The Good Samaritan _ Manger to Messiah _ Episode 15 _ Lineage

Anytime a story from the Bible seeps into the very language we use in society, such as David and Goliath, it's clear evidence of both the relevance and enormity of the story. The Good Samaritan is one such passage in the Bible that has been used as an analogy, motivation, and inspiration across societies, cultures, and even faiths. The meaning is so relatable, the lessons are so practical, especially in a world today that is searching for community and meaning. The question, who is my neighbor?, has never been more relevant than today. True religion does not consist in works, traditions, or systems, but rather in seeking the best for others, in acts of loving service, and in genuine compassion for mankind. In Luke chapter 10, Jesus is approached by a lawyer who asks him, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus then asks him, what does the law say? The answer he gets is, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself. Jesus answers and says, you have answered right. Do this and live. Wanting to pursue the question further, the lawyer asks, who is my neighbor? Those in the audience that day knew who their enemies were, the heathen and the Samaritans, but who of their own nation? Amongst a society riddled with classes, amongst leaders who endlessly tried to keep themselves pure, was their neighbor? It was a loaded question, and one that probably would have gotten a different answer from everyone in the audience that day. And instead of giving a theoretical answer, Jesus told a story. A certain man was journeying from Jerusalem down to Jericho when he fell among some robbers who stripped him, beat him, and left him for dead. Today as you drive down the road it goes sharply downhill, for Jerusalem sits at 754 meters above sea level and Jericho sits at 258 meters below sea level, a difference of a thousand meters, or over 3,000 feet. The road journeys through mountainous rocky terrain and it's easy to see how this would have been a treacherous journey with there being many places for robbers to hide. Today along the road you can see an inn of the good Samaritan. Left for dead, the Bible account says in verse 30-32 that a priest was going that way, but when he saw the man he passed over to the other side of the road and went his way. He was not alone, though. A Levite also saw him and he went on his way as well. Both men were called by God to serve the people, but both shirked their duty and showed no compassion to the man in need. The Bible encourages us all the time to look out for those less fortunate, to love the stranger, to do justice, and to love mercy. But here in the story, sadly, we do not see that example from the priests. Then the Bible says how a Samaritan came by, showed compassion, tended to his wounds, and then he took him to an inn where he paid for this stay and also his recovery. This is where the lesson of the story really starts to hit home, for the Jews hated the Samaritans with a passion. They hated their ancestral origins as well as their religious beliefs, which blended aspects of Judaism with other religious teachings. They were considered enemies of each other and there was no love lost at all, but in this story it is the enemy who helps the man. As Jesus finished the story, he asked the question, who was neighbor to the man? Even now the lawyer can't bring himself to say the word Samaritan, so instead he says, he that showed mercy, and Jesus instructs him to do likewise. Today the world is looking for a religion that works, a religion that is practical, a religion that puts aside the prejudices that riddle society, and a church that has love, care, and compassion for all humanity. Our neighbor isn't merely someone of the same church or race as us. Our neighbor has nothing to do with culture, colour, or class. It is anyone who needs our help. May we put aside the prejudices that we have often inherited that others around us have, and may we love others as Jesus did.