12.2.2012 The Good Samaritan

Luke 10: 30-37

Let's open our Bibles to Luke chapter 10……..

This is the story of the Good Samaritan…….. This is one of the most well-known parables…….. Jesus ever told…….. Jesus was the master of all story tellers.......

Luke 10: 30- 37 NLT

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Luke 10: 30- 37 Neues Leben

30 Jesus antwortete: »Ein Mann befand sich auf der Straße von Jerusalem nach Jericho, als er von Räubern überfallen wurde. Sie raubten ihm seine Kleider und sein Geld, verprügelten ihn und ließen ihn halb tot am Straßenrand liegen.

31 Zufällig kam ein jüdischer Priester vorbei. Doch als er den Mann dort liegen sah, wechselte er auf die andere Straßenseite und ging vorüber.

32 Dann kam ein Tempeldiener4 und sah ihn ebenfalls dort liegen; doch auch er ging auf der anderen Straßenseite vorüber.

33 Schließlich näherte sich ein Samariter. Als er den Mann sah, empfand er tiefes Mitleid mit ihm.

34 Er kniete sich neben ihn, behandelte seine Wunden mit Öl und Wein und verband sie. Dann hob er den Mann auf seinen eigenen Esel und brachte ihn zu einem Gasthaus, wo er ihn versorgte.

35 Am nächsten Tag gab er dem Wirt zwei Denare5 und bat ihn, gut für den Mann zu sorgen. `Sollte das Geld nicht ausreichen´, sagte er, `dann werde ich dir den Rest bezahlen, wenn ich das nächste Mal herkomme.´

36 Wer von den dreien war nun deiner Meinung nach der Nächste für den Mann, der von Räubern überfallen wurde?«, fragte Jesus.

37 Der Mann erwiderte: »Der, der Mitleid hatte und ihm half.« Jesus antwortete: »Ja. Nun geh und mach es genauso.«

This particular tale of the Good Samaritan is so well known that it has actually become an example of unusual sacrificial kindness……… We call people good Samaritans who find people in need and help them…….. To call someone a good Samaritan is to grant to them a great compliment……. It´s a great story……. But I think we may have missed the point of this story…….. I want us look at the reason Jesus told it……

It is a story about helping someone in need……. It is a powerful story of sacrificial love to an enemy…….. There is lots to learn here…… BUT That's not really the point…… This is really a story about how one inherits eternal life……. It´s about salvation……… that is the question that started the conversation with the LORD Jesus…….

Go back with me to verse 25……. Jesus is teaching……

Luke 10: 25-29 NLT

²⁵ One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

²⁷ The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”^[c]

²⁸ “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

²⁹ The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Luke 10: 25-29 Neues Leben

25 Ein Mann, der sich im Gesetz Moses besonders gut auskannte, stand eines Tages auf, um Jesus mit folgender Frage auf die Probe zu stellen: »Meister, was muss ich tun, um das ewige Leben zu bekommen?«

26 Jesus erwiderte: »Was steht darüber im Gesetz Moses? Was liest du dort?«

27 Der Mann antwortete: »`Du sollst den Herrn, deinen Gott, von ganzem Herzen, von ganzer Seele, mit deiner ganzen Kraft und all deinen Gedanken lieben.´ Und: `Liebe deinen Nächsten wie dich selbst.´

28 »Richtig!«, bestätigte Jesus. »Tu das, und du wirst leben!«

29 Der Mann wollte sich rechtfertigen; deshalb fragte er Jesus: »Und wer ist mein Nächster?«

In the middle of His teaching, a certain lawyer, scribe, expert in the Law of Moses and the Jewish Law, stood up and put Him to the test saying…. “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

This is the greatest question ever asked…… and it was on the minds and the hearts of the Jews all the time……. They knew the Old Testament promised eternal life…… a resurrection unto life…… an eternal Kingdom…….. they desired to the long promised eternal kingdom…….. to live in the presence of God.......

They wanted to inherit eternal life………. That's why that question was posed so frequently to Jesus and appears so many places in the gospels…….

Jesus Himself spoke about eternal life often because that was the issue…….. They were much more concerned about the next life than this life……. They were much more concerned about heavenly life than earthly life…….. they didn't want to miss it……. And even though they counted on their circumcision…….. the law and their traditions to qualify them for the Kingdom……. there was still a nagging sense in their own hearts……. a nagging realization of their own sin……. Their conscience that made them fear……… in spite of what it looked like on the surface……… in spite of outwardly keeping the Law……..

They knew that they were not worthy to be a part of that Kingdom….. it was a very personal question……., "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

The answer Jesus gave is in verse 26 and it's a question….

²⁶ Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

Jesus said……. how do you recite it? What does the Law say? What does God require? Jesus is referring to the recitation that the Jews made two times a day……. very familiar to all of them which was essentially a recitation of the summation of the whole Law…….. You can take all the Law of God and divide it into two categories…….. The law can be looked at in 2 categories…… the first….. our relation to God….. the second…. our relations to our fellow man…….

You can squeeze it down even tighter into two commandments…….. the first one…… loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength……. the second, loving your neighbor as yourself....... and if you do these 2 things perfectly……. you don't need any rules…….. Perfect love eliminates…. does away with rules……

This lawyer knew that……. So he answered Jesus' question by saying what they knew to be the summation of the Law……. they recited it twice every day……. Verse 27…….

²⁷ The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”^[c]

This is from Deuteronomy 6:4- 5 and Leviticus 19:18

The verb here in verse 27…….."love" is in the present continuous tense……. you are to constantly……. continually in an uninterrupted way…….. love God like this…..perfectly and constantly……… and love your neighbor as yourself…… perfectly….constantly……. without ever a mistake…..

Verse 28…… Jesus said to him….

"You've answered correctly, that is the summation of the Law." Jesus quotes Leviticus 18:5, "Do this and you will live."

Live means to have eternal life……. Do this and you will have eternal life. You want eternal life? You know the rule, love God perfectly, love your neighbor as yourself, do that and you'll have eternal life.

Now at this point the lawyer should have been honest…… He should have said, " I can't love God like that…….. I can't love God all the time perfectly with all my heart……. and I can't love every person around me with a perfect love……. Love others like I love myself….

I haven't done that……. I am unable to love like that......

I am sinful…… I am headed for punishment….. I will miss the Kingdom unless I receive mercy and forgiveness……. And he should have cried out for mercy and forgiveness like the publican did in Luke 18………Remember?

beating his breast he cried out to God……. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." He should have been ashamed…... He should have felt deep conviction…… He should have confessed his sin….. and cried out for mercy….. Jesus had showed him the sin and failure in his heart…….. Jesus goal was his repentance…… But rather he drowned out the fire of his conscience……. with the water of self-righteous pride….. He suppressed what was going on in his conscience with his own self-righteousness ….. look at verse 29,

"But wishing to justify himself..."

That is a sad, sad purpose…….. It is easier to point the finger at someone else…..than to admit my sin and repent…..

He wanted to convince people that he was righteous…… he knew he wasn't…….. He wanted to maintain the front, the facade…….. And so he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Notice…… He jumped over the loving God part….. "I'm okay with God, he was saying in effect…… I'm okay with God….. That a man would think that he loved God perfectly….. and loved others the same way he loved himself….. that he would try to convince people that that was true…… that he would try to convince Jesus that that was true…… that he would even try to convince himself that that was true……. shows you the profound depth of human depravity…….. We lie to ourselves and everyone around us when we pretend to be perfect……. Proud and self righteous….he says….. I'm certainly fine with God, I love Him perfectly……. And I love my neighbors as myself."

Jesus at that point could have just dismissed him…… He could have said, "Well, I can see that you are shut out from the Kingdom of God," and turned back to His teaching….. He could have left him standing there in His self-righteous pride……. But we see the compassion of Jesus here…….. even though this lawyer has pretended to be perfect……resisting our Lord's attempt to bring conviction to his heart…… Jesus is going to give him one more opportunity….. He's going to give him one more very gracious insight into his own deep sinfulness……. to bring him to a true sense of his position before God……. as a sinner and one who neither loves God or his neighbor…….

How will the Lord do that? How could He penetrate the hard heart of this man?

The story our Lord now tells is enough to shatter the pride of a sensitive person……. To shatter the pride of a spiritually minded person…… to destroy the pride of a true seeking heart…… It is a crushing story……. It is an unforgettable story…… It is designed as an evangelistic effort to this proud stubborn man…….

The story is told to a non-believer…….. a self-righteous man who will not enter the Kingdom of God…….. The story is told to him to bring him to the true sense of his sinfulness……… to make him cry out for mercy………

On the surface the story seems like a simple story about being kind…….. But there´s more here……

Let's look at the story, verse 30…….

Luke 10: 30- 37 NLT

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Luke 10: 30- 37 Neues Leben

30 Jesus antwortete: »Ein Mann befand sich auf der Straße von Jerusalem nach Jericho, als er von Räubern überfallen wurde. Sie raubten ihm seine Kleider und sein Geld, verprügelten ihn und ließen ihn halb tot am Straßenrand liegen.

31 Zufällig kam ein jüdischer Priester vorbei. Doch als er den Mann dort liegen sah, wechselte er auf die andere Straßenseite und ging vorüber.

32 Dann kam ein Tempeldiener4 und sah ihn ebenfalls dort liegen; doch auch er ging auf der anderen Straßenseite vorüber.

33 Schließlich näherte sich ein Samariter. Als er den Mann sah, empfand er tiefes Mitleid mit ihm.

34 Er kniete sich neben ihn, behandelte seine Wunden mit Öl und Wein und verband sie. Dann hob er den Mann auf seinen eigenen Esel und brachte ihn zu einem Gasthaus, wo er ihn versorgte.

35 Am nächsten Tag gab er dem Wirt zwei Denare5 und bat ihn, gut für den Mann zu sorgen. `Sollte das Geld nicht ausreichen´, sagte er, `dann werde ich dir den Rest bezahlen, wenn ich das nächste Mal herkomme.´

36 Wer von den dreien war nun deiner Meinung nach der Nächste für den Mann, der von Räubern überfallen wurde?«, fragte Jesus.

37 Der Mann erwiderte: »Der, der Mitleid hatte und ihm half.« Jesus antwortete: »Ja. Nun geh und mach es genauso.«

It's a fascinating story, isn't it?

This is an illustration He made up to dramatize in an unforgettable way the point He wanted to drive into the man's heart and our's as well……. It's a story about a journey on a very dangerous road…… verse 30

"A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho." You do go down……. Jerusalem is about three-thousand feet above sea level……. Jericho approximates nine hundred to a thousand feet below sea level……. It's a 4,000 foot drop in 17 miles, so it's a difficult road…… The are is filled with caves and rocks…… It is famous for being a dangerous road…. you could fall off the cliff…… it is dangerous because of all the caves and rocks…… great for hideouts for robbers….. Evenfour centuries after Christ…… it was a favorite place for Arab highwaymen to rob people and kill…… The pass was known as the pass of Adummim…….. it is so called in Joshua 18:17 and that's related to the Hebrew word for blood…… it's bloody pass………

A group of robbers pounced on the man……..

They didn't just rob him….. they stripped him…… I mean, they didn't just take his money….. they took everything…… His Nikes……his cool guy shirt…….everything….. They stripped him and left him virtually naked….. And then they beat him…… And the term for "beat" here has the idea of repeated blows….. they left him half dead…. We would say today he was in critical condition….. he was in the process of dying and he was already half-way there…… Obviously this man in the story is in desperate need......

Jesus then in the story immediately introduces a little bit of hope……. He says in verse 31, "And by chance, a certain priest was going down on that road." This appears on the surface to be the best of news…… This is good news, here comes a priest…… a servant of God…… one who lifted the people up before God….. one who was to be the godliest, the righteous….. a true man of God……That´s the way he looked….. that´s the way he acted……

this is Perfect……. because a priest would know the Old Testament Law…… he would know that Leviticus 19:34 says that if you see a stranger in need, you do whatever it takes to meet his need…….. Why he would even know

Exodus 23 : 4 - 5 It says if you even find your enemy's donkey in a ditch…… you make sure you rescue the man's donkey….. let alone the man…… He would have also known Psalm 37:21 that the righteous is gracious and gives…….

A priest would even know the wonderful words of the prophet Micah……. And what did the prophet Micah say?

Micah 6:8

8 "He has told you, O man," "what is good. What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God."

8 Es wurde dir, Mensch, doch schon längst gesagt, was gut ist und wie Gott möchte, dass du leben sollst. Er fordert von euch nichts anderes, als dass ihr euch an das Recht haltet, liebevoll und barmherzig miteinander umgeht und demütig vor Gott euer Leben führt.

He would have known what God expected of him……. He would have known that judgment would be merciless to the one who didn't give mercy.

And so, with just that opening little remark and by chance a certain priest was going down on that road, we might have reason for hope……. But immediately Jesus said, "And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side."

And he uses a verb only used here in that verse and the next verse that has in it the word "anti"to strengthen it, he literally went the opposite direction…… He saw him and went the opposite direction…….

Now, this is about loving your neighbor…… What can we see? The priest had no love for the man…… Immediately Jesus has turned the question on its head…… The scribe asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus says…… It's not about who qualifies……. it's about the character of your love…… So Jesus has already turned this upside down…… now He's talking about love toward someone in need…… not whether the person in need qualifies to be loved…….

This is very practical…… We have no business deciding whether someone deserves our love ……..whether someone deserves mercy……

You're to love God with all your faculties, heart-soul-mind and strength……. and you're to love your neighbor as yourself…….. And it's not who your neighbor is…… it's who you are that determines your love…….

Now at this point the priest went the other way

The point is simple….. you expect the priest who knew the Law…….. knew That it was required to go help the man…… Was this an indictment of the priesthood in general?

I think it would be safe to say that the priests in Israel lacked compassion……. In Matthew 23 Jesus says they bind heavy burdens on people and don't so much as lift a finger to relieve the burden……

I think it would be safe to say that the priests were externally legalistic…… but lacked compassion….. They certainly lacked compassion toward Jesus and the apostles…... But I don't think this is an indictment of the priesthood…… this is just a story about a man you would expect to help because he knew the Law but he didn't help.......

And then Jesus goes on in verse 32, "Likewise a Levite also," They were assistants to the priests….. they were the temple police….. They saw to the issues of the liturgy and they aided the priests..... Same verb…. He went the other direction, opposite direction….. And you have again an illustration of a man who had no love……

Now neither of these men….. would be qualified for eternal life….. They didn't love God……. first of all, because if you loved God you keep His commandments….. So they didn't love God….. and they didn't love their neighbor….. because there's one right there……. And they walked the other way….. Being religious……. isn't going to get you into the Kingdom of God……. And when you look at the character of these men, they don't pass the test……. The test is to love your neighbor as yourself…… They went the other direction, wanted nothing to do with it ……

And then the twist…… Verse 33, "But a certain Samaritan who was on a journey….. came upon him and when he saw him, he felt compassion…….

there lies this Jewish man….. Here comes this Samaritan…… We would assume that this man is not going to be any help at all because the Samaritans and the Jews despised each other….. Samaritans were the offspring of Jews who after the Northern Kingdom was taken captive….. some remained in the land….. they intermarried with the Gentiles….. for which they were despised and hated cause they sold their birthright…… They were hated by the Jews……

They built their own temple…… And the Jews who hated them and hated their temple, in 128 B.C., a hundred and twenty-eight years before Jesus' birth, went and destroyed the temple and killed some of the Samaritans…..

The animosity was profound.... Whenever a Jew traveled from north to south, or south to north, the easy way would be to go through Samaria……. They never did, they went around Samaria…… Remember When Jesus went on that journey and met the woman at the well……. He said, "He must needs go through Samaria." Nobody went through Samaria, they wouldn't put the dirt of Samaria on their shoes the hatred ran so deep……

So here is a man who by the definition of the lawyer would be the blood enemy of this Jew lying there near death……

"The Jews...according to John 8:48...said to Jesus, 'Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?'" The worst thing you could say to somebody is you're a demon-possessed Samaritan…….

And so here comes a Samaritan….. What is going to be the Samaritan's attitude toward this guy? Not only is he a stranger, but he's an enemy….

Well, when the Samaritan comes along…… surprise…… "He came upon him and instead of going the other direction, when he saw him he felt compassion."

What is Jesus trying to say? Here's the simple point…… Two men had no love…… one man did…..

Two men were religious but had no love…… therefore their religion did nothing to qualify them for the Kingdom…….. One man….. was a heretic….. an outcast and yet he loved……. So this issue of loving is not a matter of one's religion…… It's something else…..

The Samaritan then takes center stage in the story and here comes the main point. ….. Notice how this man loves…… First of all, he saw him, verse 33, and then he felt compassion……. This is where it all begins, something in his heart just goes out to the man……. a sympathy…… a driving need to rescue and recover the man…… And so verse 34 says, "He came to him." It simply means he went up to where he was…… This is the first thing he does….. He comes to see what is wrong …. to try to help…… And he discovered that the man had some wounds….. the Greek word is trauma…… perhaps bleeding……. perhaps with some broken bones…… We don't know because Jesus doesn't put that in the story…… he had been beaten and wounded…….and left for dead…… And so it says that after he came to him he bandaged up his wounds…… the man is naked, he stripped down to virtually nothing……. so whatever this man used for bandages came out of his own bag….. came out of his own clothing….. Then he's binding up the wounds with bandages so that they don't get dirt in them and become worse……. he also was pouring oil and wine on them…… Wine was used as an antiseptic. ….. to cleanse whatever might have come in there that could create infection…… and oil was used to soothe and to soften the tissue……. This was part of the healing……..

the man now is using his own clothing and his own provisions……. The word "pouring" here is generous……. literally he washes over the man with this wine and oil……. He's not dabbing it in there…… It's the generosity of this that is being emphasized with the use of this verb……. He literally pours out the antiseptic…… to cleasne and then he pours out the oil to protect……… What you're seeing here is Godly generosity…… abundant and self sacrificing…….

And then it says, "He put him on his own beast."

so that he can get him somewhere where he can get some food and some water and some care and some rest……

This is amazing…….

Compassion led him to come and help this stranger………. And then he brought him to an inn…….. a pandocheionin the Greek, starting with the word pon, all, a place for everybody. Inns were rough places at best…… nothing fancy…… They were corrupt places normally…… They were places of prostitution, graft, robbery…… You really didn't want to be in one of those places unless you had no choice….. Innkeepers were unscrupulous, evil, without compassion.….. But there was no choice here…… The man was perhaps even now unable to talk or go home…….. He needed a mat to lie on and some water and some food and some rest……..

And then it says wonderfully, "And took care of him." He took the man in…….and continued to care for him all night……..

You say, "Well how do you know that? …. Look at verse 35….

Luke 10: 34-35 NLT

34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

Luke 10: 34-35 Neues Leben

34 Er kniete sich neben ihn, behandelte seine Wunden mit Öl und Wein und verband sie. Dann hob er den Mann auf seinen eigenen Esel und brachte ihn zu einem Gasthaus, wo er ihn versorgte.

35 Am nächsten Tag gab er dem Wirt zwei Denare5 und bat ihn, gut für den Mann zu sorgen. `Sollte das Geld nicht ausreichen´, sagte er, `dann werde ich dir den Rest bezahlen, wenn ich das nächste Mal herkomme.´

"And on the next day..." He stayed with him all night…… He put his own life on hold…..…. He gave up his own clothes, his own supplies, his own time……. This is an amazing way to treat a stranger who was his worst enemy……..

Continuing in verse 35, "On the next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him.'"

Wanting to go on his journey he now put him in the care of an innkeeper……… and gives him two silver coins……. 2 denarrii…….

Remember…… these were not fancy places…….The lowest would be that an inn would cost one thirty-second of a denarii…….. So he gave him enough for 64 days room and board…… Now as I said, it's not a fancy place, but it's a place of shelter and food and rest…….. Probably the other side of the spectrum, some would say that an inn would cost one-twelfth of a denarii which would be 24 days worth…… So somewhere between a month and two months room and board……. That's pretty amazing, pretty generous…… This Samaritan Never met the man…….. he was a total stranger…….He ask how he got into that condition…… and Jesus doesn't put that part into the story…… it doesn't matter….. All that matters was here was a man whose heart was so full of love that when somebody came across his path…… It didn't matter who he was…… It doesn´t matter whose fault it was…….. there was never the question, "Is he my neighbor or is he not?"

The only issue was……. How can I love that man…… how can I rescue this man….. He needs help…. or he will die…… It was a matter of life and death……..

There´s more…….. He said

‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

He did not say….. if it doesn’t cost me too much I´ll help with his expenses….. He says whatever it costs…. I´ll pay……

Only God loves like this……. Did you ever see a stranger in need….. better yet somebody who was your enemy and you went and gave him everything he needed……. stayed with him……. took him somewhere…… put him to bed……. fed him, stayed all night to make sure that he was recovering appropriately……. then paid for his care for up to two months and said if it's more than this…… when I come back I'll give you all the rest? Have you ever done that for anybody?

There is somebody you've done that for…….. it's you!

That's how we care for ourselves, isn't it? Give me whatever I need…… get me to the best doctor……. get me to the best hospital…… help me…..now!

We do whatever we need for ourselves……

We love ourselves…….

You say, "Well, are you saying nobody's ever done it?" No, it could be done and some have done it…… and perhaps you've done something very generous like this……

The question is……. have you……. your whole life loved strangers like this?

Answer: Of course not……

There is basically no limit when taking care of ourselves……. But who else do you love like that? Nobody.

This story is about limitless love…….. This is about a man who said I will care for this man with no limit…… I will love this man though he is my enemy……. whatever it is that this man needs…… I will give to this man and there are no limits…… When I come back, you just tell me what it took and I'll take care of it……..

That's what it takes to earn your way into God's Kingdom…….. Anybody qualify? No……… That's the point…... It's the point about eternal life…… Sometimes we teach children to be a good Samaritan…….. To share and be kind..... That´s good…… but don't confuse that with the good Samaritan……… The good Samaritan didn't just share……. he basically expressed limitless love to a man he never knew…….. A man who was a stranger and an enemy…….Verse 36

Luke 10:36- 37 NLT

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Luke 10:36- 37 Neues Leben

36 Wer von den dreien war nun deiner Meinung nach der Nächste für den Mann, der von Räubern überfallen wurde?«, fragte Jesus.

37 Der Mann erwiderte: »Der, der Mitleid hatte und ihm half.« Jesus antwortete: »Ja. Nun geh und mach es genauso.«

Jesus then says to the lawyer, "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor?

"And he said, 'The one who showed him mercy……. He was right, wasn't he? Jesus said to him, 'Go and do the same.'"

Jesus is saying……. "And you, if you do that, will earn eternal life." But you have to always do that……. Even to strangers and enemies……. Go and do the same……

What's this supposed to do? It´s supposed to produce Conviction……. Anybody in your path…… any stranger in your path…… even your worst enemy…… love him sacrificially……. Limitlessly……… the way you love yourself……

You must love your neighbor as yourself…….. That´s what the law says…….

And so this proud stubborn man says, "Well, the one who showed mercy," Jesus says……. Now you understand what the Bible means when it says you have to love your neighbor as yourself…….

You want eternal life? How you going to get it? Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength….. and Your neighbor as yourself…….

You say you love God like that……. You think you love your neighbor? He said he loved his neighbors….remember?

Jesus says….. Is this how you love your enemy, the stranger?

Well the man knew it wasn't true…….. He knew that he was a hypocrite……..pretending to love God……. Pretending to love others…….. but as always…..when Jesus speaks he shows us our hearts…….. he is showing us mercy when he shows us what´s in our hearts…… he is giving this man a chance to repent and to cry out to God for forgiveness…..

"Go and do the same," He says…… This isn't a command to a Christian……

This isn't a command to a believer to love like this……. This is an indictment of the whole of fallen humanity……. You can't and you don't……. and you never will love like this…….

There may be a rare occasion when such love is expressed here and there……. But what He's calling for here is a kind of limitless…….unfailing love (chesed) toward anybody and everybody…….. that is beyond our capability……. Of course….. We love ourselves like this……. We don't love others like this…….. H giving this lawyer one more opportunity to say, "Jesus, I don't love like that……. I can't love like that…… I never will love like that……. I'll never get in the Kingdom, if that's what's required……

To tell you the truth……. if I don't love him like that…… if I don't love my neighbor like that……. then obviously I don't love God with all my heart either……. Why don't I quit the game and just admit it."

That would have been wonderful…… If he had just said, "I can't love like that……. I can't love God perfectly…… I certainly can't love my neighbor….. If that's what it means to love your neighbor and there's nothing about qualification…… it's anybody who has a need…… even if it's your worst enemy…….. if that's what it means…….. I am so far from that limitless kind of love……. I am hopeless….. I will never get to heaven……

If this is what it requires for me to get in heaven…… I'm not getting there……. I not only couldn't earn my salvation by loving like that…… even as Christians…… in whom the love of Christ has been shed abroad…… We have a capacity to love like an unconverted person can´t…….. I still don't love like this…….

Look out there……… They are all our neighbors……

A powerful reminder for us……. We´re saved by grace….. and we are kept by grace……. oder?

The Lord not only forgave me for my lack of love toward God……. when He saved me…… He continues to forgive me for my lack of perfect love toward HIM……. and others even now…….

I'll never be able to love God perfectly until I'm in His presence……. and I'll never be able to love others perfectly until I'm in His presence either…… and then they won't have any needs……..

What Jesus was doing here with this man…….. was driving the same sword right back into his heart to convict him of his total inability to deserve the Kingdom of God and eternal life on his own…… If he thought his his law-keeping……. his sacrificing and all of that was enough….. Jesus ended that by his own admission that it was loving God and loving others…… If he thought he qualified there…… then he's going to have to say that I've always loved everyone in my path the way the Good Samaritan loved that man…….. with that same kind of limitless…… generous, sacrificial care and he knew as we all know…… we don't love like that……..

By the way, that's how God loves us……. This is not an allegory about that……. But that is how God loves us……. And there stood Jesus before him….. ready to offer him mercy…… ready to offer him grace……. ready to offer him forgiveness……. if he only would repent……. and admit what he knew was true……

When we admit the truth about ourselves……. we are moving in the right direction……. As long as we pretend to be perfect……… we are denying the very thing we need….. we need forgiveness…… and mercy……… We would rather pretend to be Super Christians…….. hiding our sin and judging and condemning our brothers because of their imperfections…… pointing at their short comings and refusing to love our neighbors….. our brothers and sisters…… our family……. they don´t deserve to be forgiven….. they don´t deserve to be forgiven….. We want to justify ourselves and our lack of love….. just like the scribe in this story……

We sit here in judgment of other believers and sinners…….. all the while refusing to reach out…… to help and heal and show mercy………

We show our sin and pride when we refuse to forgive and show mercy to others…… Our great enemy is our pride and rebellion…….

The end of the story, the end of the encounter is Jesus saying, "Go and do the same." Did he? No….. Could he? No….. Would he repent? Apparently not…… Will he inherit the Kingdom of God? Of course not….. Who will? Those who repent of their lack of love toward God and others…… cry out for mercy and forgiveness from the LORD JESUS……He has paid the penalty for our forgiveness through His death on the cross….. He is faithful……. He calls us to the foot of the cross……. there we will find help…… and mercy…….

2 Cor 5: 13-21 NLT

13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us.[c] Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.[d] 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[e] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

2 Cor 5: 13-21 Neues Leben

13 Wenn es scheint, als wären wir außer uns, so ist das zur Ehre Gottes. Und wenn wir besonnen sind, geschieht es zu eurem Besten.

14 Was immer wir tun, tun wir, weil die Liebe Christi uns bewegt. Weil wir glauben, dass Christus für alle gestorben ist, glauben wir auch, dass unser altes Leben vorüber ist, das wir früher führten.2

15 Er starb für alle, damit diejenigen, die sein neues Leben erhalten, nicht länger für sich selbst leben. Sie sollen vielmehr für Christus leben, der für sie starb und auferstanden ist.

16 Deshalb haben wir aufgehört, andere nach dem zu beurteilen, was die Welt von ihnen hält. Früher habe ich irrtümlich auch Christus so beurteilt - als sei er nur ein Mensch gewesen. Wie anders sehe ich ihn jetzt!

17 Das bedeutet aber, wer mit Christus lebt, wird ein neuer Mensch. Er ist nicht mehr derselbe, denn sein altes Leben ist vorbei. Ein neues Leben hat begonnen!

18 Dieses neue Leben kommt allein von Gott, der uns durch das, was Christus getan hat, zu sich zurückgeholt hat. Und Gott hat uns zur Aufgabe gemacht, Menschen mit ihm zu versöhnen.

19 Denn Gott war in Christus und versöhnte so die Welt mit sich selbst und rechnete den Menschen ihre Sünden nicht mehr an. Das ist die herrliche Botschaft der Versöhnung, die er uns anvertraut hat, damit wir sie anderen verkünden.

20 So sind wir Botschafter Christi, und Gott gebraucht uns, um durch uns zu sprechen. Wir bitten inständig, so, als würde Christus es persönlich tun: »Lasst euch mit Gott versöhnen!«

21 Denn Gott machte Christus, der nie gesündigt hat, zum Opfer für unsere Sünden, damit wir durch ihn vor Gott gerechtfertigt werden können.