Sermon

July 22, 2007
Pentecost 8c
Luke 10:25-37
Pastor Ben Berger

Like a Good Neighbor

WICHITA, Kansas, July 3, 2007 -- On June 23rd a 27 year old Wichita woman lay stabbed and bleeding, inside a convenience store at 25th and Hillside. Wichita police say surveillance video shows shoppers going about their business, not even trying to help or call 911 for a full two minutes. They won’t release the video tape. According to the Wichita Eagle, “no fewer than five store patrons stepped over her to complete purchases." The video shows the woman "struggling to her feet and collapsing three times without anyone helping her." And one woman who stepped over the victim four times while shopping eventually took a "photo of her with a cell phone." The victim, Lashonda Calloway, died at the hospital. (This story was copied from www.ksn.com, a local TV station in Wichita, KS.)

Jesus told a similar story about a traveler going from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him and beat him and left him lying on the side of the road half-dead. Both a priest and a Levite church worker saw the man and passed by on the other side. Only a Samaritan, who was hated by the Jews, stopped and took care of the man.

Jesus told the story in response to a lawyer’s question, “who is my neighbor?” As we study the story further today, Jesus reminds us how he was a good neighbor to us and how we can be good neighbors to others. It reminds me of the State Farm slogan…Like a Good Neighbor 1) Jesus is there and 2) You can be there.

To which of the characters in this story do you relate? You probably don’t relate to the lawyer asking the question. He thought he could get to heaven by doing something. He wanted to justify himself. You probably don’t relate to the priest or Levite. Even though they were faithful believers who even worked in the church, you would never pass-by someone in need of your help. Maybe you relate to the Samaritan. You’re pretty sure that if you saw someone in need of help, especially someone naked, beaten and half-dead, you’d stop to offer help.

I think that we can relate to each of the characters in the story. We’re all like the lawyer at times. We’re proud. We want to justify ourselves by pointing out all the good things we’ve done or the bad things we haven’t done. We’ve never stabbed and murdered anyone. We’ve never robbed someone or beaten him half to death. We do go to church. We take care of our families. We do our jobs. We’re good people. And we deserve some recognition, right?

We’re all like the priest and Levite at times too. We’re apathetic; we don’t care. Well, we don’t care about others. Have you ever seen a homeless person? What did you do? We saw some homeless people in Dallas; I wonder if anyone passed by on the other side. What do you think when you see someone of a different race or color? Or a different financial status? Or someone has a disability? Or some old lady? Or some punk teen? How often do we pass by on the other side.

I actually think that we relate best to the traveler. When we take a good honest look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s law, we’re stripped down, beaten and half-dead. We stand naked before God, wearing not a shred of the perfect robe he demands. We can’t stop the bleeding of our sin and guilt. We know that it’s only a matter of time before we die and suffer eternal punishment. As we lie on the side of the road waiting to die, we see a number of people pass us by. They might want to help, but they can’t; they’re in the same condition we are. They can’t pay for their own sins much less ours. Then we see a man that looks different than all the rest. He stops to help. It’s Jesus.

Isn’t Jesus like the Good Samaritan? Jesus had no reason to love us. We were his natural born enemies because of our sin. We weren’t pretty or handsome. We weren’t smart or cool. We couldn’t give him anything he didn’t already have. We didn’t even meet his minimum standards. On the other hand, Jesus had every reason to pass us by. We were filthy and dirty with sin. We were already going out with the Devil. And we were about to die. Why bother?

When Jesus saw us, he had mercy on us. He pitied us. We were so pathetic and helpless; he couldn’t help but feel sorry for us. So, out of pure mercy, Jesus took care of us. He bandaged our wounds, pouring his own flesh and blood on them. He wiped away our sins. He clothed us with the robe of his righteousness. He carried us on his back to his Father’s inn. He paid the price of his holy, precious blood and innocent suffering and death so that we could live with him forever. Like a good neighbor, Jesus was there.

How do you think the traveler felt toward that Samaritan who saved him? He must have been so grateful. Don’t you think he would have treated others differently after that? Don’t you think he would have looked for opportunities to help others the way he was helped? That’s our reaction to Jesus too. We’re so grateful that he saved us. We want to thank him and look for opportunities to help others. Like a good neighbor, Jesus was there so that like a good neighbor, we can be there.

To be a good neighbor, we have to ask the right question. Remember that Jesus told this story in response to the question, “who is my neighbor?” That’s the wrong question. It’s looking for an excuse to not help some. The better question is, “to whom can I be a neighbor?” Instead of looking for excuses to not help this or that person, I look for ways that I can help.

Then I can answer my own question. Everyone could be my neighbor; everyone could use my help in one way or another. But, I can’t help everyone. One commentator defined neighbor as “those who are near us,” people we know or have contact with. I still can’t help all of them; there are too many. So how do I narrow down the list? I ask whom I can help and how.

There are, of course, many ways you can help others whether at home or at church or at work or in the community. You help your family by providing for their needs and spending time with them. You help people at church by cleaning, cooking, planning, serving, teaching English, giving coats and just by coming. You help others by listening, by encouraging, by smiling and by being there. You help people you don’t know with your prayers and offerings. There are many ways you can find to be a good neighbor.

One way stands out above all the others – telling others about their Savior. You are no longer lying stripped, beaten and half-dead on the side of the road. Jesus has bandaged your wounds, clothed you with his righteousness and paid for your place in heaven. As you walk the road to heaven, you will see many, many people still lying on the side of the road. Remembering what Jesus did for you, what will you do? Just think about how many people you see every day that are still dead in sin and on their way to hell. Don’t walk over them; don’t pass by on the other side. Stop and help them.

Bring Jesus to them. Perhaps when you offer them English or coats or a listening ear or a pleasant smile, they will give you the chance to tell them about Jesus. Tell them how Jesus died on the cross to close their wounds and stop the bleeding of sin and guilt. Tell them how Jesus lived a perfect life to give them a perfect robe. Tell them how Jesus will carry them all the way to heaven and pay for their eternal room in his Father’s mansion.

As you care for these people like a good neighbor, remember the most important question – why. Why are you being a good neighbor? It’s not because you have to keep the law to get into heaven. It’s not because you want to earn good favor with God. It is because Jesus was a good neighbor to you. Like a good neighbor, Jesus was there so that like a good neighbor, you can be there.

© 2007 Mount Olive Ev. Lutheran Church and School - All Rights Reserved