A Good Samaritan Church

Luke 10:25-37

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Growing up in Thailand, I followed around my parents and their ministry.

What is Thailand’s national religion? How many percent do you think it is? It is that high because in Thailand…. 90 percent or more of the men become monks in their life at some point…. It is not a national requirement like the korean army… but it is an unsaid requirement… you need to be a monk at some point to be respected in the society…. (like the korean army)

Sooo…. Because buddhism in the country was sooo strong… there were barely any christians…. So churches in Thailand? It is really rare…. Who here has been to korea before? When you go on rooftops… you can see crosses all over seoul… symbolizing that they are churches….

In Thailand…. Barely any churches.. So when I go to my dad’s church, or whenever there is a festival at the church…. Guess what…. There are always non christians at the church…

The other day… we planned to have a invite a nonchristian friend to chuch event…. It got moved because I dont think we are ready yet….

When I asked someone to bring a non christian friend…. This person said why would i? They are not a christian….. So my understanding is that if you are not a christian in america…. You are not welcomed in the church…. Well atleast in our youth group…..

In Thailand… that is what we lived for… we always wanted non christians to come to our church!

We need to be able to be good neighbors to everyone in the world… not just our christian friends….. We need to take care of everyone…..

So in the parable we read today… it starts off with a lawyer… who wanted to test Jesus…he asks…. Teacher! How do I gain eternal life!?

Jesus answers… what is written in the law? Meaning what is written in the Bible in the culture today…. There were no bibles back then…. Whenever the Bible mentions the law… it is referencing the pentateuch… which is the first five books of the bible…

So the smart guy answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

And Jesus says, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Thats so simple right? Loving God before anything… check!

Loving neighbors as yourself? Hmmm if i dont love myself then I dont have to love my neighbors…. Ok check!

The lawyer didnt like the answer or wanted more…. So then he asks more… who is my neighbor! The mindset of the neighbor the lawyer had…. Who qualifies to be my neighbor….. The mindset that Jesus had was…. How can you become a loving neighbor….

Jesus then tells us the famous parable that we all probably know…..

A Man was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho…. Jerusalem is on a mountain… it is around 2,500 feet above sea level… so you will always travel downwards from Jerusalem…. The path to Jericho from Jeruslame was also known to be dangerous…. It was known to be full of robbers or bandits….

In one of the hill tribes in Thailand… we drive up with a car for 3 hours and then we hike up the rest of the way for 2 hours…. One day… as my dad was ministering to this hilltribe…. One family came up to him and said if you ever come back here.. We are going to kill you…. And they beat up the pastor my dad trained….

I remember my dad sitting me down…. And telling me… He is going up to the same hilltribe again…. I told him dont go!! Stay!! Why are you going to go if they said they are going to kill you! And I still remeber clearly what he told me…. If I dont go…. Who will…..

So did you think my dad went up? Yes….

This is the type of neighbor Jesus was talking about…. How can you be a loving neighbor…. Instead of who qualifies to be my neighbor…..

Greater love has no one than this…. That someone lay down his life for his friends… this is the neighbor that Jesus is talking about in this parable of the good samaritan…. Who loves their neighbors so much more than themselves so that they can lay down theirs lives for their neighbors…

To continue jesus’ parable….. the man…. Gets beaten up and was left for dead….

Quick question guys…. Who are the three people that walks pass the half dead man on the road?

Priest, Levite, and a Samaritan…

Priest are known to be righteous… they are men’s representative to God… They are the ones who know all the rules….. So there is hope for the man who was beaten up right?

But the priest just slides by….. Pretending that he didnt see the person….. The priests today are compared to the pastors…. So you can say a pastor ignored someone who needed help….

Maybe you can think and say…. Maybe he was really busy and needed to go somewhere quickly! Okok…. Sure….

Ok.. then the next person that walked by was a levite… Do you guys know who the levites are?

So the twelve sons of jacob became israel right? So one of his sons was named levi…. His descendants didnt get land… but they were told to live in the other 11 sons lands and be their law keepers…. So in todays term.. Maybe they are the youth leaders…. So imagine P Moon ignored the person in need….. What!!!!!

And then ezra comes along… maybe some of you guys are thinking… wow!! This man is finally saved.!! But no…. He just slides by too! Maybe they were scared that they will also be robbed? So they walk on the other side and leave quickly….

Okok…. Well… if a pastor and the leader walked by… then there is only the members of the church left… right?

So priest and livte… Pastor and leader…. Then the third group should be the JEws…. The members of the church….

But Jesus does something unexpected… instead of saying the jews… the members of the church… he continues the stroy with the samartan! WHAT!!!!!! The Jews who were hearing this would be like… ALL hope for the man is lost! A Samaritan! A Non Chrsitian!? IF a pastor and leader does not help! Why would a non christian help!

But what happens… the Samaritan treats the mans wounds…. Puts him on his donkey and takes him to the inn… at the inn he gives the inn keeper two denarii… which is two days worth of work…. So you work at mcd for 8 hours a day… you get 80 dollars? Well you give away 160 dollars for this stranger…..

The people who were listening to this story was probably soo confused… or enraged….

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Notice the lawyer didnt say the samaritan… he said… the one who showed him mercy….

Jesus’ main point in this story is your love for neighbors but be above all human boundaries… such as race… nationality… religion…. Economic and educational status…..

Racism is such a big issue…. Can we be above racism? And love all color equally…

Nationality…. As a korean church… can we welcome people from other countries and make them feel at home.. Instead of saying why are they here…?

REligion…. If there is a buddhist friend in need of love… can we give that love to them… instead of saying oh they are not a christan?\

Economic…. Ew look what they ar wearing… they cant hang out with me because they dont have money…. Can we give them what they dont have by sacrificing ourselves?

Educational status… oh I only hang out with people as smart as me…. Can we be willing to let go of our pride and love them for who they are?

I remember asking some of you all…. If gay people…. If teenage pregnant… If these type of people that christianity shuns…. Come to our church for acceptance… to find friends… will you be there friend… and i remember everyone answering no…….

This si what Jesus is mentioning here…. We have to be good neighbors… we cant choose the neighbors…

We need to be better… we are called to be better…. the church mebmers must be better than the non christians… We need to be more giving… more loving…. More selfless….

I know it is scary…. I know it is intimidating to go out and tell people you are a christian… I know because I was just like you…..

But you know what? The people out there…. I guarantee there are people who needs love… who needs friends… who is hurting and is spiritually dead like the man who was beaten on the road….

The samaritan man brings the beaten up man to the inn….. Many scholars symbolizes the inn as the church…. The church should be a place where it provides acceptance…. Healing…. And comfort….

Just because we found our comfort in the church….. Doesnt mean it is ours…. It is to be shared….

Church is not only for Christians… it is for all the broken people of the world..

Maybe some of yall might think…. Im just a youth… I dont know if I can do it…. But let me tell you…. Jesus gave you the power to do it…..

Why? Because he did it first….

He didnt choose…

In hopes for us to be more like him…

Be a good nieghbor….. And if everyone is a good neighbor in our church… we become the good samartian church.