Everyday Bible Conversations!

EBC 3, 2, 1! – On Location in 2025! Leading to Worship Sunday, July 13, 2025 

 Reading: Luke 10:25-37 

EBC focuses on bringing the Bible into our Everyday Lives, emphasizing God’s Everyday presence by finding connections in our physical world! EBC also has a video component on the St. John’s website and St. John’s YouTube channel. 

This week, we hear the beloved story of the Good Samarian, and we focus on the detail – who is our neighbor? Click here: https://youtu.be/jK6eBcF_Ehc 

 Welcome to this week’s EBC 3,2,1! Three points, two questions, and one action step! 

Three Points

 • The parable of the Good Samaritan starts with an expert in Jewish law “testing” Jesus. The expert asks, and then answers for himself, that he is to love the Lord with all his heart, mind and strength, and love his neighbor as himself. But then he tries to “vindicate” himself by asking “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)

 • The answer is in the parable of the Good Samaritan. A traveler is beaten and left half dead by robbers. A priest and a Levite each pass by without helping the injured man. But a Samaritan – a group who would have been despised by the Jews – does help, and helps generously. Not only does he bring the man to an inn, he pays at the inn, and even agrees to come back and pay whatever else the innkeeper needs in caring for the victim.

 • Which of these was the neighbor of the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The one who showed mercy. And Jesus tells us to “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37) 

Two Questions

 • Why do you think the Samaritan is the hero of the story. Could not the Samaritan have been the victim, and a well-meaning Jewish passerby helped? What more is Jesus doing by emphasizing that our (supposed) enemy can help us as a neighbor?

 • What do we really know about the man who fell to the robbers? Was he good? Did he “deserve” help? Does it matter? What does the lack of information (and judgment) as to the victim tell us about who we can look to help – also without judgment? 

 Action Step

 • Be a Good Samaritan – no judgment, no boundaries, everyone is your neighbor!

Don’t like these questions? Do these verses say something different to you? Great! What is it? 

And as always, you are encouraged to find a friend (or two or many) and take an EBC coffee break! Find 15-25 minutes somewhere in the week and share your faith. Have fun finding God this week in your Everyday Life!