The Good Covid Samaritan

THE GOOD COVID SAMARITAN

Luke 10:30-37

In the sermon last week I shared Gal. 6:9-10, focusing on our need to do good to the family of believers. This week I was thinking about the beginning of vs. 10, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people". My thoughts went to our current situation and I was making some observations.

The pandemic has produced the need for social distancing, which obviously greatly limits personal interaction. As I pondered that in correlation to this verse I wondered, 'which one should supersede the other?' Has the separation restrictions put us in a position to disregard the fulfillment of Gal. 6:10? When I see someone who could use my help do I want to help but choose not to because of COVID concerns? If someone asks me for help is COVID 19 an easy excuse to say 'no'?

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying we need to disregard the protocol and live with reckless abandon, putting God to the test. We need to be wise during the pandemic but what if it's not about putting God to the test, but rather God putting us to the test to see if we will help others despite COVID 19 concerns? Is the opportunity to do good being hindered by the need to social distance? Should we be cautionary or should we take the risk in order to help our fellow man?

1) Not me!

In Luke 10, Jesus was challenged by an expert in the law about what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus' response was like, 'you know the law; what does it say?' When the expert cited the two greatest commandments, love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself, Jesus said he answered correctly. Verse 29 says that he wanted to justify himself so he asked Jesus, "and who is my neighbor?" Jesus proceeds to tell him the parable of the good Samaritan.

Luke 10:30-32, "In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side."

The terrain from Jerusalem to Jericho was treacherous in places and it provided ample hideaways for thieves to lie in wait for passersby. The priest and the Levite (assistant to the priests) both saw the man but kept it moving; going to the opposite side to move as far away from this man as they could. Why didn't they stop to help? They knew this route was notorious for ambushes to take place so they didn't want to stop to help because it would put themselves at risk of being the next victim.

Plus, according to Lev. 21, a priest was not allowed to make himself unclean for anyone who died, except for a close relative. If he were to come in contact with a dead person he would be ceremonially unclean and therefore not be allowed to take part in the temple services.

"See, he's justified for not helping because he was following the law. Just like if we saw someone in need we would be following orders by staying six feet away." Not so fast. First, this person wasn't dead; he was injured. "Maybe the priest assumed he was dead." Perhaps, but it was obvious he wasn't going to investigate to find out. "Maybe he was thinking, 'if he dies while I'm helping him then I will be unclean'." Ok, but which would be more noble-to try to save someone's life or remain ceremonially clean?

In my sermon a couple weeks ago I mentioned when Jesus told the Pharisees to go and learn what God meant when he said he desired mercy over sacrifice. These two religious officials had an opportunity to show mercy to a wounded traveler and save a life but they determined that wasn't worth risking their religiosity over.

In Luke 6, Jesus was in the Synagogue and the Pharisees were watching to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. A man with a shriveled hand was there. Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he had him stand up in front of everyone. Luke 6:9, "Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

They didn't respond to Jesus' question. Then Jesus healed the man. Was Jesus dishonoring the Sabbath? No, he was honoring the commandment to love his neighbor; he was doing what was lawful on the Sabbath. Not that ceremonial cleanness is nothing and not that honoring the Sabbath is unimportant. But doing good and saving lives is always the priority.