EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodically authorized minister. The journey together these past four years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on July 13, 2022.
This week's gospel: Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 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 given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, 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 while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with 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, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
The message:
“Go and do likewise.”
That is Jesus’ simple commandment to the pesky attorney in tonight’s gospel text.
An attorney -- mind you -- who isn’t truly trying to discover the secret of eternal salvation, but rather is trying to put Jesus on the spot.
A critic trying to trap Jesus. … Likely someone who considers themselves pretty knowledgeable in the Hebrew laws … and doesn’t like what this new upstart rabbi is teaching.
“Go and do likewise.”
That sounds pretty darn simple, doesn’t it, Faith Family?
Just like the attorney in this gospel story who knew the letter of the law. … He even recites it for Jesus by heart: “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.”
He knows the law. … We know the law. We’ve heard it an untold number of times in our worship services throughout our lives. … Simple right?
And yet … it’s never quite that simple, is it?
Because each of us is more like this attorney than we ever care to admit.
We know the law. … But when it comes right down to it, how often do we find ourselves asking the very same question that the attorney has for Jesus: “But, Jesus, just exactly who is my neighbor?”
Make no mistake, Faith Family, that is not an innocent question. … There is motive in that question, and it’s not good.
And that opens up the opportunity for Jesus to test the man with the ulterior motives right back. … And thus we get one of the most famous of Jesus’ parables in all of the gospels: The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Some poor bloke -- whom he is we're never told -- is traveling along the road and is attacked by robbers, who strip him, beat him and leave him for dead. Now, travel in those days was perilous. Most travel was on foot, and on roads with long stretches with nothing in between. Travelers were always at the mercy of bandits. And so this story would have resonated with Jesus’ audiences of the first century.
Then what happens? … Well, three people pass the man dying alongside the road.
And each of these three particular men, the Levite, the priest and the Samaritan all would have had societal implications in Jesus’ time. Trust me, he didn’t randomly pick those descriptions. Their status means a lot to this story.
The first two people to pass the unfortunate man -- a Levite and a priest -- pass by the man dying without much more than a casual glance.
But then a third man, a Samaritan, comes along and does what … well, in general, he cares for him. … And excessively so.
But more importantly he commits a long string of kindness that is the kind of mercy and love that Jesus expects any of us to exhibit to this poor man.
And as I read this passage, please take particular note of how many actions are described. … Because Jesus takes particular care to emphasize this man’s actions.
Remember: “Go and do likewise?”
“But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’”
Now, I count at least 14 actions. How about you? Anybody get anymore?
“Go and do likewise.” … Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? … After all, the Samaritan here gives us a pretty good picture of what it means to “Go and do likewise.”
So what does it mean to “Go and do likewise?” … To go and show mercy as the attorney answers when Jesus quizzes him about the point of the parable.
Yes, Jesus says, but … now “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
I can imagine the poor, outwitted attorney looking sheepishly at Jesus and saying, “Oh, OK, Jesus … it was ‘The one who showed him mercy.’”
“Go and do likewise.” … Show mercy.
We, like the attorney, know the letter of the law, of course. … It’s all very simple.
Right up until the point that it isn’t.
How many metaphorical men lying dying in the ditch do you think each of us passes daily?
The panhandler on the corner who’s just going to go drink away that few bucks you’ll hand them. So why give?
The embarrassed, overburdened mom in the grocery store with a gaggle of kids, one of which is throwing an outright tantrum in the middle of the aisle right now.
The neighbor you haven’t heard from in a while, but you’ll check in on them when you have time.
That person whom you think might be struggling, and you’ve been meaning to invite to church, but you just haven’t gotten around to it.
Family Family, the letter of the law is simple. Love your neighbor as yourself. And the question shouldn’t ever be, “Well, who is my neighbor?”
Because Jesus’ answer is that that question is irrelevant. .. The answer is “Go and do likewise.”
I think we like to believe that we know better than the attorney who turns out looking like a fool in this gospel story. … But the truth is that we far too often are that attorney ourselves.
In this story, Jesus is pushing back against all of us who know and say the right things, but we don’t do them. … We don’t show mercy. … We don’t go and do likewise.
In this very well known, and very important parable, Jesus is reminding us that the knowledge of the Great Commandment is wonderful … but what is really important is the going and doing.
And that is the Good News for this Wednesday, July 13, 2022 … the fifth week after Pentecost.
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