Rev. David Holwick ZL
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 23, 2003
Luke 10:25-37
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I. Remember when you knew your neighbors?
A. Things have changed over the years.
1) We still know some of our neighbors.
2) But it's not like The Andy Griffith Show anymore.
(and it never was)
B. That's precisely what people are looking for in a church.
1) They want to come to a place where everyone knows their
name. (even without booze to loosen them up)
2) They want to come to a place where people really care.
II. You've heard the story before.
Early in 1994 a waitress in Denver, Colorado, was kidnapped.
She fled her abductor and flagged down a passing motorist on an
interstate.
The rescuing motorist was named Jaquie Creazzo.
As the two drove to the hospital, the kidnapper caught them,
shot the motorist, and re-abducted the waitress.
A newspaper headline said, "Failure to Save Woman Pains Good
Samaritan."
The story began, "Jaquie Creazzo, the good Samaritan who helped
a woman fleeing her abductor, doesn't feel like a hero."
Then it went on to say that Creazzo was shot twice and will
never walk again.
The woman she tried to help was eventually found murdered.
Quite a story. With one major fallacy.
Jaquie Creazzo is not from Samaria, a hilly region halfway
between Jerusalem and Galilee in present-day Israel,
over 6,800 miles from Colorado.
Jaquie is an American living in Denver.
Did the reporter get her notes jumbled?
There was no mistake.
Everyone who read this newspaper article knew what the reporter
meant by calling Jaquie Creazzo a "good Samaritan."
The reference came from a parable of Jesus told twenty
centuries ago to a different culture, in a different time,
and speaking a different language and yet it is a
household expression today. #3268
A. Meaning of parable: there are two types of people:
1) People who care.
2) People who don't.
B. Their attitudes were set earlier in life, and actions followed.
1) Notice that those with religious backgrounds didn't do
too well.
III. How to avoid being uncaring.
A. Move beyond being self-centered.
1) The priest and Levite were important men due to their
positions in Judaism.
a) Speculation: they couldn't be bothered with an unknown
person.
2) How self-centered are we?
a) Are you tempted to think, "What's in it for me if I help
this person"?
b) Jesus acknowledges this kind of motivation.
"Even sinners will love their own."
"Even sinners help out - if they get paid back."
B. Move beyond being too hurried.
1) It is possible they were too busy to stop.
An ethics professor at Princeton Seminary asked for
volunteers for an extra assignment.
About half the class met him at the library to receive
their mission.
The professor divided the students into three groups of
five each.
He gave the first group envelopes telling them to proceed
immediately across campus to Stewart Hall.
He told them that they had 15 minutes and if they didn't
arrive on time, it would affect their grade.
A minute or two later, he handed out envelopes to five
others.
They were also to go over to Stewart Hall, but they had
45 minutes.
The third group had three hours to get to Stewart Hall.
The students weren't aware of it, but the professor had
arranged for three drama students to meet them.
Close to the beginning of their walk, one of the drama
students had his hands on his head and was moaning
out loud as if in great pain.
About half way to Stewart Hall, on the steps of the chapel,
the seminary students passed a man who was lying face
down as if unconscious.
Finally, on the steps of Stewart Hall, the third drama
student was acting out a seizure.
In the first group of students, those who had only 15
minutes to get across campus, no one stopped to help.
In the second group, two students stopped to help.
In the last group, the one that had three hours for their
assignment, all of the students stopped to help at least
one person.
The professor had clearly shown these seminarians that
hurry hinders helping.
#25598
2) Are you too hurried to help?
a) If you are so busy you don't have time for people,
cut some activities out of your life.
C. Move beyond being isolated.
1) The priest and Levite didn't want to get contaminated.
a) When religious leaders touched a dead body they caused
a big headache for themselves due to Jewish law.
b) The cleansing process was a time-consuming hassle
which they naturally would want to avoid.
2) It is natural for us to want to avoid other people's messes.
a) But everyone has messes, so avoiding them leaves you
all alone.
b) (and remember that you have caused messes, too)
D. Move beyond intentional insensitivity.
1) They deliberately avoided the man.
2) Whom do YOU avoid?
E. Move beyond thinking someone else will help.
1) In this story, someone else did help.
a) Does this get them off the hook? No!
2) We are each obligated by God to do what we can do.
IV. How to increase your care level.
A. Caring people put aside prejudices. 10:33
1) The Samaritan helped a Jew, whom he should have hated.
2) Jesus died for all men, regardless of race or status.
B. Caring people notice other's pain.
1) He saw the man and took pity on him.
2) Do you take time to notice hurts and pains?
C. Caring people take time to be compassionate.
1) Jesus often felt compassion for people.
2) You care about what happens to them.
3) You want to make their life better.
D. Caring people get involved.
1) The Samaritan's actions speak loudly:
a) Gave the guy first aid.
b) Bandaged his wounds.
c) Lifted him onto his donkey.
d) Led him to an inn.
e) Made him comfortable.
f) Gave money to the innkeeper.
g) Offered to cover future expenses.
2) Feeling compassion is nice. "Doing" compassion is better.
E. Caring people are not stingy. 10:35
1) The Samaritan coughed up what was required.
a) Can you imagine helping an accident victim today, and
telling the hospital, "Just put it on my bill"??
Maybe we could cover the daily TV charge for the room.
2) Real compassion will usually cost us something concrete.
a) According to God, people are worth it.
3) Jesus - "Go and do the same."
a) The Samaritan set an example for all of us to follow.
V. Seven simple steps to get this into your life.
A. Identify people who need your care.
1) Make a short list of people you could help.
B. Reach out to people - don't wait for them to come to you.
1) Most people won't share their pain but keep it inside.
2) Draw it out of them.
C. Communicate beyond the superficial level.
1) Go deeper than, "How are you?"
Often the reason we don't care for each other is that we
don't hear when someone expresses a need.
One woman was fed up with the "cliche'" superficial level
of communication in her church, so she conducted an
experiment.
To everyone who asked her, while passing the hallways,
"How are you?" she replied, "Lousy!"
Some didn't even hear what she said.
Others said, "I'm sorry to hear that."
But no one asked her why, no one went any deeper.
2) Ask probing, thoughtful questions, especially about their
struggles and their spirituality.
D. Empathize with them.
1) Galatians 6:2 - "Bear one another's burdens."
2) Try to feel what they are going through.
E. Listen without judging.
1) This is especially hard for born-again Christians.
a) "Of course your life is messed up!
You broke commandments 2, 4, 7, and 8!"
b) Listening doesn't mean our convictions go out the
windows, just that we give them time to pour out
their heart.
2) Good listening requires concentration.
3) Hear what is not said, as well as what is.
a) Body language can speak volumes.
F. Respond with a caring gift.
1) Give them something tangible, even a card that says,
"I'm praying for you." Then pray for them!
G. Know the ultimate source of compassion.
1) Compassion is not just what you do. It is who you are.
2) We can care for others, because Jesus first cared for us.
a) If you are truly a follower, you will want to be like
him.
3) A personal faith in makes a difference.
Good deeds may not get you into heaven, but a recent study found they
are a pretty good indication of who is faithful among us.
Scientists at the National Opinion Research Center have determined
that when it comes to inspiring altruism (do-gooding), nothing
matters except faith.
-- not gender, race, social class, political affiliation or where you
live.
According to the study, Americans on average do 109 altruistic acts
each year.
But those who attend a place of worship weekly report doing an average
of 128 good deeds a year.
People who never attend perform only 96 acts of kindness on average.
There is an even more dramatic result when you compare those who pray
with those who don't.
The report said those who pray did three times as many acts of
kindness as those who never pray.
#25209
4) If YOU have faith, show it!
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
This sermon is very closely based on "Becoming a Caring Church" by
Rev. Dan Warkentin, Discovery Church (Mennonite Brethren) in Pitt
Meadows, British Columbia, Canada. http://www.discoverychurch.net/
# 3268 "Lessons From the Master," Monte Unger, Discipleship Journal #82,
July-August 1994, page 48.
#25209 "Random Acts Of Kindness Are Not So Random," by Hannah Lodwick,
Associated Baptist Press, http://www.abpnews.com/abpnews/;
July 29, 2003. The original article puts more emphasis on
how altruism runs across religious lines.
#25598 "Hurry Hinders Helping," Rev. Brett Blair's Illustrations by
Email, www.sermonillustrations.com; July 15, 2003.
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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