The Dialog

A man asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" Luke says he asked because he wanted to justify his actions (Luke 10:29). We think most of us still ask it for the same reason.

Nick co-wrote our church's Christmas production. Over 450 people gave their lives to Christ, and he still went home deflated, wondering how many of them would actually be discipled. My co-host Nick Surface and I start there: what discipleship really is, altar calls, critiquing pastors from a distance, and why Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of the story.

Who is my neighbor, according to Jesus?
The expert in religious law was looking for a way to rule some people out. Jesus told him about a Samaritan, the person his listeners avoided most, then said, "Now go and do the same" (Luke 10:37). Anyone you'd tend to see as an enemy is your neighbor.

What does it mean to love your enemies?
The Greek word is ἀγάπη (agapē): love that comes out of your character, not your feelings. Someone else decides if they see you as an enemy. You decide if you see them as one.

How do you know if someone is really saved?
Not by whether they raised a hand. The proof is the fruit of their life over time. One plants, another waters, but God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Scriptures
Luke 10:25-37 · Matthew 5:43-45 · John 13:34 · Matthew 22:37-40 · Matthew 7:21-23 · Acts 8:26-40 · Romans 13:8 · 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

People
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 2
Andy Stanley: what does love require of you?

Chapters
0:00 Cold open, show intro and pre-show banter
1:43 Judging a church from a distance (Joel Osteen)
3:52 What is discipleship, really? A Christmas production story
6:00 Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8) and counting salvations
8:51 Are altar calls in the Bible?
10:40 Growing up charismatic: does God work with imperfection?
13:40 Putting a timeline on other people's transformation
14:28 What is the real proof of salvation? (Matthew 7:21-23)
16:25 Where did the altar call come from? Why we make traditions
17:46 Why didn't the church want the Bible translated?
19:52 The real non-negotiables with God
21:23 The Great Commandment, the Great Commission and John 13:34
23:58 Look in the mirror, not out the window
26:29 Was Jesus the first to say "love your enemies"?
28:24 Love your neighbor as yourself, or as Jesus loved you?
30:00 Who is my neighbor? The Good Samaritan (Luke 10)
32:22 Who are the Samaritans today?
33:49 Fear, labels and the people we actually meet
36:16 He wanted to justify himself (Luke 10:29)
38:57 Loving a person while opposing an ideology
40:36 Andy Stanley: what does love require of you?
43:16 Do your enemies feel loved by you?
45:05 Would you say it to their face? Speaking the truth in love
46:39 What about people who only understand force?
48:10 Marcus Aurelius on meeting unkind people
49:35 Love your enemies (Matthew 5) and Romans 13
51:57 Faith or fear? Christians under Muslim rule
53:25 How the early church won Rome with service
55:38 Anyone you'd call an enemy is your neighbor
57:13 Learn how much God loves you first
58:08 Outro

Previous: 1.13 / Judge the fruit, not the motive
Next: 1.15 / What is God actually holding you responsible for?

New episodes most weeks.
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Go to my website / https://jkc.is

What is The Dialog?

Ancient philosophers used the dialog to find answers to life’s greatest questions. The Dialog is a search for truth in modern life through the lens of ancient philosophy, history, and theology. This podcast will challenge your assumptions, change your thinking and show you how to master modern living.