Sunday Sermons

Sunday 25th November 2007

Luke 10: 25 - 37. The Good Samaritan

Go and Do Likewise

Context.

A question and answer session. An expert in the law was “testing” Jesus. v 25.
Jesus answered his Q with another Q, v 26. (Also in v 36)
The expert in the law asked another Q in v 29. This time Jesus answers with a story – a parable.
How would you answer the first Q? v 25. What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Let us not pass v 27 on the other side of the road! This verse calls for deep self examination.

1. The priest and the Levite.

Priests were responsible for the temple services and sacrifices. Levites were their assistants. They had to observe high standards of ritual purity. They could not do their duties if they were unclean.
Contact with gentiles, Samaritans, tax collectors, lepers and dead bodies would make them unclean.
They saw a man robbed, stripped, beaten and left for dead but “passed by on the other side.” Why?
a. They had duties to attend to in the temple. They could not get defiled.
b. They were fearful of danger. Was it a trap?
c. They hardened their hearts. To get involved would cost them too much. It’s nothing to do with me!
They were more concerned with holiness than with compassion.

2. The Samaritan.

No friend of the Jews. He was an outsider and on foreign territory.
Nobody would expect him to help a Jew. Why should he help a foreigner?
Jesus was being deliberately controversial in choosing a Samaritan as his hero.
This is revolutionary teaching. Jesus is crossing an enormous divide.

How did the Samaritan show mercy?

Note the progression. Mercy is practical – the fruit of compassion. Mercy is costly.
Mercy = Kindness in excess of what may be expected. Kind or compassionate treatment.
a. V 33. He saw him.               He saw a man in need - robbed,
                                                                                                                  stripped, beaten and left for dead."
b. He took pity on him. “His heart went out to him.”               He felt compassion.
c. V 34. He went to him.                                                               He reached out / made contact.
d. He bandaged his wounds and poured in oil and wine.          He gave First Aid.
e. He put him on his donkey and brought him to an inn.              He provided transport.
f.    He took care of him.                                                                         He took care of him.
Cleaned and dressed his wounds. Settled him in - made him comfortable.
g. V 35. He arranged for him to be looked after (for some weeks) He was generous.
h. He promised to return and pay for any extra expenses.               He gave ongoing contact and care.
In our daily lives (+ in church) we will come across people in need of mercy. Can we get past a, b &c?
We can choose not to see / let fear throttle compassion / cross the road and pass by on the other side.

3. Why should we show mercy?

a. Because God is rich in mercy to those who do not deserve it. Ephesians 2 : 4.
b. Because we have received mercy in salvation - being made alive when we were dead. Eph 2:5.
c. Because mercy is to be a characteristic of God’s people. Micah 6: 8. We are to “love mercy.”
d. Because God’s mercy is available for us to draw on at the throne of grace. Hebrews 4 : 16.
e. Because Jesus says “Go and do likewise” Luke 10 : 37.

Robert Duncan, 22/11/2007