Care

Good morning everyone, what a great start to our series last week. Dr. Dave Earley brought an incredibly motivating challenge that inspired us to collectively submit 330 names for which we have begun to pray for care for and we will ultimately share the gospel message with by telling them our story or inviting them to friend day on April 6th. Prayer is our bedrock and foundation. We believe that the Holy Spirit is in dialogue with those who have not yet become Christians, and prayer is the way we prepare the way for openings with people to show them and share with them the love of Christ. This week we are going to focus on the C in our PCS which is care. If you want to find the text this morning you can make your way to Luke 10 but before we get there are you aware that…

Just 10 days ago we celebrated a worldwide holiday that has a lot to do with our message today. March 13th was International bystander awareness day.

At the University of California Santa Barbara there is actually a group called C.A.R.E C-A-R-E Campus advocacy resources and education that offers training to inform bystanders that they should intervene by either directly confronting the individual who is being harmed or committing the harm, delegate by calling for reinforcement like Student Safety Partners or creating a distraction to disrupt the harmful situation. This type of training is to overcome what psychology refers to as…

The bystander effect, or bystander apathy. This is a social psychological theory that states that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim in the presence of other people. The theory was first proposed in 1964 after a murder, in which a newspaper had reported that 38 bystanders saw or heard the attack without coming to the victim’s assistance or calling the police. If a single individual is asked to complete a task alone, the sense of responsibility will be strong, and there will be a positive response; however, if a group is required to complete a task together, each individual in the group will have a weak sense of responsibility, and will often shrink back in the face of difficulties or responsibilities.

We also have to wrestle with a law that was inspired by our passage of scripture today which is referred to as the Good samaritan law - we had to create laws to protect people who were getting sued for trying to help people in distress because they might help them in the wrong way. Let’s look at our story today and then look at 4 principles that are essential when it comes to caring for those we desire to share the gospel message with.

We will start in verse 30, but the first words that we will read today are the words Jesus replied, so it’s important for us to understand that the story we are about to read is in response to the fact that Jesus just confirmed for someone that the way to heaven was to love God and love neighbor. This person wanting to clarify further what Jesus said, asked the question well Jesus who is my neighbor… and Jesus replied…

Luke 10:30–37 “Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed compassion to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””

Embodied in this story are four primary ways to speak the language of love and those are going to be the four ideas we associate with caring for others today.

The first is…

Availability

This builds on our energy principle from the series we just preached on equipping. Availability is always the first step when we want to be used by God. The passage today says..

“He…came to where the man was.” Instead of passing by on the other side as the priest and Levite had done, the Good Samaritan stopped and came where he was. We can minister to people only when we come where they are, in body and in spirit.

I bet that last week when we asked for you to write down the names of three people you want to see come to the Lord that some of you came to the realization you don’t hang around enough people that need Jesus, especially if you don’t have a job in a traditional work setting. There’s a statistic that says that when a person becomes a Christian the number of people that you have in you homes that are non-Christians decreases by 10% every year so that 10 years after our conversion many us might even intentionally only have Christians in our home. I mean what if they are a bad influence on our kids? They might even use language as bad as what we watch on tv every night.

When we do this we are like the priest or the levite. Busied with other tasks, perhaps even “ministry” we excuse ourselves from the need to make time to influence people for Jesus.

One leader said if you aren’t on my agenda you don’t get on my calendar. Which could sound harsh to some, but in reference to today’s message it begs the question, “If we don’t make time on our calendar to help others know Jesus, what are we saying about our agendas?”

Availability and making time for others will always be the first step. Whatever your motivations or qualifications are crumble when you don’t take the time to needed to bring those ideas to light.

What’s important after we make ourselves available? The second principle to exhibiting care is attention.

Attention The passage notes .. “He saw him.” The implication here is that he did more than look at him. The priest and Levite “looked” at him. When studying this passage afresh for this sermon, I didn’t like how often I recognized that I’m more like the priest or the levite than I’d like to admit. When it came to the good samaritan… He paid attention and noticed what was happening with this wounded traveler. Sometimes we have eyes to see, but we don’t see; we don’t pay close attention to what is going on with other people. When we know those we interact with through the eyes of Jesus, we will be in a much better position to help them.

I think we are all really good at identifying those who need Jesus, but I also think that a huge issue in this story that needs addressed is that it’s easy to say, “someone else will do it.” Many leaders and companies have adopted a principle that no one should share a problem without presenting a solution. One of the greatest challenges church leadership experiences is that people frequently want to bring attention to a need that exists, but rarely come with a solution. This disconnect creates a gap that can seem insurmountable and moving forward at Cap City we will look to identify less, and act upon more.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the two religious leaders didn’t add the beaten man to the prayer list. Perhaps they even started a fund for such incidence that might take place in the future. Maybe the started a committee to reduce muggings in the future. The samaritan saw him, and gave him his attention. If you have been reading our prayer care share book page 67 gives 6 principles on how caring can become a lifestyle and principle number 1 starts with the individual disciple. What can you personally do for the one next to you right now. One more for Jesus is a theme you are going to begin to hear more and more at cap city, and one more often happens through one on one ministry. Moving from seeing issues to giving our attention to them is the shift that needs to take place.

Thirdly this morning we see the attitude of the good samaritan…

Attitude The passage today says “He felt compassion.” When he saw the condition of the man, it touched his heart. He was moved with compassion. After we sense the needs people have, we must be moved by a loving attitude toward them. Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision put it like this: “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.”

Now, many of us may not approach a person left half for dead along the side of the road… I believe you are good people and that a lot of you would take action in such a situation, but for today I wonder if you might just think of the person that you are most critical of. The person who drives you the craziest in this life. Picture that person’s face in your mind right now… Jonathan don’t go there… I’m serious, are you looking at them right now? There was a deep hate between Jews and samaritans. These two individuals were separated by a systemic racism that was universally understood in those parts. They could have even justified, that by leaving that person along the side of the road that they were doing their own people a favor by reducing the other race. You have that person’s face in your mind still? Jesus said… have compassion. Compassion means to show pity or concern. And we aren’t talking about a condescending pity or concern. We say things like I just feel so sorry for the predicament he or she has got themselves in. Or I’m so concerned that they don’t realize how they are acting. COMPASSION! It means putting yourselves in their shoes, thinking about how beaten up, frustrated, discouraged, maybe even how embarrassed or ashamed they might feel. It’s saying how would I want to be treated if I were in that situation?

You would want to feel love. You would want to be encouraged. You would want another chance. You would want a friend.

The phrase I told you so should never be in the Christian’s vocabulary. I don’t even get to say, well you don’t know how they treated me. I need all the grace that God has for me, and best I can tell He only distributes grace to me as I distribute it to others. Church, I wonder how much healing would take place if we started to see people in their hurt instead of going off about their actions, prior decisions, or how they have negatively effected our lives.

While I was a sinner, Jesus gave up His entire life… for ME. He calls us to do the same for others. Nothing can turn an enemy into a friend, like a compassionate attitude that continually forgives and whole-heartedly cares about the well being of another more than themselves.

Finally, if we want straight A’s on our caring report card today…Availability, Attention, Attitude, and ACTION!

Action He…bandaged up his wounds.” He didn’t just feel for the man or tell him he loved him and would be praying for him, he did something to demonstrate his love. That is always the bottom-line test of our love for others: what are we willing to DO for them?

Anyone else tired of empty words? In a culture where information has increased exponentially, we are being promised the world by someone every day. The longer you’ve lived, the more you’ve learned to manage relationships by what you see people DO rather than what you hear people SAY. President Teddy Roosevelt was known for saying walk softly and carry a big stick. Christian, we need to learn to speak softly and carry a big heart.

When it comes to action John Maxwell said we want to leave footprints in the sands of time, but too many are leaving buttprints on the couch still. This week, right now, I want you to think about the 3 people on your list, and commit to showing an act of kindness to that person, no matter how big or how small, the world is waiting for the church of Jesus Christ to take action, and if we do we will change that very same world.

We have far too many giving direction or critique to the caretakers that are taking action. Too many are hesitating because they are afraid that they will get blood or dirt on them either literally or figuratively. A bunch of you came to the altar last week when Pastor Tom invited leaders to the altars. Leaders move, while others standby. Leaders with or without a title assume responsibility when important things are on the line.

USE PCS 70 (type here but read from book for effect)

Back to our book on page 70, Dr. Earley mentioned that there are two key factors in order to make caring a lifestyle.

First, begin by being honest about where you are in this process. It is not a time to be defensive and rationalize what you are not doing. Rather, it is time to open your life and recognize how we can become the hand and feet of Christ.

Second, ask God for clear vision and a soft heart to care for the masses of humanity that He died for. It is at this point that the adventure of the Christian life begins. You will find yourself ignoring your phone and other distractions for the sake of modeling Jesus through a daily lifestyle. The more you care and serve, the more you will want to care and serve! Inevitably, gospel conversations will become a natural overflow.

Response song: (Invite Team)

So that’s the challenge for today, number one would you be honest about where you are in this process? You can have reasons or you can have results but you can’t have both. Determine honestly where you are in the process then ask God to help you move forward. Are you available? Are you giving attention? Is your attitude what it should be? And finally and most important are you taking action?

Secondly, come and pray today that God continues to give you His and eyes and His heart so you can use your hands and feet to move with compassion toward those who need it the most.

Would you stand this morning, and I just gave you two prayer points, but if neither one of those are compelling enough, grab that prayer care with your 3 names and bring them to the altar. Maybe come with a friend and pray for each other’s names. Let’s move in obedience this morning.

PRAY

Post Response EDIT STILL

Prayer cards, not going to tell you that you filled out wrong, and the cards were anonymous, but you don’t need to be vague. I think sometimes we are afraid to let the person we are praying for know we are praying for them as though it might offend that person for them to find out that they need Jesus. If they are outside of Christ, in a spiritual sense they have been left along side of the road for dead. Sometimes I also think we insult someone’s intelligence as if they don’t know they need Jesus. The Holy Spirit I know is making everyone that needs Jesus aware in one way or another that they need Him.

Circle back to bystander effect, someone else will do it, but when you are the only one that can do something more apt to act, that’s why we ask you to personally take responsibility to share with 3 people. ONE MORE FOR JESUS

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