April 11, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

been talking about India for some time and there was a video some years ago that showed a bunch of Bibles that were sent to. Taxi China with the same was true and Indian same is true in Africa. Same is true in the Philippines you ship those Bibles to those people. And they just run they run to that. To that mail that they just received any start tearing open the packages and they take out their Bibles and they start kissing it kissing their Bibles because that's what they want. And here we are in our country. We have Bibles everywhere. We have them in stores. We have them in our storage. We have them on our coffee tables. Unfortunately, there's a lot of dust on our Bibles over there. They get rid of Plenty. But but we need to understand just how important the word of God is for those folks as well as for our souls without the word of God with nothing. That's to say without God or nothing and if we don't have God it's because we don't have God's word in our heart, but often we come across people who kind of misuse the word of God. And in fact, there's a group of people out there who have concluded Maybe rightly, so I don't know that there are no women in heaven. There are no women in heaven think about that. That's a movement. Now they may be right. I don't know but we have to study our Bibles, right? because of Revelation chapter 8 inverse one it says and he opened the seventh seal. And there was silence in heaven for about a half hour. So we concluded with no women in heaven. It was silence. Okay, it was no talking just silence, but that's a poor way of reading the Bible that support way of interpreting the Bible but so many do that and so many come in reach the wrong conclusions after they have read the Bible tells us to study to show thyself approved unto God of workman not mean to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth. So God has asked Samantha us and has obliged us to handle his word properly. To studying and therefore to arrive at truth and 2nd Peter chapter 3 beginning verse 16 Vera Peter says about Paul's writings. He says in which some things are difficult to understand Paul wrote some things that are very difficult to understand but then it goes on to say who on top and unstable people twist to their own destructions as they do also the rest of the scriptures. So there's been this ongoing twisting of scripture of misinterpretation of scripture even since the days of the Apostles in the first century. Because well 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 10 says because they received not the love of the truth. He got to love God's word. That's how you love God because they are we we find the mind of God. We find a heart of God God chose those words words are vehicles of thought those thoughts represent something but they represent something from the heart of God to mankind. It's his revelation of his heart to you and to me and so he says open up my heart. By opening up his word there. We find the heart of God, very fine who got his and lo and behold we find out who we are. Right James tells us that we look in the book of The Law of Liberty. It's like looking into a mirror. We see who we really are. Some people read it they walk away me forget what they look like. But he says to those are devoted they who read it remember understand who they are and don't forget what they look like when they walk away from God's word. And so we come across this particular episode of one of my favorite movies, but Just listen to this for just a second.

if you can

Can you get that working brother?

Okay, let's turn that up just a little bit brother and then go back to it and we run it again. We can do that.

I find that quite amusing because here's what he says. He says he doesn't say the first part of this because I've added that in years old is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. So he's laid out his interpretation of the people that he lives with they are excellent and admirable Hobbits. And so the question is where the words that he just said, are there a compliment or an insult? It look what he says. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve and if you know Bilbo Bilbo is one who loves to play pranks on people. He loves to tell jokes. He loves to laugh and who doesn't love to live. We want to be a part of that because it brings joy into our lives. And so the whole point is it an insult obviously not he's laid out his interpretation of the group. Excellent and admirable hobbits. So whatever else he says, he's not trying to undo what he just said. He's trying to support it, but he's doing so in a humorous why and so as we come to the scriptures, we need to understand the same kind of understanding or the same type of writing styles that some people use Paul's difficult eater. Paul and Peter different than James and John is different than a mall. If you ever read the Gospel of John you try to compare to Matthew Mark and Luke totally different because John has a different. Understanding and he has a different agenda in mind then the other three Riders and so that's why people say Well, they're so different. But you do the same. They're just taking bits and pieces of information that they experienced and they tell it a little bit differently. So in one gospel account, you're going to find that Peter cut off an air of a centurion of a soldier right and then in another passage we learned that it's the right here. Are there any another passes we learned that the name of the guy is noctis? And then we learn another passage where Jesus says those who live by the sword shall die by the sword put your Scabbard away. Right? So you put it all together. He got a whole story, but that's what those four gospel accounts are about different perspective summer written to the Jews summer written for Gentile understanding summer written to prove that Jesus is the Christ which is what I was doing and so it is when we come to that understanding of what Bilbo said because sometimes things are written that are difficult to understand a thing about Paul's letters. And I've already lost his brother, but I guess we'll nope. But in Matthew chapter 23 notice what he rides he says but woe to you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you. Shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for you. Neither do in yourselves nor do you allow those who are answering to go in? What's he saying? Who sang Jesus is saying teaching is important? What you teach is important truth is important and notice the leaders who teach can cause people not to go into the Kingdom, right? That's why we Churches of Christ. We here at the Lake Road Church of Christ. We want to be as accurate as we possibly can. We want to take the truth. We want to glorify God by preaching and teaching truth. Nothing less. Nothing nothing more just the truth. But a lot of people don't care about that, but Jesus put a lot of emphasis on making sure that we Proclaim for the truth. And so we need to understand the significance of hearing on that idea. But notice what else you says, I'm to you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves and those who were entering in you hindered. in Matthew chapter 15 you remember that Jesus's disciples had come to him and they said listen the Pharisees are offended that what you said.

You think Jesus cared?

That some folks were offended you don't often when you preach the truth. You offend somebody? So Jesus didn't say. Oh, I'm sorry. I take back what I said didn't say then. What did he what did he say? He says here's what you tell them.

You blind God guides. He says you lead people to hell. And he says the blind shall lead the blind in both both. The teachers and the students both shall fall into a ditch. So it's imperative that we understand the significance of of respecting God's word to the point that we want obligate ourselves always to preach and teach the truth to people because not only is my soul. But also your souls are at stake and so together our souls are at stake every time. A messages preached or a message is top and so it's incumbent Upon Us each other to build each other up in that way that we make sure that we're all on the same page together.

So we are in Luke chapter 10 verse 25 and we're talking about the Good Samaritan. Now the Good Samaritan is an interesting story in so many levels but one which we need to understand is that the Jews hated the Samaritans. They despise the Samaritans now the Samaritans would come after gentiles. Linwood place this Americans after heathens They would place the Samaritans after sitters. And they replace the Samaritans after dogs. After dogs, right and you remember the story of the woman who came to Jesus and said talking about her sinful life and Jesus said to her we don't get them table scraps to the dogs, right? He's kind of playing with her little bit will give table scraps.

But she said so but sometimes you get a little table scrap to the little puppies. Right. She's coming back at him with a kind of a humorous anecdote and Jesus responded. I caught that and your faith will save you. So the whole point is that the Jews as a group as a people were taught to hate the Samaritans talk to him. Sounds like some groups today in America. Some have been raised to hate certain groups of people. Summer raised to hate blacks summer raised to hate whites. Summer raised to hate everybody who's not like them. Summer raised to hate Republicans summer rays that hate Democrats. Now if you raise the hate the New York Giants fans, then you're good. You're right. You're good because they're the Cowboys Nemesis. We don't like them.

And so they were raised to hate such people and as they were hating the people look look at even Christ disciples here in chapter 9 it says they went to the Village of the Samaritans to prepare for him. But they did not receive him because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem and other words. Jesus was in a haste to go to Jerusalem and he wasn't make take any time to spend with people in Samaria. So the Samaritans were offended and so they didn't give Jesus the time of day. We try to get that attitude to write he's going to be that way. We'll I'll be that way to write. That's the way we are.

But that's not the way we need to be that's totally opposite. But as we continue it says and when his disciples James and John saw this because they are Jesus supporters when they saw this they said Lord. Do you want us to come in fire come down from heaven and consumed just as Elijah did the funny thing is is that just before this they have been going through the Villages of Galilee. In The Villages of Galilee have been rejecting Jesus along the way. But you don't hear anything about calling fire down upon the Jews, but when it comes to Samaritan's they say let's bring down the fire on the Samaritans. selective selective outrage

and I think that happens to a lot of people you're part of my group and you do something wrong. I'm going to look the other way. But if you're not part of my group and you do something wrong, I'm going to haunt you and I'm going to ride you and I'm going to show you that you're wrong.

You're my enemy. And that's not the way Jesus taught his disciples to live. And so we come.

Okay. Thanks anyway.

223 - 7

exactly

It's called the Good Samaritan law.

and so it is

Oh, there it is. And so that's the way many people think tonight. If it doesn't involve me or affect my life personally. I'm out of it. I am not getting involved with anything or anyone. And that's what those characters represent, you know, they interviewed the people after the last I was the last episode of the show. They entered those characters characters. What was the purpose of the show? Of course for five years into the show. We learn exactly what it was about a show about nothing. It was taking me mundane ordinary things of life and just being humorous with it right things that you and I probably do on a daily basis, but they also added A little commentary to that while it was a show about nothing was about a show about nothing involving people who were selfish who were self-centered and self-absorbed and that's why so many people who liked it because it show the absurdity of the way people behave. And it's always true. So sometimes it's good to demonstrate absurdity but showing absurdity. That's why Jesus would sometimes hear a statement from his enemies. That was a very absurd statement and then Jesus would respond in kind with an absurd statement combating absurdity with absurdity because it's an object lesson it teaches us that some things are duly noted to be observed. But now we coming to the the text. The Good Samaritan text probably the greatest story because so many people know it's so many people have heard it except for those people in that had show but so many people have talked about the Good Samaritan, you know, if you got to be a Good Samaritan got to help out people in there are laws on the books called the Good Samaritan laws that we are obligated to help people in need that if we don't help people in need with violating the law, but there's a law higher than man's law then that's Godzilla. And therefore we have a Good Samaritan law from Jesus himself that we need to follow.

A certain lawyer stood up and tested him now. Again, there's a number of people that have come along the way Pharisees Sadducees herodians zealots. All testing Jesus and here's this lawyer. Who's Austin who's also a scribe? That's who the lawyers were. You're wondering. Sometimes they say scribe. Sometimes they say lawyer, but there one in the same sorts of scriba lawyer turn off and tested him saying teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life you said to him about that because he says what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

We coming to the New Testament Acts chapter 2. Peter had just convicted all the Jews that were gathered there on the day of Pentecost saying that they were guilty of crucifying Christ. And the response to the crowd was what? Men and brother what shall we do? There's something to do when it comes to our eternality our eternal life. There's something we must do a lot of people in their religious World think there's really nothing for you to do. You just have to think

I've yet to come across a passage that says think your way to eternal life. There's always something that says do something for eternal life see a lot of people like to say if you just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are saved you just have to do nothing. Just think about Jesus and you're setting that's why so many opposed baptism. That's why so many opposed repentance. That's why so many opposed even confessing Christ before men. So they even pose works of any kind of works of obedience. I've heard brother say once we're safe. We really don't have to do anything. We don't have to do anything. I don't even have to be a good samaritan. We're saved by grace after we've just thought about Christ. You can't find that in your Bible. And so we began talking about how people read their Bibles. Because many don't read their Bibles and many here from the puppets from the churches that they do two things that are taught in the Bible, but they believe them because the guy he knows what he's talking about, right? That's why I should come upon each of you to make sure that you know. What I'm talkin about did Doug say the right thing today, maybe we go to study that a little more maybe we ought to sit down with Doug and come to an understanding. Maybe he's wrong. Maybe I'm right. Maybe he's right. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't know if you see it's all about that. And that's what it is about being a Christian. Belonging to the body of Christ because we are concerned with a truth because the truth affect your soul and mine. Right you watch out for me. I watch out for you as they say. I know you got my back right where you better believe I got your back. the truth always wins and so when we understand this idea of the background to the story, we find that the guys testing Jesus that he knows that there's something for him to do to get eternal life that he says well what is written in the law? What is your reading of it? In other words? What's the Bible say? That's what we need to do when someone asks us a question, what it what does the Bible say then? When is understand it's not what I believe, but what does God say in his word because they're always always must be as us. Saith the Lord behind everything that we talked about. There has to be a thority from God and what we say what we Proclaim what we preach and sulfur giving advice. We need to make sure that the advice is given his accurate. It's true. And so Jesus says well, what is your Bible say something you answered and said You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all you saw what are you trying to move all your mind and your neighbor as yourself and he said to him you have answered rightly. To this and you will live do this and you will live. It's not often that Jesus comes to people. He says you're correct. You nailed it? You got it, right? I admire you for that. That's awesome. but this guy like so many people want to give an answer. That they think the other person is looking for. right answer they want to give an answer that King wants to hear sort of like kids today love kids and every generation, right Mom and Dad ask him a question. Do they know that the parents want to hear and the parents? They all little Johnny Little Jenny there such wonderful Angels that's only because the kids wanted to provide the answer that the parents wanted to hear. Not the answer that the parents. would not like to hear so as we continue. Just doesn't sit right with the man who just answer the question. He says but he wanting to justify himself.

Jesus gave him praise for preaching the truth but he was trying to use the truth to justify his behavior. And Jesus knew it. So he wasn't expecting Jesus to say. Oh good job. He was expecting Jesus to argue. Open up the door a little bit so that he can throw in what he actually believed but now he's forced into asking the second question you said but he wanting to justify himself said to Jesus and who is my neighbor. Number two years ago that depends on what the meaning of is.

That's what it comes down to hear my neighbor. Well, we all know is that the neighbor? Would not be a Samaritan in any Jewish writing right? So what's the story the story is about a priest walking down the road and he sees someone who's in desperate need hurt and beaten up. And what does he do? He said well if I go over there, I'm going to become unclean and I will have to spend the rest of the week. What's Greek going to Temple through the ritual process of cleansing myself? I'm out of it. He walks away the Levi comes he's also a priest but he's from the tribe of Levi.

If I get involved I'm going to have to do more of the Lord's will.

I'm going to have to go bad. Right now that's an inconvenience for me. It's an inconvenience for me to a Vega so Jesus, they're expecting well, can we got the priest and the levite so there's got to be another joke of the day.

wrong Jesus lips in a Samaritan notice He was a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Thieves who stripped him of his clothing wounded him and departed leaving him half-dead now by tweet. Skip up. We already got that brother. about the priest and levite and you know what? I'm going to have to read this because that riding is just too small for me. If I had glasses I would wear. The thing is I do have glasses and I don't wear.

so he says

But a certain Samaritan as you Journey came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion so he went to him and bandages wounds pouring on oil and why and he sent him on his own animal brought him to the end and took care of them on the next day when he departed he took out to dinar I to you and gave them to The Innkeeper. And said to him take care of him of whatever more you may spend when I come again, I will repay you so which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among Thieves? What is the neighbor the one who belonged to his group? What was the neighbor the one belonged to his tribe? Was he one of his friends one of his relatives?

See, what I'm going for here is a lot of people in this world including Christians. I think that their group is the group. And if you're not part of the group, we don't want anything to do with you. They kind of right the other person out of the Redemption story because of who they are. Because of what they look like we can have nothing to do with those unclean people. Otherwise, I'd really have to continue to obey. Well, that's exactly what's going on here. Now lot of people does this mean that people are more important than God's word and God's love because after all there we got to help people and we don't necessarily when it comes to doing God's will or helping people we better help people. Well, it's really not a it's really not an either-or but a but both and you have to do both Jesus never said well avoid Dodge word if it involves an individual. No, he never said Drake God's law to help somebody.

But neither did he say never helped somebody while trying to evade the law. You can't do that because the law itself demands that we help others the points of the others just like it points us to Jesus. And so we found here. In Matthew chapter 23 notice what some people were doing well to you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you pay the tithe of mint and anise and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law Justice and mercy and Faith these notices these you ought to have done without having the others. I'm done. In other words, he expects us to walk and chew gum at the same time. You can help people without violating his love you can do good without violating HIPAA

Do a lot of people come along and if they will well what he saying here is the way you matter is helping people. So that's really all I need to do is just help people really. Well, it involves helping people in our lives, but it doesn't necessarily do away with everything else. We are obligated to do because there's much more obligation for is that Jesus requires of us now this in helping people being a Good Samaritan is an act of kindness It's an act of Grace. It's an act of love. Look for who? Love For The Individual but also love for God because God commands us to love others by helping others. and so it is that we understand that's so many come to these passages and they manipulate them in such a way that there is a wrong-headed conclusion because some will say it's all about Grace and nothing else. But the scriptures are clear. It says it's about Grace but it's about doing what God requires that's all under the umbrella of Grace. It's not an either-or proposition is both and in other words. Yes, we're saved by grace but also saved by works and I can go on and that's right. We're saved by the cross. Are we not? Yes, we are. We're Saved By The Blood. Are we not? Yes. We are not by stop right there and you guys will say what wait a minute that's not true. And you'd be right because there's several other things involved the whole process, but I don't know what that was. God God father Son and Holy Spirit had a plan. That's Grace. The plan is all Jesus Christ. He comes to Earth from heaven and dies becomes one of us. He and then goes to the cross and dies. He says his blood he fulfills the prophetic statements in the Old Testament. His blood continues to cleanse us from all sin. So we have to believe we have to repent we have to confess and we have to be baptized all of that works together in the whole plan of human Redemption. But a lot of people come to the Bible when they say well, I don't know about all that but obedience stuff, but I kind of like that Jesus stuff. So I'm going to stick with the Jesus stuff. All you need is Jesus. Some will come along. You know, that sounds pretty good. But we also need the grace of Jesus Christ and all we need is the grace of Jesus Christ. Someone say what time pretty good but don't you need to be saved by faith doesn't the Bible say without faith. It is impossible to please God. That he that comes to God must believe that he is won't ya so, it's Jesus and it's Grace and its thing. Well, what about Obedience in the bible teach that he is the author of Eternal salvation unto all those who obey him. Yes, it does. So we throw in obedience what what falls under obedience? That's what we've been discussing. Doing good. Showing respect showing love not showing partiality shown equality. There is diversity. Everyone is different but yet everyone is made in the image of God, and we have a responsibility to each one of those individuals.

But then we also have to continue. What about worship. Do we have to worship God?

Well, yeah, we have to worship God that's all part of obedience. So The Narrative of redemption involve Jesus and everything he says because Jesus said this the word that I have spoken. The same who judge you in the last day John 12 verse 48 in John 6 and 63. Jesus says the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life. The words of God's word is life. That's where we draw our breath from. Number man should not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So the Good Samaritan encompasses all of that. I want us to see that but I want us to see the hypocrisy of those you think that only salvation is involved for a certain group of people and not for others salvation is for all people some people think to themselves out so bad. I'll never be safe right George Strait sang the song I'll come to the gate and I'll never let me in a lot of people believe that Will you sing about it in country songs, but it's not true.

Jesus died for all and he's the author of Eternal salvation unto who all those who obey him about the Good Samaritan what he did because he was moved with love. He was moved with compassion every Sunday we come and we had the Lord's Supper. Does it move you with compassion? About what Jesus did for you? Doesn't move you to say you know what I need to do this better tomorrow. I need to put these things in my life. I need to change. I need to alter my thinking. to do better because that's what it is on the first day of the week become together. We think about Jesus we think about what he did for us and now we're prepared for the rest of the week to live like Jesus live. And even if we have to die, we're going to die the way Jesus died that is devoted to God. Even if we are going to die. But that compassion also moves us to other elements of obedience. Such as perhaps some here have never been baptized. But Jesus says he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. If you believe that why not do that because those are the words of Jesus Christ. So I may have done that but have fell away from the fact of obedience to Jesus will be nice to him is no longer an important thing in your life. But Jesus still is our King. And a king has a kingdom and every Kingdom has a law and there are rules and laws to follow. And so Jesus says this is the blood of this is the New Covenant in my blood. What I have said here I died for I shed my blood for so it's important to know and respect and love God's word. And if you are willing to love God's word you're willing to love God and when you love God You'll repent of every sin. You'll do what you can to please our Lord if you're subject to the invitation of Jesus Christ this morning, once you come forward as Together We Stand and sing.

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