inspection by those clear, searching eyes.

Who is this Jesus? they questioned. He who had claimed for Himself the glory of the Messiah was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at His trade with His father Joseph. They had seen Him toiling up and down the hills, they were acquainted with His brothers and sisters, and knew His life and labors. They had seen Him develop from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood. Although His life had been spotless, they would not believe that He was the Promised One.

What a contrast between His teaching in regard to the new kingdom and that which they had heard from their elder! Jesus had said nothing of delivering them from the Romans. They had heard of His miracles, and had hoped that His power would be exercised for their advantage, but they had seen no indication of such purpose.

As they opened the door to doubt, their hearts became so much the harder for having been momentarily softened. Satan was determined that blind eyes should not that day be opened, nor souls bound in slavery be set at liberty. With intense energy he worked to fasten them in unbelief. They made no account of the sign already given, when they had been stirred by the conviction that it was their Redeemer who addressed them.—Ellen G. White.

6. Try to imagine yourself as a Jew in the 1st century listening to that message from Jesus. He was using language from Leviticus 25[10], describing the year of jubilee. But, then He went on to declare Himself as the Messiah for whom they had been waiting for so many centuries. But, their ideas about the Messiah were completely erroneous. Their favorite part was that last phrase about giving them victory over their enemies. Jesus did not quote that part because He did not want to encourage their false ideas about the Messiah. Could we make the same kind of mistake? Bible study and prayer is our safety.

7. Read Luke 10:25-37[11]. The story of the good Samaritan is very familiar to Bible-believing-and-reading Christians. What do we know about the details of that story?

8. The expert in the law understood that all the commandments revolve around loving God with all one’s heart and loving one’s neighbor as one’s self. The question that remained to be answered was, “Who is my neighbor?”

God in His providence had brought the priest and the Levite along the road where the wounded sufferer lay, that they might see his need of mercy and help. All heaven watched to see if the hearts of these men would be touched with pity for human woe.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 500.1. [Bold type is added.]

9. We do not need to tell anyone who is familiar with the Scriptures how the Jews felt about the Samaritans and vice versa. Read [John 4:9; compare Luke 9:54][12]. The usual attitude between Jews and Samaritans could probably be best described as hatred.

10. While the whole universe was watching, the priest and the Levite came upon the wounded man. All those men could think about was themselves! We should not worry about all the surveillance cameras that are being installed because we already know the whole universe is watching us as it was that scene on the road from Jericho that day!

This was no imaginary scene, but an actual occurrence, which was known to be exactly as represented. The priest and the Levite who had passed by on the other side were in the company that listened to Christ’s words.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 499.1.

The Levite was of the same tribe as was the wounded, bruised sufferer. All Heaven watched as the Levite passed down the road, to see if his heart would be touched with human woe. As he beheld the man he was convicted of what he ought to do; but as it was not an agreeable duty, he wished he had not come that way, so that he need not have seen the man who was wounded and bruised, naked and perishing, and in want of help from his fellow men. He passed on his way, persuading himself that it was none of his business, and that he had no need to trouble himself over the case. Claiming to be an expositor of the law, to be a minister in sacred things, he yet passed by on the other side.—Ellen G. White, RH, January 1, 1895 par. 5; Welfare Ministry 47.1. [Bold type is added.]

11. The priest and the Levite each asked himself the question: “What might happen to me if I stop and help this man?” The Samaritan asked: “What might happen to this man if I do not help him?” What is the difference between the two?

In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems, creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness. —Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 497.1.

The lesson is no less needed in the world today than when it fell from the lips of Jesus. Selfishness and cold formality have well-nigh extinguished the fire of love, and dispelled the graces that should make fragrant the character. Many who profess His name have lost sight of the fact that Christians are to represent Christ. Unless there is practical self-sacrifice for the good of others, in the family circle, in the neighborhood, in the church, and wherever we may be, then whatever our profession, we are not Christians.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 504.2. [Bold type is added.]

12.    To the Jews of Jesus’s day, it was very clear that a neighbor would have to be a Jew-and probably a Jew of his own social class. For Jesus to suggest that a neighbor could be a Samaritan or even someone more foreign to them seemed incredible.

13.    How do you think you would feel if you had been the Levite or the priest as you heard Jesus recount their story? Did Jesus point them out in any way? Did He even look at them, hinting that He knew that they were the ones involved?

14.    The question then is: “Who will be a neighbor to the most needy?” That is the person we should be trying to help; period!

No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by God. He is the Maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all are one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple, that every soul may have free access to God. His love is so broad, so deep, so full, that it penetrates everywhere.—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons 386.3.

15.    The story of the good Samaritan is so well known even among unchurched people that it has become a part of our vocabulary.

16.    So, how many Adventist churches are near people and places where help is needed?

17.    Read Matthew 5:13[13]. Does this statement apply even to us? Is our church a kind of “salt shaker”? Salt, of course, is only useful when it is mixed with the rest of the ingredients in the recipe. By itself, salt is not only useless but also even could be dangerous. If salt were a new medicine produced by some pharmaceutical company in our day, it would never be approved by the Food and Drug Administration! It has far too many harmful effects! But, mixed properly in the correct amounts in a recipe, it serves a wonderful function. It not only gives flavor to the ingredients in which it is mixed, but also it may serve other purposes as well. In the case of bread, it prevents the bread from rising too quickly.

18.    Unfortunately, many Christians have become familiar with the terms insiders and outsiders. Some say, “Our people” or “OP” and “Not our people” or “NOP.” What is the meaning of those terms? Could we as Christians mix with people in our communities and be transforming agents?

19.    How do we as Christians mingle with the world without being too much influenced by them?

20.    Read [Deuteronomy 12:30; 31:20; and Isaiah 2:8][14]. What are the common “idols” in our day? What is implied by the fact that we have a television program entitled “American Idol”?

21.    Read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman as recorded in John 4:1-42[15]. In this story Jesus broke just about every social norm in which the Jews believed. But, the Samaritan woman instead of being fixated on social differences reached out to her friends as soon as she recognized the truth about the One to whom she was speaking. In John 4:35-38[16], Jesus used her response to say something that probably puzzled His disciples at first; He said that the harvest time had come. Then, He went on to say that while some may be planting seeds, others will be harvesting. What did He mean?

22.    Ask any farmer about the process of raising crops. He will assure you that it is not just about harvesting. He not only has to plant the seeds, but also he has to prepare the soil. He may need to use fertilizer. He may need to fight pests. He has to wait hopefully until exactly the right time before he can harvest. Even before planting, there may need to be preparing/cultivating the soil. He might need to test it, and some crops must be watered.

23.    How is the farming process related to winning souls for the gospel? Sometimes, we need to be involved in preparing/cultivating activities. We need to reach out and meet needs in the community. Small-group Bible studies may be possible; with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, they may bear fruit. Very few people are won to the church by a single exposure to the church. So, what role should each of us be playing in winning souls?

24.    It has been demonstrated again and again that the best converts and the ones that stay in the church are those who have been brought in by church members over a fairly lengthy period of time as opposed to those who are brought in “quickly” by a visiting evangelist.

25.    Real Christians, as we have seen, are those who are constantly looking for opportunities to reach out to others.

26.    Read Matthew 10:5-10[17]. Does it seem strange to you that Jesus would send out His disciples basically without any resources? What kind of people did He expect them to encounter? Jesus Himself had already been working in several areas in Galilee. Some of the places where His disciples went were some of those same towns and villages. Jesus wanted them to get the experience of working with the most receptive people first. Those who would welcome them into their homes were likely to be such people. Furthermore, He was teaching His disciples a very important lesson about dependence upon God. The disciples needed to learn how to reach out not only to Jewish communities but also later to communities around the then-known world and make friends of local residents. This was an absolutely essential skill that they needed.

Pastor Frank’s local conference asked him to plant a church in a section of a large city that had virtually no Adventist presence. Initially, he had no budget to do so. He consulted a map and determined the boundaries of that section of the city and studied the demographics of the people there. Then he parked his car in the busiest part of the neighborhood and began going from business to business asking questions about life in that area. He visited with political, business, and social agency leaders, asking questions about the greatest needs in that community. He made friends with some of the local residents, who invited him to join a local civic club. In that setting, he discovered other leaders who opened the way to rent the annex of a local Presbyterian church.

The civic club members provided seed money to buy paint and cleaning supplies to refurbish the annex to use for community services. Interviews with community leaders indicated that health care was an important need in the community. Therefore, Pastor Frank brought together a team of volunteers who ran various health-screening programs and follow-up meetings in the annex for community residents. Those who benefitted from the screenings and programs paid a modest fee, which helped pay the expenses. Soon a branch Sabbath School was started, and some of the residents began to attend. Pastor Frank soon learned that one of the best ways to plant a church is to first plant a ministry that meets the needs of the community-and then grow a church through that ministry. This community-based ministry spawned a Seventh-day Adventist church of more than 140 members.

Pastor Frank’s story illustrates what can happen when we follow Jesus’ teachings about reaching our community. How did Jesus live out His own teachings about ministry? Next week we will begin exploring Christ’s ministry method, which “will give true success in reaching the people.”-Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 143.—Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Thursday, July 28, 2016. [Italic type is in the original source.]

27.    So, what has Jesus told us about those who are willing to go out into the community and work for others in contrast to those who are not willing?

In the great Judgment day, those who have not worked for Christ, who have drifted along thinking of themselves, caring for themselves, will be placed by the Judge of the whole earth with those who did evil. They receive the same condemnation.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 641.4.

Unless the church is the light of the world, it is darkness.—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, September 11, 1893, par. 3.

28.    Is it true that if we are not lights, we are darkness?

29.    As we discussed in a previous lesson, many of the issues that face us as Christians, trying to reach out to the community in which we live-including poverty, lack of education, lack of healthcare, and dealing with widows and orphans-have become political issues in many nations. In fact, they have caused an inevitable polarization in the population. How can we do our work as Christians without getting swept away to either side of these political debates?

30.    Unfortunately, many Christian churches today focus exclusively on church members’ needs and comforts. Have you ever been to a church that focuses instead on ministry to the community? What would be the basic difference between those two types of churches?

31.    Does your church “pass by on the other side” when it finds someone in need as did the priest and Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan? If so, what can we do to change that approach?

32.    Often, our churches take the approach that we need to make the church as attractive as possible to lure people in. That is not a bad idea; but, how would things be different if the church and members of the church were actually reaching out into the community?

33.    It has been said: “The church is not a club for saints, but a hospital for sinners.” How would that actually work in real life? We need to remember that every hurting, suffering person out there in the community is a child of God.

34.    A number of years ago the Seventh-day Adventist Church launched a program with the logo, “The Caring Church.” That sounds wonderful; but, in fact, a label of that nature needs to be suggested by someone outside the church and not by those who are inside!

35.    So, how do people in your community view Seventh-day Adventists? Are we known for our love and care? What could we do to earn the label, “The Caring Church”?

© 2016, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.    Info@theox.org

1-Luke 4:16 Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures 17 and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free the oppressed

19     and announce that the time has come

when the Lord will save his people.”

10:25 A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

26 Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?”

27 The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

28 “You are right,” Jesus replied; “do this and you will live.”

29 But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus answered, “There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 31 It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side. 32 In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. 34 He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he told the innkeeper, ‘and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.’”

36 And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor toward the man attacked by the robbers?”

37 The teacher of the Law answered, “The one who was kind to him.”

Jesus replied, “You go, then, and do the same.”

Matthew 5:13 “You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

13:3 He used parables to tell them many things.

“Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. 4 As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. 6 But when the sun came up, it burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. 7 Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty.”

9 And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”

Isaiah 2:8 Their land is full of idols, and they worship objects that they have made with their own hands.

John 4:35 You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! 36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

2-Matthew 5:14 “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.

3-John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

4-Luke 4:15 He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.

5-Matthew 7:28 When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowd was amazed at the way he taught. 29 He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

6-Luke 4:16 Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures 17 and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free the oppressed

19     and announce that the time has come

when the Lord will save his people.”

20 Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him, 21 as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

22 They were all well impressed with him and marveled at the eloquent words that he spoke. They said, “Isn't he the son of Joseph?”

23 He said to them, “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my hometown the same things you heard were done in Capernaum. 24 I tell you this,” Jesus added, “prophets are never welcomed in their hometown. 25 Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon. 27 And there were many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger. 29 They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff, 30 but he walked through the middle of the crowd and went his way.

7-Isaiah 61:1 The Sovereign LORD has filled me with his Spirit.

He has chosen me and sent me

To bring good news to the poor,

To heal the broken-hearted,

To announce release to captives

And freedom to those in prison.

2 He has sent me to proclaim

That the time has come

When the LORD will save his people

And defeat their enemies.

He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,

8-Luke 4:16 Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures 17 and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free the oppressed

19     and announce that the time has come

when the Lord will save his people.”

9-Isaiah 61:1 The Sovereign LORD has filled me with his Spirit.

He has chosen me and sent me

To bring good news to the poor,

To heal the broken-hearted,

To announce release to captives

And freedom to those in prison.

2 He has sent me to proclaim

That the time has come

When the LORD will save his people

And defeat their enemies.

He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,

10-Leviticus 25:1 The LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and commanded him 2 to give the following regulations to the people of Israel. When you enter the land that the LORD is giving you, you shall honor the LORD by not cultivating the land every seventh year. 3 You shall plant your fields, prune your vineyards, and gather your crops for six years. 4 But the seventh year is to be a year of complete rest for the land, a year dedicated to the LORD. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not even harvest the grain that grows by itself without being planted, and do not gather the grapes from your unpruned vines; it is a year of complete rest for the land. 6 Although the land has not been cultivated during that year, it will provide food for you, your slaves, your hired men, the foreigners living with you, 7 your domestic animals, and the wild animals in your fields. Everything that it produces may be eaten.

The Year of Restoration

8 Count seven times seven years, a total of forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, send someone to blow a trumpet throughout the whole land. 10 In this way you shall set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold shall be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves shall return to their families. 11 You shall not plant your fields or harvest the grain that grows by itself or gather the grapes in your unpruned vineyards. 12 The whole year shall be sacred for you; you shall eat only what the fields produce of themselves.

13 In this year all property that has been sold shall be restored to its original owner. 14 So when you sell land to an Israelite or buy land, do not deal unfairly. 15 The price is to be set according to the number of years the land can produce crops before the next Year of Restoration. 16 If there are many years, the price shall be higher, but if there are only a few years, the price shall be lower, because what is being sold is the number of crops the land can produce. 17 Do not cheat an Israelite, but obey the LORD your God.

The Problem of the Seventh Year

18 Obey all the LORD's laws and commands, so that you may live in safety in the land. 19 The land will produce its crops, and you will have all you want to eat and will live in safety.

20 But someone may ask what there will be to eat during the seventh year, when no fields are planted and no crops gathered. 21 The LORD will bless the land in the sixth year so that it will produce enough food for two years. 22 When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating what you harvested during the sixth year, and you will have enough to eat until the crops you plant that year are harvested.

Restoration of Property

23 Your land must not be sold on a permanent basis, because you do not own it; it belongs to God, and you are like foreigners who are allowed to make use of it.

24 When land is sold, the right of the original owner to buy it back must be recognized. 25 If any of you Israelites become poor and are forced to sell your land, your closest relative is to buy it back. 26 If you have no relative to buy it back, you may later become prosperous and have enough to buy it back yourself. 27 In that case you must pay to the one who bought it a sum that will make up for the years remaining until the next Year of Restoration, when you would in any event recover your land. 28 But if you do not have enough money to buy the land back, it remains under the control of the one who bought it until the next Year of Restoration. In that year it will be returned to its original owner.

29 If you sell a house in a walled city, you have the right to buy it back during the first full year from the date of sale. 30 But if you do not buy it back within the year, you lose the right of repurchase, and the house becomes the permanent property of the purchasers and their descendants; it will not be returned in the Year of Restoration. 31 But houses in unwalled villages are to be treated like fields; the original owner has the right to buy them back, and they are to be returned in the Year of Restoration. 32 However, Levites have the right to buy back at any time their property in the cities assigned to them. 33 If a house in one of these cities is sold by a Levite and is not bought back, it must be returned in the Year of Restoration,[a] because the houses which the Levites own in their cities are their permanent property among the people of Israel. 34 But the pasture land around the Levite cities shall never be sold; it is their property forever.

Loans to the Poor

35 If any Israelites living near you become poor and cannot support themselves, you must provide for them as you would for a hired worker, so that they can continue to live near you. 36 Do not charge Israelites any interest, but obey God and let them live near you. 37 Do not make them pay interest on the money you lend them, and do not make a profit on the food you sell them. 38 This is the command of the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt in order to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

Release of Slaves

39 If any Israelites living near you become so poor that they sell themselves to you as a slave, you shall not make them do the work of a slave. 40 They shall stay with you as hired workers and serve you until the next Year of Restoration. 41 At that time they and their children shall leave you and return to their family and to the property of their ancestors. 42 The people of Israel are the LORD's slaves, and he brought them out of Egypt; they must not be sold into slavery. 43 Do not treat them harshly, but obey your God. 44 If you need slaves, you may buy them from the nations around you. 45 You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property, 46 and you may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly.

47 Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family. 48 After they are sold, they still have the right to be bought back. A brother 49 or an uncle or a cousin or another close relative may buy them back; or if they themselves earn enough, they may buy their own freedom. 50 They must consult the one who bought them, and they must count the years from the time they sold themselves until the next Year of Restoration and must set the price for their release on the basis of the wages paid hired workers. 51-52 They must refund a part of the purchase price according to the number of years left, 53 as if they had been hired on an annual basis. Their master must not treat them harshly. 54 If they are not set free in any of these ways, they and their children must be set free in the next Year of Restoration. 55 Israelites cannot be permanent slaves, because the people of Israel are the LORD's slaves. He brought them out of Egypt; he is the LORD their God.

11-Luke 10:25 A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

26 Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?”

27 The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

28 “You are right,” Jesus replied; “do this and you will live.”

29 But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus answered, “There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 31 It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side. 32 In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. 34 He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he told the innkeeper, ‘and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.’”

36 And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor toward the man attacked by the robbers?”

37 The teacher of the Law answered, “The one who was kind to him.”

Jesus replied, “You go, then, and do the same.”

12-John 4:9 The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan—so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.)

Luke 9:54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”

13-Matthew 5:13 “You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

14-Deuteronomy 12:30 After the LORD destroys those nations, make sure that you don't follow their religious practices, because that would be fatal. Don't try to find out how they worship their gods, so that you can worship in the same way.

31:20 I will take them into this rich and fertile land, as I promised their ancestors. There they will have all the food they want, and they will live comfortably. But they will turn away and worship other gods. They will reject me and break my covenant,

Isaiah 2:8 Their land is full of idols, and they worship objects that they have made with their own hands.

15-John 4:1 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was winning and baptizing more disciples than John. (2 Actually, Jesus himself did not baptize anyone; only his disciples did.) 3 So when Jesus heard what was being said, he left Judea and went back to Galilee; 4 on his way there he had to go through Samaria.

5 In Samaria he came to a town named Sychar, which was not far from the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

7 A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (8 His disciples had gone into town to buy food.)

9 The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan—so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.)[a]

10 Jesus answered, “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life-giving water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you don't have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where would you get that life-giving water? 12 It was our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well; he and his children and his flocks all drank from it. You don't claim to be greater than Jacob, do you?”

13 Jesus answered, “Those who drink this water will get thirsty again, 14 but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life.”

15 “Sir,” the woman said, “give me that water! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water.”

16 “Go and call your husband,” Jesus told her, “and come back.”

17 “I don't have a husband,” she answered.

Jesus replied, “You are right when you say you don't have a husband. 18 You have been married to five men, and the man you live with now is not really your husband. You have told me the truth.”

19 “I see you are a prophet, sir,” the woman said. 20 “My Samaritan ancestors worshiped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should worship God.”

21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salvation comes. 23 But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. 24 God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything.”

26 Jesus answered, “I am he, I who am talking with you.”

27 At that moment Jesus' disciples returned, and they were greatly surprised to find him talking with a woman. But none of them said to her, “What do you want?” or asked him, “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, 29 “Come and see the man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?” 30 So they left the town and went to Jesus.

31 In the meantime the disciples were begging Jesus, “Teacher, have something to eat!”

32 But he answered, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 So the disciples started asking among themselves, “Could somebody have brought him food?”

34 “My food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. 35 You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! 36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

39 Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days.

41 Many more believed because of his message, 42 and they told the woman, “We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world.”

16-John 4:35 You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! 36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

17-Matthew 10:5 These twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: “Do not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns. 6 Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. 7 Go and preach, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid. 9 Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets; 10 do not carry a beggar's bag for the trip or an extra shirt or shoes or a walking stick. Workers should be given what they need.

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