SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Compassion Is Based On Need Not Worth. (vs 30)
(2). Compassion Feels Something (vs 33)
(3). Compassion Does Something. (vs 34)
(4). Compassion Cost Something. (vs 35)
(5). Compassion Demonstrates real faith. (vs 36-37)
SERMON BODY
Ill:
• The country was Italy,
• The year was 1950;.
• The occasion: A teenage beauty contest.
• Who won the contest, I don’t know.
• But that night a 15year old teenager;
• Was spotted in the line-up of contestants by movie scouts;
• And in 1950 at age 15 her film career started.
• The name of the newcomer was born Sofia Villani Scicolone;
• The named was adapted to Sophia Loren,
• And an international career in movies was launched.
• One time Sophia Loren had some valuable jewellery stolen,
• She was upset and crying hysterically.
• The Italian movie director, Vittorio De Sica, took her to one side and said:
“Listen to me, Sophia. I am much older than you and if there is one great truth I have learned about life, it is this: NEVER CRY OVER ANYTHING THAT CAN’T CRY OVER YOU!”
• TRANSITION: What a great bit of wisdom, and what a great lesson to learn!
• People are more important than things!
• People are more important than cars AND houses and furniture.
• People are more important than possessions, more important than stuff,
• People are more important than all material things!
• The Bible makes it very clear that people are important to God,
• So they should also be important to us.
• It’s not good enough that we’re nice to people at church or at work.
• We need to be connected in our community.
• i.e. People should know who they can call in an emergency,
• i.e. Or when they’re lonely,
• i.e. Or when they need someone to celebrate with!
We touched a little on this last week when we thought about ‘Fellowship’:
• Fellowship is expression of being part of the Church;
• And although we emphasise a personal faith in Jesus Christ for salvation,
• The Bible makes it very clear;
• There is no such thing as an independent Christian,
• We are called to be a collective, to support, encourage and to love one another.
Ill:
• The Bibles imagery of the Church is always collective;
• We are part of a body, part of a flock, a kingdom, a building,
• A household, an army, an assembly, a priesthood, a family.
• Collective terms
• And we fellowship together to out-work our faith;
• And to impact our communities, our world.
But when it comes to Christian compassion:
• That goes beyond ‘family’
• In fact we are taught to show compassion to everyone;
• Even to our enemies, even to those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-48).
Ill:
• In your cars is a useful little gadget;
• Because it is impossible to look down your petrol/diesel tube;
• And see how much fuel it contains.
• The manufacturers of cars have given you a gauge on the dashboard;
• In theory that gauge ought to tell you what’s in the tank;
• i.e. When the gauge is on full, the tank is full.
• i.e. When the gauge is half way, the tank is half full;
• i.e. When the gauge is on empty, the tank is empty.
• TRANSITION: Did you know God has given us a gauge?
• It is a gauge that measures our love!
• If you want to know how much do I love God, he says look at the gauge!
• How much do you love other people?
• It is impossible to see our love for God (like looking down the fuel pipe);
• But it is possible to see the gauge of how much we value other people.
Ill:
• The great evangelist of the eighteenth century D.L. Moody;
• Used to tell the story of a little street urchin in Chicago,
• Who to get to Moody’s Church Sunday School would walk many miles;
• And go pass church after church and Sunday school after Sunday School;
• In order to get to the church that D.L. Moody served.
• Someone asked the kid on one occasion, "Where are you going?"
• The boy replied, "To Mr. Moody's Sunday school."
• The person said; “But that is many, many blocks away and its freezing cold.
• Come into my Church, to my Sunday school instead."
• The boy said, "No."
• But the person persisted and finally asked the boy why he went so far;
• Walking across the city in the cold to Mr. Moody's Sunday school.
• The boy’s answer was short and simple; "Because they love a fellow over there!"
• TRANSITION: People want to be accepted for who they are;
• And they want to be loved!
• Seems to me that first of all;
• People are not persuaded to faith they are attracted to faith,
• We communicate far more by what we are than by what we say.
• Quote: the old saying; “Actions speak louder than words”
• And it should never be either or but both!
• So we preach a message of love, that is backed up by living a life of loving others.
Now many people today still know the story of ‘The Good Samaritan’.
• And although many people know the story;
• Not too many people would know the context, the reason why Jesus told this story.
• Jesus told this parable in response to a question;
• The question was asked by an expert in Jewish law (vs 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?”
Question: What was a ‘The teachers of the Law’ (a ‘Scribe’ a ‘lawyer’);
Answer:
• ‘The teachers of the Law’ were very learned men;
• Experts in the Law of Moses.
• Their role was to make sure the law was correctly interpreted.
• They had memorised the first five books of the Bible;
• The Torah, The Law of Moses.
• And they were always able to give an authoritative answer;
• Whenever a question or a situation that arose.
So the question he asks Jesus is what we might call a ‘loaded’ question.
• He already knew what the answer was.
• That is why in verse 25 we read he wanted to ‘Test Jesus.’
• Jesus also knew this was a loaded question,
• So like a boomerang Jesus throws the question back on the enquirer;
• And in verse 26: “Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say?”
• We might paraphrase his reply as:
• “You read and study the Law each day, that’s your job,
• Therefore you ought to know the answer, so what does it say?”
• And as everyone present in the crowd might expect;
• The expert in the law gives a good & credible answer (vs 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 neighbour as yourself.’””
• The expert of the Law does what Jesus himself did on a number of occasions:
• He answered the question by summarising the 10 commandments.
• (He quoted Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5 and Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18).
• “Love God with everything”
• That summarises the first 4 commandments.
• (Upwards – us & or dealings with God).
• “Love your neighbour as yourself”:
• That summarises the other 6 commandments
• (Across-wards – us & our dealings with other people).
Then in verse 28 Jesus ‘hits the nail on the head’:
• He says to this expert in the Law: “You have answered correctly,”
• But…..notice…Jesus then says; “Do this and you will live.”
• Now don’t miss those two little words “Do this”.
• Because the problem for this expert was not information;
• Because he already knew the answer to the question.
• The problem for this expert was application.
• His knowledge of the Law was all academic;
• This man was a professional Bible student;
• He was a man who would have participated in debate after debate;
• Sharpening his arguments, clarifying the finer points.
• In short he was a man with all the answers.
• His problem was not more information, the problem for this expert was application.
• His knowledge of the Law was all academic;
• It was something to be talked about and debated.
• Jesus reminds this man that actually the Law of Moses;
• Is meant to be applied and practiced in daily living.
Ill:
• This expert in the Law was a bit like the grey-haired old lady,
• Who was a long standing member of her community and church,
• At the end of the service she shook hands with the minister and said:
"That was a wonderful sermon, just wonderful.
Everything you said applies to someone I know."
Quote: Francis Bacon (English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, author)
• “It is not what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong;
• Not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich;
• Not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned;
• Not what we preach but what we practice that makes us Christians”.
• Quote:
• “It is always the application of truth that sets us free and not the acquisition”
ill:
• Memorising the timetable from British rail never got anyone to their destination;
• You need to put that information into practice.
• i.e. Be at the right train station at the right time etc.
So in verse 28 Jesus says to the expert in the Law:
• “You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.”
• To paraphrase: “You know the answers, now it’s time to put them into practice”
• Now we might say at this point in the conversation it is ‘cheque-mate’ to Jesus:
• After all the expert in the Law comes to Jesus with a loaded question;
• Jesus exposes the man’s flawed question;
• And actually gets him to answer his own question,
• Then when the expert gives the correct answer;
• Jesus then plays the winning manoeuvre;
• He goes from the theory of the answer to the practical application of the answer.
• “Go and do it!” - cheque-mate to Jesus!
Note:
• Now not wanting to admit defeat, and not wanting to lose face before the crowd;
• This expert in the Law, this Old Testament lawyer:
• Did what lawyers do so well, he looked for a loophole in the Law.
• And he thinks he may have found one with that word ‘Neighbour’;
• So he says to Jesus “Who is my neighbour?”
In reply Jesus defines the word ‘neighbour’ with a story:
• We often refer to it as a parable but Jesus did not call this story a parable,
• So it could be the report of an actual occurrence;
• That had taken place that week or month.
• The journey from Jericho to Jerusalem was well known for its danger.
• It was very steep and treacherous because of the many places for robbers to hide.
• In fact it was so bad that the road was referred to as;
• “The red way” or “the way of blood.”
• To the hearers of Jesus:
• This is a very believable & common situation.
• Now as we look at this story;
• I want to draw a few insights regarding compassion.
(1). Compassion Is Based On Need Not Worth (vs 30).
““A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead…””
Our compassion is to be driven, not by the “worth” of the recipient but by the need.
• Jesus just says, “a man” some translations add “A certain man…”
• Today we would probably just say, “Just some guy, some bloke, some person – a nobody”.
• Compassion reminds us that everyone is important!
Ill:
• A man conducting a survey knocked on the door of a house,
• A little girl answered,
• So he asked her, “Are your parents in”
• “Yes” said the girl, “but they are busy.
• So he replied, “Any older brothers or sisters”
• “Yes” said the girl, “but they are busy.”
• Because the man only wanted to know how many people were living in the house;
• He said to the small girl, “How many people live here?”
• She replied, “Well, there is mum and dad, then there is Alfie, and Billy and..”
• The man interrupted, “Stop he said I don’t want names just numbers!”
• The girl replied; “Sorry we don’t have any numbers living here just people!”
• TRANSITION: A simple illustration reminding us;
• We encounter individuals day by day and not just numbers of people.
I think this parable reminds us that ALL people are important:
• I’m sure this Priest/Levite would have helped a fellow priest if they were injured;
• I’m sure this Priest/Levite would have helped a family member if they were injured;
• I’m sure this Priest/Levite would have helped someone they knew if they were injured;
• But the tragedy of the story is that the priest saw this injured man as a ‘nobody’;
• He was not one of us;
• He was an inconvenience into a busy day;
• Therefore they passed him by!
Note:
• Down through the years, some preachers have excused the priests behaviour;
• By saying that he didn’t want to touch the man,
• Because the might man might have been dead,
• And under Jewish Law this would have made the priest ceremonially unclean,
• And he would have been unable to carry out his priestly duties in Jerusalem.
• But notice what Jesus said in verse 30:
• Both the Priest and the Levite who came along next are coming “down the road”;
• Thus they were leaving Jerusalem;
• They were on the way home, they had already performed their duties.
• Both men of these religious men, saw the injured man but ignored the need.
• They had a comfort religion that said by their actions;
• ‘I’m alright, someone else can take care of him’.
• Their faith was hollow because it did not make demands on their lives.
• Question: Does yours?
• Answer: Compassion is based on NEED not on the worth of the recipient!
(2). Compassion Feels Something (vs 33).
“But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was;
and when he saw him, he took pity on him.”
• Compassion feels something - this Samaritan had ‘pity’,
• Some translations say, ‘compassion’ or ‘his heart went out to him’.
Because we know the story so well we miss the impact of these words:
• It would have been shocking for the hearers of this story;
• If Jesus had told the people this injured man;
• Was not helped by a fellow Jew.
• So it had an even bigger impact the two men were Jewish religious men.
• But to go on and say that it was a Samaritan who helped!
• This would have been understood as outrageous and scandalous by his hearers.
To the hearers of Jesus the words ‘good’ and ‘Samaritan’ did not ever go together:
• They were seen as opposites:
• It would be like me talking about ‘an honest thief’;
• Or a ‘faithful adulterer’ or a ‘generous Scotsman’ (only joking Alistair!)
• Such was the hatred at the time of Jesus:
• The listeners to this story probably expected the Samaritan to finish the injured man off.
• To rid the world of one more Jew.
• The hatred between Jews and Samaritans had gone on for hundreds of years;
• And is still seen in the smouldering tensions between Israel and Palestine today.
Note:
• The passage says that “when he saw him, he had pity (compassion),”
• The Greek word used here for ‘pity/compassion’ (‘splanchnizomai’) is a very vivid one.
• It comes from a word that refers to the intestines, or bowels.
• In other words he was moved in his deepest parts.
• When the Samaritan saw the dying man lying in agony beside the road;
• His heart & mind & very being was so stirred up within him;
• That it was impossible for him to pass by without helping.
• That’s the way real compassion affects us.
• It stirs us; it troubles us, it keeps us awake at night until we do something.
Question: When were you and I were last stirred by compassion to do something?
Answer:
• If you can’t remember;
• Perhaps we need to spend some time reflecting before the Lord.
• And ask him afresh to fill us with compassion for a needy & dying world!
(3). Compassion Does Something. (vs 34)
“He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him”
• The Samaritan does not pass by on the other side.
• In fact he is moved toward the injured man.
• You must move toward people to express compassion,
• In order to build relationships.
• Building relationships with people does not just mystically happen,
• It takes concentrated effort and determination and desire!
Note:
• Please don’t forget that the Samaritan is moving toward someone;
• Who if he was conscious would despise him;
• Someone who no doubt would not do the same for him;
• If the situations were reversed.
Notice how Jesus details in a series of six verbs - just how active this man’s compassion is:
• “He went to him”,
• “He bandaged his wounds”,
• “He poured oil and wine on his wounds”,
• “He put him on his donkey”,
• “He brought him to an inn”
• “He took care of him”.
• In simply, practical ways;
• That anyone of his listeners and anyone here today could do;
• Jesus spelled out compassion in action.
• Demonstrating compassion is not complicated;
• It starts with simple practical action and a desire to make a difference!
(4). Compassion Cost Something. (vs 35)
“The next day he took out two denarii 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.’”
(a).
• The Samaritan put him on his own donkey;
• Which meant of course that the Samaritan walked.
• So he was personally inconvenienced.
(b).
• This man really went the extra mile, because he took this man to an inn;
• He could have just patched him up on the side of the road.
(c).
• Not only did he take him to an inn;
• He saw to it that the innkeeper looked out for the recovering victim.
(d).
• He also promised that he would return and fully reimburse the innkeeper;
• For any additional expenses that he incurred in caring for this man.
• So he was financially inconvenienced.
• He left money to take care of this man’s needs;
• And he put no limit on how much he would spend to see the wounded man taken care of.
• There is nothing more the Samaritan could have done;
• To show his compassion for this man;
• Compassion cost him something!
APPLICATION:
• If we are honest this morning - the reason many of us do not get involved;
• Is that we do not want to pay the price!
• Involvement with people;
• Eats into your time, your finances and your plans!
• But it is a needy and a wise investment.
(5). Compassion Demonstrates real faith (vs 36-37)
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
• At the conclusion of His story Jesus asks the expert one additional question:
• Verse 36: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man”
• If you listen carefully enough;
• You can almost hear the lawyer choking on his answer here.
• Notice in his answer that he cannot even bring himself to say the word “Samaritan”;
• So he responds in verse 37 with, “The one who had mercy on him.”
• And so for the second time Jesus tells this man to do something:
• The first time was verse 28: “Do this and you will live.”
• The second time is here in verse 37: “Go and do likewise.”
Notice that through this story Jesus has turned the man’s question around:
• At the start of the story the question was: “Who is my neighbour?”
• At the close of the story the question is: “What kind of neighbour am I?”
Ill:
• Having faith in Jesus Christ;
• Claiming to be a Christian, a follower of Christ.
• Is like throwing a pebble into a pond.
• You can't throw it in without creating little ripples.
• If there are no ripples;
• Then that is evidence that there was no pebble in the first place.
Question:
• Did you notice earlier in the Biblical quotation;
• That God expresses his command in the singular?
• “YOU shall love YOUR neighbour”
• Love cannot be satisfied with generalities.
ill:
• There is a Peanuts cartoon where Charlie Brown indignantly says;
• “Of course I love the human race, I just can’t stand Lucy”.
• But ‘Lucy’ is the measure of love.
• And the challenge of this parable and this commandment for us this week.
• Is will I love my neighbour?
• Whoever he or she might be?
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=JCqvgSow21lHf2Rla3ir68KZZflvfuv9&forceSave
