DO SOMETHING

Get Off Your Donkey #1

Do Something

Luke 10:25-35

Welcome to the Harbor! We are so glad that you are here today.

Joke: I heard about this 85 year old man. He was out fishing one day and he heard this voice saying, “Pick me up.” He looked all around and didn’t see anything and he thought he was dreaming. Then he heard it again, “Pick me up.” He looked down and saw a frog on the ground. He said in amazement, “Are you talking to me?” The frog said, “Yes, pick me up and kiss me and I’ll turn into a beautiful bride.”

The man quickly picked the frog up and put him in his front pocket. The frog said, “Hey! What are you doing? I said kiss me and I’ll turn into a beautiful bride.” The man said, “No thanks. At my age, I’d rather have a talking frog.

The hard part about teaching on this story is that we think we know what it means to be a “Good Samaritan.” So, let’s see. (Turn to the person next to you and explain to them what it means to be a “Good Samaritan.”)

How many of you said, “Being nice? Helpful? Sacrifice? Serving Others?”

If you said any of these, you are partially right. But, there is more to the story. Jesus also used this story to teach us how to have the best life possible.

The Good Samaritan teaches us that we can have a fulfilling life by helping others. In the story, the Good Samaritan got off his donkey to help someone in need. and that’s why we are calling this series, “Get Off Your Donkey.”

INTRO:

Let me start with the story of Cara Wood, a high school girl in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. At 17 years old, she was a high school soccer star who worked after school at a local diner named Dink’s. That’s where she met Bill Cruxton, a 82 year old widower who came in every day for lunch and dinner and a little company.

Cara and Bill struck up a friendship. Cara was outgoing and assertive. Bill was opinionated and sometimes overbearing. Their personalities clashed, but they built an unlikely friendship. Cara started helping Bill run errands and do things around the house.

Bill did not have any children, but always told Cara that she reminded him of his late wife, Gertrude, and that if he had a granddaughter, he imagined that she would be a lot like Cara.

Later that year, when Bill was admitted to the hospital, He kept one photo at his bedside and that was his friend – Cara. When he passed away from heart failure, Cara got a phone call. Not only had her friend passed away, but he left her everything he owned! Half a million dollars.

This has been several years ago now, but Cara invested the money in the stock market and used it to pay her bills and afford a college education.

She thought she was just making a friend, and helping out an older man. She never thought that by helping a stranger, she was actually helping herself.

Helping someone along the way is at the core of the teachings of Jesus Christ. When we help others, we discover our purpose. When we help others, we help ourselves become better people.

Over the next few minutes, we are going to read through this story. I believe that every one of us can become better people by embracing four principles from the story of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus told this story in Luke 10 when he was having a conversation with a lawyer. I am going to begin reading with verse 25.

Luke 10:25 The Story of the Good Samaritan

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Now an expert in the law was not an expert in the law of the land; he was an expert in biblical Law. He would have had the first five books of the Bible memorized, and he was an expert in interpreting the Law and teaching people about it.

This lawyer asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Now, when we think about this question on eternal life, it seems like a simple softball question for a teacher like Jesus. He could talk about heaven. He could talk about life after death. He could talk about eternity with God. But this is not what this expert in the law is asking.

In the Jewish context, when you heard the phrase eternal life, it meant simply: How do I live with God now? How do I live in step, in tune, in harmony with the Almighty God today?

This lawyer was looking for fulfillment; he was looking for purpose. This is not a question about how to get to heaven when he dies. It was a question focused on how to have the best life possible now.

This expert in the law stands up and he puts Jesus on the stand; and everyone at this party becomes the jury. They’re looking at Jesus. How will he respond? Tell us, teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

Jesus responds to the expert’s question with a question.

Luke 10:26

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

Jesus is saying, “You’re the expert in the Law. You’re asking me? Tell me what’s written in the Law and how do you read it. How do you understand it?”

Now, the Law in the Jewish mind was the Torah, the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. And within these 5 books, you will see that there are 613 commandments.

To the Hebrew people, they are not just laws and commands; they are sacred deeds. They are ways for people to walk in step and in tune and in harmony with God. And what’s amazing is that rabbis/teachers began to rank the laws, like they were college football teams.

Jesus responded to him by saying, “If you want to have the best life possible, here’s what I want you to do.”

Luke 10:27

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; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus is teaching him to put God first.

Here’s the point:

1. Put God first and all other things will fall into their proper place.

Put God first in your life. If you want God to bless you, then put Him first. Whatever you want God to bless, put Him first in that area.

When you put God first, your life will change. You will see things differently. You will see things more clearly. It’s like the fog lifts. It’s like the darkness goes away – you’ve got a new set of eyes. God wants to give you a new vision. He wants to turn the light on. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 8:12:

John 8:12… “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

When you stumble around in the dark, you are going to get hurt. When you are in the dark, you make all kinds of mistakes. But when you’re in the light things get clearer. It’s time for you to turn on the light and move the junk out of the way.

The further away you are from God, the more confused you’re going to be about life. The further away you are from God, the more confused you are going to be about your relationships, your career, your money, your friends, your past and your future.

But The closer to God you get, the less confused you’re going to be. When you get close to God you get clarity, you get a new clarity about life. When you get a new clarity, you’re going to see God everywhere.

Put God first … love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. The lawyer in today’s story understood that, but he struggled with what’s next. He wondered, “What is the second greatest commandment?”

Luke 10:27 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; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”

TRANS— This verse is teaching us the “golden rule.” Here’s the point:

2. Treat other people like you want to be treated

If you want to have the best life possible, be kind to people.

Treat people fairly. Give them a second chance. When we fail, we want a second chance. But, when people fail us, we are quick to cut the ties and write them off.

Treat people with grace. Give them a chance to make things right. Jesus replied to that lawyer…

Luke 10:28

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

Do this and you will live the good life. But the lawyer wasn’t satisfied.

Luke 10:29

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

Now this question—who is my neighbor?—was a big question in the first century, especially among Jewish people. You see, there was a big debate going on as to who qualified to be a neighbor.

Many Jews actually believed that their neighbors were only other Jews, only other people that thought and had the same religious and value system as they did.

The people of this day said a neighbor is someone from our tribe; the people who are like us. Who vote like us. Who dress like us. Who act like us. Who like the same teams that we like. And everyone else is not worthy of our love; they are an enemy.

So this man is trying to box Jesus in. He’s asking him a great question: Who do you say a neighbor is?

Jesus responds by telling a story, a story that every one of us has heard. A story that we think of every time we drive by a car that’s on the side of the road and some person is helping some stranded vehicle…the parable of the Good Samaritan.

So, Jesus when he was asked this question: “Who is my neighbor?”, he replied this way. (By telling this story)

Luke 10:30-35

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 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.’

Notice in verse 33 … when he saw him, he took pity on him. This Samaritan slowed down long enough to see man in need. Too many times, I am not like the Samaritan. I am like the other guys. I am busy. I have three or four things going on at one time and it is easy for me to miss something. Sometimes I am staring an opportunity in the face and still miss it.

Guys, that’s why you need a good wife. Kelly is my eyes and ears. She will say, “Did you hear about so and so? Did you see this? Do you know who this person is?” I need to slow down and maybe you do too. Here’s the point.

3. Slow down so that God can show you the needs that are close by.

How many of you still watch Seinfeld re-runs? Do you remember their last show? Their grand finale? They took a shot at explaining the story of the Good Samaritan. Here’s a quick recap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPnK0NCn_MQ

Elaine, George, Kramer and Jerry were witnesses to car-jacking. They watched all of it unfold and when the police arrived, they were the ones arrested because they violated the “Good Samaritan” law that says, you are required to help or assist anyone in danger as long as it's reasonable to do so.

The next scene is when they are in jail and Elaine says, “The Good Samaritan Law? Are they crazy?” Then George says, “Why would we want to help somebody? That's what nuns and Red Cross workers are for.”

Too many times we are like George. We see the need but we are too busy and just do not want to get involved. Jesus is teaching us in this story that we have a responsibility to help people. Here’s the point. We have to …

Do Something. The only way you can serve God is by serving other people.

Your neighbors need you. You might be thinking, “My neighbors? My neighbors seem fine!

In fact, I wish I was doing as well as my neighbors!” Well, if we are going to understand this story, then we need to redefine the word neighbor.

Jesus redefines neighbor as “anyone in need.”

It doesn't matter if it’s helping someone from down the street or across the world. It doesn't matter if that person looks just like us, or they couldn't be more different then us. It doesn't matter if it’s a friend or an enemy. Our neighbor is the one in need.

While thinking about this service I was praying over this service and I found myself praying these words.

TAKEAWAY—

God, help me to help others.

There are people all around you that need your help. There are people who are hurting from the past; maybe the pain of a broken family, or a parent who was absent or abusive or maybe they suffered through a devastating divorce.

There are people who are struggling with addictions. There are people with financial needs. There are kids that need help too. Have you ever considered serving in one of our ministries? It takes over 120 volunteers every week to staff Harbor Ministries. There are needs!

The Samaritan got off his donkey because there was a need!

Will you get off of your donkey today?

There are people waiting for your move, waiting and needing your help.

People have been praying that God would send someone along that understands, someone that’s been through something.

When you help other people, it makes your life better.

When you boil it all down, you can do two things with your life. You can waste it or you can invest it.

Don’t waste your life.

One day you’re going to stand before God and He’s is going to ask you two questions. This is your final exam per se. The first question is: Why should I let you into heaven? The answer to that question is that you have trusted Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. The second question is: “What did you do with what I gave you? This is a question of stewardship. We are called to give back.

NEXT STEP: Write down the name of one person that you are going to get off of your donkey for this week. Write the name not he Connection Card

Secondly, take the NEXT STEPS Card and fill it out and turn it in at either entrance.

Let’s pray…