We need to look at some historical events before we get deeper into this parable.
This parable is only included in the book of Luke. There is a reason for that.
Why?
Luke was a Gentile in the Jewish religion.
Matthew and Mark, and John were Jews, and they did not include this parable?
Why?
It is because none of them felt the same way about the Samaritans as Luke did.
Luke was being a Greek had no bias with the Samaritans as did the other three authors of the gospels.
The Judaizes had a tremendous hate for the Samaritans.
Why?
The Samaritan race started during the Babylonians captivity. When the Jews were free to leave part of them left and part of them chose to stay. The group that stayed married these heathen Babylonians. This is when the Samaritans originated.
Because of their decision to stay the Jews developed a hate for the Samaritans.
Illus: Legend has it that the Jews hated the Samaritan so much if they walked by them why they were eating and their shadow fell across their plate they would throw away the food.
Illus: The Jews had so much hate for the Jews if they had to travel through Samaria to avoid going through Samaria they would go around the city of Samaria.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everybody loved everybody?
Illus: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his sermon, “Loving Your Enemies”, tells this story:
“My brother and I were driving one evening to Chattanooga, Tennessee, from Atlanta. He was driving the car. And for some reason the drivers were very discourteous that night. They didn’t dim their lights; hardly any driver that passed by dimmed his lights. And I remember very vividly, my brother A.D. looked over and in a tone of anger said: "I know what I’m going to do. The next car that comes along here and refuses to dim the lights, I’m going to fail to dim …."
And I looked at him right quick and said: "Oh no, don’t do that. There’d be too much light on this highway, and it will end up in mutual destruction for all. Somebody got to have some sense on this highway."
Somebody must have sense enough to dim their lights, and that is the trouble, isn’t it?
Somewhere somebody must have some sense.
• Men must see that force begets force,
• Hate begets hate,
• Toughness begets toughness.
Rudeness begets roudeness
Smile begets a Smile
• And it is all a descending spiral, ultimately ending in destruction for all and everybody.
Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And you do that by love.”
Illus: Another example of hate is for the tax collector Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus was a man with a reputation: a reputation which he had earned as a tax collector.
Zacchaeus’ name indicates that he was a Jew. But the Jews hated Him.
Why?
They had nothing but disgust for tax collectors.
Romans had military control over Israel and used Jews to collect taxes.
To be a tax collector one had to bid for the position like you would bid at an auction with the position going to the highest bidder.
In order for him to regain his investment he had to inflate the tax he collected.
• This gained the tax collector the reputation for being notoriously unscrupulous.
• They also became quite wealthy at expense of their fellow countrymen.
• Also, tax collectors were collecting taxes for a foreign power. Robbers, murderers and tax collectors were classed together.
A tax collector was barred from the synagogue. And Zacchaeus was at the top of his game.
Zacchaeus was a man hated by everyone around him except one…THE LORD JESUS! And because that one refused to hate him; it changed Zacchaeus’ life.
Illus: Another one who was hated was the Lord Jesus. In Luke 15:1-2…
The tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Jesus was always getting in trouble with the “good” folks because he loved to be with people who were “not so good”.
Now he is on His way to the last trip He will make to Jerusalem. He is going to Jerusalem to die. He is just days away from death. And he passes through Jericho, the city where Zacchaeus lived, which was one of the greatest taxation centers in Palestine at that time.
The Romans had made Zacchaeus Chief Collector of the Taxes for the prosperous trade city of Jericho, just 17 miles from Jerusalem.
But the Jews hated the Lord Jesus because He did not believe or worship the way He did.
But we also live in a world today:
• If you drive a TESLA people will hate you so much, they will burn your car up that cost you your hard-earned money.
• If you belong to a particular political party some people will hate you and call you all kinds of names.
• If your skin is darker than yours some people will hate you.
• If you belong to a different nationality than some people will hate you.
• If you belong to a different social level than some people, they will not even look at you and smile.
The world in which we live is filled with hate.
Why?
Hate comes from the DEVIL and if he did not fill the world with hate the devil knows…
• We would not have wars and killings
• We would not Church splits
• We would not have divorces
• We would not have gossiping
• We would not have gangs
• We would not have violence
The devil knows to fill the earth with sin he has got to first fill the earth with HATE!!!
And I think we will all agree HE HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB!
Illus: A well know Christian was being interviewed on the radio.
• The host asked, “How would you defend Christianity?”
• “I can’t defend Christianity.”
• “But I thought you were a Christian, why won’t you defend Christianity?”
• “I am a Christian, but Christianity means something different to you and to me—there are as many different definitions of Christianity as there are listeners. I can’t defend Christianity, but I can talk with you about the love of Jesus and how he has changed my life.”
Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship with Jesus Christ
The world does not need more “Christians.” The world needs more men and women who are more like Jesus.
When you love Jesus, you will live your life differently. Jesus said John 14:23, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That’s genuine biblical Christianity!
Someone has said, “The secret to godly living is simple: LOVE WHAT GOD LOVES AND HATE WHAT GOD HATES.”
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God LOVES PEOPLE but HE HATES SIN. God hates sin all the more because it separates Him from those He loves.
Luke was a Gentile without a bias, and more importantly, he was a Christian without a bias.
Luke knew we are supposed to LOVE THE SINNER BUT HATE SIN!
Luke was not influenced by the Judaizes to hate Samaritans, and in return, he was not a Jew to be hated by the Samaritans.
He was writing this gospel intentionally to a wealthy gentile like himself named Theophilus, and I think that by including this parable in his gospel he was a Christian showing a Christian truly supposed to help everyone equally without a bias.
But let us begin to look at what some of the things this parable teaches.
It began when a Jewish lawyer approach the Lord Jesus.
But he wasn’t the kind of lawyer we think of. He was an expert in the Old Testament laws and interpreted how they should be applied to their society.
Like all lawyers he was trained to ask question to make a point.
Let me show you three of the questions he asked Jesus.
(1) The first question…
What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?
The way that the lawyer asked this question suggests he believes that there is something he can do to earn eternal life; otherwise, he wouldn’t ask what it is that he must do.
What must we do?!
There is absolutely nothing that we can do!
• You can attend church every time the doors are open.
• You can be the biggest tither in this church.
• You can be baptized.
• You can do all kinds of good works.
• You can do all these things and much more and still go to a devil’s hell!!!
We are saved by THE GRACE OF GOD NOT BY OUR WORKS. We cannot do enough of good works to save ourselves.
This lawyer was very suspicious of Jesus.
In nearly every page of Luke’s gospel leading up to this encounter, Jesus had violated Old Testament laws that he was very familiar with.
1) He cured on the Sabbath,
2) He proclaimed forgiveness of sins.
3) He ate with gentiles.
4) He fellowshipped with sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes.
5) He let the disciples pick grain on the Sabbath and didn’t make them follow the prescribed ritual washings.
This lawyer came to set Jesus straight.
This lawyer, by his very question, reveals a belief that eternal life is all about what we can do, and not do.
This lawyer had not had his PERRY MASON moment yet.
(2) Second question
Look at Luke 10:26-27 He said unto him, what is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
Jesus said to him in Luke 10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
(3) Third Question
Luke tells us that he asked the question seeking to “justify himself.”
Look at Luke 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, and who is my neighbor?
This lawyer knew what he must do is to love the Lord, and to love his neighbor. But to justify himself, he asks Jesus a follow-up question:
“Who is my neighbor?”
And this is the question which Jesus answers with his story of THE GOOD SAMARITAN that we want to look at today.
To answer the question who my neighbor is he tells…
Illus: The story of a man going down from Jerico to Jerusalem, a very dangerous journey in that time. And he is robbed and left for dead.
And by chance a priest and then a Levite passed by but ignored this poor man.
They had no time or compassion; he was no more than a speed bump in their journey
Illus: This story reveals to us THREE things.
1. Disaster reveals who are our real friends are.
2. Character is revealed in how one reacts to human need when no one else is around to see.
3. Reality of one’s profession is seen in willingness or unwillingness to use his resources to help others.
There are three personalities seen in this parable:
(1) The Greedy Grabber: the thief’s philosophy is "What’s yours is mine. I’ll take it."
(2) The Good Samaritan.
A Samaritan is the last person that a Jew would expect help him in times of need.
But this Samaritan not only helps the person left for dead but goes above and beyond what might have been expected.
And again, this story has an obvious meaning…
Who is our neighbor?
Anyone in need…
1) And we should love them no matter who they are, no matter the risk, and no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.
2) We should even love our neighbor regardless of whether we think that person deserves our help.
Let us look at three examples the Lord gives us WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR?
Here is the story of the Good Samaritan telling us who is our neighbor in Luke 10:30-32
Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (31) "Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. (32) "Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.”
Notice two of the three had no compassion for this poor beaten robbed man.
Notice the two of these men saw the need but they did not want to get involved.
Who watched?
• A priest (the leader of the church) an
• A Levite (workers or laymen in the church).
Both saw of them saw this battened and robbed man in distress.
What could be so important in their life not to stop and help this man!
But one man saw this poor battened robbed man and he stopped to help him.
Look verses 33-35 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. (34) "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. (35) "On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'
Jesus said that the Samaritan "took pity on him" (33).
The Authorized Version uses the word "compassion" which is more descriptive.
There was such a compelling power in the Samaritan’s heart that he couldn’t just stand still. He had to do something.
A heart full of compassion is always followed by action.
The Good Samaritan broke through the racial barrier, putting the priest and the Levite to shame.
Conclusion:
Let us look at 6 things the Good Samaritan did that we all need to do.
A) He stopped (he befriended him) he took time out of his busy schedule to care
B) He approached him, not avoiding him, not afraid to make eye contact.
C) He got down where he was, this was the only way he could see his need and know how to help
D) He picked him up; he didn’t leave him in the same condition as he found him
E) He took him. He didn’t just tell him where to go or send him to get help he took him himself.
F) He provided for him
He did something about it and extra. He went the “second mile”
Where did he get the resources?
Illus: Do you think that he took extra just in case he ran into a man who fell among thieves and got robbed?
No this was out of what he had. Out of what he brought for himself.
The Samaritan ministered to the victim of the mugging: "he bandaged his wounds, pouring in oil and wine" (V.34).
Caring can cost money. (V4) The Samaritan gave freely of his own resources: "he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him", promising the innkeeper that he would pay the bill.
We cannot hope to keep the great commandments, "To love God ... and our neighbor", but having trusted in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, our calling as Christians is to hear the words of Jesus to the lawyer who heard the Parable of the Good Samaritan, "Go and do likewise" (37).
It’s not always popular or convenient or cheap to follow the example of the Good Samaritan, but it is the right way.
Luke 10:37 and he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Showed – action, he moved and took action. He did something about the condition and our challenge is to go and do likewise.
The big secret to the Christian life is HATE WHAT GOD HATES AND LOVE WHAT GOD LOVES. The Lord LOVES EVERYONE!
