River Valley Church New Testament Soap Sprint Sample

Underlying the story of the good Samaritan is a web of cultural context: Jews were in deep conflict with Samaritans, whom they despised and viewed as half-breed traitors. In order to shake His listeners from their prejudices, Jesus paints a Samaritan as the hero of the story, implying that His audience should rethink their viewpoints of those whom they’ve previously avoided and held grudges or biases against.  Jesus continues to teach his followers about how to live counterculturally in His kingdom, telling them (mostly through stories) that they shouldn’t worry so much about what they have; that they should even give it away to others. We continue to see a theme in Jesus' character: He cares deeply for those on the margins of society, and He warns those who have power, status, and resources to be watchful, and to live the reality of God’s kingdom here and now. A good amount of this section is unique to Luke’s gospel.