Anatomy of a Gambler

June 28, 2020                NOTES NOT EDITED
Anatomy of a Gambler

Luke 12:13-21

SIS—Living a materialistic life void of Godly devotion with no consideration of Judgement Day is a terrible gamble leading to eternal damnation.

One of the great stars of country/pop music was the late Kenny Rogers.  One of his iconic songs, The Gambler, not only became a hit song but also was turned into a movie.  Nearly everyone recognizes these lines:  “You've got to know when to hold 'em//Know when to fold 'em//Know when to walk away//And know when to run.” 

Gambling involves risk—holding when you should be folding is going to bring loss.  The problem with gambling, of course, is that by definition it involves an element of the unknown.  Gambling has no guarantee. 

Now, turn this idea to the matter of “eternal life.”  Many people are gambling with God that perhaps He doesn’t mean what He says or say what He means.  The Bible says a lot about “hell” or eternal punishment.  This is not a popular theme to be sure, but one woven through the fabric of God’s Word from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation and all books in between.  Jesus spoke very frankly about hell.  One representative verse is Matthew 13:49-50:

⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There’s no mistaking the clear teaching of the Scripture.  The Scriptures speak frankly about the coming Judgment Day and hell that awaits everyone who has not accepted Christ as the Lord of Life. This will be an unimaginably horrible fate for all who take a gamble on God not meaning what He says and saying what He means. 

Just as the Scriptures speak frankly warning about hell, God’s Word speaks just as frankly as to how to avoid hell and gain heaven.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish (go to hell) but shall have eternal life (go to heaven).”  Couldn’t be any clearer than that.

Still, most people are gambling that they can somehow live their lives any way they choose with no thought of serving the Lord Jesus and either the whole message of the Bible is a myth or fairy tale, or God didn’t mean what He said and He is going to let everyone into heaven.  This is a “big” gamble. It’s a big mistake.  At stake is one’s eternal soul.  If the Bible IS true and God DOES mean what He says and says what He means, then gambling against God will bring great loss—eternal loss.  Eternity is too long to risk going to hell on the roll of the dice for a few years of earthly pleasures.

This week we are examining a passage about a man that did precisely that:  gambled against God and lost his eternal soul.  I call this sermon “The Anatomy of a Gambler.”  It is a spiritual physiology lesson. A Spiritual Gambler has three features. They are Perpetually Dissatisfied, Socially Disconnected, and Eternally Damned. Read Lk. 12:13-21.

1.  PERPETUALLY DISSATISFIED

The Advertising Industry topped 1 Trillion dollars in 2019.  One Trillion!  For comparison, the discretionary budget for our defense is only about $686 billion.  Huge amounts of money is spent on one objective:  keep people dissatisfied with what they have.  Perpetual Dissatisfaction is what fuels a consumer-based economy.

Look at verse 18 or our text in Luke 12.  The Spiritual Gambler has more stuff than will fit in his barns.  So what does he do.  The Spiritual Gambler says in verse 18, I will do this. “I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.”  The man’s solution to having too much stuff—make room for more stuff!  No matter how much he had, he was not satisfied. 

There is a beautifully written poem about the folly of seeking happiness by accumulating more stuff.  It is purported to have been written by Steve Jobs, the King of the Apple Empire.  There’s no evidence he wrote the words, but I could imagine him writing them.  He died a horrible death at age 56 of pancreatic cancer.  Whether he wrote this poem or not, it is a powerful message. Here’s a sample.

As we get older we are smarter, and we slowly realize that a watch is worth $30 or $300 – both show the same time. Whether we carry a purse worth $30 or $300 – the amount of money we put in it is the same. Whether we drive a car worth $150,000, or a car worth $30,000 – the road and distance to our destination is the same. Your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you’re flying first class, or economy class – if the plane crashes, you crash with it.” [End Quote]

Whether you amass a bank account worth $7 billion dollars like Steve Jobs, or you die $70,000 in debt, everyone leaves the same amount behind—EVERYTHING! Building bigger barns to accumulate more stuff will never satisfy you.  When you gamble that thinking bigger barns mean more satisfaction, disappointment awaits you.  The Apostle Paul declares (Phil 4:11),

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. ¹³ I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Building bigger barns and filling it with more and more stuff will never fill the void in one’s heart that only a relationship with Jesus Christ can fill.  As the great teacher, Augustine wrote, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”  A Spiritual Gambler always believes that one more roll of the dice and he will hit it big and have enough . . . but he never does. 

A person who gambles on thinking more stuff means more happiness will be PERPETUALLY DISSATISFIED in life.  Another feature in the Anatomy of a Spiritual Gambler is they are

2.  SOCIALLY DISCONNECTED

God is a “People Person.” In His very essence God is a social being.  Yes, the very nature of God’s Being is a “Community.”  He is One God, but Exists as Three Persons.  We call it the Trinity. This is fundamental to understanding Who God is, and also fundamental to understanding the nature of the church.

God loves people, as we have already seen from reading John 3:16 a moment ago.  God died to save people.  God loves crowds.  Everywhere Jesus went, he drew a crowd and He walked among them. The Second Great Commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself” stresses how important “people” are to God.

In fact, God did something very specific in creating the world that shows He never wants people to be “loners.”  Look at Gen. 2:18. “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”  Then reading on in verses 22-23.  ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. God made woman because man is made in His image, and God is a social being.

But, there still were not enough “people” in God’s world so God commanded Adam and Eve “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28). 

The Church is a “community with a mission to engage their community to build a bigger and better community.”  However, this doesn’t work with a Spiritual Gambler.  They are “Socially Disconnected,” or “Socially Distant,” because they are consumed by a love for things.

Over the last five weeks, every sermon touched on social distancing in one way or another.  I never intended this to be the case, but the idea of “social connections” between people is fundamental to the gospel.  Social distancing is contradictory to our gospel mission.

This text in Luke 12 on the “Anatomy of a Gambler” sheds light on why social distancing is a problem in the church.  So many people in the church are “spiritual gamblers.”  Many think, as this man does in our text today, that a person can “store up treasures in this life; eat, drink, and enjoy oneself” (v19)” and take no thought for loving others, and God is going to just look the other way come Judgment Day.  But pay care attention to verse 20.  God, Himself, declares, “You fool! This very night (not even a full day away) your life is demanded of you.”

Let’s look a little further into the text at the “Anatomy of a Gambler” and see why social distancing, or a complete disregard for the Second Great Commandment, came so easily to this man.  Bottom-line:  Spiritual Gamblers love things and use people, instead of using things and loving people.  This man stored up his treasures in his barn instead of sharing them to his neighbors.  This deserves repeating:  Spiritual Gamblers store up treasures in their barns instead of sharing them to their neighbors.  I’m not even suggesting this Spiritual Gambler had an evil or malicious intent.  He just didn’t “connect with others.”  He was blind to other people.  Listen as I read verses 17-19. Every time this Spiritual Gambler refers to himself, I will raise my hand. You count how many times I raise my hand in this one verse.  ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? ¹⁸ I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You (or self)  have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’

Thirteen times (13) in three verses this Spiritual Gambler refers to himself in regard to his wealth.  Notice the question he asks himSELF.  “What should I do with all my wealth?”  It never even occurred to him to “give it away to meet the needs of others less fortunate than himself.”  Spiritual Gamblers are so completely disconnected from the very world the Lord called us to go into, they may not even know what they are doing. 

Let’s remind ourselves of the Great Commission.  Mark’s gospel is more descriptive of the locus of our mission.  “Go into ALL THE WORLD!” (Mk 16:15).  Circle those words, “all the world.”  Now, mark this down.  Write it in your Bible.  If you don’t have a Bible or  paper, write on the forehead of your spouse.  Put it somewhere you can’t miss seeing it.  Here is the word we need to hear in our churches today:  “The Great Commission cannot be fulfilled IN THE CHURCH.  It must be fulfilled IN THE WORLD—with people.  Believes must proactively seek to be socially connected with others.  NO HERMITS ALLOWED!

Too many people who attend church regularly are gambling that God will look the other way on Judgement Day in regard to people who were not “socially connected to others sharing physical, emotional, and most of all, spiritual resources with them.”  People who value things more than they value others, will face an angry God on Judgment Day.  Hebrews 10:31 warns us all, It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!  The Prophet Amos reminded Israel how God had saved them by “snatching them as a burning stick in the fire” but they were neglecting His mission.  So Amos goes on to warn them,  “prepare to meet your God” (Amos 4:12).  How do we prepare to meet Our God?  Not by hoarding our blessings and storing them in larger bank accounts, but by sharing them with others in and through our personal ministries and also the ministries of the church.  Giving our time, talents and treasures is a key way in which we “socially shorten our distance to others.”  Ministry takes money.  Saving souls ain’t cheap.

Our mission in the church has everything to do with staying socially connected to both lost people and believers.  Gamblers can sit alone in a casino in front of a machine or a table for hours, hoping for one big score. All the while, they are oblivious to others.  Building relationships both inside and outside the church IS what the church is all about. People need people but so many people, even in church, live like “hermit monks” and forget that “Loving God is not enough,” we must also “love our neighbor.”  To love our neighbor, we have to socially connect with him or her by busting out of our self-centered cocoons. This Spiritual Gambler only cared about himself, and his stuff.  Not only was he PERPETUALLY DISSATISFIED and SOCIALLY DISCONNECTED, he was

3.  ETERNALLY DAMNED

This is really the crux of the matter in this text.  When it comes to a diamond ring, the setting is as important (though maybe not as expensive) as the diamond itself.  This is also true when mining for any gem in Scripture.  The setting or context makes any Scripture text shine in It’s full brilliance.  So, let’s note the setting of the story of this Gambler in verses 16-21.  Go back to verses 1-2 of Luke 12.  Here, Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of the religious Pharisees.  They were trying to cover up their dark, hypocritical hearts with exquisite robes of self-righteousness.  They fooled many with their outward piety, but they could not fool God.  Jesus warned (vss 1-2), “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. This prompts us to ask, “When will this revealing of the hearts of mankind take place?”

You don’t have to read far to get an answer.  Look at verses 4-5.  ⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into HELL. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

This is one of the many references to judgment in the Bible—and there are hundreds.  Jesus speaks, as He so often does, of hell which is the eternal abode of those who die without acknowledging Him as the Lord and Savior.  This coming day when all hearts are revealed is called, “JUDGEMENT DAY.”  Paul speaks of this in Heb 9:27,     ²⁷ Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

No one knows the day of this judgment.  It could come at any time, either by death or by the Return of Christ.  But, be assured, Judgment Day is coming.  With that context, or setting, lets return to the story of the Gambler who intended to continue to amass great wealth, build huge barns to store it in and live a life of luxury, “taking it easy; eating, drinking, and enjoying himself” (v19).  Then, the hammer of justice fell upon this man’s plans.  Verse 20 thunders out this warning to the man, and to us all, “But God said to him, ‘You fool!’ This very night your life is demanded of you.  And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?”

This man gambled against God, thinking that he could live as he pleased instead of living to please God—and this gambler lost . . . he lost eternally!  That night his soul would be eternally damned to hell.  I know that this is not a pleasant thought, and certainly not popular in our society—either in the marketplace or even in most churches, sadly.  But, it is THE TRUTH. It is the self-same “truth” that can set a soul free (Jn. 8:32) from the bondage of sin and eternal damnation in hell.  The Bible speaks frankly and bluntly about the eternal hell that awaits the Foolish Gambler who thinks he or she can “beat the house” and escape the wrath of God.  The Bible says bluntly—if you gamble against God, you WILL LOSE, and lose eternally.

But, the Bible speaks just as frankly and bluntly in regard to the fact that “nobody needs to go to hell.”  The Word says, God doesn’t want any  to perish  but all to come to repentance (2Pet. 3:9).

If any person goes to hell, they literally have to go to hell over the “dead body of Jesus Christ.”  Let’s go back to a verse I read earlier, Heb. 9:27, “²⁷ Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Man owes a debt of sin.  That sin is “eternal death, or eternal damnation.”  The debt man owes is eternal so it can never be paid off because eternity never ends.  However, God made a way for the eternal debt to be paid.  Instead of you or I dying every day for all eternity, God’s ETERNAL Son died once for all.  Jesus, the Eternal God-Man, paid the debt once for all. 

It was a glorious transaction between God and man, mediated by Jesus Christ on the cross one Friday long ago.  This is the transaction that took place that horrible day, ²¹ He made the One who did not know sin  to be sin  for us,  so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor. 5:21).

A man or woman who gambles against God’s wrath on judgment day is Eternally Damned.  But, he or she need not take such a gamble, but can take the “sure bet” of putting your trust in Almighty God.

Spiritual Gamblers are PERPETUALLY Dissatisfied, SOCIALLY Disconnected, and worst of all, ETERNALLY Damned.  It doesn’t matter how big your barns are in this life if you soul will be bankrupt for all eternity in hell.

Mark this down.  JUDGEMENT DAY IS COMING. This is the message we MUST get out to our community. Many, many people are “gambling away their eternity.”  Hell is too long and too horrible to risk taking the gamble that somehow God will overlook one’s sin on JUDGEMENT DAY.

INVITATION:  PASCHAL’S WAGER

The Bad Samaritan

June 21, 2020                NOTES NOT EDITED
The Bad Samaritan

Lk 10:25-37

SIS-- We must not allow “social distancing” to become a way of life for the Church by keeping us from actively engaging the public to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others.

Fear is a powerful motivator, or de-motivator depending upon the context.  The term, “social distancing” is forever etched into the stones of our national lexicon, but it should not be etched into the heart of our churches.  I feel, however, it is already deeply engrained in the mindset of many congregations, including ours.

I understand the premise behind “social distancing.”  It was enacted to “protect the population from a novel, nasty virus.  The scientific data on how well this practice works is unknown at this time and will likely never be fully known.  It is simply “assumed” that it has been effective at reducing the risk of catching the disease, and so now public perception of its efficacy has become public reality.  It will take a conscious effort and a principled resolve to reverse the adverse effects of social distancing.

The idea of reducing “risk” is something the church needs to have a discussion about.  The idea of a “risk-free” life is a myth at best, and a lie at worst.  We CANNOT life a risk-free life.  In fact, Jesus seemed to teach that following Him was the “opposite” of living risk-free.  In regard to the inherent risk in living, Dr. Charles Swindoll said it as well as anybody.  It’s a longer quote, something preachers are taught to avoid, but Dr. Swindoll says it so well, I’m going to “risk” doing it.

“There are no absolute guarantees. No fail-safe plans. Not perfectly reliable designs. No completely risk-free arrangements . . . . All who fly risk crashing. All who drive risk colliding. All who run risk falling. All who walk risk stumbling. All who live risk something . . . . Want to know the shortest route to ineffectiveness? Start running scared. . . . Think about every possible peril, focus on the dangers, concern yourself with the “what ifs” instead of the “why nots?”

To live at all is a risk.  To live for Jesus is to “risk it all.”  There is no safe path to following Christ.  Church is the most dangerous place in the world, or at least it should be.  Jesus said, 18 “If the world hates  you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. . . . . . . 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. (Jn. 15:18-20).

The love God has for the world cost everything.  Our love for God and His world will cost us nothing less.  Being “Good Samaritans” is a costly business.  Let’s read how we can keep from being a “Bad Samaritan.”

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.’ ” 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?” 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.”

In the story we are introduced to three main characters:  a Jewish priest, a Jewish temple assistant, and a Samaritan.  Samaritans were despised by the Jews that shared the general geography where the story of the Good Samaritan takes place.  Most Jewish people in the area would have a hard time using the word, “good,” associated with a Samaritan, which of course is the point of the story. One would suspect that in a story told by a Jewish Rabbi, as Jesus was considered, would have the priest and/or temple assistant be the heroes of the story, but Jesus turned religion—the religion of His own family—on its head to make the Samaritan the “hero.”

This story contrasts “Bad Religion” with “True Christianity.”  The two that should have been most compassionate were least interested in the man’s suffering and near death.  Their religion made them good Jews perhaps, but bad human beings.  These “bad Samaritans I am calling them for emphasis” had three “bad characteristics” many people of many different religions, and people with no religion at all have.  They had blinded eyes, weak spleens, and tight fists.

1.  First, Bad Samaritans have BLINDED EYES (31 and 32)

Notice that the Word clearly says that both the Priest and Temple Assistant “saw the beaten man” (vss, 31, 32).  In the N.T., Jesus used “physical blindness” to demonstrate a worse affliction which is “spiritual blindness.”  This is what is happening in this story.  The two religious guys, “saw the man, but really didn’t SEE the man.”  They had physical sight but were spiritually blind.

In John 9, Jesus teaches his disciples a little more in depth about “spiritual blindness.” 

As the story goes, in His travels Jesus encountered a particular blind man.  Blindness was a common ailment in that day, as it still is in our day.  This particular man had been “born blind.”  To be born with such a malady in that day equated to a “punishment for sin.”  This unusual circumstance raised a theological question for the Pharisees, the Jewish Religious Experts, who were also engaging with the Lord.  The question raised was, “For whose sin was this blindness a punishment, the man or his parents.”  Jesus would engage the false beliefs of the Pharisees in this regard, but first, He healed the man.  Jesus cares more for the troubles of man than He does the trifling debates of religious elites.  This created a firestorm among the religious leaders, and even the man’s family and community members.  Miracles tend to get peoples’ attention.  This also validated the identity of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the God-Man.  The Pharisees rejected this notion and they were fighting mad.  They interrogated the man, his family and refused to rejoice over his newfound sight.  In short, they were completely “blind” to the fact that God cares about people more than He cares about philosophical debates and dead doctrine.  This prompted Jesus to make the analogy between “physical blindness” and “spiritual blindness” which is much worse. 

Religion makes people “spiritually blind” to the world around them. Religious people will fight to the death over doctrine while stepping over the dying in the streets. They see people, “physically,” but they don’t connect with people “spiritually.”  Religion has always caused “division” between people.  Here’s what Jesus said about “religion.”  John 9:39 says,

³⁹ Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

A church that is blind to the misery, discord and general suffering all around them are Bad Samaritans because they blind to hurting people.  The miseries of people are many:  physical, emotional, and of course, spiritual.  We most “see the whole person,” not just the “religious issues.” 

2.  Second, Bad Samaritans Have WEAK SPLEENS. (33-34)

Look at verses 33-34. 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.

Have you ever given much thought to your “spleen?”  It is an important organ but it is possible to live without it.  According to the book by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “If the spleen detects potentially dangerous bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms in the blood, it — along with the lymph nodes — creates white blood cells called lymphocytes, which act as defenders against invaders.” So, the spleen is a “healing” organ.

As I said, you can live without a physical spleen.  But, what happens if you live without a “spiritual” spleen?  Believe it or not, the Bible tells us.  According to Luke, himself a physician, he describes two people who were living without a spiritual spleen.

Take special note of the words, “Going over to him.”  The Samaritan “closed the distance” between himself and the man in need.  The two religious fellows practiced, “social distancing.”  What did the two religious blokes lack that the Samaritan had, that drew the Samaritan to the man in need?  The religious duo lacked “spiritual spleens.”  Notice the description of the Samaritan when he saw the man in really bad condition:  “he felt compassion.”  It could be literally translated, “He had a spleen.”  The word translated compassion comes from the Greek root word, splēn (splhn) referring to the organs deep in the gut, or the seat of emotions in the ancient world.  In other words seeing the man in such need was like a “punch in the gut” to the Samaritan.  He was deeply moved emotionally, which is evidenced by the length he went to make sure the man was taken care of.

The Samaritan could have walked away just like the two spineless and spleenless religious folk.  But, if the Samaritan had done that, the story would be called “The Bad Samaritan,” not the Good Samaritan.

3.  Third, Bad Samaritans Have TIGHT FISTS. (34-35)

Remember last week I preached on “hoarding toilet paper.”  The sad reality is that in a crisis, “people look out for numero uno.”  Sadly, as I mentioned last week, church folk are often just as TIGHT FISTED with their tithes as people are with their toilet paper.  Notice verses 34-35: 

34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil  and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day  he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for WHATEVER EXTRA you spend.’

This man’s compassion moved not only his heart, but it moved his hands also.  True love is an ACTION, not a feeling.  Notice this is true of God.  John 3:16 tells us:

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Notice that God’s love was verified, certified and substantiated, not by how God feels toward us, but how He ACTED toward us.  The Bible says, “He gave.”  God not only GAVE, He gave the very best that He had to give, “God gave His very own Son!” 

The religious priest and the religious assistant were TIGHT FISTED BAD HUMANS.  Notice contrast with the GOOD SAMARITAN. He gave “his own bandages; his own medicine (oil and wine were used therapeutically in that day); his OWN donkey; and his own cold, hard cash.”  And, after he had given all of that, he promised to give WHATEVER it took to make the man whole again.  Pay close attention to the word, “own” animal or donkey.  The Good Samaritan’s compassion was demonstrated by his willingness to sacrifice.  He did not look for the City Council in Jerusalem or the Roman State to meet the man’s needs—he met them out of his “own” pocket.

Circle those words, “whatever extra” (CSB), or “whatever more” (NASB).  In regard to church giving, the word, “extra” is not what comes to mind. The man was willing to “give whatever it took.”  Sounds like the Samaritan was true disciple.  Notice how he fulfills what God said is the basic requirement—mark it down—the BASIC requirement of a disciple.  Lk. 14:33 says,

33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

One’s measure of giving is one’s measure of love—for both God and man.  A few years ago a couple boarded TWA Flight 265 from New York to Orlando to visit Disney World.  Theresa was almost seven months pregnant.  Thirty minutes into the flight she started bleeding and had terrible pains in her abdomen.  The flight attendants called out to see if a doctor was on board. An internist stepped forward. In a few minutes a baby boy entered the world.  He was in trouble.  The umbilical cord was tight around his neck and he was blue.  Two paramedics rushed forward to help.  One specialized in infant respiratory procedures. He called for a straw to suction the babies lungs while the doctor administered CPR.  The plane did not stock straws, but one attendant remembered she had a straw from juice drink she brought on board.  The doctor called for something to tie off the baby’s umbilical cord.  A passenger offered his shoelace.  After four minutes of sheer terror, the baby boy whimpered, saved by the efforts of three men with a straw and a shoelace.  Now, what does this story have to do with the Good Samaritan.  It shows that God meets the needs of troubled, broken people through the compassion and generosity of others.  People gave what they could, and God did the rest.  Reminds me of a book I once read:  All You Can Do Is All You Can Do, But All You Can Do Is Enough!  A straw and a shoelace were enough for God to build a miracle

The needs of the world are indeed very great, but the resources of God through His people are enough. I am guessing that if I were to add up all the savings accounts, retirement funds, and other assets of just our small church it would amount to multiple millions of dollars.  If just those who are not tithing in our church started tithing, we would have an additional $6000 to $10,000 every month to spend on meeting needs.  That’s “additional” money.  We have the resources.  Our property alone is worth 4-5 million.  We have plenty of resources but most are “frozen assets”—frozen in cold hearts of religiosity that need to be melted by the compassion of hot relationship with Almighty God.

Let me attach this message securely to our hearts.  The Priest and Levite, I call them “Bad Samaritans,” practiced “social distancing” and ignored the suffering of their fellow man.  They had BLINDED Eyes, WEAK Spleens, and TIGHT FISTS.  The “Good Samaritan,” on the other hand, viewed the man with eyes of compassion and willingly gave WHATEVER was needed for the man to be made whole.  If the Samaritan had practiced social distancing like the priest and Levite, there would be no story to tell.  In eyes of the Jews, he’d just be another “Bad Samaritan.”  It is no different for you and I.  If we simply follow the culture without critically examining what we are doing, why we are doing it, and what the consequences for doing it might be, we will be totally “unremarkable” as the church. We will be “NON-ESSENTIAL!” Bad Samaritans are unremarkable and make no difference for good in the world. 

Jesus said, “Be Good Samaritans.”  “Go and do the same!”