LOOKING FOR A LOOPHOLE
Luke 10:25–29
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to compare yourself to other people? We naturally measure ourselves against those around us and conclude, “I’m not perfect, but I’m not as bad as that person.” We reassure ourselves by pointing to the good things we’ve done or the obvious sins we’ve avoided. In many ways, we grade ourselves on a curve, assuming that if we’re better than average, we’re probably doing fine with God.
The problem is that God doesn’t grade on a curve.
His standard isn’t the person sitting next to you. His standard is His perfect Son. That’s why Jesus said, “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Suddenly the comparison changes. Instead of measuring ourselves against other people, we’re confronted with the holiness of Christ—and we quickly realize how desperately we need a Savior.
Watch this week’s message:
That’s exactly what happened when a lawyer asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). It sounded like a sincere question, but hidden within it was a dangerous assumption. He believed eternal life could be earned. If he could simply do enough, obey enough, or become good enough, then surely God would accept him.
Jesus didn’t lower God’s standard. He raised it. Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Those commandments reveal God’s perfect standard, but they also reveal our greatest problem. None of us has loved God perfectly. None of us has loved others perfectly. The Law was never intended to convince us that we were righteous; it was given to show us our need for mercy.
Religion asks, “What must I do?” The gospel points us to what Christ has already done.
Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live, fulfilled every requirement of God’s Law, died in our place, and rose again so that everyone who trusts in Him can receive eternal life—not as something earned, but as a gift of God’s grace.
At the end of our passage, the lawyer asked another question: “Who is my neighbor?” Luke tells us why he asked it: he was “wanting to justify himself.” He wasn’t searching for truth as much as he was searching for a loophole. Instead of admitting his need, he tried to redefine God’s command in a way that made him feel righteous.
Before we’re too hard on the lawyer, we should ask ourselves if we ever do the same thing. How often do we look for the minimum God requires? How little can I give? How little do I have to forgive? How far can I go before it becomes sin? Grace leads us to ask a different question. Instead of asking, “What’s the minimum?” we begin asking, “Lord, because of all You have done for me, how can I love You more? How can I serve You more? How can I reflect Christ more faithfully?”
This week, resist the temptation to compare yourself to others. Instead, compare yourself to Christ. When you’re tempted to justify yourself, stop and ask, “Am I looking for a loophole, or am I looking to Jesus?”
Don’t look for loopholes. Look to Jesus.
He has already done for you what you could never do for yourself.
In Christ,
Pastor Bill
Missed this week’s message?
Watch the full sermon above, browse our complete sermon archive, or join us this Sunday at Medina Community Church as we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke. Next week we’ll discover how Jesus answers the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” in the timeless Parable of the Good Samaritan.
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