Keep Caring! Series

“KEEP CARING” Luke 10:25-37

FBCF – 2/11/24

Jon Daniels

INTRO – 1985 – Huey Lewis & the News #1 song – “The Power of Love.” Part of soundtrack for movie, “Back to the Future.” Chorus:

You don't need money, don't take fame

Don't need no credit card to ride this train

It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes

But it might just save your life

That's the power of love

That's the power of love

Today, we are going consider a parable of Jesus that shows the power of love when it’s put into action. It’s the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Love that is nothing more than words is not really love at all.

- 1 John 3:18 – “My children, our love should not be just words & talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.” (TEV)

It’s the kind of love that causes us to spring into action when there’s someone in need, someone who’s hurting, someone who’s in danger.

- Pizza delivery man rescues child from fire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsskiB4qL1g

EXPLANATION – Luke 10:25-37 (David Derrick – 8:30 Harvey – 11:00)

Familiar passage – maybe most familiar of Jesus’ parable. And Jesus uses a word that is familiar to us – “neighbor.” Let’s make sure we understand who & what He is talking about.

Gk word lit means “nearby.” So, in that sense, a neighbor is that person that we probably think about when we say “neighbor” – someone close by – maybe lives close by – phrase “next door neighbor.” For me, the Hammocks & the Marberrys are my “next door neighbors.” The Wilbourns, Mr. Charles Campbell, the McNamaras, Cheyenne Poole, & others up on 1st Street would be those neighbors that are physically close by. And certainly, the characters in this parable were close by the man who was assaulted & robbed.

But Jesus had more in mind than just being physically close to someone. He expanded the definition, even including enemies. Your neighbor is anyone, anywhere, of any race, any social standing, any family b’ground, w/ any need. Can be someone close by – someone you w/ whom you have something in common – same nature, viewpoints, beliefs, race, country, faith – a friend or associate. Or, as in passage for today, a neighbor is defined as any other member of the human family – PERIOD.

When Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves in the Great Commandment, He is not telling us to limit our love to only those who we are close to, those who hold same beliefs, who are like us, or those we like more than others. “A neighbor is any person we encounter who has any need. Since every person we encounter has a need of some kind, we can understand the term to include every person we encounter.” (Holman Bible Dictionary) So the basic truth that Jesus is commanding us as His followers to obey is to LOVE EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE WORLD. And word used for loving your neighbor is same word use for loving God – agapao – unconditional, no-strings-attached “What in it for me?”, sacrificial, putting their needs before your needs, more concerned about them than about you, not concerned about their response or their reciprocating your acts of love.

So, look around you. Turn to person beside you – “Hey, neighbor.” Turn to someone else – “Hey, neighbor.” Look at that camera – “Hey, neighbor.”

Now, let’s talk about the participants of this story. Joe McKeever shared this: Adrian Rogers in his study at Columbus once. Discussing this parable. Dr. Rogers: "You know the traditional outline on that?" Joe didn’t. Dr. Rogers: "There are three philosophies in this story:

- THE THIEVES said, "What's yours is mine and I will take it."

- THE PRIEST/LEVITE said, "What's mine is mine and I will keep it."

- THE SAMARITAN said, "What's mine is mine but I will share it."

The brutes that beat him down – v. 30 – Tragic but this is regular occurrence in our violent society today:

- Police officers in NYC beaten down last week.

- Teenage boy beaten down out at Shiloh Park in Brandon last week.

- Regularly see parents, coaches, spectators, & players beat each other down at sporting events.

We don’t know much about these guys except they were “robbers” & he “fell” among them – encountered them on this dangerous road – a 21-mile-long road – “The Way of Blood” b/c it was a favorite territory for marauding bands of thieves & thugs.

Sad truth: Whether first century or 21st century, sin is still the same. Satan is still at work. Lost people still act like lost people. They are just acting according to their nature.