Neighboring

Proper 10, year C Luke 10:25-37

Transcript

Let's pray, Father. May your will be done, Jesus. May your word be proclaimed. And Spirit, may your work be accomplished in us. We pray.
Amen. So a scribe, an expert of the law, one who can read and has read the Torah, the law, the Old Testament, stands up and tries to test Jesus. And he says, jesus, how can I inherit eternal life? This is a great question, hopefully. One question that you yourself are asking, how can I inherit eternal life?
And Jesus says, well, how does the commandment read to you? Tell me. And he recites the summary of the law, which is, to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. And Jesus affirms, you've spoken correctly. Do this and you will live.
Do this and you will receive. Inherit eternal life. But seeking to justify himself, which means seeking to make sure that he is right in what he's doing, he asks, who is my neighbor? Now he asks, who is my neighbor? And that's a noun in this passage.
So Jesus typically breaks into this parable. Parable is a teaching for those who have their ears open will come to learn a truth. So Jesus breaks into that famous parable of the Good Samaritan. And so what Jesus begins to do in the parable, the Good Samaritan, is he is painting a portrait of what it means to be neighboring others. You see, Jesus in this parable ends by saying, which one of these three?
The priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Which sounds like a joke, right? Three guys walk into Jericho, but it's not a joke. He's proven a point. But Jesus ends speaking back to the scribe, which one of these was neighboring?
He uses a verb, not the noun, neighboring the man. And then the scribe responds and says, the one who shows mercy. And what we learn quickly learn is what it means to be neighboring others is to demonstrate mercy, is to show mercy to those who are in need of it. But not only this, not only is Jesus painting a portrait of what it looks like to be neighboring, he's also infiltrated this picture with graphic details that are meant to send you on a treasure hunt, to discover not just the teaching, but also who the real Good Samaritan is. When you begin to look at the passage, you begin to wonder, like, why are we told how his.
How his wounds were bandaged with oil and wine? You can leave that out, and it doesn't change anything in the picture. Why are we told of a road going down from Jerusalem to Jericho? Why are we told these details? And then at the very end, you can just leave, leave it offending with just A good Samaritan tending and caring for the man and healing him.
But why the introduction to the inn and the innkeeper? What is Jesus trying to do? Well, I hope to lead you on this treasure hunt this morning of taking those details, the details that we can read for ourselves in the parable. And it's going to move us from a parable, from a picture to the reality of what Jesus is ultimately saying. But before we can go on that treasure hunt, I'm going to have to give you a looking glass so that you can actually look at the map.
And this looking glass comes at the end of Luke's Gospel. If you want to know one of the ways that has greatly influenced the way I read Scripture, greatly influenced my understanding of the Scripture. It came. It comes at the end of Luke 24. When I read what happens at the end of Luke 24, the way I read scripture changed.
I used to read scripture by inserting myself, prime example, parable of the Good Samaritan. Who's a good Samaritan? I'm to be the Good Samaritan. We're often told, or I was told growing up, read your name into the passage, identify with it. That's not how you're supposed to be reading Scripture.
So let me just prove this to you. Here are the two verses that I have found to be revolutionary in my understanding of Scripture that actually helps us and guides us and navigates us through all of Scripture for its true meaning, for its real reality. Luke 24:27 says this. Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained to them the two guys on the road to Emmaus, all the things concerning himself in all the scriptures. In Luke 24, it's After Jesus has died, he's resurrected and he is incognito, or he's cloaked.
They don't identify him. There's two guys who are talking about everything that took place in Jerusalem on their way back home to Emmaus. And Jesus is listening to them converse and they're talking and they don't understand. They thought Jesus was the Messiah, but he died on a cross. What can this mean?
And then the women say that they're seeing him now, that he's resurrected. What can all this mean? And so Jesus breaks open the Scriptures on this journey and says, everything that has ever been written by Moses and the prophets in all of Scripture is about me. Jesus just gave you how you ought to read all of scriptures. That means Adam, when he fell asleep and God ripped open his side and pulled a rib and made Eve that was Jesus, who on the cross, whose spear pierced his side and water and blood poured out and the church was born from his bruises and his spearing.
That's the reality. Adam is the picture. Jesus is the reality of how Jesus births his wife, the church, from his side. So all of a sudden you begin to see this, right? You have picture, then reality.
But he just doesn't do this with the two of Emmaus. You're like, okay, maybe that's an isolated incident and we're not supposed to read scripture that way. Well, then we just have to go a few verses down to verse 44 and 45 of the same chapter. When he appears back to his own disciples. Now he said to them, the disciples, these are my words which I spoke to you while I was still with you.
What that means is not only what Moses and the Old Testament has written in the prophets, but also what I was speaking to you and teaching you when you were with me before I. Before I died. All those words that I was teaching you, like the parable of the Good Samaritan. Remember that? That's all about me, says all the things which are written about me and the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms, and must be fulfilled.
So now we understand that all of Scripture has also been fulfilled by Jesus. So we're supposed to see Jesus everywhere. So is this true with our Gospel lesson today? Now that we have the lens that we can truly and rightly see Scripture, we have to then go back to those details that are clues that give us the treasure map to see move from picture to reality. Right, and what are the details?
The details are there is a man who is beaten and left on the side of the road, and people pass by him, not paying him any attention. But then a Good Samaritan pays attention to him and offers him mercy or offers him healing. Well, if you were to take these details, like moving from the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, that particular piece of road, and taking the idea of what is being communicated by the parable, you might find in Luke 18, that Jesus is the reality of the picture. Luke 18:35, 43 says this. As Jesus was approaching Jericho, so he's on the same road that he mentions in the parable, that road between Jericho and Jerusalem.
He's on that. And we do know, because we've already talked about it in weeks past, that that his face is turned towards Jerusalem. So we know that he's on his way to Jerusalem and now he's passing through Jericho. So he was approaching Jericho a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing the crowd going by, he began to inquire what is this?
And they told him that Jesus the Nazareth was passing by. But he called out saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Those who led the way sternly telling him to be quiet. But he kept crying out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me. It almost seems that Jesus intentionally gave them a parable, painted a portrait of a Good Samaritan, of someone who is neighboring to towards others, who with specific details that is ultimately going to be fulfilled when he passes along the same road and comes in contact with somebody that the crowds want nothing to do with and he begins to neighboring him and heal him.
And this person on the side of the road is a blind man. And this blind man is asking for mercy, which we learn from the scribe is what neighboring looks like offering mercy to somebody. So Jesus is the fullness and is fulfilling the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus is the Good Samaritan. And so now that we Jesus has given us this little treasure map to understand the full reality of this portrait he's painting in the parable now maybe we can look at that parable again for the first time in a Christ centered looking way.
And let me just say that this is nothing new. I'm not innovating something right now. I'm not just pulling rabbits out of my hat. This is something that actually the early church used to see this parable in light of Jesus. Not just some kind of vague Good Samaritan person that you insert your name.
The Good Samaritan is meant to point you to Jesus and how Jesus is neighboring us. More specifically, how Jesus is neighboring Adam. See, the early church fathers and I had to explain this the other day to somebody. But the early church fathers are those that the disciples, as they started the church began to disciple others. And then out of these disciples that the disciples discipled, you have leaders that rose up and fathered the early church to guide them in understanding the Scriptures.
And the early church fathers interpreted the parable of the Good Samaritan this way. That the man was Adam, that Jerusalem heading to Jericho was Adam when he was kicked out of paradise and entering into the world. And that the robbers that came by was the serpent. Because what did the serpent lead and tempt Adam and Eve to do? To forfeit God's word and to believe his word.
And so the robber comes and steals from Adam the very thing that he held paradise. So now he's in the world Jericho and He is beaten up by his own sin. His wounds are his own sin. And the priest that comes by, well, that's the law. The law comes by, but it can't save him.
It only shows them when he's not capable of keeping well. Then the Levite comes by and the Levi represents the prophets, the prophets that have been clearing the word of God to the people, but the people can't hear it and they pass by. But then a Good Samaritan, a brother of the Jews, comes, and the Good Samaritan we know is Christ. And how. What does Christ do to Adam's wounds?
He binds them with oil and wine. And all of us should know what wine represents. The blood of Christ that cleanses us, that heals us of our wounds, of our sin. But it doesn't stop there. Jesus tends to Adam and heals him and cares for him.
And if you stop right there, you're like, that's good enough. That's a good analogy. We understand that Jesus has been neighboring us because we're all Adam. We're all born from Adam, we're all sinful, we're all wounded, we're all have left paradise. And we're trying to get back there, but we need help because we're stranded on the side of the road.
And praise be to God, the Son went on a journey and he found us by the side of the road. And he bound our wounds by his own blood. He filled us with his own spirit. That's the oil. And then he set our burdens upon himself.
The beast took him to the cross and he healed us completely by his wounds we have been healed. And then he cares for us.
Stop there. That's the gospel. But he doesn't stop there. Now this is where you're going to have to get hot and heavy a little bit church. Because Jesus then goes to an inn and he asks the innkeeper to continue caring, continue neighboring.
What Jesus started neighboring. He says, I got to go away. Here's enough money that should take care of him. Here's some gifts, here's some talents. Take care of him while I'm gone.
And when I get back, I will repay you anything that you spent in caring for him.
So those early church fathers said that the inn is the church and the innkeeper is the pastor.
And I think that's very fitting that Jesus didn't leave that out. Because Jesus doesn't only fulfill the scriptures, but he invites those that he is healing. He is inviting his bride to join him in neighboring others and showing mercy to Others, we are a part of this parable. We are the reality, just like Jesus is of this parable. I have to say Ms. Deb made a great observation when we discussed this on Wednesday because she identified that the Good Samaritan and the innkeeper are doing similar actions.
And I was like, that's an amazing observation. Roll with that, run with that. What's that point? It points to that if the Good Samaritan's Jesus, then the inn is the church and we are to continue on because he leaves Adam, the guy, the man with the church, the inn, and says, here's some money, I got to go away. And hasn't Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father?
But isn't he coming back? And when he comes back, should the church expect Christ to pay for everything we've spent in caring and showing mercy to others? Absolutely. This is why I joked on Wednesday. Let's run up the tab on Jesus so whenever he returns that he will repay us with eternal life and open up the storehouses of the kingdom and his treasure.
And that's the parable. Not only Jesus fulfill it, but now he invites us into it, his church. Together. We are the ones that as Jesus brings people to us, we are to continue in showing mercy like our king has already started showing mercy.
And can you also identify with this personally? Hasn't Christ brought you in here? And isn't the obligation to this church to tend to you? Absolutely. I am an innkeeper.
I don't lord over anybody. But I'm here to serve. I'm here to do whatever you need me to do in showing and demonstrating acts of mercy. If you are in pain, if you are going to the hospital, if you have a birthday or an anniversary, I am trying to continue the work of Christ upon you because you are God's people, the church. And my first obligation is to you.
And we could talk about moving out there and neighboring people, but my first attention is to the people in the inn that Jesus has brought in and to neighbor them as Jesus has neighbored them.
So the application becomes very pointed and it's very easy. Is this church an inn that is neighboring each other, that we are continuing the work that Jesus began in each and every one of us? We're all Adams and Eves in here and Jesus is a good neighbor to us and he has been neighboring us and now the church is to take up his role while he's gone.
That's why we should spend whatever we need to continue that work. But what does that look like? How can our church be neighboring each other and be neighboring the people that are around us in the world that we see Jesus neighboring? We talked a little bit about that last week. It will become obvious where the spirit is moving in the lives of people.
The first place that we learn in the parable that people are who are crying out for mercy, you are the only ones that can extend mercy. The world cannot offer them. Only the church offers mercy, true mercy in Jesus Christ. Only the church can offer people grace. Only the church has the power and the ear of the one who heals.
Only the church has been made right with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. So we are the bearers and the keys of the kingdom. And we have to be neighboring people with those talents that we're left with the denarii, and we have to be spending ourselves for the kingdom? Because I will be frank with you. When Jesus returns, I would love him to say, like, wow, this is the bill, huh?
Okay, well, here you go, Bruce. Good job, good and faithful servant. That's where my passion lies. And so I would be a hypocrite if I didn't try to move you to that type of passion to say, like, I believe we are on the cusp of having this congregation, this church, being transformed. We're not.
We're gonna look so different than probably other churches out there, but namely the world. And we're going to show them that we have the power and the world is being transformed through us because Jesus is using us to do that. This old world is passing away, but we're ushering in and bringing in the new one. We're stamping the flags down and saying, this area right here is the kingdom of Christ come. You want mercy?
We got it. You want grace? We got it. Because we have Jesus. And that's what we're called to do.
We are neighboring community.
So again, I just simply say, are we set up to be doing this? Do we need to think through logistically how we can be more set up to be neighboring like Jesus? When our annual meeting comes up and we're approving a budget for the year, are we going to look at that budget and say, okay, well, God has given us this. Jesus has left us with this and he's bringing these people in. So now we gotta spend.
But don't worry, Jesus will repay us.
And that's a question that I'm not to lead you in. I'm just to participate alongside you. Let's think about this. Let's be unique and authentic. Let's be Like Jesus.
Let's be like the church. Let's be the end. Now, I don't mind being an innkeeper and I can't do all things, but I will sure try. I have no intention of ever leaving, but I have every intention to annoy the junk out of you until we all are like minded and moving in the direction of advancing this kingdom, that we're building up our children, we're building up our families, that we're loving each other and we're so filled with love that it just comes oozing out everywhere we walk. And people are just like, I want to be a part of that community.
I want to be a part of that kingdom. It feels like a different place there. Feels like a good city that you want to be a part of.
That's what we learn when you see Jesus as the hero in the Good Samaritan, in this parable. So however the Holy Spirit is speaking to you and convicting your heart, maybe he's downloading ideas about how this church, Fairview Methodist, can be better neighboring others. Please speak that when we gather together to talk about that business, be thinking about that. And let me just add this. If you've been like back and forth, you don't know about church or whatever.
There is no other place in all the world that is supposed to represent the inn. It's God's people, the church. And if you would like to plant your flag with us and help us accomplish these things that Jesus has entrusted us with, then I ask that you do that to join this body. There are people that are hurting and we see it every food pantry and they ask for help. I had a lady just yesterday saying, I need help with my yard.
I said, I'd love to help you. Let me ask you, do you go to church anywhere? Have you talked to your church about this? She goes, I don't have a church anywhere. I said, do you believe in Jesus?
She goes, yeah, I believe in Jesus. Well, Jesus would lead you to be a part of his people because when you're a part of the people of God, we help each other.
If Bill can't get out because he can't drive, I'm going to go pick him up and we're going to go bowling. But he doesn't have a Polish shirt to do so. So we can't. That's what he said.
If somebody needs a yard mowed, we are going to show up for each other. Somebody needs food, somebody delivered a baby, somebody experiences a death, like we're going to be there for each other. That's what we do for each other and that's enough. And yeah, it might trickle out to out there, but it happens first here. And that's why I tell everybody who knocks on our doors looking for handouts.
What church are you a part of? Because if you believe in Jesus, get plugged into a church and tell us what your needs are and we'll care for you. But if you're a stranger, we gotta discern some things. Cause I just can't spend your all's money. That's what I tell people when they come up there.
It's like I don't have authority, I don't have a checkbook for the church that I can just give you groceries. I'm not the church. These people are. You'd have to ask these people if they could buy you groceries.
Think about these things, share your ideas and thoughts. But let's do this. Let's be the reality of this inn and this inn keeping and neighboring that Jesus is teaching us in this parable that let the scriptures be what motivates you in all your life, reorients you to how to live life rightly.
Let's pray.