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Tedd Pullano
Ogden 10-22-2017
This is a powerful, transformative passage – and what makes this parable even more powerful is that the characters in it are Jews and the Samaritans – and they were enemies. The Jews hated the Samaritans – the Samaritans were considered unclean, and heretics. So, the idea of the Samaritan being the hero of the story would be shocking to the listeners. Also, the road for Jerusalem to Jericho was a dangerous road and was known to have thieves and bandits on it, so quite honestly it made good sense for the priest and the Levite to avoid this injured person, as he could have been a trap – which again makes the Samaritans behavior even more amazing that he was willing to take on that danger to help.
Luke 10:25-37
25Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ 27He 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.’ 28And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ 30Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He 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. 35The 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.” 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37He said, ‘the one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
Do You Dare?
As we move through Stewardship season, and equally as important, as we move into our future, I want to engage this passage about the Samaritan this morning, as well as the incredible Isaiah passage Madi just read, and answer 2 questions. The first is directly from the text –at the beginning of this passage that the lawyer asks: who is my neighbor? Look, I know we all have heard a million times that we are to love our neighbor – you don't even have to be a church goer to have heard that. But as the lawyer asks, who exactly is that? That never really gets spelled out;and “love your neighbor” sounds different than “love everyone.” And in some cases different people have different opinions on who their neighbor is. I mean, if I asked you what would your first response be? When I think about my neighbor, my very first thought is the family living next door. Other people I know think their neighbor is the people they know and spend time with andalready care about. Many people think they can pick and choose their neighbor, and theyusually pick someone they already know and like. But is that the real theme of “love your neighbor?”
In this brief but brilliant story of the brave and loving Samaritan, Jesus blows open the idea ofwho our neighbor is. With this story, “our neighbor” expands to anyone – whether we like them or not – friend or enemy. Everyone is our neighbor and everyone deserves our help and caring. Though we may be used to hearing that, that was incredible radical when Jesus taught it. And maybe it’s just a small thing, but based in the way he told this story, I feel like Jesus is emphasizing the idea of our neighbor as being someone in need. Jesus could have picked any two people to for this story, and he chooses someone who is in deep and immediate need. So, I feel like through this story Jesus is saying that the neighbor we should focus on, the neighbor who is most important, is the one in need.
But I feel like you all already know much of this. I feel confident, and proud, that everyone here can answer the question “who is my neighbor?”by stating that our neighbor is the one who is in need. I watch and listen and I see how you all reach out and care for the people in need around you. It’s really kind of beautiful. I have seen the Mission Committee here try so very hard to give help to those who need it – through CROP Walk, the cans and bottles, the coin jar for loose change, giving to the Human Needs Fund right here in town. I have seen that committee work diligently to give out Spanish Bibles and to facilitate Operation Christmas Child, Stockings for Soldiers, and help the Open Door Mission. I wish we had more money in our budget to give that committee because they are so intentional and thoughtful about sharing our blessings with our neighbors in need. Carol, I hope you asked for more money for next year – because increased Mission, financially and physically,is one of the “Places We’ll Go” as we fund our budget for next year.
And as I think about this first question about who our neighbors are here at Ogden Presbyterian and the Places We’ll Gonext year, I think about the recent Mission Study we did – we spent a significant amount of time identifying specifically who our neighbors in need we feel called to work with. We identified three particular groups to start with: theMigrant Workers, the Veterans and the group of young people in their 20’s and 30’s. It is great that we have identified our neighbors – we have answered that first question. Jesus would be proud of our answer. But, honestly, as much work as that was, that’s the easy part. The hard part is to follow Jesus’ command at the end of that passage: Go and do likewise.
And that brings us to our second question. Right now, as we consider all the places we can go with mission next year, it feels a bit like the scene in Dr. Seuss’s book when the main character is searching –
“you will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?”
So that's the second question: Do we dare? God is calling us places, but: Do we dare to go? Do we dare be that committed? Loving the neighbors we have identified takes energy, imagination, time and quite frankly it takes money. And right now I ask you all: do you dare? Do you dare to go? Do you dare to go to our neighbors the Veterans down the street and sit with them for dinner? Do you dare to go out to the migrant camps and sit with those beautiful folks? Do you dare to consider making changes that will show our 20-30 year olds that this is a place which is welcome and open to their wants and needs as well? As we move through this year’s Stewardship campaign: do you dare to support these missions and neighbors financially through our budget? I hope you do, because if we dare, if we dare to go and do likewise, then, then “Oh The Places We’ll Go!”
If we dare – if we dare to go, then first and foremost we will bring healing. Listen again to the words of Isaiah again that Madi read – a word directly from God’s heart to God's people about what God really wants from us:
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
(I think God’s saying “no” to that)
6 Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to lighten the burdens of those who work for you,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to remove the chains that bind people?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to coverthem,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
And I love this part – God is saying that when we do that, then,
8Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring upquickly;
Awesome. When we dare, when we commit our resources and step out, our healing will spring forth. That is pure joy. And know, sisters and brothers, if we do those things, we do not go alone:
the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
If you remove the yoke from amongyou,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
10 if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in thedarkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
And what happens to us when we dare to go?:
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.
Did you see that? Incredible benefits for daring to go. Benefits will abound for all of us if we, God’s people, dare to go and do likewise – to dare to go out and love our neighbors who are in need. Again, when we, dare to do so:
8Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring upquickly;
then your light shall rise in thedarkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
And: you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.
Sisters and brothers, God has a hold of our hearts here at Ogden Presbyterian. And when we pledge our support to the ministries of this church and we dare to go, we will transform and heal the world around us; our light shines in the dark and we restore the broken lives around us. I don't know about you, but that’s all I've ever wanted to do. Ogden Presbyterian Church, let’s commit our resources and take the chance – let’s dare to go to all the places God is calling us and help her heal the world. It’ll be great.