“Brother in Trouble, Needs a Real Friend on the Double”
The Language of Cain - “Am I My Brother’s Keeper”
Text: Luke 10:25-37
Introduction: Genesis 4, we have account of the first recorded trial. Long before there was a court room or human jury, God Himself sits as Judge; for he is the God to whom vengeance belongs, and who will be sure to make inquisition for blood, especially the blood of saints.
The Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? Some think Cain’s arraignment occurred the following Sabbath after the murder was committed, when the sons of God came, as usual, to present themselves before the Lord, and Abel was missing. We should always take notice faithful persons are missing in the assembly. The God of heaven takes notice of who is present at and who is absent from public worship. Cain is asked because he had a motive, He was the last to see his brother alive, and because God knew he was guilty.
Cain pled not guilty, and adds rebellion to his sin of murder. He endeavors to cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie. How foolish it is to think that we can hide anything from an all seeing God. Cain tries to answer a question with a question. He replies, “Am I my brother’s keeper? Surely he is old enough to take care of himself, nor did I ever take any charge of him." Some think Cain reflects on God and his providence, as if he had said, "Art not you his keeper? If he be missing, the blame is on you, and not on me."
All of us are charged to have loving concern for our brethren. To serve as their keeper is a great duty, which is strictly required of us, but it is generally neglected by us. Those who are unconcerned in the affairs of their brethren, and take no care, when they have opportunity, to prevent their hurt in their bodies, goods, or good name, especially in their souls, do, in effect, speak Cain’s language. The Language of Cain is an attempt to justify oneself. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus gives us a profile on friendship, but the language of Cain is present. A lawyer responds to Jesus’ teaching by saying in Luke 10:29, “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”
There are several facts I want to mention. (1) The road between Jericho and Jerusalem had a bad reputation. It so dangerous that called it the bloody way. There are some roads that should be avoided (2) On the road of life you will find brothers in all kinds of condition: some half wound, half naked and half dead.
Don’t give up on a brother because he is half dead because being half dead means he is half alive. “Brother in trouble needs a real friend on the double.” Real friends will act without considering the sacrifice. They go the extra mile. They make the extra effort.
Why do people ignore half dead people? (1) Some people in our society are considered disposable, to be used and then regarded. (2) Some people in our society are considered to be beyond help (3) while others are in our society are considered to be beyond our area of responsibility. Somebody ought to do something but not me! Listen to this parable another way:
“Now it came to pass that a certain man was traveling Lonesome Street, a lonely and dark road from Tom’s Tavern to Bill’s Bar. After many visits to this bar, the consumption of liquor got a hold of him, stripped him of all his goods and left him destitute and dying on Skid Row. There came that way a certain respected religious leader, a bishop in the church. He saw the drunk with a bleeding skull and vomit covering his clothes. Deciding he was too drunk to talk to about his soul, he thought society should do some¬thing to prohibit such drunkenness. He passed by on the right as far and as fast as possible.
Soon a social worker, whose training taught him how to care for persons with all kinds of social and personal prob¬lems, came that way. He saw the man stretched out on the sidewalk. He looked at him, but concluded that the man was beyond help or hope, he straightway continued on his way.
After some time, an outcast of society, a longhaired motorcycle rider came down Lonesome Street. Though despised by respectable people and watched with suspi¬cion by the police, the biker saw the dying drunk. He came where he was and called a fellow longhaired biker to help him. He spoke soothing words, lifted the man in his arms, and took him to a place where he knew the man would receive care. Now who was the neighbor?”
Jesus’ Parable is a representative story of three kinds of people in the world. There are three kinds of people in the room: Those who need a friend; those who could be a friend and those who will be a friend.
1. There are those who need a friend because they have been injured. Lu 10:30 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.
He is called a certain man (anyone) who has been injured by the system, by people, by circumstances and by Satan. No one starts out to be failure or a loser. Life just happens.
2. There are those who could be a friend. Lu 10:31, 32 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
By chance the answer comes across the problem. Spurgeon says, “He had too much to do at the temple to act the part of a man. Official religiousness often kills common humanity.” The people Commentary said, “Likewise a Levite, a temple minister probably excused himself by the example of his priest.” God will always set an open door before, but the choice to act will always be ours.
3. There are those who will be a friend. Lu 10:33-35 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Samaritans were the hereditary enemy of the Jews; they were despised and hated by the Jews. "The Jews and Samaritans have no dealings" (John 4:9). If any man had an excuse for passing the wounded Jew by, it was the Samaritan. But he, unlike the priest and Levite, had compassion. His compassion led to action, to self-denial, and inconvenience. He dressed the man’s wounds, sets him on his own beast, carried him to the inn, and when he left, he left additional money for his care.
Brother in Trouble Needs a Real Friend on the Double. Those in trouble do not need a lecture on “How to Avoid Dangerous Roads”; they don’t need a self esteem workshop on “How to feel better on the side of the Road”; they don’t need a sermon on positive thinking; and they don’t need a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of warn milk. They need a real friend.
This story is picture of the human race. Humanity was in trouble, robbed by a thief who came to steal, kill and destroy. We were dead in sin and trespassing, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. He didn’t accidentally stumble upon us, He came looking for us: the sick and the lame, the maimed and the bruised, the broken-hearted and the wretched wanderer, the poor and forgotten, the prisoner and the lonely rich. When He found us, He paid the price for our redemption. The price was high and the sacrifice was great. He lived a sinless life, died on Calvary and rose for our justification. Has He found you? Then find someone else! Many people make an excuse by saying, "It’s none of my business," or "It doesn’t concern me." Genesis 4:9 asks a profound question, "Am I my brother’s keeper?” Do I have moral obligations towards others? Why should I get involved? Why should I even care?
"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." Ezekiel 22:30
"My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scat¬tered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them." Isaiah 58:10
God calls for our concern because one person can make a difference. Notice, I sought for a man, not a nation or a people, but a man. One man is all that is needed to stand in the gap and make up the hedge. Can God count on you? In that day, He found none. His sheep were shepherd-less and scattered and none did seek after them or search for them. Can God count on you? “Brother in Trouble, Needs a Real Friend on the Double”
The Good Samaritan has earned for himself immortal honor. Let us imitate him by manifesting a brother’s love to those who are in trouble, even though they should happen to be opposed to us in religion, or have been regarded as our enemies. Such conduct will bring glory to God, and go far to recommend the holy religion which we profess. The Lord help us to do so, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Jesus used this story to clearly show who a neighbor is, and at the same time he disarmed the prejudice existing among the Jews and clearly revealed the duty of being a neighbor.
John Wesley was asked one time about his philosophy of ministering to others, and he responded: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”
We as Methodist are called to live by three simple rules: Do No Harm
Do Good
Grow In Love For Christ
