Authentic Christianity
INTRODUCTION: If you want to know what someone is all about, just listen to what they say. Jesus once said: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”. The Living Bible puts it this way: “Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech”.
Sometimes I just enjoy listening in to conversations. My favorite radio programs are those where two or more people are discussing issues. It’s like you are eavesdropping.
Today I want us to “eavesdrop” on one of our Lord’s conversations. It’s found in Luke 10. I think we will find some powerful lessons for living encapsulated in this conversation.
While Jesus walked on the earth, He often met those who would try to “verbally spar” with Him. That is, they would like to trip Him up or trap Him into saying something wrong. In John 7, we find an instance where the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to get Jesus and bring Him to them in order that they could interrogate them. When the officers went to arrest Him, they heard Him speaking and were so impressed that they returned to the Pharisees without Him. When asked why they came back empty-handed, they responded: “Never a man spake like this man.”
Then there was the time when the “religious” crowd – those who had been described as “beautiful mausoleums – full of dead men’s bones, and of foulness and corruption” – tried to trap Jesus with the woman who had been caught in the very act of adultery. The story is found in John 8. Let’s take a moment to read it:
3 As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?" 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!" 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. 9 And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?"
You see, Jesus was well aware of the fact that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue …” [Proverbs 18:21]
Turn with me now to Luke, chapter 10 and we’ll find Jesus answering one of life’s most important, penetrating questions. We’ll begin reading at verse 25
Luke 10:25-37 “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted[better translated “tested”] him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
There it is. That’s the most important question known to man. That is a question that should be constantly at the forefront of our concerns. The Philippian Jailer asked Paul & Silas the same question in Acts 16:30 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
I don’t believe there’s a more important question in life than this question. It has eternal consequences. I don’t know what you’ve been asking yourself lately … “What will 2006 hold? When will I be promoted? Who will I marry? What University will I attend?” All of these questions wane in significance when placed beside the ultimate question: What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Notice, though the lawyer was not serious. He was only testing the Lord. Look at the Lord’s reply:
26 He [Jesus] said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he [the lawyer] 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 neighbour as thyself. 28 And he [Jesus] said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
“This do” -- What do? Love the Lord your God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself.
Now we find what was in the heart of the lawyer: Look at verse 29 But he [the lawyer] willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”
Somehow I feel this is a question the Christian world is asking today. Just what is my responsibility? Who and how many people do I really have to love? Who do we really have to care for? Isn’t it true that we are only to care for the “household of faith?”
I feel a misunderstanding of this issue lies at the place where the Christian church departed from the path upon which it was placed on the day of Pentecost. The church was never meant to be a “secret society” or an “exclusive group of elites.” We were never meant to exist for Sunday! We were never meant to be a club of positive thinkers who would tell each other how good we are. No, the purpose of the church today is as it was in the days of Jesus. How clearly He articulated our mission in His teaching on the Mount found in Matthew 5:
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
There is a reason for our saltiness and for our illumination. We’re not simply to be salt and light for salt and light’s sake. Look at verse 16: “Let your light so shine before men” – WHY? “.. so that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” There is a PURPOSE FOR LIVING!
Listen carefully: Christ commissioned the Church not so much to BE as to DO! Not so much to be an ORGANISM as to be an ALIVE, VIBRANT ORGANISM. A light is no good unless it SHINES. Salt is no good, unless it SEASONS and PRESERVES. The preciousness is in the DOING! Thank God that John 3:16 didn’t end after “For God so loved the world …” But the heart of God is revealed in the latter part of the verse: “… that He gave His only begotten Son “ [AND HERE’S THE PURPOSE]: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The question before us this morning is this: “Who is my neighbor?” To whom am I responsible? What will I be held accountable for one day when I stand before our Lord? Are we to only be concerned with “Church-ianity” -- Only the events that occur within the four walls of our sanctuary?
May I respectfully say this morning that I feel that often we Christians look too highly upon ourselves. We forget where we’ve come from, and the kind of people we are. Here’s how the Apostle Paul put it:
1 Corinthians 1: 26-29 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
I like the Apostle Paul. He really had it right. Listen to what he says to Timothy, his “son in the Lord”. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” [1 Timothy 1:15]
I want you to return to our primary text found in Luke 10. The Lord answered the lawyer’s question by relating a parable. During our leadership training sessions, I taught on this passage. I told those in attendance that there must be a “Paradigm Shift” in today’s church. Or, to put it another way, we must seek the genuine Christian model after which we can pattern our church. You see, I believe the 21st Century church is miles away from the church seen in the New Testament. I have repeatedly asked myself the question, “How did we get where we are?” To put it simply, we must move away from “The Traditions of Man” to the “Instructions of God”.
We would be well served in our quest for authenticity to carefully study the teachings of Christ in Luke 10. Let’s begin with verse 30:
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.
• Notice from WHERE he came and to WHERE he was going.
He was coming from Jeru-salem (city of peace) and going to Jericho (city of destruction). This is a picture of mankind. We started in the “place of peace” (Eden) and now, because of the failure of Adam and Eve we are headed toward destruction.
• Notice on his journey he “fell among thieves …” . What a clear picture of satan’s plan for man: “The thief cometh but to kill, to steal and to destroy …:” – John 10:10
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
• Notice: Priest and Levite were “religious men” supposedly dedicated to ministering in Israel.
• Experts in the law. Seeing wounded victim close to death, they crossed over, not taking any chances of becoming “unclean”.
• Neither Priest or Levite wanted to get involved! [During the preparation of this sermon, the Holy Spirit checked me on these words]
• The Priest and the Levite represent a dead, powerless, uncaring religion which is unable to help, and is content to simply pass by on the other side without being entangled with the needs of fallen man. It is a religion that ignores the needs of the poor, dying wretch, lying on the Jericho road!
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 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.
• Jews, especially those of Judah, despised Samaritans.
• This Samaritan Represents our Lord!
• Notice the action words and phrases. Here is our model:
1. He Came; (v 33)
Gal 4:4-5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
2. He Saw Him; He Had Compassion On Him; He Went to Him; (vv 33-34) Compare to:
Luke 7: 12 “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.”
3. He Bound Up His Wounds; He Poured in the Oil and Wine; He Sat Him on His Own Beast; He Brought Him to an Inn; He Took Care of Him. (v 34)
Isaiah 61:3 “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Matthew 9: 10 “Later, as Jesus and his disciples were eating dinner (at Matthew’s house), there were many notorious swindlers there as guests! 11 The Pharisees were indignant. "Why does your teacher associate with men like that?"12 "Because people who are well don’t need a doctor! It’s the sick people who do!" was Jesus’ reply.”
• The Inn is representative of “The Church”
35 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.”
I believe the Lord is saying to us today that He will meet ALL our needs, if we will meet the needs of a sin-sick world. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask OR THINK!”
2 Cor 9:10 “For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.”
Listen: If you will heed His words and do them, you will never face lack. There will never be a time when you will have an empty barrel of wheat or depleted bottles of oil. He will rain down upon you blessings that no man can counterfeit. Those who see will be glad, and give praise to the Giver rather than the receiver.
Now, the Lord brings the story home: 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”
That’s authentic Christianity: Going, and doing likewise! That’s our mandate!
