Welcome!
Click on 'Comments' below to share how you see the parable of the Good Samaritan at work in the world. Tell which of the characters in the parable you relate to and why. Where do you see mercy in your daily life? Where do you see examples of busyness causing you or others to 'miss mercy'?
I am participating in a seminar over the next year in which I'll be learning more about preaching and how to relate it well to the daily lives and vocation of sermon hearers. I'm very interested in what you think about how well sermons connect with you and how relevant they are to your life. I decided to do an experiment with this week's sermon and invite you to join in an ongoing conversation about how the parable of the Good Samaritan relates to your lives. I've included the passage in the NRSV, which is the version we read in services at Shepherd of the Valley, as well as 'The Message' which is a faithful and engaging paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. Please respond with your insights and engage in the conversation over the next week. Let me know if this is helpful for you in making a connection between Sunday and our one hour of worship to the other 167 hours in your week.
Thanks for your participation!
Pastor Chris Steubing
Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan25 Just 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 neighbour as yourself.’ 28And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 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 neighbour 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.’
Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)
Defining "Neighbor"
25Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
27He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
28"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."
29Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'
36"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
37"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
A few years ago while on a business trip in Boston, I tripped on a cobblestone sidewalk, fell, and re-injured a bad ankle and foot. President Bush was in town and the street on which the injury occurred was blocked off for security. As a struggled to get up, I found I could not put any weight on my foot & ankle and the pain was excruciating. I was crawling toward a parking meter to grasp as a few "Levites" walked precariously by me. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan (an attorney--see, they aren't all bad) stopped and helped me to get myself off of the ground. He then walked 2 blocks to get a cab to come to me on the closed-off street, helped me into a cab, discussed hospital options with me, and rode with me to the hospital. He went into the hospital ER, got a wheel chair and made sure I was safely under the supervision of an ER staffer. I don't know how I would have managed this without his help. I know I would have waited indefinitely in great pain considering the absence of cabs and other foot traffic. Truly, what a blessing it was that he decided to become a Good Samaritan to me. What peace for me.
ReplyDeleteAn opposite experience recently happened to me. It is a rather "odd" experience and I am still processing it. We are relatively new to the Twin Cities but have met some really terrific people, especially in our neighborhood. One couple, in particular, has been very warm and inviting to us, had us to dinner, etc. Recently, they found out that I have a degenerative muscle disease. Since that day, they have withdrawn from our relationship. In prior conversations, they told of a woman who used to live in the neighborhood and that woman became a burden to them because of she would call them when she fell. I suspect that they have now "assumed" I will become that burden if they allow themselves to get too close. Talk about feeling
rejected! So, to me, it appears that they have put me on notice that they will be taking the Levite role; i.e., don't count us if you're laying in the sidewalk. It's hard for me to see this "Christian" couple choose this course of action (withdrawing in our relationship). Your sermon on Sunday really made me commit myself to being in the moment and being mindful to the "neediness" around me on a daily basis. I think we are barraged by Good Samaritan opportunities disguised and often very subtle. I need to slow down and watch for those cues which might be a stranger just needing to talk at Starbucks or a family member needing to share, a volunteer opportunity, etc.
I love this concept you are pursuing with feedback. I wish we could all find a way to do this. I don't give sermons (good thing) but I know I would benefit greatly if people would give me feedback on how to serve them better...not just when I don't serve them, but just in the little things we call daily life. I'd like to stop missing the mark so often.
Thanks for letting me do this.
RKT
A few years ago while on a business trip in Boston, I tripped on a cobblestone sidewalk, fell, and re-injured a bad ankle and foot. President Bush was in town and the street on which the injury occurred was blocked off for security. As a struggled to get up, I found I could not put any weight on my foot & ankle and the pain was excruciating. I was crawling toward a parking meter to grasp as a few "Levites" walked precariously by me. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan (an attorney--see, they aren't all bad) stopped and helped me to get myself off of the ground. He then walked 2 blocks to get a cab to come to me on the closed-off street, helped me into a cab, discussed hospital options with me, and rode with me to the hospital. He went into the hospital ER, got a wheel chair and made sure I was safely under the supervision of an ER staffer. I don't know how I would have managed this without his help. I know I would have waited indefinitely in great pain considering the absence of cabs and other foot traffic. Truly, what a blessing it was that he decided to become a Good Samaritan to me. What peace for me.
ReplyDeleteAn opposite experience recently happened to me. It is a rather "odd" experience and I am still processing it. We are relatively new to the Twin Cities but have met some really terrific people, especially in our neighborhood. One couple, in particular, has been very warm and inviting to us, had us to dinner, etc. Recently, they found out that I have a degenerative muscle disease. Since that day, they have withdrawn from our relationship. In prior conversations, they told of a woman who used to live in the neighborhood and that woman became a burden to them because of she would call them when she fell. I suspect that they have now "assumed" I will become that burden if they allow themselves to get too close. Talk about feeling
rejected! So, to me, it appears that they have put me on notice that they will be taking the Levite role; i.e., don't count us if you're laying in the sidewalk. It's hard for me to see this "Christian" couple choose this course of action (withdrawing in our relationship). Your sermon on Sunday really made me commit myself to being in the moment and being mindful to the "neediness" around me on a daily basis. I think we are barraged by Good Samaritan opportunities disguised and often very subtle. I need to slow down and watch for those cues which might be a stranger just needing to talk at Starbucks or a family member needing to share, a volunteer opportunity, etc.
I love this concept you are pursuing with feedback. I wish we could all find a way to do this. I don't give sermons (good thing) but I know I would benefit greatly if people would give me feedback on how to serve them better...not just when I don't serve them, but just in the little things we call daily life. I'd like to stop missing the mark so often.
Thanks for letting me do this.
RKT
We drive 30 minutes to SOTV, which gives us a great opportunity to discuss the sermon on the way home.
ReplyDeleteYesterday my husband, Terry and I were able to identify with the Levites, the Samaritan and the man by the side of the road.
I am a school social worker, I pray every morning that God will guide me in helping all those who come to my office that day. I want to think I am a Samaritan, but I get paid to be that Samaritan, does that count?
I know there are times when I dodge a needy neighbor in the grocery store because I don't want to take the time to listen again. That sure sounds like a Levite to me.
I went through chemotherapy last year for cancer. On the last day of chemo. I fell down a flight of steps and broke two vertebrae in my back. I was so depressed I wasn't sure I had the desire or energy to go through the therapy that would be necessary to get through this injury too.
I was told I would not be able to return to my office until at least January 1, 2010. My co-workers pretty quickly realized I wasn't returning their calls or making contact with them. One day early in September a small gift and encouraging words showed up hanging on our back door knob from a student and her mother at my school. Everyday until I returned to my office on February 1, 2010 something showed up at my door. When I was too depressed to want to get out of bed in the morning, I often willed myself to get up and check my door knob. My entire school worked together to be the Good Samaritan to me when I was indeed lying by the side of the road.
While I didn't hear your sermon this Sunday, this parable challenges me to serve others as I would want to be served, regardless of any stereotypes or prejudices I may bring to a situation. It also is a perfect example of how extremely basic our calling is as followers of Jesus: just love one another. We are the ones who put boundaries or conditions on this calling. The Levite and Priest each had their own "reason" for not following our call to love, but the Samarian simply responded with his heart. He did not let his head get in the way.
ReplyDeleteWe can use the message from this parable every single day. Will we even notice the opportunities that are presented to us?
This blog is a great idea! I was on the Milwaukee Habitat trip last week, but I look forward to posting in the future. Is there spell check on this blog?
ReplyDeleteChris, I'd like to tell you about an experience I had in 1959 while living in Afghanistan. My Dad worked for AID as an Agricultural Adviser. While traveling to Kashmir one summer by car we came upon a washout and Dad figured the water was too high for us to drive to drive through with our '57 Chevy, so we sat there trying to figure out what to do. Along came a large truck with several men. Now remember these were turbaned men, most likely Muslim. They stopped and with much sign language offered to help us. They had some kind of thick grease which they used to coat the underside of our car and then with Dad at the wheel, one man riding in the car with us, they guided us through the water and we made it safely through. We were so very thankful! I do not know if stopping inconvenienced them in any way, nor do I know if stopping made them late for work, but these Muslim men surely felt that they needed to stop and help strangers in a difficult situation. Muslims can show compassion too! I was quite young and I wish I could remember more details but I do remember their kindness and that without them we would never have made it through.Linda Schneekloth
ReplyDelete