Not Spartan but Samaritan

Not Spartan but Samaritan Not Spartan but Samaritan Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Good Samaritan; A Neighbor; Eternal Life; Law; Jesus / Luke 10:25-37 CrossFitters and their training methods are often compared and likened to Spartans. Spartans trained for war and were people of great courage and self-discipline. Focusing on strict self-discipline and self-denial and building oneself. Spiritual crossfitness - while benefitting from some of those qualities -- calls us to more of a Samaritan than a Spartan. Spartans show no mercy but Samaritans are merciful Introduction 1. Spartans inhabitants of the Greek city-state of Sparta a. It was a warrior society and had a reputation for the severe and highly disciplined way of life it enforced on citizens i. This would ensure their readiness for war at a moment's notice ii. Training required for both men and women iii. Boys would begin military training at 7 and live in the barracks for most of his life - even after he was married! b. Today - cargo ships and remote beach resorts offer "Spartan accommodations" i. Most tourists jump at the chance to live without luxuries - of course knowing their wont be rallied out of bed in early morning hours to play war games 2. Crossfit games and competitions have adopted this same disciplined type training for their courses a. Athletes seek to be Spartan fit - some competitions include spear hurling and other similar activities b. Embracing the training that made Spartans war ready and battle rough without mercy 3. Spiritual crossfitness would be best modeled after a Samaritan rather than a Spartan a. Lets see the contrast as Luke brings us Jesus teaching the parable of the Good Samaritan › SLIDE Luke 10:25-27 CSB 25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the law?" he asked him. "How do you read it?" 27 He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind," and "your neighbor as yourself." › SLIDE Luke 10:28-30 CSB 28 "You've answered correctly," he told him. "Do this and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus took up the question and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. › SLIDE Luke 10:31-33 CSB 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. › SLIDE Luke 10:34-35 CSB 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. When I come back I'll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.' › SLIDE Luke 10:36-37 CSB 36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 "The one who showed mercy to him," he said. Then Jesus told him, "Go and do the same." › SLIDE Don't Train to Attack but Understand › SLIDE Luke 10:25-27 CSB 25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the law?" he asked him. "How do you read it?" 27 He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind," and "your neighbor as yourself." 1. Attack by tempting or testing a. An expert in the law stood up to test him i. There was an expert in law - a lawyer - trained in the law to the point of being an expert 1. Most Hebrew children - males especially were trained in the Pentateuch - the first 5 books a. Trained orally and to memorize entirely - perfect recall from memory b. Not more than that was required or expected - unless your child desired to be a teacher, rabbi, etc. i. One would see if the child had the capacity to retain and learn more and how quickly before deciding to take on a pupil or disciple 2. Here was one such disciple trained in the law - and as we will see expertly trained to knowing it down to being able to summarize succinctly the essence of the law ii. Here he stands up in the presence of Jesus to pose a question 1. Now we see as recorded this question was not one designed to garner new information, but to test Jesus a. Test - literally to put to the test i. Interesting - tests are used to prove something - not to fail something ii. This "expert" in the law wanted to test in order to fault, fail or otherwise discredit Jesus. b. His evil desire was to trap Jesus by attacking him b. Conquer through self-righteousness i. He asks the question what must I do to inherit eternal life? 1. By doing what shall I inherit eternal life - or earn 2. The emphasis is on doing ii. Eternal life is often misunderstood 1. The Biblical understanding of eternal life doesnt refer to the duration of life a. All people are immortal - whether heaven or hell b. It doesnt refer to a life that begins when we die › SLIDE - David Guzik Eternal life is a particular quality of life; a life that comes from God, and a life that we can have right now. 2. Eternal life as it should be understood - is life more abundantly › SLIDE John 10:10 NKJV 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 2. Understand a. Jesus answers the test questioning with His own questions - designed to guide and lead to understanding for those who would hear i. There is always the choice - you can answer a question for someone and provide the easy answers they seek or you can give them a question designed to bring out the answer for themselves. 1. To question someone in a way they arrive at the answer they cannot fault your bad thinking because it resides in them entirely. ii. What is written in the law? and How do you read it? 1. What is written and what do you know from reading it 2. Do you understand what is written and what the law says? 3. How do you read it - this answer determines if bias or willful ignorance prevents understanding b. The expert in the law responds to Jesus question i. In two other accounts Jesus provides this answer about the greatest commandment 1. Mark 12:28-34 and Matthew 22:34-40 2. This is not a contradiction but rather different accounts - this obviously was an important question of the day and probably one the rabbis and teachers differed on ii. Love the Lord your God with 1. All your heart 2. With all your soul 3. With all your strength 4. With all your mind a. The lawyer - the expert in the OT Law responds to this question with the Shema › SLIDE Deuteronomy 6:4-5 CSB 4 "Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 CSB 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates. b. The summary that the lawyer gives is that for eternal life one must love God with all of the powers of yourself iii. and your neighbor as yourself › SLIDE Leviticus 19:18 CSB 18 Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. 1. The lawyer knew the law well - probably why Luke said he was an expert 2. Confusion surrounds this mandate to love your neighbor as yourself a. Some take this to mean we must love ourselves so we can love others or before we could even begin to love others › SLIDE To love your neighbor as yourself is as we look out for our interest and concerns we should look out also for the interest and concerns of our neighbor › SLIDE Philippians 2:4 CSB 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. › SLIDE Victory Comes in Surrender › SLIDE Luke 10:28-29 CSB 28 "You've answered correctly," he told him. "Do this and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 1. There is an idea that death is better than defeat or surrender - but to die defeated when surrender would ensure victory - would turn the tables yes? a. Jesus answers the lawyer - you have answered correctly i. Your answer given was all correct - textbook answers - the words were spot on › SLIDE Mark 12:34 CSB 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to question him any longer. 1. The scribe here is not far off from the kingdom - but this lawyer was testing Jesus to trap Him ii. What he missed was the impossibility of achieving this standard of loving God (or neighbors) › SLIDE No man could love God completely as required from birth to death - a single failure is to miss the mark. 1. The law and comparing you to the mirror of the law is to bring knowledge of sin and sinfulness - imperfection and failure or defeat. 2. This is so one can recognize the inability to satisfy the law b. See the defeat - and surrender to the Messiah who came to bring life to those who would die under the law 2. In the face of defeat refusing to surrender - the lawyer wanted to justify himself › SLIDE Romans 3:20 CSB 20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law. a. In order to justify himself he asks another question - who is my neighbor i. He feels this is where the gray area is - as if he has satisfied the law for loving God ii. I am good to go except for - depending on your definition of neighbor 1. Looking for the loophole - like most try to do when they find that they dont measure up to the standard - the intolerant standard FOR SHAME 2. I may be good here - but it depends on what the definition of is - is - if you know what I mean b. The mans response should have been to ask - who the heck can do this? I certainly cant and I need help - I surrender as defeated by the law i. Instead He moved to justify himself to obtain eternal life and you have two choices 1. Justified under the law 2. Justified by faith through promise of God fulfilled in Christ Jesus › SLIDE Romans 4:3-5 CSB 3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. 4 Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness. ii. Who is my neighbor anyway 1. Jews split hairs over this question and excluded from the category of neighbor a. Gentiles and especially Samaritans - half Jew half Gentile - half breed they called them 2. Neighbor has meant and continues to mean one who dwells near you a. Jews made exceptions and many do today as well › SLIDE Eternal Life Is Found Through Mercy › SLIDE Luke 10:30-32 CSB 30 Jesus took up the question and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. › SLIDE Luke 10:33-34 CSB 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. › SLIDE Luke 10:35-37 CSB 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. When I come back I'll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.' 36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 "The one who showed mercy to him," he said. Then Jesus told him, "Go and do the same." 1. In order to properly answer the question Jesus chooses to use a parable - this parable is probably one of the - if not the most well known parable a. This parable is centered around 5 main characters i. A Jewish man ii. Robbers and theives - Bandits iii. A priest - descendent of Levi and of Aaron iv. A Levite - descendent of Levi but not Aaron v. A Samaritan man b. The plot of the parable i. A Jewish man was beaten robbed and left for dead on the road to Jericho from Jerusalem. The Jewish man barely holding on to life was soon happened upon by a priest who didnt look to help but merely passed by on the other side and then a Levite came and also passed by on the other side 1. The Priest and Levite - concern for ceremonial cleanliness at the cost of moral principle a. Think of all the excuses i. This road is dangerous - I shouldnt become a victim also ii. Looks like an ambush iii. I am late to get to my service to the Lord iv. Someone should help him - I will pray v. I dont know first-aid vi. He must be ok he didnt ask for help › SLIDE - Spurgeon I never knew a man refuse to help the poor who failed to give at least one admirable excuse 2. If anyone would help it would surely be the Priest and Levite - the clergy - those who are the example and teachers of others for worshipping God ii. However the man received no relief or aid until a Samaritan man happened upon him in the road, and he saw him and had compassion on him. He bandaged him, and poured oil on his wounds, put him on his animal and brought him to an inn to recuperate, paid the initial charges and promised to pay any additional. 1. This was the gasp part of the story - for the Jews despised the Samaritans and the Samaritans the Jews - it was both racial and religious a. Some rabbis taught that a Jew was forbidden to help a Gentile woman in distress giving birth; because if they succeeded all they did was help one more Gentile come into the world. b. They believed Samaritans worse than Gentiles 2. It was the Samaritan though who saw the Jewish man and was MOVED with compassion a. He did not avoid or dodge as the priest and Levite did › SLIDE Compassion is more than a feeling - it is action prompted from a feeling to alleviate the pain or suffering of another. 2. After finishing the parable Jesus poses the question to the lawyer - which do you think was the neighbor to the man who fell at the hands of the robbers? a. Which one was the neighbor › SLIDE By this question we see Jesus revealing that we have the chance to be a neighbor to anyone we meet along the road of life. i. According to the teaching of the day by the rabbis and the prejudice of the Jews - the priest and the Levite were neighbors of the Jewish man - but they did not act like neighbors. ii. The lawyer answers - the one who showed mercy 1. Unable to even say it was the Samaritan b. Jesus answers and says - Go and do the same i. Go and show mercy - go and be a neighbor to all who need mercy and compassion ii. Your neighbor is anyone who you come across who you can help and have compassion on in some way. 1. Would you be able to do the same for a Samaritan man? › SLIDE Jesus calls us to show mercy and compassion to all we come across - no matter, race, ethnicity, prejudice, bias or even religion, etc. Be a neighbor to all love others as Jesus has loved us! Conclusion The parable of the Good Samaritan has built numerous hospitals and started many compassion ministries - if this parable were properly understood by more of God's children and practiced by the world - it would remove racism, prejudism, and promote love and one another. This parable has a twist in it - in that we go from looking to see who our neighbor is to looking to see how we can be a neighbor. Remember who your neighbor is never as important as asking to whom have you been a neighbor! A Spartan is remembered for their fierceness and lack of mercy - the Samaritan is remembered solely for the mercy and compassion shown - Jesus commands to go and do likewise The law is unmerciful like the Spartan - none are justified by it and none will truly find eternal life through it. The Law cannot save. Jesus is the Samaritan - the one rejected by the Jews who came to have mercy on the Jews - promising eternal life to those who could by no means of their own attain it. Like the Good Samaritan Jesus came and found us beaten and left for dead - tended our wounds carried us Himself and paid our fee with the promise to pay whatever else we incurred. As we seek to love God and love our neighbor - may we never justify ourselves but rather surrender to the help and mercy of Jesus Christ Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:47 PM July 18, 2020.