6.2.11
GOOD SAMARITAN Lk 10:25-37
INTRO
Afghanistan:
Recently we heard the story of how Private Martin Bell, 24, of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, was fatally wounded as he attempted to reach a comrade who had been injured in an explosion.
He was killed in a separate blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) as he tried to help his stricken colleague.
What was notable about the story is that he was strictly ordered NOT to go to his friends' rescue because of the danger of being targeted and killed himself. Whether or not the second IED was remotely detonated the news reports do not say; but I understand it is a tactic of the Taliban to target people who seek to rescue others who have been injured.
What would you have done in such circumstances?
NIGERIA
We once lived in Nigeria and at one time we passed a body lying at the side of the road. We had been advised to 'pass by on the other side'. We did so! To stop would mean that villagers would assume we had been responsible and could lead to a lynching.
A SOFT TOUCH
Often Ministers and Christians are seen as a soft touch by beggars whose real need is to feed an addiction. They will come to me from time to time with the most convoluted fabricated stories. I wait for the punchline -- they want some money from me. If I think they are not telling me the truth I refuse to pretend to believe them. It may shock some of you, but in circumstances like this I prefer to address the real issue and I refuse to pretend to believe the lie and collude with the deception. I ask myself, what is in this person's best interests. Rarely is it met with a financial gift.
POINT
What is the parable of the Good Samaritan about?
In response to a question he is asked, Jesus tells a story about VICTIMS, CHOICES AND ACTIONS
READING Lk 10:25-37
Are we ever justified in passing by on the other side?
Reading the parable I'm reminded of times when I have passed by on the other side and justified myself for doing so, but still don't know whether I was justified or not.
THE QUESTION What must I do to inherit eternal life? was asked by an expert in the Law.
POINT
Jesus began by questioning him about the commandments.
He knew the commandments -- to love God will your heart and with all our soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;
And, Love your neighbour as yourself.
His question 'Who is my neighbour?' was a popular point of discussion
-- Was it my neighbour the Jew?
- Or my neighbour the Pharisee?
- And should I not love my neighbour and hate my enemy?
He wanted to justify himself
APPLIC
What he didn't realize is that we cannot be justified by ourselves. We can only be justified by faith.
POINT
It's not a good idea to argue with Jesus.
And it's not a good idea to try to justify ourselves.
POINT
For all his learning this man had not understood is that God's laws were never meant to be the way to get to heaven.
God's laws were originally given to the Hebrews with whom God had entered into a covenant relationship -- that they would be his people and he would be their God.
The laws were largely their moral duty
But it was through sacrifice, not law that the problem of sin was dealt with.
APPLIC Like all of us, this man had first to see his faults before he could learn his need of grace and forgiveness from God.
As the Apostle Paul said:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
How did Jesus get through to him?
He told the story of a man (presumably a Jew), who was robbed.
THE STORY
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho has always been a notoriously dangerous one. It is a journey of about 17 miles and the road rises to about 3,000 feet.
Even so, it was a busy commuter route which many had to travel.
The man who had been attacked was one of the unfortunate ones who had lost everything; and nearly his own life.
THE PRIEST
What went through the priest's mind we can only imagine. He would have been very startled and afraid by what he saw.
- The priest was heading home after 1 month's duty in Jerusalem.
- He probably had some payment with him for his services.
- What if he was a decoy.
- What if the robbers were still around somewhere.
- Maybe the man is already dead -- or nearly dead, and I'll get covered in blood for nothing.
(and if he died the man would have seven days of ritual washing ceremonies to go through)
- His family would be expecting him and might worry if he did not turn up on time.
- **Someone else would surely be passing by soon! Why not leave the problem to someone else who had more time than he.
THE LEVITE --
The Levite was no better.
[LEVITE. Difference. All priests were of the tribe of Levi, but not all of the tribe of Levi were priests! Levites did the practical duties around the temple.
Here was another religious person who no doubt went through similar thought processes and in a lack of compassion left it to somebody else.
APPLIC I wonder of the Teacher of the Law had passed by someone on the Jericho road.God has a way of speaking to people about their particular sins -- a subtle way of letting them know that HE knows about them.
POINT
The Somebody else did come along.
POINT Isn't this just typical of human nature?
The two religious people were exposed for who they really were when they were confronted with a challenge to practice what they preached whilst no one else was looking.
They rationalized the situation:
'We weren't responsible for this.
They justified themselves in order to be able to live with their own consciences.
And all this was to answer the law expert who 'wanted to justify himself'
Cf James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
POINT
This is what is called a 'sin of omission'
[Accountable -- the wages of sin is death]
Jesus introduces the third character:
THE SAMARITAN
- ** Here was the sting in the tail - and it must have been very hard for the law expert to listen to Jesus continue:
- THE SAMARITAN WENT ALL THE WAY!
- He did not think about his own safety
- He risked being robbed himself
- He care only for the poor man who at the roadside
- He not only used up his time and his first aid kit
- Then he used his only means of transport to take him to the Holiday Inn and left him with his Visa card number
POINT Here we have a Samaritan helping a Jew who has been deserted by his fellow Jews.
POINT
What was the point Jesus was making?
Strangely enough the main point of the parable is not that we should care for people in need (even though this is true)
Jesus main point was, that if we want to get to heaven we had better start by being honest with ourselves about our faults, rather than presenting a good case for ourselves.
Jesus came to die in our place that we might be justified by faith in him, (not justify ourselves).
POINT
There is a sense in which:
* Everyone in the story was a victim
* Everyone in the story had options
* Everyone in the story made a choice
The Robbers -- VICTIMS - upbringing; poverty; lack of skills; lack of support; lack of opportunity; perhaps born into it.
OPTIONS -- find a way to earn a living
CHOICE -- commit robbery
Priest and Levite -- VICTIMS of an oppressive Roman power whose ancestors had been exiled. Survivors of war. Racially divided from Samaritans and Gentiles
OPTIONS -- to come to the aid of the injured Jew
CHOICE -- pass by on the other side
The Samaritan -- VICTIMS of racial hatred from the Jews. Treated as mixed race.
OPTIONS -- to come to the aid of the injured Jew
CHOICE -- He did what he could to save the man at personal cost and putting his own life in danger.
APPLIC
To some degree we are all victims
To the same degree we all have options
What do we choose to do?
Who do we identify with in the story?
CLOSING
If we identify with the person who sought to justify himself then it's a reminder that we can only be justified by Christ.
