LK 10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27 He answered: " `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.’ "
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,’ he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."March 22 Who is my Neighbor?
Great events watched on TV - who remembers 2000 new year - saw Space Challenger explode - Walk on Moon - Kenney’s Assassination. Last Episode Raymond, Cheers, MASH Seinfeld?
Final episode disappointing, not so funny - moralizing - self depreciating. Everyone goes to jail for a year for failing to help someone being robbed. Remember the episode, Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer flying to Paris as a gift from the network that gave Jerry a contract for a TV show. Plane problems force them to land in Lakeland MASS. To kill time they wander the streets, making fun of people including a guy getting car jacked. Kramer even starts to film it. Cops come, take statement, and as Jerry suggests they go get something to eat (very Seinfeldish) the cop stops them.
Officer: all right, hold it right there. Jerry: What?
Officer: You’re under arrest. Jerry: Under arrest, What for?
Officer: Article 223-7 of the Lakeland county penal code
Elaine protests: What, we didn’t do anything
Officer: That’s exactly right. The law requires you to help or assist anyone in danger as long at its reasonable to do so
George: I never heard of that. Officer: It’s new, its called the Good Samaritan Law, Let’s go.
Good Samaritan story so well known it has crept into our vocabulary, used by Jewish comedian in his farewell episode for one of the most popular TV shows of all time. Good Samaritan not even in Bible
Our take on Good Samaritan more like the man telling his wife about the woman he saw standing in the rain stranded beside her car during rush hour, no one helped, "I would have stopped if I weren’t on the way to work" or the infamous Youtube clip of man run over by car
Open Bibles to Luke 10 - and we will read the story but as you do I want you to look for 3 things:
1. Jesus’ parables usually have YOU in them, find yourself
2. Jesus’ parables often have Him in them, find Him
3. This parable has one word that is particularly damning, see if you can find it.
What’s the story that this Expert in the Law (pretty good guy) can’t bring himself to say Samaritan?
More to this story - so much more, let’s do a little digging
About 200 years earlier the Greek conqueror Antiochus Epiphanes proclaimed himself the incarnation of the Greek god Zeus and mandated death to anyone who refused to worship him. The Jews faithfulness to Yahweh and their refusal to allow their homeland to be defiled was a major obstacle. This led the Samaritans, eager for safety, to disown all connection and kinship with the Jews. The Greeks accepted - the final straw - the break was permanent. But let’s look further back
Samaritan comes from word samerim - Keeper of the Law - belief that scripture is only Pentateuch, they worship and sacrifice at Mount Gerizim - not the Temple in Jerusalem. They claim that they are the purest of the Jews descended from a part of two tribes that were allowed by the Assyrians to resettle after captivity. Remember the discussion Jesus had with the woman at the well?
That’s not how Jews in Jesus’ day look at them. Assyrians forced intermarriage when they conquered, but Babylonians didn’t. So when Judah (Jews) were taken captivity to Babylon, they remained pure Hebrews, did not intermarry during captivity, but grew more concentrated, develop Synagogue system to study the OT, became people of the book because Temple destroyed, until it was rebuilt when they returned.
But the division goes back to an earlier time. During the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam - the kingdom of Israel is split into two, 10 1/2 tribes making up Israel and 1 1/2 tribe making up Judah. Israel often worshiped Baal, but so did Judah from time to time. The rivalry is described in Kings and Chronicles. Often they would go to battle against each other in Hebrew Civil wars.
Write 2 Chronicles 28 on your page as a great background chapter.
Ahaz is a wicked king, he worshipped the Baals, he burned sacrifices to idols, even sacrificed his son in the fire. So God handed him over to his enemy - the king of Aram who defeated Judah and took many prisoners to Damascus (heart of Israel country) Ahaz was also defeated by the king of Israel who inflicted many casualties on him, in one day they killed 120,000 soldiers. The kings own son was killed as well as his second in command, and they hauled 200,000 of their wives and children back to Samaria.
So when the Expert in the Law couldn’t say the name ’Samaritan’ it is understandable. There is a rivalry that goes back at least 900 years. The Samaritans hated the Jews and the Jews hated them back. To the Jew - a Samaritan believed the wrong Bible, worshipped at the wrong place and were mortal enemies, destroying their Hebrew brothers and intermarrying with Assyrians - Bastards
Will Campbell graduated from Yale Divinity School and went home to Mississippi to fight prejudice. One day P.D. East, an agnostic news editor, asked him to tell the Christian message in ten words or less. Campbell thought and then replied, "We’re all bastards, but God loves us anyway."
Months later, a deputy sheriff gunned down a young Harvard Divinity student named Jonathan Daniels who had been picketing "white only" stores. He was one of Will’s best friends. It was then that P.D. East said to him, "Let’s see if your definition works now." "Was your friend Jonathan a bastard?" Campbell replied that even though he was one of the most gentle persons he had ever known, he had to say, "Yes." "All right, was sheriff Coleman a bastard?" "You bet!" said Campbell. Then P. D. East pulled his chair closer and asked, "Which one do you think God loves the most?"
"The question hit home like an arrow to my heart," said Campbell. "Suddenly it all became clear and I started to cry and then laugh and then cry again. After 20 years of sophisticated theological thinking, my head had told me God would be with my friend. But unless God is also with my friend’s murderer, there is no Gospel, no Good News." Later Campbell discovered that news editor, P.D. East, had been an illegitimate child and had spent his life being called a bastard.
Recap the parable
Smartypants wants to Test Jesus - see if He has a clue - is He orthodox. The question he asks isn’t hard, but fundamental.
"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus being a typical Rabbi says, "you tell me"
Shema - and "Love your neighbor as yourself" - (this guy is pretty good)
But looking for a loophole, asks the fatal question - "Who is my Neighbor?"
Jesus turns the test around, tells a story - man wounded by robbers, Priest, Levite, Samaritan
Did you figure out who you are? If you’re the Samaritan, who would be the wounded man, a man your mortal enemy? A Iraqi soldier, Muslim Terrorist, Bully at school, the person who is taking you to court, the person who fired you, the man who raped your daughter?
If you are the Samaritan - who is that wounded man?
Did you find that damning word - the word that accuses the Expert in the Law? Justify
How exactly do I Love God with all my heart, mind and strength?
That’s easy - love your neighbor - but the tougher question is, Who is my neighbor?
How do I love my neighbor as myself?
By the way, I almost forgot the rest of the story of 2 Chron. 28
As the Israelites (Samaritans) are bringing back the loot and slaves they are met by a prophet named Oded. He told them that the only reason they defeated Judah was because Judah had forsaken God, but if they carry out this looting and make Judah’s women and children their slaves, they will incur God’s anger. Take them back he insists or the LORD’s anger will rest on you.
So what do the Israelites - the Samaritans do?
2 CH 28:14 So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. 15 The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow countrymen at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.
Do you think that the "Expert in the Law" knew about this story?
I think that Jesus used almost the exact same language for a reason.
You’ve been a hater Mr. Expert. Loving only the people like you, despising others. You make small circles of who’s in the kingdom and sentence most of the world to Hell. How can you come so close to knowing what God wants from us and miss the entire boat?
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
AND HE COULDN’T BEAR TO SAY THE WORD SAMARITAN
Did you figure out who Jesus is - "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead."
HERE’S THE TWIST - Whatever you do for the least of these - you do it to me.
Nearly all of Luke is focused on the last weeks of Jesus’ life.
At the close of Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. Boanerges
Jesus tells a story where the hero is the one who won’t even let Jesus go through their town!
Days or at most weeks after this encounter with the Expert in the Law, Jesus would be stripped of his clothes, beaten to within an inch of his life, and then left to die on a cross. Until you can see Jesus in the least, the worst, the Samaritan, the wounded man, the Priest and Levite, you won’t be able to inherit Eternal life, Eternal life is budding all around you, but you are missing it.
Next Step - Dare me to be like Jesus
You might think - If I am pouring my time, treasure and concern out on others, I could get stiffed!
That’s right - the man who saw the woman standing in the rain beside her broken down car could stop and help. He could get drenched, miserable and cold. He would certainly be late for work, and when he is done, there’s no guarantee that the woman will be grateful, she might say, "Be sure and let the jack down easily now, because my husband is sleeping in the back seat of the car!"
But you aren’t just fixing a flat, or helping a woman in need. You are blessing Jesus!
Next step don’t just resolve to help, to bless, to be neighborly - Do it!
Consider that nudge God speaking
(David Wilkerson - 30 day supply for world wide calamity) Why not stockpile?
Make time for interruptions, give yourself margin, leave early for work, church, etc.
Don’t schedule yourself so tight that you have no space to bless the least of these.
Receive the offering while the band plays - You’ve Got a Friend
Closing prayer and Most Important Minute
