Trinity
13 – September 9th and 10th, 2017 – Luke
10:23-37
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
Before
we consider the familiar story of the Good Samaritan, it would be
good for us to look at the introductory verses, because they really
do set the stage for what this whole text is going to be about.
Jesus says to the disciples, “Blessed
are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many
prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
And this really drives home the wonders of being in the New
Testament Church, wonders that we can overlook. On occasion, we will
think about the events of the Old Testament – prophets and the Red
Sea and all those type of things, and we can think, “Man, how cool
would it have been to be around back then.” Yet Christ shows us
something that is true – the pinnacle, the highlight of all of
Scripture, isn’t the Exodus. It isn’t the fall of Jericho, it
isn’t the kingdom of David, or Elijah defeating the priests of
Ba’al, or Daniel in the lion’s den. No, the thing that all those
people, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Daniel, the thing which they
all hungered to see was the life, death, and resurrection of Christ
Jesus, was what we see and know from the 4 Gospels. Jesus is the
highlight, the point, of Scripture.
And
yet, so often, He is overlooked. Forget this talk about Jesus,
forget this talk about what He does – let’s get on to the good
stuff, you know, stuff about me, what I have to do. That happens
now, and it happened then. And behold, a
lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Now think about this – Jesus has just pointed out that kings and
prophets would have given their eye teeth to see Jesus, and what is
the question – what shall I do
to inherit eternal life. A question about me, about my actions –
forget focusing upon You, Jesus, let’s get back to me. And we
can’t even lambaste this lawyer too much, because this is what
sinful human beings do: turn everything back onto themselves – it’s
about me, me, me – and Christ is overlooked.
But
Jesus will answer him – what does the Law say, what does the bible
say? Well, it says Love God and love your neighbor. Yep, that’s
what you are supposed to do – if you want things to be about you,
go get to work. It was a silly, simple question – what am I
supposed to do? Show love. Duh. That’s sort of basic Christian
living 101 there – as a Christian you are to love God and love your
neighbor. That should have been obvious.
But
now the fellow is embarrassed. He had wanted to put Jesus to the
test, to ask an impressive question, and he had failed. He had
wanted a good answer about what wonders he himself could do – and
got this. And then we are told – But he,
desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “and who is my
neighbor?” So, the guy is embarrassed
because he just asked an obvious question, and so as to make himself
look good, he asks, “who is my neighbor?” Do you see what’s
going on? Jesus has just commented on how the kings and prophets of
the Old Testament would have loved to see Him face to face here on
earth – and the guy right there in front of Jesus couldn't care
less about Jesus. He’s trying to focus on himself, to make himself
look good. Even his question “who is my neighbor” isn’t a
matter of “I want to serve my neighbor, who is this one whom I
should serve” – but it’s an attempt to make himself look good.
This man is focused entirely upon himself. He’s not seeing Jesus.
So Jesus will tell a story to change his focus.
Let me
reread the story, so we all have it fresh in our minds. A
man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among some
robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half
dead. Now, the road from Jerusalem winds
through passes in the mountain, so it was a dangerous road, and this
fellow gets mugged and beaten. This is a very real scenario. Now
by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to
the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
So we have two people who go by – a priest, one of the leaders of
the people – sees the guy and hurries on. Now, this is lousy, but
understandable. Think about driving through a bad neighborhood; if
you see evidence of bad stuff going on, isn’t your instinct to lock
your doors and drive a bit more quickly? Same thing he does here.
And then the Levite, he is another respected member of Jewish society
– the good family. He does the same thing. But
a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw
him, he had compassion. Remember,
the Samaritans were the descendants of the northern kingdom, the
rebels, the semi-Jewish scum of the day. People Israelites looked
down upon. Yet this Samaritan sees the beaten man and has
compassion, feels for him, and is so moved to act. He
went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then
he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care
of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to
the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him, and whatever more you
spend, I will repay you when I come back.”
And the care that this Samaritan gives is fantastic. Oil was used
to clean, wine was used to disinfect. Good care. He puts the guy on
his animal, meaning he has to walk – meaning he puts himself in
danger – if the bandits come, the animal and the hurt man might get
away, but this Samaritan would be in a heap of trouble. And then,
when they reach shelter, the Samaritan doesn’t just dump him off,
but cares for him, and then, when he must go, pays for his continual
care. And after this, Jesus asks, Which of
these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who
fell among the robbers?
Yeah, the Samaritan. And Jesus tells us to go and do likewise.
So,
how then, is this parable about Jesus? I mean, there is instruction
for us – this is how we are to show love, fully and completely, and
even at danger and risk to ourselves. That’s the standard that we
are to hold to. It’s the standard we don’t live up to – the
fact that this is the standard is the reason why we all had to say,
“I a poor, miserable sinner” just a few minutes ago and confess
our sins to God. But here's the point. So often we will duck
responsibility and try to justify ourselves, but if we focused
honestly upon ourselves, upon what we do, we'd see nothing but how we
come up short, nothing but how there is more and better love to show.
Indeed, we know that we should always strive to show better love to
our neighbor, but if we honestly looked at ourselves in this matter,
we'd see it's not pretty. Sin has battered and bruised us; we do not
show love like we ought.
So let
me ask you the question, which shows how this parable is all about
Jesus. Who is your neighbor? When you are broken by sin and guilt,
when people whom you should have been able to count on fail you, when
the world is dark and cold and dangerous – who is your Neighbor?
Christ Jesus is.
Consider
again who the Good Samaritan is. He is someone who is looked down
upon. Does that not describe Jesus, for He is treated as an outcast.
His own did not receive Him. He was looked so down upon that He was
even crucified? And what does this Samaritan do? When he sees the
man, he has compassion. Likewise, Christ Jesus has compassion upon
you – we had a sermon a few weeks ago at the feeding of the 4000
that used that very word – compassion. Christ is moved to act when
He sees us broken by sin. The Samaritan came and bound the man’s
wounds with oil and wine. What does Christ do – He comes and He
binds our wounds with the gifts of Baptism and the Supper. Back in
the day, baptismal rites almost always included oil – the part
where we mark the Cross was done with oil. And in the Supper, Christ
gives Himself, His life and forgiveness to us by giving us His Body
and Blood through bread and wine. And more than just binding our
wounds, what does Christ do? The Samaritan carries the wounded man
to an inn – Christ brings us into His Church where He continually
cares for us. The Samaritan charges to the innkeeper to care for the
man, giving him two denarii, two coins with which to do it. Christ
Jesus has charged me, as your pastor, to care for you, giving me His
Word and His Sacraments, with which to do it.
With
this parable, Christ is not merely teaching us that we are to love
our neighbor. Rather this – He is showing us and teaching us about
His love for us, what He does for us, and indeed, why we should long
for this care. His love for us is so complete, so thorough and full,
for He provides for us all that we need, He gives us the forgiveness
He won upon the Cross, and sees to it that this forgiveness is still
proclaimed through His Word, still handed out through His Supper. He
has brought us here today to hear His Word of life, which we have.
What remains for us today, then, is to receive His other gift for us,
His own Body and Blood in His Supper. His love for you abounds,
abounds in ways that would have boggled Abraham’s mind. Jesus
gives you a feast that Solomon, in all his splendor, would have given
all his wealth for. Let us rejoice in His gifts to us together, in
the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
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