March,2007
“What Makes a Good Samaritan REALLY Good?”
Luke 10:25-37
INTRODUCTION: What color was the first ambulance in the Bible? Who knows? It was probably gray or brown. A donkey. Today our scripture talks about a need and who God used to fill that need. It wasn’t probably the person you would have expected. It was a Samaritan, the most unlikely person to help a Jewish person, for there was a deep hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jews saw themselves as the “pure descendants of Abraham” and the Samaritans were a mixed race produced when the Jews from the Northern kingdom intermarried with other people after Israel’s exile. For the Jews there was no such thing as a GOOD Samaritan.
The scripture opens with a lawyer--an expert in the law--asking Jesus a question to test him. “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” I don’t know how sincere he was in asking that question. Maybe he was just trying to trip Jesus up. Jesus asks him a question, “What does the law say? How do YOU understand it?” Jesus was not trying to put him on the spot or embarrass him because this lawyer knew EXACTLY what the law said. He replied,
“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 Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.”
Jesus said, “Yes, that’s right. Do this and you will live.” And then the man asked, “Just who is MY NEIGHBOR.?”
Jesus then told this parable or story to answer the lawyer’s question. The scene opens somewhere along the way between Jerusalem and Jericho about a 17 mile stretch of land where it was very rugged and rocky. Robbers could easily hide anywhere along the way, and it was considered a very dangerous route.
A certain priest was returning from Jerusalem where he had been “observing the law and performing his priestly duties.” His highest duty was to offer sacrifices in the temple. According to the law in Lev. 21:1-3, he was to keep himself ceremonially clean and not to defile himself. Even though he had certain rules and regulations, there was no reason he could not show mercy to someone in need.
Luke 6:36 says, “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.”
The law also stated that people were to help a person’s animal get back up if it has fallen. Deut. 22:4
Even an enemies donkey or ox that has fallen was to be helped up. Exodus 23:4.
The Levites assisted the priests in the temple services and also was a person set apart and trained for religious work. It is said that Jericho was a city of priests and Levites and thousands of them lived there.
The Samaritan was--in contrast--a Gentile who was low on the totem pole as far as status or respect. No one wanted to help a Samaritan and probably didn’t want to receive help from one either.
A man was going down to Jericho from Jerusalem on this dangerous road and some robbers beat him up and left him for dead. We don’t know the details of this story. The priest happened to come by and looked over and saw the hurting man. We don’t have much information about what he saw or felt as he happened to come along. He may have said, “I feel sorry for the guy. He’s probably about dead anyway. Maybe he’s already dead. Anyway what can I do to help? I’m not a paramedic. I better get out of here or that will be me lying in the ditch next time.”
STORY: Saint Peter was at the gates of Heaven interviewing a man. He said, “You haven’t done anything bad, but you haven’t anything good either. If you tell me just one good thing that you’ve done, I’ll let you in.”
“Well, the man replied, “I was traveling on the road when I saw a group of thugs robbing a woman. So I went up to them and shouted for them to stop. Unfortunately, things got a little out of hand and I ended up punching out their leader. Then I challenged everyone else in the group to fight me.”
“Wow,” Saint Peter said. “That IS good. When did it happen?”
“About 2 minutes ago.”
At any rate, the priest didn’t want to become the next victim. Whatever he felt or didn’t feel about the man in the ditch, he shut it out by walking over to the other side of that road so that he could avoid getting involved. He SAW but he didn’t WANT TO SEE. He may have even looked the other way. He thought, “Don’t know what happened. Don’t care to know.”
Application: When have we reacted just like the priest did, avoiding “getting involved.” If I don’t SEE the need, I can’t be expected to stop. If we can justify our lack of involvement because we might be in danger or at risk, we can often scoot to the other side of the road and go on our way with ease. If we tell ourselves that we can’t do anything about it anyway, it often gets us off the hook, and we feel OK about it. Even though the priest performed the highest of ceremonial sacrifices, he was not REALLY keeping the law.
Mark 12:28-31 talks about loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself also, but this scripture adds this thought: that this is “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” The priest who considered himself very religious was missing the point. We often do, too, at times when we fail to have concern for others in need.
The second person, the Levite, also SAW the need and quickly passed by on the other side. We don’t know how much time had passed by between the two people SEEING but not DOING anything about the need. He didn’t call 911 or make contact with anyone else who could help--not even a referral. The need was passed by, unmet by people who probably could have done something.
How many times do we see the need but pass by on the other side of the road? Probably more times than we would like to admit and for a number of reasons.
I think this scripture shows us how many times we, too, as Christians have walked on the other side of the road. We may feel condemned about it and say, “but I’m just not a people person.”
STORY: a preacher who wouldn’t talk to people. Walk by them and not even say, “Hi, how was your day?” People would say, “Oh, he’s very business like--he’s not a people person.” Maybe the priest and the Levite were trying to act like that.
We may feel, “I’m not a very Good Samaritan either. When we were meeting in the parable groups to study this scripture I thought, “I’m not a very Good Samaritan.”
Jesus did not tell this parable to beat us over the head with condemnation because of what we are or are not. He told this parable that we might LEARN and IMPROVE from it. As the lawyer’s eyes were opened to who his neighbor was, Jesus said, “go and do likewise. Start being a good Samaritan.”
The third man--probably the most unqualified of all responded in 9 additional ways. He also SAW the need, but then what? He didn’t walk to the other side of the road and keep on walking. We don’t know if he argued with himself about making the decision whether or not to stop. He could have said, “I don’t want to be on this road after dark.” Anyway, I’ve got a million things on my schedule today. I can’t take time. I’ve got everything prioritized and this is not one of them. Scripture says, “He SAW the need and he TOOK PITY ON--had compassion for--The Message Bible says, “When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him.” (vs. 33).
As we desire to be used of the Lord, He will give us a greater sensitivity to people’s needs. This can be both good and bad. It moves us toward the need on one hand, but it also moves us AWAY FROM our secure comfort zone. It disrupts our PREDICTABLE routine and a lot of times we just don’t want that to happen.
We say, “If I can be a Good Samaritan on my time schedule, I’ll be one. But if I am expected to be a Good Samaritan at an inconvenient time, count me out. I’m not available today, Lord. See if you can get George to do it this time. OK? Catch you later.”
He SAW the need. He took PITY on him. And he WENT to him.
You say, “What am I going to do once I get there?” Are we fearful of going because we think we can’t handle it once we get there? Don’t know what to do. Not qualified.” The Good Samaritan WENT. We don’t know if he was afraid or how he felt. He saw the need and responded. What could he do with the resources he had available? Nothing, a little bit, just a drop in the bucket? What can we do with the resources we have? We’ve got to let God show us. When you don’t know what in the world to do, try saying, “God how do you want me to handle this?” The Good Samaritan had some oil and wine--He poured on the wine to disinfect the wounds--he poured in some oil to soothe, he bandaged his wounds. He applied some first aid. We think if we can’t do some major surgery on the road we’re not doing anything. This little bit of first aid meant a whole lot to that hurting man. Let’s apply some first aid when God shows us a need. What could you do to help a person back on his feet again?
The Samaritan didn’t leave him by the side of the road in the condition he found him. Sometimes we casually say, “Well, good luck. Hope you get better. See you later.” There is often more we can do if we are willing to give of ourselves, of our time and our money--to put ourselves out for others. And this is not always easy.
The Good Samaritan went beyond the first aid. He put the man on his own donkey, took him to the hotel, cared for him--paid for the room and food and said IF IT COSTS MORE, put it on my bill. You say, “I don’t want to do all that. I don’t have time or money to spend on being a Good Samaritan. Don’t even know this person. Scripture says, “and love your neighbor as yourself.” Who is my neighbor? Who was the neighbor in this parable? The lawyer couldn’t bring himself to say, “The Samaritan.” Rather he answered, “the one who had mercy on him.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
CONCLUSION: What makes a Good Samaritan REALLY good? It is not being a workaholic or being so stressed out spreading ourselves so thin that we can’t function at all. It is not proudly saying “I’d rather wear out than rust out for the Lord” and then overload ourselves down even with good things. It means to be WILLING to be a Good Samaritan when we see the need and being WILLING to GO when God directs us to certain needs and certain people along the way. We can do this by being sensitive to His leading in our lives each day. When God prompts us to do something, be WILLING to act quickly at the time and go do it. Be OBEDIENT to His direction as it is pointed out to you. Respond quickly as the Good Samaritan did. Be willing to inconvenience yourself if that is what will help someone. Be willing to give of your resources when needed. He may only ask you to do certain things or help certain people, but as we do this, I believe that we will become more useful in the world today. God will know that He can COUNT on you because you are AVAILABLE. What makes a Good Samaritan a REALLY Good Samaritan is our willingness and obedience to do whatever God asks us to do. Will you be a REALLY Good Samaritan this week whenever God asks you to be?
Shall we pray:
