WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.919 Good morning. 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:03.120 Nice to see you all. 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:03.919 How are we? 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:05.280 Good, good. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:06.240 Nice to see you all. 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:08.640 If we haven't met, my name is Josh Teague. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:09.599 I'm just one of the elders. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:10.960 I'm a member here at the church. 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:13.279 So this is not something I normally do. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.679 During the week, though, I'm I work in the world of software. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:18.480 I'm a husband to my wife Lauren and my four girls. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:19.679 We live here in Marietta. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:24.079 And so it's nice, it's a privilege to get to do this with you guys this morning to share the gospel. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.039 And today we've got some very good news to soak in together. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.120 But with that in mind, let me open us up with a word of prayer and then we'll get started. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:32.399 Bow our heads. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:34.240 Lord, thank you for this morning. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:39.039 Thank you for this building, Lord, that we get to church, that we get to worship in, Lord. 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:42.079 Thank you for the families represented here, Lord. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:47.520 Lord, we pray, Lord, today, that your truths are spoken. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:52.159 Lord, that I learned something new this morning about you. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:01:03.119 And Lord, we pray that, uh, Lord, your um our worship today, this morning, and our thoughts and our hearts, Lord, are pleasing to you. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:04.239 In Jesus' name. 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:05.120 Amen. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:08.000 So, as you may know, it's that little context here. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.000 We're doing a summer series on the parables in the New Testament. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:16.000 And this morning we're looking at the parable of the Good Samaritan. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.439 Now, everybody knows these words, Good Samaritan, right? 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:22.400 This is a very common thing we hear about in culture. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:27.760 Uh, we it's in the daily news, it's in pop culture, it's in the nonprofit world, the good Samaritan. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:35.519 And it was even in preparing to speak on this topic that you know, I saw these words Good Samaritan. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:39.120 It's kind of like when you get a new car and suddenly you see that car you got just everywhere. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.439 It's just kind of like, what have I done? 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:42.000 You know? 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:52.560 And so I saw the words Good Samaritan everywhere, and so just like this constant reminder, you need to be like planning for this and getting this together, and so but anyway, it's really eye-opening because we just see it everywhere. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:02:02.400 Uh, you know, somewhere along the way, I saw a headline on the internet that said, Paris Jackson robbed while trying to be a good Samaritan. 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:06.079 So Paris Jackson, this is it's in celebrity culture. 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:07.280 And she was robbed. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.439 It's almost like it's part two of the story we never heard. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:10.719 The Good Samaritan was robbed. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:11.280 It's interesting. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.280 I think she's okay, by the way. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:23.520 Um but I was curious because I just happened to see this headline and I did some Googling for, I typed into Google, celebrity good, and then the drop down was celebrity good skin. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:26.319 And then secondarily was celebrity good Samaritan. 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.159 It's a topic, like this is a real thing. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.000 I was just stumbled into it. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:39.759 And there are articles and there's lists like you just wouldn't believe around celebrities, you know, these people that we worship helping lowly people like the rest of us, right? 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:44.240 I didn't read any of them, I was a little bit tempted, but you can go look this up yourself. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.199 There's some good ones. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.319 I'll read you a few of the titles of these articles I came across. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:54.800 Number one, these are all lists, by the way, 29 celebrities who have saved the lives of regular people. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:58.960 So again, we're just establishing class structures. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:01.759 We're gonna just be okay with that. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.560 A second one I saw, these are all on the top page of Google. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:11.360 Twenty times celebrities have pulled off awesome good deeds. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:11.840 Okay? 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:14.639 So we have 29 times, 20 times somewhere in there. 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:15.840 We've done this a few times. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:18.159 Uh and last but not least, this was my favorite one. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:19.919 I don't even know what it means, but I liked it. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.080 Celebrity good Samaritans. 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:23.919 Oh no, they didn't. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:24.800 I don't know. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:31.599 You know, so I'm I imagine these are very like high-quality pieces of writing. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:37.120 But uh it's lost all meaning, this this phrase, Good Samaritan. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:38.159 It's lost all meaning. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:39.759 We don't know what this is as a culture. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:41.759 Even as Christians, we forget, right? 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:45.599 So today we're gonna get into the original story. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.479 And as we do, I want us to understand this parable today. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.240 It's it's all about Jesus. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:53.039 All through it. 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:54.000 It's all about him. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:56.159 That's point number one, by the way. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:59.520 The parable of the Good Samaritan is all about Jesus. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.080 So this morning, let's be looking for evidences of him as we read. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:04.560 Okay? 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:06.879 We'll start with Luke 10. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:08.319 It's in your bulletin if you've got it. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:09.759 Luke 10, 25. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.319 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:24.319 This is somebody probably in the Jewish uh leadership, saying, Teacher, he's saying, Jesus, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:27.360 Jesus said to him, Well, what's written in the law? 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:28.959 How do you read it? 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:39.279 And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:41.040 He recited that. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:43.439 And Jesus said to him, You've answered correctly. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:45.439 Do this and you'll live. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:48.800 And he's probably thinking, Yeah, I got that. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.959 Seems pretty straightforward, just two laws. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:51.839 We can probably do that, right? 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.720 We can love the Lord with all our might, all our head, and all our strength, and we can love our neighbor too. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.120 I like those simple requirements. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:01.120 We could probably just go home now, right? 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:02.639 No big deal. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:15.920 Now, Jesus, in the same way that he is both God and he is man, I think in this moment he is being both sincere, he's being direct with this person, and perhaps he's also prodding at him a little bit, as we'll find out. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:21.759 Because Jesus, he knows the heart of this man, he knows what is kind of underneath this question. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:22.879 He's God. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.000 He's wanting to kind of get at that a little bit. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:32.319 And so Jesus answered very simply, and we'll pick up in verse 29. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:38.480 But he, the lawyer, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, But who is my neighbor? 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:43.920 So perhaps here at best, the lawyer he just wants to clarify his question. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:45.839 It's best case scenario. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.639 But at worst, and what we'll find out, is we're seeing the real motive of his heart. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.120 We're seeing the question underneath this question. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:57.680 He wants to kind of justify himself and kind of say, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, let's clarify something here. 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:02.399 You know, he's saying, I'd like to draw a circle around my neighbors. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.439 Who must I love that's a neighbor? 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:07.120 Like, what who are these people? 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.959 And are there people that maybe, hmm, no thanks. 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:12.000 I'm good. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:16.879 I don't want to complicate my life with you know people that are hard to love. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:18.879 All right. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.439 Surely I'm loving the Lord, right? 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:31.759 Uh and so you know, he's probably thinking, you know, I've got this book, I've got that first part done. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.800 I'm loving the Lord. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:33.600 I've got this book. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:34.959 I know it by heart, by the way. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:38.879 I was able to recite it by memory for this supposed teacher man here. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.000 I've got that part down. 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:54.560 Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:00.000 Now, by chance, a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:02.000 So this is where we pick up the parable. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:06.319 Keep in mind though, this parable is in response to this man's rather insincere set of questions. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:07.680 Number one, how do I get to heaven? 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:09.439 Now that we all want to know how we get to heaven, right? 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:10.480 That's okay. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:13.839 But two, but he's not actually asking, how can I love my Lord? 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:15.279 How can I actually love the Lord? 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:16.240 What does that look like? 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:17.439 He's just saying, how do I get to heaven? 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:18.160 So, you know. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.879 Number two, he's asking, who is my neighbor? 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.560 Not even like how can I be a good neighbor, but just who is it? 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:27.279 He wants to desire some exclusivity. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:32.160 He wants to establish a sense of an in and an out, a person who's in and out. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:40.000 He's caring more about the duty, the requirements of this, and not the joy to be found in doing it well. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.560 Now we're picking on this guy, but we all do this, right? 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:43.839 We're gonna pick on this guy a little bit. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.040 Well, we all do this. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:50.160 We want to find the rules and the procedures by which we are accepted. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.319 And not necessarily, okay, I'm gonna fail at that. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.000 How do I do it well, though? 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.959 So this man's been robbed, beaten, he's been left for dead. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:02.480 He's on the side of the road. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:10.079 Without clothes, by the way, he's totally unidentifiable, which means you can't slot him in any kind of you know socioeconomic uh slotting. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.439 He could be rich, he could be poor, we don't know. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:22.800 But you can tell from a simple glance that it will be a significant sacrifice to care for him, much less love him, like scripture's calling for. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:26.319 Is he really worth my time? 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:29.120 I've got to get to the soccer game. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:30.720 Why should I do this? 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.200 He doesn't need 15 cents. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:36.879 Or, you know, maybe I can just sign him up for a handout program or something, right? 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:38.399 And get along my way. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.039 No, he needs somebody to save his life. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:42.240 He's dying. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:43.600 We're dying. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:45.120 We are dead. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:46.960 As unbelievers. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:51.200 Now, by chance, it says a priest was going down the road. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:54.000 And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.159 Now, why didn't this priest help? 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.000 Russ, why didn't you help? 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:01.200 Because he couldn't touch the lighting with the father. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.200 Yeah, yeah, we but that's definitely that. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:13.519 There's there's the commentators we believe that it perhaps he couldn't touch him, because there's Jewish law that says you can't touch the corpse of a dead body on, you know, because of purity reasons. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.639 There's also folks that believe, you know, perhaps that's actually not the case. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:21.519 Perhaps he was actually going down along the road away from Jerusalem. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.440 His temple duties might have been over. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:25.759 So maybe he could have helped. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:26.720 We don't know. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.039 We'll keep going, verse 32. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:34.960 So likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place in Psalm, he also passed by on the other side. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:38.799 You can think of a Levite functionally as somebody who just helps the priest. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:48.639 This is maybe, you know, you know, there is definitely a significance to their ancestry and their lineage, uh, but think of them maybe as you would maybe a deacon or an elder, somebody helping out a lot. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:54.480 Now, Jesus himself, he doesn't get into reasons why neither of these people helped. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.919 And I think he intentionally avoids it for a couple of reasons that we'll find out. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:01.679 Number one, I think ultimately those reasons they just don't matter. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:02.879 They just don't matter. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:10.879 Whether it was for ritualistic reasons, maybe it was for fear, maybe it was for protectionism, or maybe laziness, which is often the case for me. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.320 We don't really know. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:18.159 But we know they're not loving the neighbor as themselves, as scripture is calling for. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.919 Which brings us to the second reason. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:23.279 I believe Jesus is what he's doing is he's actually trying to put the lawyer in a little bit of a box. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:24.639 He's cornering him a little bit. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:27.519 He's ultimately setting him up to see who was the neighbor to him. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:32.960 He's trying to basically put this lawyer in the story and they say, okay, if this was you, how would you want to be treated? 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:34.639 That's what scripture calls for. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:37.279 Who was the neighbor to him? 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:46.960 Don't you know that if the self-righteous lawyer, or maybe one of us, were to write this story, it would simply start and end with us. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:49.440 You know, there'd be a guy on the side of the road. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:51.519 Let's just pick up the story there. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.519 You know, you see a man in dire need. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:55.759 This a Christian was walking along the roadside. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:57.840 He sees this man in dire need of help. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:10:59.759 He put everything down. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:06.799 And in the process of doing so, this Christian realized that this man was a drug addict. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.440 Or maybe a wealthy person, we don't know again. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:14.639 Or maybe this person he determined was a liberal or a conservative. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:16.799 But he was an enemy. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:22.080 And wouldn't you know it that the Christian said, I don't care, I'm gonna help this guy. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:25.600 And he put aside his differences and he helped him anyway. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:26.720 Way to go, Christians. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:27.120 Right? 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:28.480 That's probably how we would write it. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.679 We would know it's false, we know it's completely, we don't do this. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:33.120 But maybe it's how we would write it. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:34.399 It's not how Jesus works. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:39.519 But what we see next is that the it's the oppressor that helps the man in need. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:41.679 And it's been totally flipped. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.799 The oppressor is the loving neighbor to this man. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:47.120 So this is verse 33, we'll pick it up there. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:52.000 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, he came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:53.679 Okay, so who is this Samaritan? 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.080 This is where the parable gets a little bit more interesting. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:01.519 This is, you can think of a Samaritan or the Samaritan people as really the archenemy of the Jewish laity. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:08.399 They were social outcasts at best, but at worst they were literal enemies of the Jewish leadership. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:14.879 And it really would have been unimaginable for a Samaritan man to help a Jewish man. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:16.799 And definitely the other way around. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:18.639 They were at opposite ends. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.759 Think of Jesus' command, again, to love your enemies. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.960 And the context here will land, I think, appropriately. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:26.399 These are enemies. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:28.879 And also, I think this is actually worth mentioning. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.519 What happened just one chapter back in Luke 9? 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:32.879 I think this is pretty interesting. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:38.559 Uh Jesus was on his way to the cross, he was on his way to Jerusalem where the cross, he was headed that way. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:40.399 He was looking for a place to stay. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:40.960 He was homeless. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:43.759 He was with his disciples, but they were looking for a place to stay. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:50.799 And he sent some people ahead into a Samaritan village and said, Can we just ask them if the Samaritan will see if they'll host us? 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.480 And they said, No. 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.759 They said, We know who you are, we know where you're going, we don't want to have you here. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:56.639 So they said, No. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:58.720 They were not very accommodating. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:00.720 So let's see how some of the disciples react. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:04.159 This is in Luke 9, flip back one page to verse 54. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.399 I'll read it here. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:11.840 And when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they realized that the word came back, they couldn't stay there. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:17.120 They said, Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them? 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:18.799 That's pretty strong, right? 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:21.440 Can we just curse them and be done with them? 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:24.320 You have the power, we have the power within us. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:27.039 Why don't we just do this once and for all be done with it? 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:33.679 Now, Jesus then said, he just turned to them and rebuked them. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:36.399 And it says, and they went on to another village. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.480 Now, we don't know specifically what Jesus said in that moment, but we know it was a rebuke. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:42.480 We probably know it wasn't really pretty. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:52.000 I kind of like to think that with Luke, when he's compiling these stories, when he's actually writing the book of Luke, I kind of like to think that he's writing along, he's like, oh yeah, then we got that part where, oh yeah, they sent them to that. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.600 And James and John got completely, you know, rebuked. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:58.559 Maybe I'll just leave those details out for their sake. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:13:59.360 You know? 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:02.559 I'm gonna do them a solid, because uh, let's just not get there. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:05.200 So he rebuked them and they went to another city. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:05.679 The end. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:06.080 Okay? 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:19.759 But anyway, I think what we're seeing here is that in light of this very recent personal rejection from Jesus, Jesus uses the Samaritan people, the outcast, the oppressed, those that rejected him. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:24.639 He uses them as the grace figure who will save this dying Jewish man. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:27.279 Are you guys with me on this? 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.480 This is forgiveness. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:30.000 This is instant forgiveness. 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:32.480 This is what forgiveness truly looks like for us. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:34.879 How many times do we do this? 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.240 This is Jesus, though. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:39.519 So we're only getting started. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.679 Back in uh verse 34, back in the parable. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:53.840 He, the Samaritan man, went to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, probably as an antiseptic to help cleanse the wound, and he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:59.679 Now, the Samaritan man, by the way, uh he set the dying man on his animal. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.039 Probably he had a single animal. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:02.399 We can just imagine this. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:09.120 So that meant the Samaritan man's walking, and uh the dying man is just up on this horse. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:13.360 So this is not a three amigos situation, if you follow me. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:19.679 This is not like, you know, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and uh Martin Short on the same horse. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:22.080 If you've ever seen that movie, this is not that. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.960 So don't picture that. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:24.960 Don't you dare picture that. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.639 This is one man walking, one man riding, full stop. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:31.360 This is sacrifice. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:41.360 So he gives him a ride, he puts him in an Uber, and he meets him at the end where he continues to lavish attention and love on this man. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.200 He's saving his life. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:44.960 He's saving his life. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:48.639 He provides weeks, if not a month's worth of money. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:55.039 We don't know what insurance looked like, but can you imagine bringing somebody and being like, ah, he's not under my insurance plan, but anyway, just take him. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.840 I'm not sure how much this is gonna cost, but do it. 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:03.759 And he and then he tells the innkeeper if you end up spending more and you need more, just go ahead and do it. 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.240 Let me know, I'll swing by later and I'll pay the deed. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:07.200 It's all good. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.559 No big deal. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:16.000 So again, he doesn't just call for others to help him, he doesn't just toss them 15 cents, he goes into debt for this guy. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:18.559 Which brings us to point number two this morning. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:22.960 Jesus has lavished this love on us. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:30.879 Nobody was a better neighbor to us, nobody is a better neighbor to us than our Lord Christ. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:32.720 Nobody did it better. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.720 And we see this kind of high calling, as you know, all through Scripture. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:41.360 This kind of high calling for sacrifice for the oppressed, all through Scripture. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.159 Listen to these words from Isaiah 58. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:46.320 This is the Lord speaking. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:54.799 He says, Share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into your home, and when you see the naked, cover him. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:58.000 And do not hide yourself from your own flesh. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.320 Last phrase he's saying there, hiding yourself from your own flesh. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:06.960 I think what he's getting at is don't deny the fact that this person could have been you. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.599 Don't deny the fact that the Lord, we were all made in the Lord's image. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.839 This is you, he is you, you are him. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:15.680 It goes on. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:21.359 Pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:30.799 Now, in tribal and protectionist societies like we see here and in the Old Testament, and let's face it, here in America too, this is pretty radical thinking, right? 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.359 This is exactly what the Good Samaritan is doing, though. 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:37.200 He's saying, as the words in Isaiah say, he's pouring himself out. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.079 He's not just helping, he's giving him everything. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:43.119 He's dying for this man, he's dying to this man's needs. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.079 As we are to die for Christ. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:52.240 So, in closing out the conversation with the lawyer, Jesus asks a rhetorical question. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:57.440 He says, Which of these three people proved to be a neighbor to the dying man? 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:00.720 And the man says, the one who showed him mercy. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:06.559 Note here how he can't even bring himself to say the words the Samaritan man. 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.680 That's how deep their hatred was of one another. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.200 And yet, again, this love is just being poured out, poured out. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:22.000 And so it is kind of funny how we as a society we're kind of a little heavy-handed, if I can say so, about when it comes to naming our organizations this. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:26.000 You know, whether it's a hospital or a nonprofit, named the Good Samaritan, so-and-so. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:32.319 It's kind of like we want to remind people no, it wasn't just the one who showed mercy, it was the Good Samaritan. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.200 All right? 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.880 That's who it was. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:35.920 Face it. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.839 It's a good thing. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.759 Jesus closes with, you go and you do likewise. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.680 So what's Jesus saying here? 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.680 Seems pretty clear. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.839 It's pretty harsh. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:54.400 He says, what he's doing is he's holding up his law as the standard by which we will be measured for eternity. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:56.240 He's saying this is important. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:00.319 And this is how high of a calling you have. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:05.359 Now, will we be able to honestly love, like the Samaritan loved? 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.799 I mean, think about it, this is just one man. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:09.119 We we go through every day this is happening. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:20.880 Will we be able to honestly love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with your mind, oh, and also your neighbor as yourself? 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:22.960 That's that's a lot. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.160 By our own strength, no, we're not gonna be able to do that. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:27.279 Uh, we won't. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:29.839 Certainly not by the example again of the Good Samaritan. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.319 We are all works in progress, amen. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.119 Jesus is answering the Lord's question here very directly at the end. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:40.240 He's saying, okay, to gain eternal life, that was your question. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:42.000 This is the standard. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:46.079 And the standard is much higher than you ever imagined. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.119 You thought you had it right. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:52.319 You thought you were loving me, you thought you were loving your neighbors, but it's actually way higher. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:56.480 My holiness standard is so high, you have no idea. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.079 So, where do we where do we end every sermon? 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:01.279 Do we leave it there? 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:04.400 No, we sit with Jesus. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.200 We have him. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:07.519 He is sufficient for us. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:11.839 He lived the perfect life of the Good Samaritan. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:19.519 He died for us, he lived the perfect life, the perfect sacrifice, and he's risen. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:25.680 And so when God looks upon us as Christians, as believers, he sees his perfect son, he sees his son Jesus. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.200 We are accepted. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:29.680 And we have been deemed holy beyond that. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:34.400 Not just accepted, we are seen as holy saints, by the way, because of him. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:37.200 He's died for us. 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.079 Which brings me to the final point of the morning, and we'll close here. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:48.160 By grace, it's a bit of a wordy one, by grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit, not of us, we are free to do as the Good Samaritan did. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:55.839 And we are called to do as the Good Samaritan did, but we're to do it out of joy and not out of this sense of obligation. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.200 We're to do it out of joy. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:05.039 And certainly without the burden of it being the measure of our acceptance. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:15.599 By grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are free to do as the Good Samaritan did and are called to do, but without the burden of it being the measure of our acceptance. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.799 Can we pray for us? 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:17.920 Hold on here. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.359 God, we thank you for this morning. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:30.799 Thank you, Lord, that though the calling here is such a burdensome thing, Lord, you have come to die for that, Lord. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.839 You have come to die for us as sinners. 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:38.640 Lord, thank you that in you, Lord, um, we are accepted. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:44.160 Lord, show us uh creative ways, Lord, to love others. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:52.400 And in doing so, Lord, just let us do so with joy and in rest, knowing, Lord, that you are, ultimately, Lord, you are accepting of us. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:54.079 And we praise you for that this morning. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:54.880 In Jesus' name. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:55.519 Amen.