Text: Luke 10:25-37
Introduction: If you want to know what someone is all about, just listen to what they say. Jesus once said: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” The Living Bible puts it this way: “Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech”.
Sometimes I just enjoy listening in to conversations. My favorite radio programs are those where two or more people are discussing issues. It is as if you are eavesdropping.
Today I want us to “eavesdrop” on one of our Lord’s conversations. It is found in Luke 10. I think we will find some powerful lessons for living encapsulated in this conversation.
While Jesus walked on the earth, He often met those who would try to “verbally spar” with Him. That is, they would like to try to trip Him up or trap Him into saying something wrong. In John 7, we find an instance where the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to get Jesus and bring Him to them in order that they could interrogate them. When the officers went to arrest Him, they heard Him speaking and were so impressed that they returned to the Pharisees without Him. When asked why they came back empty-handed, they responded: “Never a man spake like this man.”
Then there was the time when the “religious” crowd – those who had been described as “beautiful mausoleums – full of dead men’s bones, and of foulness and corruption” – tried to trap Jesus with the woman who had been caught in the very act of adultery. The story is found in John 8:3-11 (NASB). Let us read that story.
You see, Jesus was well aware of the fact that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue …” Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)
Turn with me now to Luke, chapter 10 and we will find Jesus answering one of life’s most important, penetrating questions. We will begin reading at verse 25.
25And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
There it is. That is the most important question known to man. That is a question that should be constantly at the forefront of our concerns. The Philippian Jailer asked Paul & Silas the same question in Acts 16:30 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
I do not believe there is a more important question in life than this question. It has eternal consequences. I do not know what you have been asking yourself lately … Perhaps you have been asking, “What will the rest of 2006 hold? What will 2007 hold in store for me and my family? will I be promoted on my job? Will I get a pay raise on my job? If you are single maybe you have been who will I marry? What University will I attend?” All of these questions wane in significance when placed beside the ultimate question: What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Notice, though the lawyer was not serious. He was only testing the Lord. Look at the Lord’s reply:
26And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" 27And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 28And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."
“This do” -- What do? Love the Lord your God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself.
Now we find what was in the heart of the lawyer: Look at verse 29.
29But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Somehow, I feel this is a question the Christian world is asking today. Just what is my responsibility? Who and how many people do I really have to love. Who do we really have to care for? Is not it true that we are only to care for the “household of faith?”
I feel a misunderstanding of this issue lies at the place where the Christian church departed from the path upon which it was placed on the day of Pentecost. The church was never meant to be a “secret society” or an “exclusive group of elites.” We were never meant to exist for Sunday! We were never meant to be a club of positive thinkers who would tell each other how good we are. No, the purpose of the church today is as it was in the days of Jesus. How clearly He articulated our mission in His teaching on the Mount found in Matthew 5: 13-16 (NASB)
There is a reason for our saltiness and for our illumination. We are not simply to be salt and light for salt and light’s sake. Look at verse 16: “Let your light so shine before men” – WHY? “.. So that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” There is a PURPOSE FOR LIVING!
Listen carefully: Christ commissioned the Church not so much to BE as to DO! Not so much to be an ORGANISM as to be an ALIVE, VIBRANT ORGANISM. A light is no good unless it SHINES. Salt is no good, unless it SEASONS and PRESERVES. The preciousness is in the DOING! Thank God that John 3:16 did not end after “For God so loved the world …” But the heart of God is revealed in the latter part of the verse: “… that He gave His only begotten Son “[AND HERE’S THE PURPOSE]: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The question before us this morning is this: “Who is my neighbor?” To whom am I responsible? What will I be held accountable for one day when I stand before our Lord? Are we to only be concerned with “Church-ianity” -- Only the events that occur within the four walls of our sanctuary?
May I respectfully say this morning that I feel that often we Christians look too highly upon ourselves? We forget where we have come from, and the kind of people we are. Here is how the Apostle Paul put it:
1st Corinthians 1: 26-29 (NASB) 26For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29so that no man may boast before God.
I like the Apostle Paul. He really had it right. Listen to what he says to Timothy, his “son in the Lord”.
1st Timothy 1:15 (NASB) 15It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Let us return to our primary text found in Luke 10. The Lord answered the lawyer’s question by relating a parable. As we examine this passage of scripture, we must understand that there must be a “Paradigm Shift” in our church. Alternatively, to put it another way, we must seek the genuine Christian model after which we can pattern our church. You see, I believe the 21st Century church of the United States of America is light years away from the church seen in the New Testament. I have repeatedly asked myself the question, “How did we get where we are?” To put it simply, we must move away from “The Traditions of Man” to the “Instructions of God”.
We would be well served in our quest for authenticity to carefully study the teachings of Jesus in our text of Luke 10. Let us begin again with verse 30.
30Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
• Notice from WHERE he came and to WHERE he was going.
• He was coming from Jerusalem (city of peace) and going to Jericho (city of destruction).
• This is a picture of humanity.
• We started in the “place of peace” (Eden) and now, because of the failure of Adam and Eve we are headed toward destruction.
• Notice on his journey he “fell among robbers …” What a clear picture of Satan’s plan for man: “The thief comes but to kill, to steal and to destroy …:” – John 10:10
31"And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32"Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
• Notice: Priest and Levite were “religious men” supposedly dedicated to ministering in Israel.
• They were experts in what was the then known Word of God.
• Seeing a wounded victim close to death, they crossed over, not taking any chances of becoming “unclean”.
• Neither the Priest nor Levite wanted to get involved!
• As Donna and I were away over the Thanksgiving holidays, I was pricked in my heart by the Holy Spirit concerning this passage of scripture.
• The Priest and the Levite represent a dead, powerless, uncaring religion which is unable to help, and is content to simply pass by on the other side without being entangled with the needs of fallen man.
• It is a religion that ignores the needs of the poor, dying wretch, lying on the Jericho road!
33"But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
• Jews, especially those of Judah, despised Samaritans.
• This Samaritan Represents our Lord!
• Notice the action words and phrases.
• Here is our model:
o The Samaritan came upon the man who had beaten (v 33)
o Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB) 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
o He Saw Him; He Had Compassion On Him; He Went to Him; (vv 33-34) Compare to:
o Luke 7: 12-15 (NASB) 12Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." 14And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" 15The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
o He Bound Up His Wounds; He Poured in the Oil and Wine; He Sat Him on His Own Beast; He Brought Him to an Inn; He Took Care of Him. (v 34)
o Isaiah 61:1-3 (NASB) 1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
o Matthew 9: 10-13 (NASB) 10Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" 12But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13"But go and learn what this means: ’I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
o The Inn is representative of “The Church”
o Luke 10:35 (NASB) 35"On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ’Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’
o I believe the Lord is saying to us today that He will meet ALL our needs, if we will meet the needs of a sin-sick world.
o 2nd Corinthians 9:7-11 (AMP) 7Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]. 8And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. 9As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! 10And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. 11Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God.
o Listen: If you will heed His words and do them, you will not face lack.
o There will never be a time when you will have an empty barrel of wheat or depleted bottles of oil.
o He will rain down upon you blessings that no man can counterfeit.
o Those who see will be glad, and give praise to the Giver rather than the receiver.
o Now, the Lord brings the story home:
o Luke 10:36, 37 (NASB) 36"Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?" 37And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, and do the same."
o That is authentic Christianity: Going, and doing likewise!
o That is our mandate!
