It wasn’t orchestrated, but the placement of the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37) at this point in our course is God-ordained, perfect timing. We are at the tail-end of our Redemptive Presence project, and I hope you did not miss the connections.In his wring, Wright points out that this is the first parable in the Discipleship section of Luke (p. 128), thus emphasizing it's importance. Moreover, he wants us to move beyond the obvious moral lessons of 1) helping those in need, 2) even if that person is somehow your mortal enemy. Rather, the greater, or probably the “deeper,” lesson is: that as followers of God we should not just do good, but that we should see ourselves as called to do good (i.e., Micah 6:8).
In the text Wright asks: “will we see it as a call and challenge to extend that love and grace (God’s love and grace given to us) to the whole world” (p. 129)?
This is certainly, in light of our recent work, a very appropriate question for us to ask.
He concludes: “No church, no Christian, can remain content with easy definitions which allow us to watch most of the world lying in half-dead in the road. Today’s preachers, and today’s defenders of the Gospel, must find fresh ways of telling the story of God’s love which will do for our day what the brilliant parable did for Jesus’ first hearers.” (p. 129)
So, how is our Redemptive Presence? Is there something for all of us to learn from this courageous Samaritan?
Bill H
5 comments:
Definitely something to learn here. The text suggest that we must basically think about the person we despise the most, and help them when they are in need. This is difficult. Being home reminded me that sometimes the reason we have a hard time showing love to the people we don't like is because we don't spend enough time and energy on them as we do on the people we do like. If we spent time with the people we "hate" spending time with, we might begin to love them. How often do we let our judgments hinder us from really getting to know someone and really loving them?
Crazy as it, sometimes the hardest person to love is right there in your family. My grandma reminded me that you can't pick your neighbors or your family, reminding me that I have to love both all the same.
This passage is one of my all time favorites in the NT. It is sobbering to think that the religious men of that day passed by without offering assistance. It is far easier for us to send a check to help someone on the other side of the world and walk by someone in need in our own community without any thought of offering help. As Mandy pointed out,"How often do we let our judgments hinder us from really getting to know someone and really loving them?"
Per Pastor Bill, "lesson is: that as followers of God we should not just do good, but that we should see ourselves as called to do good (i.e., Micah 6:8)."
This reminds me of the old cliche, "don't be concerned with doing, but instead concern yourself with being." We will do right things if we are what we are supposed to be. As a true disciple of christ -- good deeds will follow out of compassion.
Andy
Andy's comment struck me that it is about being and not doing. I am realizing more all the time just how distracted I get--I start with my eyes on Jesus and gradually wean my attention away to the problem, whether its ministry or my health, and I am off balance.God keeps showing me as I do this course that when I keep my eyes on him other things fall into place (although they may not fall where I thought I should)
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