He Taught Them Many Parables… (The Good Samaritan) # 15

• We see people in trouble as we drive down the highways

• We see people in trouble in their marriages

• We see people in trouble in our neighborhoods

• We see people in trouble financially

• We see people in trouble physically

• We see people in trouble spiritually

As I said, you do not have to look very far to find people in trouble. In fact, it is easier to find people in trouble than to find people who are not in trouble these days.

This parable tells us about a man that was in trouble in a big way. As he was traveling, he was robbed and almost beaten to death.

The Lord told us this parable because He wants us to examine ourselves. We need to ask, “WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE IN TROUBLE?”

Illus: In Florida, an elderly gentlemen and his wife were near a lake. He was going to take his foot and push the brake to stop his car, but instead, his foot hit the accelerator, and the car went into the lake. An elderly lady saw what happened, and made a dash to swim out and try to rescue the lady, who later died. That does not take away from the woman’s effort who sought to save her by putting her own life at risk.

Most of us would have done the same thing if we had been there. But what about those times in our lives when we see people in trouble, and it is not life threatening, then WHAT DO WE DO ?

• Generally, when it is our family and friends, we automatically want to help them

• The question is, when we find someone WE DO NOT SOCIALIZE WITH, AND WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT SOCIALIZING WITH, WHAT DO WE DO IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT?

It is this kind of scenario that the Lord gives us in this parable.

This parable came about due to a question that was asked of the Lord. The Lawyer here is an interpreter of the Mosaic law, this is why he is referred to as a lawyer.

In Luke 10:25, we see this smart alec lawyer trying to put the Lord on the witness stand by asking him the question, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

The Lord turns around and puts him on the witness stand by asking him a question.

Look at Luke 10:26, we read, “He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The Lord knew he knew the Mosaic law, and we see his response in Luke 10: 27-28, we read, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”

But notice, he felt the pressure the Lord was applying to him, and in Luke 10:29, we read, “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”

To answer the question, “Who is my neighbor”, Jesus gives us the actions of three different kinds of people who saw a man on the side of the road, almost beaten to death.

In this parable, He tells us how each one responded.

I. THE SPIRITUAL RESPONSE TO THIS MAN’S NEEDS

We get a picture of this pitiful man in Luke 10:30, we read, “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”

We need to get a mental picture of the condition of this man. He is in bad shape. After being robbed and beaten, look what happens in verse 31, we read, “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.”

When the priest saw him, he should have run to him, but notice he did just the opposite, the Bible tells us, “…he passed by on the other side.”

This priest reminds me of some of the Christians driving on the highway. For example:

• You can have a flat tire, and as you try to replace your flat tire, it seems like they want to see how close they can come without hitting you with their cars as they pass by.

• You can be on the side of the road, trying to get back into the traffic flow, and they will not be merciful and let you move your car into the traffic flow.

Why is it that many Christians act one way in the church, and another way on the highway?