Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity (2023)

Luke 10:23-37

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ we have before us this morning the Parable of the Good Samaritan. A lawyer, that is a man skilled in the Law of God stands up to challenge Jesus and see whether or not He can answer the question. This comes after Jesus had sent forth the 72 to share the message of the Gospel, and rejoiced that Satan was being cast down as they brought the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

The Question

The Lawyer asks what must I do to inherit eternal life.

In most cases, you would have to be born as a child of that person to receive an inheritance, but there are also at times conditions that can be fulfilled to unlock access to your inheritance. The inheritance is entrusted to an authority until you fulfill the conditions, so what must he do?

Ask, a law question, gets a law answer.

So Jesus tells him, and the man answers with the two greatest commandments. The 10 Commandments can be summed up in these 2 commands, Love God those are the first 3, and Love your neighbor as yourself which is the remaining 7.

That is why Jesus’ answer gives no comfort.

Jesus tells him he is right and if he does this he will live. Now people have confused this and thought that this means that means we have the power or the ability to fulfill the Law. Jesus does not say that the man has the ability. He affirms that He is right, if he fulfills the Law, He will live. But the man wants to justify himself and know he is innocent, because we never hear that we have done enough to satisfy the Law. For the 10 Commandments aren’t just what you should do, they are what you will and must do, for it is God that commands, and whenever you fail, you show that you deserve God’s wrath.

The Parable Unpacked

Many misunderstand this parable because they want to be the Samaritan.

We want to be the guy who lends a hand in to our neighbor who is in trouble and this is what the Law demands of us, and commands us to do. The Law doesn’t just say you should, but you will help your neighbor. But this isn’t who we are in the parable, we are like the lawyer and so

In this parable, we are in need of saving.

We are injured, hurt, and left for dead on the side of the road. Hoping that someone will stop for us to bind our wounds and carry us to where we can receive help and aid.

The robbers represent all manner of misfortune.

It could certainly be literal robbers who harm you, it could be sickness or disease that steals away your health, it could be gossip slander that strips away the honor of a good name and reputation, they represent all of those things that happen from living in a broken world.

The two men who knew the Law didn’t stop.

The priest and a levite see him lying half dead on the side of the road and keep on going. They see his need, but they do not love him as much as they love themselves and so pass him by.

It’s easy to vilify them, but why would robbers leave a man half dead?

The road that the man traveled was known for having robbers and so if you see a man half dead, what does a trap need? Bait. You going to slow yourself down in a dangerous area, and risk your own life to save someone?

The Samaritan stops for a stranger.

More than that, the Jews hated the Samaritans and thought nothing good could ever come from them. Did you notice when Jesus asked who was a neighbor the Lawyer, doesn’t even acknowledge that he was a samaritan but refers to him as the one who showed him mercy?

This is Jesus.

It is always important to find Christ in the Parable to understand what Jesus has done for us. If we understand that’s it Jesus this parable speaks of God’s great love for us.

The Hidden Gospel

In the Garden, Satan wounded mankind.

He led us into temptation and through sin brought to us every type of misfortune, not only in the world, but also from our neighbors as he dragged us into rebellino against God.

God gave His Law, but the people proved to be unworthy.

Make no mistake the Law is Good, the Law is right, and the Law is true, but we are unable to fulfill it. It was put over mankind as a guardian until it could be fulfilled, and many have tried, but they fell short. That is what God the Father sent Jesus into this World to fulfill the Law for you.

Jesus knowing the danger walked into the trap.

He knew what had been prophesied, Jesus knew that as the servant He must suffer, be mistreated, and lay down his life, and that He would be put to death by the very people He was saving. Jesus even though many would reject and hate Him. So why did he do it?

It was because of His love for you.

The word there for Mercy is also the word for pity, and compassion, and when you look at the OT, it is also the word used for steadfast love. He loved him. In order to fulfill the Law, Jesus shared in our flesh so that you might be his neighbor.

Jesus our Neighbor

Jesus bound our wounds.

Look at his ministry, when he went around healing the sick, feeding those who were in need, but all of these were symptoms of the greatest wound that we received, sin. It was sin that brought ruin to us all. Jesus took made our wounds his own, so He could heal us.

Jesus brought us to the inn of the church.

He carried us here and dropped us off, so that we could have a place where we withdraw from the dangers and trials of the world and instead find a bit of healing, for we live in a world that is plagued by sin, sadness, and pain, but here we have a reprieve as Christ comes to us to restore us again.

Jesus doesn’t just give money, but the Word and Sacraments.

For Jesus is the Word made flesh, and where the Word is there we have Christ with us. Forgiving us, healing us, and restoring us. He gave us the Sacraments that not only might our sins might be washed away in Baptism, but when we are ready can receive the body and blood of Christ.

Even though He leaves, He will return.

Can you imagine being the disciples, and watching as Christ ascends. They had watched him be crucified, conquer death, and then He departs and ascends to the right hand of the throne of God he receives all majesty power and glory.

Why Does He Close With the Law?

The Law must be preached in its full sternness.

The Law is true, and it must be preached in its full power. It demands absolute perfection from you. It doesn’t ask you to just be good to your friends, or family, but that you are willing to lay down your life to save those who mistreat you.

It shows that we can never justify ourselves.

For we aren’t good enough, and we do not measure up to it. Anyone who tries to think they can will perish eternally. But thankfully the Bible does not only contain Law and so to

But to those who are broken, beaten, and wounded by the World, Christ came down to earth for you.

It was the Love, and mercy that God had for you while you were yet still a sinner, that brought Christ from heaven to earth so that He might bring you home with him to paradise. So if you are hurting, if you are wounded by the world, and see there upon the Cross the Son of God who saw you, and came to give you something better.

Now my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is the great hope that we can share with the world. For we are not alone in our sufferings in our pains, and in wondering are we really going to be saved. We can show them that even though we could not justify ourselves, there is one who justified us, who heals us from our sins, who binds our wounds and has gone ahead to prepare a place for us to be with him for all eternity. Jesus Christ, our Lord. In His name. Amen.