My Compassion (Chantilly Sermon)
April 26, 2026
Luke 10:25-37 CSB – Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.”
28 “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. 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. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’
36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.
Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”
The Person: A Religious Lawyer with Questions
Luke 10:25 CSB – Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:18 CSB – Rich young man asked, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:25 CSB – an expert in the law stood up to test him…
Luke 10:26 CSB – What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”
Luke 10:27 CSB – He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:28 SCB – “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”
Second question. Second motive.
Luke 10:29 CSB – But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
The Parable
John 10:30 CSB – Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:31 CSB – A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Psalm 37:21 CSB – the righteous one is gracious and giving.
Micah 6:8 CSB – what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Luke 10:32 CSB – In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
The Bad Guy is the Good Guy
Luke 10:33 CSB – But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.
John 8:48 CSB – The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan and have a demon?”
Luke 10:34 CSB – He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. 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. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’
Jesus Turns the Question
Luke 10:36-37 CSB – “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
Luke 10:37 CSB – [the man answers] “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.
Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”
Luke 10:38 CSB – While they were traveling….
Romans 3:20 NLT – For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
The Rich Young man & Jesus
Luke 18:23 CSB – After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.
Luke 18:26-27 CSB – says when Jesus disciples hear this, they’re stunned, they say, “Then who can be saved?”
He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Ephesians 2:1, 4 CSB – you were dead in your trespasses and sins
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!
How Should We Respond?
John 17:3 CSB – This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent —Jesus Christ.
I Can’t. He Can.
- Salvation is by grace. I can’t. He can.
- Life in Christ is by grace
Eternal life NOW is total surrender to Jesus in every situation
Total surrender NOW is by grace
Philippians 4:13 CSB – I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
