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a sermon.

Steve

Well-known member
today at church,.. our readings included the lawyer and the good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


then the pastor spoke of the law.. and how civil/criminal law and moral law often come together to to give us a sense of justice..

but that wasn't the intent of his sermon,.. he wanted us to consider being a good neighbor..

and gave examples of how we do that we give to the food pantry, run a VBS,.. and a whole list of missions that make us think we have the good neighbor thing covered.. just like the expert on the law did...

but we often avoid the tough or difficult lessons and chances to be good neighbors..

he asked how many had stopped to help a stranger like the one on the road..,.. be it an accident victim,.. or a person whose car had broken down.. or if we hadn't stopped did we at least call for help from the authorities.. and when many agreed,.. he said good you like the lawyer have fulfilled the law...

but even in times when we stop for a stranger,.. we find it easy,.. sure we may be cautious,.. but the act is still easy...

then he let it drop... was George Zimmerman a good neighbor... as required by the law.. yes..

but like all of us is that what we want to settle on?...

most of the more liberal members were nodding and agreeing how bad Zimmerman was and how he treated trayvon like the priest and levite did.. Zimmerman followed the law...

at that point he lost all the liberals.. sure they could still comment on how Zimmerman didn't fulfill the christian duty...

then he asked if Trayvon was a good neighbor.. and brought up accounts of how other black families that knew him said he was a good kid and kind to others... and that may fulfill the law as well..


and he then said neither were Samaritans.. neither would have been

or even those others who called the police,.. had just one of them intervened,..the shooting wouldn't have happened.. but they didn't becasue it was to difficult,.. instead many retreated to their homes..

he then repeated the last line..

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise."

and then went on to say how few of us including himself are willing to go as far as the Samaritan did.. and truly show a stranger mercy... simply because it is to difficult to do at times.. and that we as Christians should try to live up to it...



while I might have wished rev al and jesse or one of Zimmerman and Trayvon's neighbors would have had to sit through his sermon.. I doubt they would get much from it .. but I was glad to hear it...












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