A Biblical First Responder

A Biblical First Responder

Luke 10:30-37

Theme: God shows the compassion of the ultimate first responder.

Welcome to First Responders Appreciation Day here at MVBC. We are honored to have you in attendance today. Every guest is special to us and we are delighted to have you joining us. Right after the service, there will be a steak taco truck here on the grounds for everyone courtesy of Mountain View Baptist Church. After our first responders go first and guests, everyone is invited to take your plate of either chicken or steak taco.

One Saturday in November 2022, an off-duty firefighter, Nicholas Perri, pulled a woman from a burning car without any protective equipment or a hose line in Connecticut. He removed the badly injured female driver as the flames were entering the passenger compartment. He carried the woman to an EMS unit where she was transported to the hospital. His instinct kicked in as a first responder. While for most this would be traumatic but for Nicholas, it was just another day being a first responder.

We want to thank each of you for your unwavering commitment to serving our community. You are appreciated by our church family and I personally thank you for being an inspiration and help to our community. We are so grateful for the work you do in our community. Thank you for helping others when they can't help themselves, for showing up to difficult situations ready to help, and for being a hero to those in need. You are so appreciated and we are so thankful for your service.

We have a gift we would like to give to you as you leave today as an expression of our gratitude.

While the word first responder is not found in the Bible, we do have an illustration of what we would describe as a first responder which is found in this passage. In this passage, we read about a man who played the role of a first responder but there is a deeper message to this account.

The description of the Good Samaritan in the words of the Bible illustrates the work you do for our community. Please notice these descriptions.

First description . . .

A misunderstood person

Here there were two people: A priest (religious leader) and a Levite (a religious worker) simply ignored the man in need. This man has been viciously attacked, robbed of his possessions, and left for dead. He was traveling on what has been called the Jericho road in the ancient world. This was a winding and hilly 17- mile road which was mostly traveled on foot. This man obviously was going to Jericho for business and he was robbed.

There was no 911 dispatch to call for help. This man was totally helpless and had to defend himself but he was unable. You would have thought the priest and the Levite would have helped but maybe they were afraid for their life. I am not sure if they were frightened or didn’t care. It appears they simply went past the man ignoring his need. First Responders don’t ignore the need but care for the need.

Here is where the misunderstanding comes. Why? A Samaritan stops to help. All we know is he is a Samaritan, whom we do not know his name. We do not know his background, his family, or even if he had a good or bad day. We don’t know if he went to college or failed in high school.

What we do know is that a Samaritan was part Jewish and part Gentile in their heritage so they were rejected by everyone. Samaria is located in the territory of the central Palestine in the West Bank territory today. However, because of their rejection they had little conversation with non-Samaritans. He would be the least likely to help someone in the mind of the first century community.

The Samaritan represents another First Responder. Two thousand years ago, one came who was the ultimate first responder. Mankind was robbed of his relationship with God because of sin. Satan destroyed our relationship with God and we were left hopeless. We, like this victim, have been left to die without someone to help us. Jesus came to rescue all of mankind from their sin problem. His mission was totally misunderstood by most.

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11)

Even in Jesus’s hometown people did not understand Him. They wanted a Messiah who would improve their temporal world, but Jesus came to allow us to have a relationship with Him to be ready for the new world. While I believe Jesus is the answer to this present world, He is the only answer for the next world.

Many do not understand His message. His message is seen in what He did. Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins, to pay the penalty of our sin. He is the only One who is qualified. He was buried after He died, and rose again the third day. We needed a Savior.

In order to have a relationship with God the Father, we turn from our sin and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Man cannot pay for his sin, religion will not take care of our sin, and no other person can take care of our sin but Jesus.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12)

The ultimate first responder is so often misunderstood.

Second description. . .

A compassionate person

The Samaritan had compassion on the man. Compassion is the concern that motivates us to want to do something to relieve the sufferer. I have seen many of you there pulling people out of cars and fire and rendering aid to the injured. On ride alongs with the deputies, I have seen you give CPR, help a distraught family who just lost a child, or care after a wife whose husband was injured in an accident. I have seen you jump into the water to rescue a dog and sit down by a grieving child whose parent just died.

Compassion is not purchased or learned. There are no college courses on compassion, you don’t buy a pill to create compassion or given at a special ceremony. No compassion is internal. It is a desire to help the individual in need.

The Samaritan’s compassion moved him v.33 to help the victim. He was totally selfless by stopping even placing himself in danger. The same people who attacked the victim could attack him also. This selfless action reminds me of first responders who is willing to go into action in spite of the danger. While most run from danger, first responders run into danger. His compassion stopped him, moved him to help this victim who is suffering and literally dying.

A first responder is a compassionate person very much like this man here. Thank you for your compassion in helping so many people. Heroic yes, but actually it is normal for you to help others. You have compassion.

The perfect example of great compassion is Jesus. In fact, the Bible speaks of His compassion.

“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

When Jesus sees the spiritual condition of man, He is moved to be their Shepherd, their First Responder, their Rescurer from the suffering conditions we have in this world.

Jesus wants everyone of us to have a personal relationship with Him. Do you know Him today?

Verse 34, please notice the care and compassion this Samaritan gives to the suffering man. He took extreme care and time to bind up his wounds so he could be ready for transport. He was not going to leave the man suffering on the side of the road to die.

Jesus comes to us in our life because we need His help. He has sent His Son Jesus to die for us, He has given us His Word to tell us how we can have a relationship with Him, and He gives us a life-saving message that rescues us from our sin problem.

This compassionate care is seen in first responders. The care of protecting the victims and looking after their needs especially during a traumatic experience is extraordinary. Thank you first responders.

Third description . . .

A generous person

He brought him to a place of protection where he could rest. This Samaritan took money out of his pocket to cover the expenses of the motel and offers to pay more when he returns. He went the extra mile.

He followed up on the man and made sure he had what he needed.

One time I was out with an officer on a ride along and we were called to scene where a lady had fallen. Upon arrival, the medics were caring for her and we talked with her about her fall. It was determined she wasn’t pushed or hit or knocked down by another, but she had fallen down some steps. Her ankle was most likely broken and she needed help but had nobody to care for her. Once she was settled back into her home, this officer went to the store and out of her pocket bought groceries for this lady. She was very generous and always willing to help others.

The victim on the side of the road here is you and me. We are helpless in our lives without Jesus. The generous Samaritan is Jesus Christ. He is generous enough to leave the splendors of heaven to come to this sinful earth to die on the cross to rescue us from the grips of sin.

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

He was willing to become poor so we could be rich. He was willing to give everything He had so we could be rescued. He is still willing to take us just as we are. If you are here today without Jesus Christ, will you turn to Him today? Will you let Him be your first responder?

If you are a Christian, will you rekindle your relationship with Him? Will you Him become the Lord of your life?

A Friday night call out for me was an amazing scene. There was a three-alarm fire and inside the home were two children trapped. Vince, a fire chief asked me to help at the scene. It wasn’t clear how I could help but certainly my prayer and support at the scene was good enough for Vince. When I arrived, the children were trapped and the parents were horrified that this may not turn out well.

As I was talking with the family and prayed with them for their children the firefighters were inside the burning house trying to get to the children. It was a critical point in the fire where now everyone was in danger but these brave men went inside anyway. The firefighters found the children huddled under a table choking from the smoke when they got to them. They grabbed the kids and brought them out of the burning building. What a blessing it was to see them delivered from the danger.

God came to this earth in the form of Jesus Christ to suffer on the cross so that He could deliver us. This Samaritan demonstrates to us what Christ did for us when He comes to provide deliverance from our sin by dying on the cross. Will you accept Him today.

Let’s pray.

As our heads are bowed, perhaps you are here today without Christ. You are a first responder who have been rescuing others. However, you also need the Great First Responder coming to your aid. Will you call upon Him today? While our heads are bowed, would you be willing to accept Him today as your personal Savior? This means we realize we are sinners and we need deliverance from the punishment of sin. We are broken over our sins and we want to turn from our sin. When we call upon Jesus to be our one and only Savior, we turn from our sin unto Him. The Bible says we believe on Jesus and Him alone. Will you call upon Him today? While our heads are bowed, if you would be willing to accept Him, simply pray with me this prayer. Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner, I want to turn from my sin and I need Jesus forgive me of my sins. I accept Him by faith as my personal Savior right now. Amen

If you are here and you need to rekindle your relationship with Him, will you come pray to start anew with Christ?