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:
• Let me give you some advertising slogans and see if you can call out the brand.
• Easy one to get you started…
• ‘Every Little Helps’ – Tesco.
• ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’; - Audi.
• 'Think different' – Apple.
• 'The real thing' - Coca-Cola.
• 'Quality never goes out of style' – Levis.
• 'I’m loving it' - McDonald's.
• 'Let your fingers do the walking' - Yellow Pages.
• ‘Finger lickin’ good.’ – KFC.
• 'Live in your world. Play in ours' – PlayStation.
• 'Just do it'. – Nike.
• TRANSITION: Nike’s ‘Just do it’ has been called the last great advertising slogan,
• They have been using it for 30 years and it is as relevant now as 30 years ago!
Ill:
• Kevin Barron says the shortest sermon he knows is only nine words long.
• It was preached by his grandfather to a small, country congregation,
• And based on the story of the Good Samaritan.
• After reading the Bible passage, Kevin’s grandfather mounted the pulpit and said,
• “We all know what this means. Just do it.”
• Then he sat down, sermon over.
• Transition: Well, my sermon will be more than nine words long,
• But the punchline will be just the same, “Just do it!”
• This best known parable of Jesus was told in response to a question;
• The question was asked by an expert in Jewish law in verse 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?”
Note:
• Some translations call the man ‘a lawyer’.
• Some translations call the man; ‘a scribe’.
• Others use the expression ‘Teachers of the Law’
• They are just three different descriptions to try and help us understand what this man did.
• ill: We might call a carpenter; a joiner, or a chippy, or a wood-worker, or a tradesman.
• These are all different names for that one occupation of carpenter.
Question: So what exactly was a ‘The teachers of the Law’ (a ‘Scribe’ a ‘lawyer’);
Answer:
• ‘The teachers of the Law’ were closely allied to the Pharisees,
• They were very learned men; experts in the Law of Moses.
• Their role was to make sure the law was correctly interpreted.
• These teachers of the Law or Scribes;
• Were closely connected with the priesthood in Jerusalem.
• In fact many of them may have been priests or Levites;
• Who did scribal study when they were not on duty.
• They were experts in the first five books of the Bible; The Torah;
• The Law of Moses.
• They were always able to give an authoritative answer on each & any situation that arose.
Note: As a legal expert in the Law you can be sure that this man knew his scriptures;
• 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, what does it say?”
And as you might expect in verse 27 the expert in the law gives a good & credible answer:
“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 would do on a number of occasions:
• In his answer he summarises the 10 commandments.
• By quoting Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5 and Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18.
• “Love God with everything”
• That summarises the first 4 commandments (upward – us & or dealings with God).
• “Love your neighbour as yourself”:
• That summarises the other 6 commandments (outward – us & our dealings with others).
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 also added, “Do this and you will live.”
• Don’t miss those two little words “Do this”.
• You see 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;
Ill:
• As a lawyer/scribe this man was a professional Bible student;
• A man who had memorised Genesis to Deuteronomy;
• The first five books of the Bible (The Torah – The Law of Moses).
• He was a man who would have participated in session after session of learned debate;
• Sharpening his arguments, clarifying the finer points.
• He was a man who had not only examined countless real legal cases;
• But had dreamed up thousands of imaginary ones.
• You could be sure there was no conceivable ethical problem;
• Upon which he could not pronounce and authoritative opinion.
• 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”.
It is always the application of truth that sets us free and not the acquisition:
• ill: Memorising the timetable of a 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”
Pause to say:
• The same is true with the gospel message.
• You may have all the facts correct about Jesus.
• You may even believe he died for your sins and rose again for your justification.
• But unless you apply that truth to your life;
• i.e. Make him ‘your’ Saviour & Lord and not just ‘The Saviour & Lord’
• You will not be saved!
Note:
• Some Christians get troubled by the answer of Jesus;
• They seem to think that Jesus is teaching salvation (i.e. ‘eternal life’) is by good works;
• Because that is what he said to the expert in the law.
• “Do this and you will live” that is have “Eternal life”.
• If you think that is what Jesus said the you had better look again at the words of Jesus;
• Because he is reminding the man what the law actually says.
• The law requires not only that one keeps the law,
• But that you keep it perfectly.
• i.e. Always love God with everything.
• i.e. Always love their neighbour as themselves.
• Jesus actually wants the lawyer to see that the Law of Moses cannot save anyone;
• Because no one can perfectly keep the Law.
• This Teacher of the Law needed to be humbled;
• He came full of confidence, because he thought he had all the answers.
• Jesus needed to puncture is over-inflated smug self-righteousness;
• With a bit of old fashioned conviction of sin.
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.
• 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 name of the road was;
• “The red way” or “the way of blood.”
• To the hearers of Jesus:
• This is a very believable & commonly known scenario.
As we look at the 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 young man was walking along the seashore.
• Far ahead of him, he saw a distant figure: someone who, like him, was walking,
• But who paused every few steps, stooped down,
• And seemed to be throwing something into the sea.
• His curiosity aroused, the young man hurried forward,
• And caught up with the man.
• As he came closer, he saw that it was an old man,
• And the reason that he would stop every step or two,
• Was to pick up a starfish that was washed up on the shore;
• In the heat of the sun they would dry up and die,
• So the man was flinging them back into the ocean.
• As he looked the young man noticed;
• That there were hundreds of starfish that littered the beach for miles,
• All stranded there by the tide.
• To the young man the older man’s efforts seemed pointless;
• He spoke to the old man: "Why are you doing this? You can't save all of these starfish!”
• “It's useless! What does it matter?"
• The old man paused for a moment,
• Looking down and picked up a starfish.
• He turned it over slowly, then answered, "It matters to this one,"
• Then he picked up another and said; "and it matters to this one,"
• Then he picked up another and said; "and it matters to this one,"
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 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 helped by just an ordinary Jewish man and not the two religious men.
• But to go on and say that it is not even a Jew helping in the story,
• But rather a Samaritan helping a Jew who had been ignored by his fellow Jews.
• 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!)
• Such was the hatred at this time in history:
• The listeners to this story probably expected Jesus to say;
• That the Samaritan finished the injured man off.
• So that the world was rid 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 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.’”
• The Samaritan put him on his own donkey;
• Which meant of course that the Samaritan walked.
• So he was personally inconvenienced.
• 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.
• Not only did he take him to an inn;
• He saw to it that the innkeeper looked out for the recovering victim.
• 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 eats into your time, your finances and your plans!
(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?”
37 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 words 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?”
• Having faith in Jesus Christ;
• Claiming to be a Christian, a follower of Christ.
• ill: 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.
Did you notice that God expresses his command in the singular?
• “YOU shall love YOUR neighbour”
• Love cannot be satisfied with charitable 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?
Conclusion:
• We see in this story three attitudes:
• The parable of the Good Samaritan gives three philosophies/viewpoints for life:
• The robber's philosophy was
• "What you have is mine, and I will take it."
• The priest and Levite had the philosophy that
• "What is mine is mine, and I will keep it."
• The Samaritan's philosophy was
• "What is mine is yours, and I will share it."
• TRANSITION: Which one of the three describes me?
• We started this sermon with an advertising slogan;
• So we ought to finish with it, 'Just do it'’
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=fiiMjJP1UYfZ4j4DQ3in1rdbfenhsnWb
