The Good Sam aritan P. 1 The Good Samaritan Int. 1. Aim: To show the lessons of this parable that apply to all of us today. 2. Luke 10:25-37 - parable of the Good Samaritan 3. Legalistic concept of law by many - They had certain ceremonies to perform a. They gave close attention to the ceremonies but ignored the weightier matters of the law like love, mercy and justice. - Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. b. Jesus used this occasion to teach them that the law was a rule of conduct and their attitudes were to be determined by it. 4. There was hatred between the Jews and Samaritans. This is the reason. a. After the death of Solomon Israel was divided into the Northern and Southern kingdom. b. The Northern kingdom continued until 722 BC when they fell to Assyria. c. Most of the people were carried away into Assyrian captivity. d. The Assyrians then populated the country with people from other conquered nations who intermarried with the Jews that were left. e. So the Samaritans were a mixed race and the Jews did not normally associate with them. They were a mix of Jews with Gentiles. 5. Jesus used this opportunity to break down some of that hatred. 6. This parable is also valuable to us for some lessons in living.
The Good Sam aritan P. 2 Discussion I. THE LAWYERS QUESTIONS - V. 25-29 A. First Question - v. 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 1. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? 2. Lawyer - one learned in the law of Moses. 3. This was a common question among the Jews. 4. He was tempting Jesus a. His purpose was to make trial of Jesus. He was trying to see if Jesus would deliver any doctrine contrary to the law of Moses. b. He was not wanting to know the truth c. The spirit of this lawyer was evil. He wanted to entrap Jesus if possible. 5. Jesus did not respond with the same confrontational attitude. a. Jesus referred the questioner to the word of God. b. The questioner was a teacher of the law so he was familiar with the text. c. How does it read to you? is the way another lawyer would have responded. (1) The lawyers would have considered this a wise or at least a prudent answer. (2) It was an invitation to a dialog, not to a confrontation. 6. Jesus answered with another question. What is written in the law? He should know. He was as teacher of the law. 7. Luke 10:27 So he answered and said, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' - Deut. 6:5
The Good Sam aritan P. 3 a. Love God with all heart = means to worship him as directed and serve him according to our ability. He is the supreme object of our life. b. Love God with all soul = be willing to sacrifice life for him. We love Him so much we will endure hardships and wear out our lives in his service. c. Love God with all of our strength = It means to give Him all our abilities. d. Love neighbour as thyself = we will help him in distress and refrain from doing him any injury. 8. Response of Jesus - Luke 10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. a. Jesus knew the heart of this man (1) Jesus commended that which was correct (2) Jesus taught the man. He did not just answer the question. b. Jesus put the emphasis on doing c. The lawyer was right in what he stated. But he was not practicing it. B. Second Question - V. 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 1. Who is my neighbor? 2. He asked the first question to entrap Jesus! He asked the second question to justify himself. 3. Willing to justify himself a. It is human nature to try to justify our course of life even if we are wrong. b. Pride is what causes us to try to justify our self. c. Humility is required in confessing that we have been wrong and made a mistake
The Good Sam aritan P. 4 d. It is clearly implied in Jesus answer [This do and thou shalt live] that the man had not been doing that. 4. So he asked this second question: Who is my neighbour? a. This lawyer was a fast alert thinker and he knew he must give some kind of answer. b. He recognized the dilemma and put Jesus on the defensive. 5. Jesus answer: a. He was too wise to take the direct approach to the matter. b. He put the problem back on the lawyer with a parable. II. THE PARABLE - v. 30-35 A. The Robbers - v. 30 Then Jesus answered and said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 1. The man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho a. We are not told his race or religion. But we assume him to be a Jew. b. He was probably a Jewish peddler. 2. Jericho is about 18 to 20 miles from Jerusalem but is 3,500 feet lower a. Jerusalem was located 2,300 feet above sea level, and Jericho 1,300 feet below sea level. b. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho then descends about 3,600 feet in a little more than 20 miles. c. It is only 15 miles by the way the crow flies, but he mountains add about 5 miles.
The Good Sam aritan P. 5 d. It was necessary for the road as it wound through the mountain country to make many sharp turns many dips and narrow passes. e. These were excellent places for bandits to waylay travelers. Way of Blood 3. Man was robbed - beaten - and left half dead B. The selfish passers-by - v. 31-32 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 1. Priest - a man who served in Jerusalem a. In Palestine there were so many priests by the New Testament time they were divided into 24 courses. b. Each course served in the Temple for two separate weeks in the year. c. Inasmuch as Jericho was one of the priestly cities, this one may have been returning home from his service in the Temple. d. Having spent his two weeks in the Temple service, if this is so, he should have been deeply stirred and spiritually minded. e. His very birth and calling should have made him neighbor to the robbed and wounded man. f. But he passes by on the other side. g. He may have thought it a trick of the bandits. Sometimes they did these kind of things. so he takes no chances. h. Certainly we do not see any neighborly love in his action. i. He was unmoved by the condition of the man he passed by and did nothing.
The Good Sam aritan P. 6 2. Levite - they assisted the priest in the offerings and to care for the temple. a. He did the same thing after he looked on him. b. He was a worker in the house of God. c. And we notice a subtle difference in the attitude between the Levite and the Priests. The Levite, we are told, came and looked on him. d. Perhaps the priest was afraid it was a trick, but this man takes a good look and could see that the man truly was wounded. e. Perhaps the Levite thought he would like to help the man, but saw no sense in getting involved. f. It is quite easy to see that this neither is neighbor-like love. C. The Compassionate Helper - v. 33-35 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 1. All three men saw the man in trouble, but only the Samaritan did anything. 2. He had compassion - then he administered first aid - he took care of the man over night - then he provided for future care. 3. Here was a man who translated religion into life!!
The Good Sam aritan P. 7 III. THE LAWYER ANSWERS HIS OWN QUESTION - V. 36-37 A. Jesus asked him which of these three was a neighbour? 1. He could not give the wrong answer without ruining his own reputation. 2. He knew what he had to say. B. He that shewed mercy on him 1. The lawyer would not even pronounce the word Samaritan. He could not make himself commend that race of people. 2. But he could not afford to say that the Priest or Levite had acted in a neighborly fashion. 3. The Jews defined Neighbor much like we do today a. They did not include any non-jews in their definition of neighbor b. The Leaders did not include anyone outside their party as neighbor 4. Who is my neighbor? When do I act in a neighborly fashion? To whom do I prove myself a neighbor? Who do I love as myself? ----- 5. EVERYONE WHO HELPS ME OR NEEDS MY HELP IS MY NEIGHBOR! C. Go, and do thou likewise. 1. He puts the emphasis on doing. 2. The priest and Levite determined what was right but they refused to do their duty. 3. The Samaritan felt his obligation and did his duty. a. Even though he is traveling and we know he has obligations elsewhere, he takes the time to stop and help.
The Good Sam aritan P. 8 b. He did not withhold his own goods, saying I ll need them later. c. Nor did he offer an excuse that he didn t have enough to help. d. He didn t wait for someone else to help. e. He didn t check out the man s character or nationality to decide if he was deserving of help. 4. Jesus commends this course to the lawyer. 5. You know your duty - now go out and do it! IV. SOME LESSONS FROM THE PARABLE A. A neighbor is one in need whom we can help 1. Anyone who needs your help is your neighbor. 2. The love for neighbor does not know color, race or religion 3. We are even commanded to love our enemy - Matt. 5:43-48 B. Christians are to show hospitality 1. Romans 12:13 Given to hospitality 2. Gal. 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 3. We should roll out the red carpet C. We cannot separate our neighbors from our religion 1. The first two to pass by should have been the first to help. 2. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The Good Sam aritan P. 9 3. James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. D. The Cost of Compassion 1. The Willingness to cross social barriers a. The Samaritan did it b. John 4:9 2. The willingness to take the risks a. Took a great risk by stopping to help somebody that despised him b. What if the robbers were still near by? c. Luke 6:30 3. A willingness to set aside our busy schedules a. The Samaritan did it b. He was on a journey c. What about us? Do we have time for our neighbors? d. Matt. 5:41 4. The willingness to make a sacrifice a. He sacrificed more than just time and energy b. He used his provisions c. He offered an open-ended agreement to provide for his help d. Jesus taught his disciples to be willing to make sacrifices e. Luke 6:34-35 f. Eph. 5:1-2
The Good Sam aritan P. 10 CONCLUSION 1. Three philosophies of life suggested by this parable a. Robbers - what is thine is mine and I will get it if I have to injure you. b. Priest and Levite - what is mine is mine, and I will keep it regardless of how needy you are. c. Samaritan - what is mine is thine, and I will share it with you. 2. Summary of parable: a. The lawyer asked - What shall I do to inherit eternal life? b. When Jesus turned the question on him he correctly stated that we must love God with all of our being and our neighbor as our self. c. Jesus responded by saying that he was correct. d. But the lawyer countered by asking: Who is my neighbor? e. The parable was given to teach him who his neighbor is! f. Then Jesus told him to practice it. 3. The main lesson - Eternal life is to be enjoyed by those who love God supremely, and who love their neighbor as their self regardless of who they are. Sources used 1. Annual Lesson Commentary - July 17, 1949 2. The Gospel Accounts: A Chronological Harmony - The Good Samaritan La Vista Church of Christ 3.Sermon Notes on the Parables of Jesus by Frank L. Cox Nelson Chapel Church of Christ 5039 Six Mile Road Maryville, Tn. 37803 Sunday Morning - April 30, 2017 www.nelsonchapelchurchofchrist.org Sermon by Arthur Pigman - 2705 Druid Hill Dr. Maryville, Tn. 37804 art65ann@gmail.com