“Is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.”Main point: The Spirit leads us to eternal life through obedience to these commandments.BLESSING THE CHILDRENSERMON“This commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.” Deuteronomy 30:11The story of the Good Samaritan. One of the most famous teachings from Jesus visits us this morning and invites us to ask two questions.First, what must one do to inherit eternal life?Second, who is my neighbor?Question 1: What must I do to inherit eternal life?Our gospel begins with a question from a concerned Jewish lawyer. Presumably this man was smart. Presumably he was educated. Presumably he had played this question over in his mind many times before. It is a question you may have asked yourself before: what must I do to inherit eternal life? This question reveals a deeper question which, when we’re still enough to let it come to the surface, is equally profound. It is, am I OK? God sees all I do. I know I make mistakes. I know I am flawed. Sometimes, I do what I know isn’t the good thing - the healthy thing - the thing that leads to life. I know me. And I know it doesn’t add up to enough. So what does God think? Am I going to be OK when we get to the end?I know God sees me too. Take a crack at that first question on your own. What answer would you come up with if you were asked point blank: What must one do to inherit eternal life?Maybe you would say… Well, there’s nothing someone can do to inherit eternal life. It’s not about what I do; it’s about what Jesus has done.Or, you might say, believe and be baptized. I know that’s in the Scriptures somewhere. We talk an awful lot about believing and baptism and faith at church. Surely, that’s a part of the equation.Lutherans are quick to say both of these things. As we should.I must be straight with you, the answer from Jesus does not sound very Lutheran - or even very Protestant in general. His answer is simple enough. It's plain enough. It comes straight from the heart of the tradition he is in and the tradition we Lutherans claim. And might I remind you, the answer comes from the mouth of Jesus. He doesn't say, be baptized. He doesn't say believe in me. He doesn't say there's nothing you can do to inherit eternal life. We here this morning may expect a Lutheran answer, but the answer Jesus gives us is the answer I give to you this morning. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will have eternal life. In your answer to the question of eternal life, I pray you leave room for the answer Jesus gives. 

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