LESSON 8

60 MINS

SECTION 1 = 5 mins

3 MINS >> REFLECTION

ETERNITY

Inheriting eternal life is a different kind of goal than retirement. My mom had a short retirement. She died of cancer at age 68. My dad lived to be 90 and was retired for about 25 years. They both planned for, and looked forward to, retirement. Thankfully, I think they both inherited eternal life.

The lawyer in the Luke 10 passage isn’t asking Jesus about retirement. He wants to know how to inherit eternal life. Grasping the concept of eternal life is a spatio-temporal challenge. It’s about about time (eternity, forever) and place (heaven). The lawyer’s understanding about who will be there and what it will be like motivates him to do what it takes to get there. There’s also an unpleasant alternative to living in heaven forever. Theological discussions about eternal life, heaven, hell, judgment, the end times, the last things, and the second coming of Jesus are mysterious and complex.

The Samaritan stops to care for the injured person on a particular day on a remote road in the middle of nowhere. His love for his neighbor, however, had eternal significance. Loving God and neighbor is both a way of life and the way to eternal life.

Planning for the future is designed to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Much of our everyday energy is focused on retirement. Like gravity, it pulls us toward it. God’s upward call to eternal life pulls us in a different direction. Like my parents, pursuing both paths may be doable. I’m not sure. Just remember, if you find yourself on both paths and they happen to diverge, choose the one that takes you upward toward eternal life, & Jesus.

2 mins >> Discussion questions + prompts

Discuss the reflection reading above.

SECTION 2 = 10 mins

3 MINS >> read luke 10:25-37 (NRSV shown below)

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. 

“Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

He said to him,

“What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 

He answered,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 

And he said to him,

“You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus,

“And who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus replied,

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said,

‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 

Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

He said,

“The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus said to him,

“Go and do likewise.”

7 mins >> Discussion Questions + Prompts

  • What does the Good Samaritan story have to do with inheriting eternal life?

  • Are we saved if we love God & neighbor; or, do we also have to have faith (believe)?

SECTION 3 = 10 mins

6 mins >> Watch Bible Project’s DAy of the Lord

5 mins >> Discussion Questions + Prompts

  • Share your thoughts about the video.

  • How do the lessons from the video relate to Luke 10:25-37?

SECTION 4 = 11 mins

5 MINS >> Read Beck’s Slavery of Death

6 MINS >> Discussion Questions & Prompts

  • Share your thoughts about this article.

  • How does your view of eternity, heaven, or death influence your everyday decisions?

SECTION 5 = 15 mins

5 mins >> CRAFTED PRAYER

Everyone silently asks the same question (shown below) to God in prayer. It may be helpful to ask the question more than once. Then, wait patiently for 4-5 mins while listening for a response from God.

Lord, Am I loving You with all my heart, soul, mind, & strength?

10 mins >> Discussion Questions + Prompts

  • Allow each person to share what they heard or experienced while in prayer.

SECTION 6 = 8 mins

7 mins >> Discussion Questions & Prompts

  • Discuss your vision of eternity and heaven.

  • Take a moment to write down your answer.

1 min >> Prayer & DISMISSAL

  • Lord, Guide us toward life eternal. Amen.