The transcript of Pastor Lola’s message can be read below.
LUKE 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’[”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who treated him kindly.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Luke 10:25-37
KINDNESS IN THIS GROWING SEASON
Springford Baptist Church: May 31,
2020.
This story that Jesus told to define neighbour and to describe what kindness looks like is a familiar one. It has been called the “Parable of the Good Samaritan”.We even use that phrase, “a good Samaritan” to refer to someone who has stopped to help and gone out of his or her way to show kindness. In this current growing season dealing with the effects of the Covid virus, we have heard of and personally experienced many acts of kindness. We have both received and given kindness. God’s love is reflected in every expression of kindness.
Knowing what kindness looks like and what a profound and positive difference the growing of kindness makes, the news coming out of Minneapolis, Minnesota this week is deeply disturbing.We have seen and heard of the evil roots of racism resulting in the death of this black man, George Floyd. When will this stop? When will we see the changes necessary to ensure that each person is treated with respect and kindness as God intends? When will consistent justice result in each person being regarded as our neighbour, loved by God and loved by us?
As I read this Scripture, the story that Jesus tells to define neighbour, the key that I identify is that we cannot “pass by on the other side”.We cannot “pass by on the other side”! If we, “love the Lord our God with all of our of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbour as ourselves” (Luke 10:27) then we cannot “pass by on the other side”!! When we see someone in need, the kindness that God’s Spirit grows in us, compels us to do what we can to help, to demonstrate kindness.
Do you notice, as I do, that in Jesus’ story, the religious leaders, the ones we would expect to come to the assistance of the man who had been attacked by robbers, are the ones who, “pass by on the other side”?The priest and the Levite religious man both come on the scene and witness the need. They are individuals who claim to love God, but it does not get expressed in regarding this wounded man as a neighbour and loving Him with kindness.
Jesus is deliberate in this “Parable of the Good Samaritan” because he makes the hero of the story someone most unexpected.The Jews and the Samaritans had a long history of hate and distrust.This is not unlike the tragic history of race relations between white and black individuals both in the States and in Canada. Why is it that we have permitted the colour of someone’s skin to determine whether or not that person is considered a neighbour and someone to be responded to with respect and kindness?
A Samaritan is the last person that Jesus’ audience for this story would have expected to be the hero, the example of one who showed God’s love and kindness.Yet, it is the Samaritan who rather than, “passing by on the other side”, stops to help.We are told that when he saw the man, he, “had pity on him” (vs. 33). The heart of the Samaritan was filled with compassion and the natural result was to respond with kindness. When God’s love is growing in us and His Holy Spirit is at work, then our hearts are filled with compassion. Instead of thinking of all the reasons why we can’t get involved, kindness moves us to do what we can.
If we were to set this
same story somewhere in the Southern states, then we could tell the
story of a white, well dressed businessman who was driving to an
important meeting when he has car trouble. He pulls over to the side
of the road and becomes the target of some local car thieves who beat
him up and take off with his vehicle. He is lying at the side of the
road when a Baptist preacher comes along, but he takes one look and
wants to get to the planning session for church expansion that he is
meant to lead, so he quickly drives by. Next a pleasant woman on her
way to the weekly prayer meeting comes on the scene. She too drives
past, but does pray for the man on the way by. Who will help this man
in need? Who will show kindness?
A battered motorcycle pulls up
and a man gets off and goes to see what he can do. He is concerned
for the man lying on the side of the road and gets out some bandages
and ointment to do what he can. Then he lifts the man on to his bike
to drive him to the hospital. When the businessman looks into the
face of his rescuer, he is surprised to see that it is a black man…
And then the question that arises out of the story is posed, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers”? (vs. 36) The answer is obvious, “the one who treated him kindly” (vs. 37), but it doesn’t end there, does it? Jesus says, “Go and do likewise” (vs. 37) or “Go and do the same”.
Sometimes, we are hesitant to get involved because of fear or we are so caught up in our own concerns that we, “pass by on the other side.”When we are followers of Jesus, then we must find ways to do what we can to show kindness. This is something that shines through in this story. The Samaritan did what he could. He bandaged the man’s wounds and took him to an inn to recover. When we as God’s church make ourselves available to show kindness and to have kindness grow in us then sometimes we will act as individuals and sometimes we will serve best by involving others. It all begins with the genuine compassion that God places in us for people. It is a compassion that does not exclude people for any reason and responds by doing what we can to help as God enables us.
There are many needs now during this pandemic and we are all well aware that the needs will continue. God can use each of us, if we let His kindness grow in us. God can use each of us if, rather than passing by on the other side, we ask God to show us how to do what we can to love our neighbours with the loving kindness of the Lord our God!