Luke 10 25-37
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#”THE” Good samaritan
14th Sunday after Pentecost - 1 year series
luke 10:25-37
9/00
Introduction: Help me! Help me! How many times have you heard these words since you have been here at Concord Village or Lutheran Home? How many times have you spoke or thought them. Help me! Help me! We know from first hand experience what that man laying in the street felt like. He was stripped of his clothes, robbed, wounded and left for dead. Just like him, many of us have been stripped of our worldly possessions, robbed of our independence, wounded in our bodies with age and sickness. And some of us feel like we have been left here for dead. You know the plight of the man in the story of the Good Samaritan. You also know how he was saved by his good neighbor.
I. We are like the man laying in the street.
A. That man was hurt. He was in pain and he needed somebody to take care of his wounds, to give him shelter and protection. He feared that there would be no relief for him. How many times have you felt the same way? Saying I hurt. I have pain. How many times have you felt that there would be no relief.
B. That man needed somebody to take care of him. He was in a position that he no longer could take care of himself. His fate, his destiny was out of his own hands. He had lost control of his life. He must have been terrified. Many of you may feel like you too have lost control of your lives. You too must rely on other people to help you.
C. That man was left alone and for dead. How many times have you too felt the sting of loneliness. How often have you cried out for people to visit you, to talk with you, to sit with you, just a little bit longer? You may have even felt like you have been left here for dead. Yes, you know that man’s pain more than most people.
II. He was Passed By
The man laying in the street was passed by both the priest and the Levite. Obviously they were not acting like good neighbors. We aren’t told the reasons that they passed him by. Perhaps they thought that they had more important things to do. May be they were wrapped up in things that they thought were religious. Maybe they didn’t want to get involved because the guy laying in the street was messy, untouchable and they just didn’t want to get dirty. Whatever their reason, they were not good neighbors. They had forgotten the spirit of their religion -- namely being merciful to the weak and helpless.
III. He was Saved by the Good Samaritan and so are We
A. What happened to that man was tragic. What has happened to you is also tragic. But you are not the only ones involved in this tragedy. Whether they know it or not all the people of the world are involved. Because of sin, every one of us has been beaten, robbed, stripped and left for dead. Sin has beaten up our bodies and caused us to be weak and sick.. It has robbed and stripped us of our rightful place as children of God. It has left us for dead, physically, spiritually and eternally.
B. God did not pass the world by –Jesus is who the story of the good Samaritan is about. And He did not pass you by either. He sent his son Jesus to do what nobody else could do. He took us in and mended our wounds. He restored to us everything that was taken away. He clothed us again with royal clothes. And he has made a place for us to stay with our Heavenly Father. Jesus is our Good Samaritan. He loved us enough to get dirty by touching us when no one else would or could. He picked up our wounded bodies, carried us and cared for us and gave us life by giving up His own life on the cross. What He has done for us we know and hope for by faith. But for some of us it won’t be long before it is experienced for real.
C. We may have to wait to experience the grandeur of what Jesus, our Good Samaritan has done for us. However, our Heavenly Father has not left us to fend for our selves now. He has found this place for us to stay, Lutheran Home. He has given us a roof over our heads. It is here that he feeds us. And He has blessed us with a wonderful staff of people who he has used as our good neighbors to feed us, take care of us and to mend our wounds. We thank God for these people.
Conclusion: God has heard our cry for help. Our help is in the name of the Lord -- Jesus, our Good Samaritan.
Amen.