Luke 10:27-37
The context of these verses gives us only a glimpse of this great parable that we call “The Good Samaritan,” but within these verses, we find the complex truth of loving as Jesus loved. We read that the Law said to love God and love people. The good Samaritan portrayed this love, and Jesus told a young lawyer to go and love the way that Jesus loved.
Notice three things His love portrayed and why we should love like Jesus.
I. HIS LOVE WAS DISPLAYED BY COMPASSION
Verse 33—If you read the entire passage in Luke 10, you will find that at least two men had seen the poor stranger and decided for their own reasons not to help. It is evident in the commentary of this passage that the intent is to show the weakness of these men in meeting the real meaning of the Law.
Here is a truth that we need to remember: Love is not found in religion. Religion always causes us to put religion first and live religion second. By helping the man in trouble, the good Samaritan displayed true compassion
If this is the way Jesus loved (and it is), we must put our religion, our preferences, and our stereotypes aside and love those who are unlovely, which is loving like Jesus.
II. HIS LOVE WAS DEMONSTRATED BY CONTACT
Verse 34—If we study this parable in detail, we will see that everyone except the good Samaritan refused to touch the wounded traveler. The reason seemed legitimate: If the religious persons touched the man and he were actually dead, they would be denied service in the Temple for one year. How could they give up this important duty for a man they did not know? Yet, it was the Samaritan’s willingness to get his hands dirty that demonstrated true love and compassion.
The Bible records that Jesus was touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He was touched by the limits of the flesh. He was like us in every way, but He was without sin. Being unafraid to be touched by the sins of others allows us to minister to them in their darkest hours, and that is loving like Jesus loved.
III. HIS LOVE WAS DELIVERED WITH CARE
Verses 34, 35—In these verses, we find that the good Samaritan took care of the wounded traveler. He bandaged the injured man’s wounds with bandages that should have been reserved for him on his travels. He poured oil and wine in the wound to sear it and treat infection that most assuredly would come. He put him on his own animal and led him to an inn to recover. He paid for his stay, gave money for a future stay, and promised to pay the balance if the money did not cover all the expenses.
When was the last time you did this? When
was the last time you gave up things that were
intended for yourself and gave them to someone
who was “wounded and dying”? That would be
loving like Jesus loved. When was the last time
you put someone up in a motel or gave someone
a room in your house until he or she could “recover”?
When was the last time you loaned out
your car and paid the expenses? When was the
last time you helped someone out of the gutter?
Love is delivered with care, and that is loving like
Jesus.
No one wants what you have unless you
think it is so valuable that you have to share it.
Have you ever received such a large or wonderful
gift that you just had to share it with
someone? How about the time you received an
unusual gift for service you rendered on your
job? How about a bonus that was far above your
expectations? Do you just keep that to yourself
and not feel compelled to share it with those
less fortunate? How about the time when your
child was given a clean bill of health? Did you go
and visit with families whose children received
tragic news?
How about those who have been displaced
by a hurricane, a fire, or a tornado? Do you take
a few days off and help with the recovery or do
you send a small gift just to soothe your conscience?
I’m not trying to put a guilt trip on you; I’m
only trying to get you to think about loving as
Jesus loved. His love was not in word only; His
love was on display for all to see. Will we live our
lives in like manner?
CONCLUSION
A group of businessmen were late getting
to their plane and were rushing through the airport
when they bumped into a blind girl who was
selling apples to waiting passengers. The apples
rolled all over the floor, but the men did not stop.
They got to the gate just in time, but one of the men, a Christian, felt terrible about what they had
done to the young blind girl.
He told his friends to go on and that he
would catch the next flight because he had to
go back and check on the girl. They protested,
but he had been so moved by their selfishness
that he could not think of leaving without at least
offering to help.
When he got back to the terminal, he saw the girl trying desperately to gather her apples. The young Christian businessman knelt down and told the girl that he was sorry and that he would help her pick them up. When they had picked up all the apples, he took out his wallet and paid for a few of the apples they had bruised. He apologized to the girl again and began to turn away when she asked a question he never forgot: “Sir, are you Jesus?”
Probably no one will ask us this question, but it would sure be nice if someone, somewhere, sometime would ask, “Are you a Christian?” It gets no better than that because that would be loving like Jesus.
You have His Word on it!
HELPFUL QUOTES FROM
ELLEN G. WHITE:
“In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems, creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness” (The Desire of Ages, 497).
“This question Christ answered
in the parable of the good Samaritan.
He showed that our neighbor does
not mean merely one of the church
or faith to which we belong. It
has no reference to race, color, or
class distinction. Our neighbor is
every person who needs our help.
Our neighbor is every soul who
is wounded and bruised by the
adversary. Our neighbor is every one
who is the property of God” (Christ’s
Object Lesson, 376).
