By Ronald E.
George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church
I had been speaking to a man about coming to church when he related to
me the following the story: he
said that sometime ago, he had broken down in his automobile beside the road
that led to a local church. All
the folks in this small town knew one another and consequently he knew them as
well. Everyone knew this fellow
who had broken down. He wasn’t
known to be an ambitious worker and he had relied on government assistance for
sometime. This fellow related to
me how that on Sunday morning the folks of this church had passed him up on
their way to worship that day. He
was within sight of their building.
I have heard others say that so and so in the church won’t speak to
me. They pass by on the other
side of the aisle. Standing in the grocery line that church members wouldn’t
even return my greeting. Who is
your neighbor?
Scripture Text:
Luke 10:29 (KJS) But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus,
And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain [man] went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him
of his raiment, and wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead. 31
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was
at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side. 33
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw
him, he had compassion [on him], 34 And went to [him], and bound up his
wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought
him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed,
he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take
care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell
among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then
said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The Purpose of this sermon is to show how our
faith should affect those who we choose to love.
This is Community Ministry.
We are not just here to help our little group, but we are here to
work to help others.
1.
Do you like your neighbor? Do
you love your neighbor?
Did your neighbor love you?
Did Jesus? Is he your
neighbor? Do you love those
around you? Who is your neighbor?
He is the wounded man: the
injured one who has no help and is certain to die unless someone intervenes on
his behalf.
Who is going to become a
neighbor to the wounded ones? There
are many who are living within the shadow of the steeple who need a neighbor
like Jesus. Who need a neighbor
like you? Who will reach out to
them?
2.
If You are laying half dead in a ditch,
who would you want to come by?
Possibility number one: A Priest: (a
preacher) the leader of the people of God.
Would he be the one who would reach down into the ditch to pull out the
one who was going to die? Why did
he pass by on the other side? His
faith had no effect on who he was. He
could say he loved God and not love those around him. He was a professional leader of the people of God.
Would he be the one who would help you?
Possibility number two: A Levite: (a deacon) A person of God with a Godly
heritage. One who knows the Lord
and works outside of the church. Why
did he pass by on the other side? He
stops to look and then goes on. He
doesn’t have time. He doesn’t
make the time to help. His faith
did not change his response to the injured man.
Possibility number three: A Samaritan: (a
person from the wrong side of the river) A man of an uncertain heritage.
One who was not likely to be the one who would reach down to the man
who was going to die? What did he do? He
went further than he had to. His
faith caused him to go down to lift up the injured man. He did make a difference.
Possibility number four: A person just like you.
With your schedule, your time, your money, your car, your family, your
bills, your faith, your love, your care, and your face.
It is you looking down on yourself in the ditch.
Will you help that person who is lying there?
3.
On which side of the ditch do you find yourself today?
1. Lying
in the ditch in need of help. Don’t
need anything? Are you sure about
that?
2.
Walking on the other side of the road from the ditch to
avoid any entanglements. And
still in need of God’s help.
3. Looking
down into the ditch trying to decide what to do.
4.
Standing in the ditch to lift out the injured ones.
This is sharing the faith. Working
with the Lord to help others.
The Lord told this story to
tell the man who was his neighbor. Who
was the neighbor to the injured man? Are
you that type of neighbor to those who live around you?
You may say that none of your neighbors are lying in the ditch and if
they were you would go and help them. But,
injury takes many more forms than those who have been attacked physically.
There are many who are living an empty life looking for satisfaction,
fulfillment, and hope that we have in Christ.
He is the balm of Gilead that will cure the need that they have in
their lives. But, will you reach
down and give Him to them or will you pass on the other side. Friend day is coming up and if you don’t have any
friends who are laying in the ditch of spiritual death then it is time that we
opened up our eyes and made an attempt to find those in our neighborhoods who
are going to die without help.
4.
Jesus is like the Good Samaritan.
He reaches down in the ditch for us.
He died so we may live. Without
his sacrifice for us we would surely die.
The true neighbor is the one who loves folks as the Lord loves them.
He took time out for us. He
left his throne in glory to come to die in our place.
Jesus was a neighbor to you. Are
we being neighborly like He is to us?
Many folks who walk upright into today’s churches find themselves
lying in the spiritual ditch because they are passing by on the other side
from those who are in need of a helping hand and some love and care.
Who will take the time to share your faith?
If you have it you will be led by the Lord to share it.
If you follow his direction then you will reach down.
Many emphasize the testimony from the lips and neglect the testimony
from the life. Faith without
works is useless according to James.
A fellow came to me this week and asked if we had a kitchen in our
church. He then asked if we would
be willing to use it to feed the hungry?
Who is my neighbor? And who are the hungry?
Do we want those people in our church?
Does Jesus?