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!”