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Throughout this summer here at GracePoint we’ve been focusing our thoughts on a study series I’ve called ‘Key Words’. Each Sunday we’ve been considering together certain key words from God’s written word.

Behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he 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.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Luke 10:25-35, ESV

Today we find it hard to appreciate the gasp and murmur that would have rippled through the crowd at the mere mention of the name ‘Samaritan’, for in Jesus' day the Jews detested the Samaritans. Jesus’ responded to the lawyer’s question, "Who is my neighbour?" by pointing to the example of a despised half-breed.

Jesus told the story He did in order to teach a proper perspective on the everyday encounters all of us have with people in need. In a sense, Jesus skillfully wields this parable like a knife in order to cut through irrelevant religiosity, as represented by the religious lawyer, in order to underscore the importance of reaching out in meaningful ways to people in need we happen to come across in the course of our day. The Lord puts us in particular situations, with particular people, because He wants to use us to reach out in love and help meet their needs; yet, from our perspective it might all seem like merely a chance encounter.

Why did the priest and Levite fail to stop and extend help to the poor guy? Perhaps as the priest in Jesus' story looked at the man lying there in the ditch that day he was concerned that if he stopped to help and the man happened to die in his arms he would have to go through all those various ritual washings and be laid off work for a week throwing his busy schedule into absolute chaos. Perhaps the Levite was concerned that the robbers who did this horrible thing might still be in the area, waiting to pounce on their next victim, and consequently he decided to hurry on his way. But such was not the response of the Samaritan.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”Luke 10:36-37, ESV

It's to you and me this morning, as much as to the lawyer of old, that Jesus says, "Go and do likewise. Go and live out the second greatest commandment, “To love your neighbour as yourself”” Jesus is telling you and me as those in Christ to go and do as the Samaritan did, extending love to those we meet in the seeming coincidences of live who are hurting, helping to lift those who are down out of their ditches.

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1, NIV