WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:07.910 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast. This is 1 00:00:07.942 --> 00:00:10.550 where you can find audio from Sunday morning, messages and 2 00:00:10.582 --> 00:00:13.414 more. Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss 3 00:00:13.454 --> 00:00:15.914 future episodes. And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:20.494 --> 00:00:23.458 Amen. Good, morning. If 5 00:00:23.474 --> 00:00:26.378 you got your bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join me 6 00:00:26.474 --> 00:00:29.378 in Luke, chapter ten. I will be in verse 7 00:00:29.434 --> 00:00:32.432 25 here in just a moment. Kind 8 00:00:32.456 --> 00:00:35.170 of a little audible that we're going to call, during our 9 00:00:35.210 --> 00:00:38.178 service to fill you guys in. So, after the last, 10 00:00:38.176 --> 00:00:41.116 song, I want to ask everybody to kind of hold tight here. Again, 11 00:00:41.148 --> 00:00:44.070 this will be at the very end of the service. I, also want to give a heads 12 00:00:44.094 --> 00:00:47.046 up to any of our staff and elders that are in the room. I'm going to ask 13 00:00:47.062 --> 00:00:49.916 that the staff and elders come up front, right down here. and at the 14 00:00:49.932 --> 00:00:52.284 very end of the service, what we have is one of our 15 00:00:52.316 --> 00:00:55.182 missionaries, Darryl and Christina cheek, that have been with 16 00:00:55.238 --> 00:00:58.212 us, for a while now. We've been partnering with them in the Philippines, 17 00:00:58.268 --> 00:01:01.180 and they've been stateside for an extended period of time. 18 00:01:01.180 --> 00:01:04.002 M ready this week to head back to the Philippines 19 00:01:04.058 --> 00:01:06.988 to continue in their ministry. and so as 20 00:01:07.036 --> 00:01:09.860 they are preparing to be sent off this week and head there, 21 00:01:09.932 --> 00:01:12.820 we want to have a time at the very end of the service where 22 00:01:12.852 --> 00:01:15.684 we pray for them. So I'm going to have staff and elders come up and 23 00:01:15.724 --> 00:01:18.604 join me so we can lay hands on them as they 24 00:01:18.644 --> 00:01:21.324 go. And then for you, as the congregation, just 25 00:01:21.364 --> 00:01:24.324 join us in that time of prayer. So we'll have the message, 26 00:01:24.364 --> 00:01:27.198 we'll have our last song in worship, and then, we'll have that brief 27 00:01:27.246 --> 00:01:29.702 moment together at the very end of the service on. From the 28 00:01:29.718 --> 00:01:32.586 floor, right here, where we will pray for them, as 29 00:01:32.650 --> 00:01:35.274 they listen to continue to see what God has, in 30 00:01:35.314 --> 00:01:36.970 store for them. 31 00:01:37.162 --> 00:01:40.108 Well, today's parable is we're journeying through, these 32 00:01:40.156 --> 00:01:42.772 stories of Christ. This parable is 33 00:01:42.828 --> 00:01:45.706 probably, I didn't do any research to come to 34 00:01:45.730 --> 00:01:48.196 this conclusion, but I know how this 35 00:01:48.308 --> 00:01:50.974 story has impacted, not 36 00:01:51.022 --> 00:01:53.886 only the lives of those of us who are followers of 37 00:01:53.918 --> 00:01:56.566 Christ, but in so many ways. You've seen 38 00:01:56.678 --> 00:01:59.446 this parable infiltrate in so many different 39 00:01:59.478 --> 00:02:02.270 ways. Culture and media. And 40 00:02:02.310 --> 00:02:05.060 even when you talk to people of other faiths, this is a 41 00:02:05.100 --> 00:02:08.004 story that they are aware of. And so this morning, we're going 42 00:02:08.012 --> 00:02:10.588 to look at the parable of the good 43 00:02:10.644 --> 00:02:13.340 Samaritan. Now, as we've been doing, we 44 00:02:13.380 --> 00:02:15.798 understand that the word parable means, like, come 45 00:02:15.830 --> 00:02:18.694 alongside. And so what Jesus does when he teaches 46 00:02:18.798 --> 00:02:21.766 these parables, it's not just necessarily story 47 00:02:21.814 --> 00:02:24.814 time with Jesus, and he gathers everybody around to tell 48 00:02:24.838 --> 00:02:26.720 him good stories, because he is a great 49 00:02:26.776 --> 00:02:29.640 storyteller, but it's that something happens and 50 00:02:29.656 --> 00:02:32.504 there's this moment. And Jesus, in 51 00:02:32.608 --> 00:02:35.476 seeking to teach, about the kingdom of 52 00:02:35.524 --> 00:02:38.044 God, uses these parables that 53 00:02:38.108 --> 00:02:40.804 culturally would have come in and 54 00:02:40.868 --> 00:02:43.116 fit and worked, and people would have 55 00:02:43.164 --> 00:02:45.998 understood in a lot of ways, the cultural 56 00:02:46.070 --> 00:02:48.782 impact of what he's talking about. But then oftentimes 57 00:02:48.862 --> 00:02:51.294 people wouldn't even understand because the deep 58 00:02:51.358 --> 00:02:54.038 spiritual meaning of what Christ is teaching 59 00:02:54.070 --> 00:02:56.862 about is beyond their comprehension. It's 60 00:02:56.902 --> 00:02:59.774 beyond their faith, it's beyond what they believe and 61 00:02:59.798 --> 00:03:02.668 understand. And so what we're trying to do, in this 62 00:03:02.700 --> 00:03:05.572 context, as we work through this, is understand 63 00:03:05.732 --> 00:03:08.602 what kind of triggers the parable to happen for 64 00:03:08.642 --> 00:03:11.554 Christ as he teaches, and then also for that 65 00:03:11.618 --> 00:03:13.422 kind of understanding, 66 00:03:14.762 --> 00:03:17.690 the message that Christ has for us of how he 67 00:03:17.706 --> 00:03:20.434 could go and he could share this parable 68 00:03:20.538 --> 00:03:23.370 in a time and in a day and in a culture that 69 00:03:23.386 --> 00:03:26.202 is way different from what you and I live in, 70 00:03:26.242 --> 00:03:29.210 but it still has this kingdom power of 71 00:03:29.266 --> 00:03:32.098 what's there for us to understand. So 72 00:03:32.170 --> 00:03:35.170 let's look in Luke 1025 through 28, we're 73 00:03:35.186 --> 00:03:38.124 going to get the context in which Jesus is going 74 00:03:38.148 --> 00:03:40.932 to share this parable. And so God's word 75 00:03:40.972 --> 00:03:43.668 says, and behold, a 76 00:03:43.700 --> 00:03:46.446 lawyer stood up, to put him 77 00:03:46.494 --> 00:03:49.214 to test, saying, teacher, 78 00:03:49.398 --> 00:03:51.974 what shall I do to inherit 79 00:03:52.078 --> 00:03:54.958 eternal life? And he said to 80 00:03:54.990 --> 00:03:57.934 him, what is written in the law? How 81 00:03:57.958 --> 00:04:00.246 do you read it? And he 82 00:04:00.294 --> 00:04:03.254 answered, you shall love the Lord your God with 83 00:04:03.278 --> 00:04:05.822 all your heart and with all your soul and with all your 84 00:04:05.862 --> 00:04:08.798 strength and with all your mind and your 85 00:04:08.830 --> 00:04:11.454 neighbor as yourself. And he said to 86 00:04:11.478 --> 00:04:14.442 him, you have answered correctly, 87 00:04:14.822 --> 00:04:17.398 do this and you will live. 88 00:04:17.590 --> 00:04:20.566 So here's this interaction that we 89 00:04:20.614 --> 00:04:23.602 have with Jesus and a lawyer, 90 00:04:24.142 --> 00:04:27.102 a man who understood the law, who 91 00:04:27.142 --> 00:04:29.662 comes to Jesus, and let's understand 92 00:04:29.782 --> 00:04:31.802 this man's motivation. 93 00:04:32.522 --> 00:04:35.382 His motivation is to put him to test. 94 00:04:36.162 --> 00:04:39.034 This is not a man with a genuine concern, 95 00:04:39.138 --> 00:04:42.018 with a genuine confession of hearing of all 96 00:04:42.050 --> 00:04:44.906 that Jesus is teaching about. And he wants to be 97 00:04:44.994 --> 00:04:47.842 challenged, he wants to be convicted. This 98 00:04:47.922 --> 00:04:50.818 man comes to Jesus to try to 99 00:04:50.850 --> 00:04:53.498 catch Jesus, to set the 100 00:04:53.530 --> 00:04:56.462 stage for Jesus, to teach heresy. 101 00:04:57.382 --> 00:04:59.922 But this man also comes to Jesus 102 00:05:00.462 --> 00:05:01.962 with qualifications. 103 00:05:03.262 --> 00:05:06.174 This man comes to Jesus in their culture and 104 00:05:06.198 --> 00:05:08.532 in their context, as a lawyer, 105 00:05:08.912 --> 00:05:11.640 not just necessarily understanding the law 106 00:05:11.776 --> 00:05:14.624 of the land at the time, but also 107 00:05:14.688 --> 00:05:17.212 to understand the law of God. 108 00:05:17.952 --> 00:05:20.072 So the question that he 109 00:05:20.112 --> 00:05:23.080 asks, in his culture, they would 110 00:05:23.096 --> 00:05:25.942 have actually looked at him to answer 111 00:05:25.982 --> 00:05:28.854 this question. So, you know, that person 112 00:05:28.918 --> 00:05:31.718 that always thinks they're right and always wants to 113 00:05:31.750 --> 00:05:34.202 prove that they're right and show that they're right, 114 00:05:34.862 --> 00:05:37.598 and they like to ask questions to make other people 115 00:05:37.670 --> 00:05:40.454 feel belittled. This is the 116 00:05:40.478 --> 00:05:43.182 context of which we find that he 117 00:05:43.222 --> 00:05:46.214 interacts with Jesus. Oh, let's 118 00:05:46.238 --> 00:05:49.150 just say this. Let's all agree to this, that I think if you 119 00:05:49.166 --> 00:05:51.762 want to get in an argument with Jesus, 120 00:05:52.942 --> 00:05:55.478 Jesus is going to win. Right? Like, 121 00:05:55.670 --> 00:05:58.654 that's just like, this is what we see. This is who he 122 00:05:58.678 --> 00:06:01.366 is. Jesus is going to win, and Jesus 123 00:06:01.414 --> 00:06:04.166 wins. But Jesus doesn't do 124 00:06:04.254 --> 00:06:06.686 what the man thinks that he would have 125 00:06:06.734 --> 00:06:09.286 done. Jesus receives his 126 00:06:09.334 --> 00:06:12.206 question and actually answers his 127 00:06:12.254 --> 00:06:14.762 question with two questions. 128 00:06:15.182 --> 00:06:17.874 We, love to do that as parents, right? This is what 129 00:06:17.898 --> 00:06:20.806 Jesus does. Jesus says what is written in the 130 00:06:20.822 --> 00:06:23.702 law. But then Jesus 131 00:06:23.750 --> 00:06:25.378 says, how do you read it? 132 00:06:26.198 --> 00:06:28.738 Or how do you understand it? 133 00:06:29.278 --> 00:06:32.174 Tell me what's written in the law. How do you read 134 00:06:32.206 --> 00:06:34.698 it? How do you understand it? 135 00:06:35.478 --> 00:06:38.374 So the man, being a lawyer, being understanding 136 00:06:38.406 --> 00:06:40.582 of the law, he 137 00:06:40.630 --> 00:06:43.254 knows the answer to Jesus 138 00:06:43.326 --> 00:06:46.190 question. And what he does is, we're gonna have these 139 00:06:46.214 --> 00:06:49.070 verses up on the screen. He takes deuteronomy six five. 140 00:06:49.174 --> 00:06:52.054 He takes Leviticus 19, 18. And he 141 00:06:52.070 --> 00:06:55.022 melds them together to be the answer 142 00:06:55.054 --> 00:06:57.926 that he gives Jesus. So I wanna read deuteronomy six five 143 00:06:57.966 --> 00:07:00.854 to you. It says, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and 144 00:07:00.870 --> 00:07:03.478 with all your soul and with all your might. And 145 00:07:03.502 --> 00:07:06.318 Leviticus 1918. You shall not 146 00:07:06.342 --> 00:07:09.274 take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of Ural 147 00:07:09.390 --> 00:07:12.266 people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 148 00:07:12.346 --> 00:07:13.486 I am the Lord. 149 00:07:15.346 --> 00:07:17.126 So he answered Jesus question. 150 00:07:18.266 --> 00:07:20.486 He takes what he understands, 151 00:07:21.226 --> 00:07:23.762 what he's been taught. He 152 00:07:23.794 --> 00:07:26.682 takes the depth of the law. Deuteronomy six, 153 00:07:26.794 --> 00:07:29.698 Leviticus 19. He 154 00:07:29.722 --> 00:07:32.538 meshes them together and he 155 00:07:32.602 --> 00:07:35.534 responds to Jesus. And 156 00:07:35.550 --> 00:07:38.346 so Jesus looks back at him 157 00:07:39.486 --> 00:07:42.438 and he says, you've answered this correctly. Do this 158 00:07:42.462 --> 00:07:45.374 and you will live. Here's Jesus's 159 00:07:45.430 --> 00:07:48.022 response if we want to understand it. Okay. You 160 00:07:48.054 --> 00:07:50.446 know, you 161 00:07:50.486 --> 00:07:53.426 know what you should do? 162 00:07:54.406 --> 00:07:57.302 Fulfill it fully. Do 163 00:07:57.334 --> 00:07:57.906 this. 164 00:07:59.446 --> 00:08:02.238 Here's the point that we're going to get to within the 165 00:08:02.262 --> 00:08:04.896 dynamic of understanding where this. Where this parable 166 00:08:05.086 --> 00:08:08.004 is coming from and what you and I need to understand about the 167 00:08:08.020 --> 00:08:09.936 grace and the mercy and the goodness of God. 168 00:08:10.876 --> 00:08:13.524 When we compare ourselves to the standard of the 169 00:08:13.540 --> 00:08:16.536 law, we lose every time. 170 00:08:17.316 --> 00:08:19.988 We lose every time. And 171 00:08:20.012 --> 00:08:23.004 apart for the goodness 172 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:26.112 of God. You and I, 173 00:08:26.086 --> 00:08:28.470 in every effort that we could come up with 174 00:08:29.050 --> 00:08:31.590 to attempt to justify ourselves 175 00:08:32.150 --> 00:08:34.822 in the comparison of God's standard will 176 00:08:34.886 --> 00:08:37.130 fail every time. 177 00:08:38.070 --> 00:08:39.970 So how would you respond to that? 178 00:08:41.190 --> 00:08:43.650 What if the lawyer, in that moment 179 00:08:45.150 --> 00:08:46.530 when Jesus said 180 00:08:48.070 --> 00:08:51.062 fulfill it fully, would have said, 181 00:08:51.086 --> 00:08:54.010 but I can't, but I can't. 182 00:08:55.590 --> 00:08:57.570 But he doesn't look at verse 29, 183 00:08:59.290 --> 00:09:00.350 but he 184 00:09:01.650 --> 00:09:04.554 desiring to. And you 185 00:09:04.562 --> 00:09:07.506 can underline these two words in your bible. Desiring 186 00:09:07.538 --> 00:09:09.030 to justify himself, 187 00:09:10.570 --> 00:09:13.546 said to Jesus, and who 188 00:09:13.578 --> 00:09:16.098 is my neighbor? You 189 00:09:16.114 --> 00:09:18.930 see, a lot of emphasis is put on 190 00:09:18.970 --> 00:09:21.714 this question, and it's a great question. And we're going to 191 00:09:21.802 --> 00:09:24.730 look at some of this depth of this question. But I think the 192 00:09:24.770 --> 00:09:27.508 other aspect that oftentimes gets neglected when we look 193 00:09:27.524 --> 00:09:30.220 at this parable as the heart and the motivation 194 00:09:30.340 --> 00:09:32.820 of this lawyer and how he's asking Jesus these 195 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:35.828 questions. You see, his first motivation was 196 00:09:35.844 --> 00:09:38.556 he came to test. Now his 197 00:09:38.588 --> 00:09:41.320 motivation is he came to justify himself. 198 00:09:42.100 --> 00:09:44.940 And if we know with Jesus within these interactions, like 199 00:09:45.060 --> 00:09:47.940 Jesus knows in the sovereignty of God, 200 00:09:48.020 --> 00:09:50.996 he knows the heart, he knows the mind, he knows 201 00:09:51.028 --> 00:09:53.988 what they're seeking to do. And so 202 00:09:54.004 --> 00:09:56.996 it says, Bible says, but he, desiring 203 00:09:57.108 --> 00:09:59.804 to justify himself, said to Jesus, 204 00:09:59.892 --> 00:10:02.156 and who is my 205 00:10:02.268 --> 00:10:05.196 neighbor? Here's the point of this. 206 00:10:05.388 --> 00:10:08.236 When you and I and I felt this, and then 207 00:10:08.268 --> 00:10:10.948 if I felt this, like I feel there's enough commonality 208 00:10:11.004 --> 00:10:13.900 within us that you felt this as well. When you 209 00:10:13.940 --> 00:10:16.828 and I, when we feel the need to justify 210 00:10:16.964 --> 00:10:19.780 ourselves before Jesus, when we hit that moment where we're 211 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:22.558 hearing the words of Christ and we're wrestling with what's 212 00:10:22.604 --> 00:10:25.458 there, we're wrestling what's going on, and we feel the need to 213 00:10:25.474 --> 00:10:28.186 say, but here's why. Here's what caused 214 00:10:28.258 --> 00:10:31.178 me. Here's whose fault this was. Can I say just for 215 00:10:31.194 --> 00:10:33.674 a moment, like, let's pause and stop 216 00:10:33.762 --> 00:10:36.506 asking and alluding to the questions and the 217 00:10:36.538 --> 00:10:39.402 statements that seek to justify ourselves and 218 00:10:39.426 --> 00:10:42.386 our own self righteousness and just say, no, no, no, it's about 219 00:10:42.458 --> 00:10:45.322 you. It's about your righteousness. And I repent before 220 00:10:45.386 --> 00:10:48.282 you. And 221 00:10:48.306 --> 00:10:51.080 this feeling that I'm wrestling 222 00:10:51.160 --> 00:10:53.784 with as the work of God 223 00:10:53.832 --> 00:10:56.820 is toying and tugging on my heart 224 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:00.504 is not so that I can justify 225 00:11:00.592 --> 00:11:03.232 myself, but it's so that I can 226 00:11:03.256 --> 00:11:05.880 repent. But 227 00:11:05.920 --> 00:11:08.760 he, he didn't want 228 00:11:08.800 --> 00:11:11.712 Jesus to justify him. He wanted to 229 00:11:11.736 --> 00:11:13.700 justify himself. And you can't do that. 230 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:16.810 So Jesus goes in to teach. Look at verse 231 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:19.870 21. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry. 232 00:11:19.990 --> 00:11:22.558 Romans 321 through 26 talks about the 233 00:11:22.574 --> 00:11:25.558 righteousness of God and what God does to justify us. 234 00:11:25.694 --> 00:11:28.646 But now the righteousness of God has 235 00:11:28.678 --> 00:11:31.262 been manifested apart from the law. Paul writes this, romans 236 00:11:31.286 --> 00:11:34.126 three, although the law and the prophets bear 237 00:11:34.158 --> 00:11:36.534 witness to it, the righteousness of 238 00:11:36.582 --> 00:11:39.342 God through faith in 239 00:11:39.366 --> 00:11:41.330 Jesus Christ for all who believe, 240 00:11:42.770 --> 00:11:44.910 for there is no distinction, 241 00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:48.266 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of 242 00:11:48.298 --> 00:11:51.042 God. And we are justified 243 00:11:51.146 --> 00:11:54.026 by his grace as a gift through the 244 00:11:54.058 --> 00:11:56.150 redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 245 00:11:56.770 --> 00:11:59.570 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his 246 00:11:59.610 --> 00:12:02.430 blood, to be received by faith. 247 00:12:02.970 --> 00:12:05.390 This was to show God's righteousness, 248 00:12:05.810 --> 00:12:08.754 because in his divine forbearance he has passed over 249 00:12:08.802 --> 00:12:11.314 former sins. It was to show his 250 00:12:11.362 --> 00:12:14.226 righteousness at the present time so that he 251 00:12:14.258 --> 00:12:16.910 might be just and 252 00:12:18.290 --> 00:12:21.114 the justifier of the one 253 00:12:21.162 --> 00:12:23.986 who has faith in Christ. You see, this man 254 00:12:24.018 --> 00:12:26.482 wanted to come to Jesus and justify 255 00:12:26.546 --> 00:12:29.516 himself. And maybe that's where you're at. Ah, 256 00:12:29.538 --> 00:12:32.538 maybe that's where you're at in your journey. You're trying to 257 00:12:32.554 --> 00:12:35.430 look at, you're trying to compare, you're trying to balance, 258 00:12:36.630 --> 00:12:39.222 to defend, to put forth the argument, to try to base 259 00:12:39.246 --> 00:12:41.982 this. But God's word says that we 260 00:12:42.086 --> 00:12:45.046 are not, we are incapable of justifying 261 00:12:45.078 --> 00:12:48.014 ourselves, and that God, in his justice is 262 00:12:48.062 --> 00:12:51.030 the justifier. And so justification, 263 00:12:51.070 --> 00:12:53.830 what Paul teaches here is we understand the justification comes 264 00:12:53.870 --> 00:12:56.750 apart from the law. That is, we cannot earn 265 00:12:56.830 --> 00:12:59.766 justification through rule keeping. We cannot earn through our 266 00:12:59.798 --> 00:13:02.586 own good works. The law shows us this 267 00:13:02.618 --> 00:13:05.602 isn't a list to make sure that when we do this, this is what 268 00:13:05.626 --> 00:13:08.618 we earn. The law is there so that when we compare ourselves 269 00:13:08.674 --> 00:13:11.410 to the light of it, that we realize, like, I don't care, like, 270 00:13:11.450 --> 00:13:14.362 how good we all think we are. I don't 271 00:13:14.386 --> 00:13:16.922 care how good you think your spouse 272 00:13:16.946 --> 00:13:19.850 is, your grandma is your sweet 273 00:13:19.890 --> 00:13:22.154 next door neighbor. Is that in 274 00:13:22.322 --> 00:13:24.898 comparison of the law, the law shows 275 00:13:24.954 --> 00:13:27.754 us, in spite of all of the good things that we've 276 00:13:27.802 --> 00:13:30.194 done, what the law shows us is that 277 00:13:30.282 --> 00:13:33.106 we are not good. For all 278 00:13:33.178 --> 00:13:36.010 have sinned. All have sinned and fall short 279 00:13:36.050 --> 00:13:39.042 of the glory of God. But justification of 280 00:13:39.066 --> 00:13:41.590 what Paul teaches us is made possible. 281 00:13:42.690 --> 00:13:45.522 It's made possible, but it's made possible since the 282 00:13:45.546 --> 00:13:48.098 sacrificial death of Christ. This is the 283 00:13:48.154 --> 00:13:50.030 only sufficient work. 284 00:13:50.930 --> 00:13:53.506 So stand there and try to defend yourself, 285 00:13:53.578 --> 00:13:56.098 lawyer. Stand there and try to defend 286 00:13:56.154 --> 00:13:58.160 yourself. You can't. 287 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:02.628 It's only, only found 288 00:14:02.684 --> 00:14:04.400 in the sufficient work of Christ. 289 00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:08.000 So how do we get that? 290 00:14:09.540 --> 00:14:10.920 So if his work 291 00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:15.148 pays, if his work 292 00:14:15.284 --> 00:14:18.036 covers it, then I 293 00:14:18.068 --> 00:14:20.320 want some of that. 294 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:23.920 Well, what Paul tells us in romans three 295 00:14:24.310 --> 00:14:26.250 is that it's free, 296 00:14:27.350 --> 00:14:30.294 which means you can't pay for it, that it's 297 00:14:30.342 --> 00:14:32.862 gracious, it's not what you 298 00:14:32.886 --> 00:14:35.022 deserve. And it's 299 00:14:35.086 --> 00:14:36.970 bestowed on those 300 00:14:37.790 --> 00:14:40.742 it's given to, it's imparted to. 301 00:14:40.926 --> 00:14:43.250 It's applied to those 302 00:14:44.030 --> 00:14:46.998 who, by faith, receive 303 00:14:47.054 --> 00:14:48.570 the sacrifice of Christ. 304 00:14:49.930 --> 00:14:52.670 Do we see with the work that is happening here, 305 00:14:53.370 --> 00:14:56.282 it is not through our works, through our means, through our 306 00:14:56.306 --> 00:14:58.970 justification that any of this happens. It's not through our 307 00:14:59.010 --> 00:15:01.690 goodness, our law abiding, our law keeping, 308 00:15:01.730 --> 00:15:04.658 our maintaining. It's not through any of this. It is fully and 309 00:15:04.674 --> 00:15:07.346 completely done in the work of God. And 310 00:15:07.378 --> 00:15:10.138 God does this. And in 311 00:15:10.194 --> 00:15:12.750 this, he demonstrates something. 312 00:15:13.610 --> 00:15:16.530 God's showing the world through salvation 313 00:15:16.650 --> 00:15:19.576 who he is, and he's demonstrating the righteousness of 314 00:15:19.608 --> 00:15:22.272 God in this. God 315 00:15:22.376 --> 00:15:25.280 is saying that in salvation, because you can't 316 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.192 work for it, you can't earn it, you 317 00:15:28.216 --> 00:15:30.850 don't deserve it. I'm, given it. I 318 00:15:30.890 --> 00:15:33.738 paid for it. It's more 319 00:15:33.914 --> 00:15:36.594 than you could expect. It's more that you could 320 00:15:36.642 --> 00:15:39.426 imagine. What God's doing is displaying to the 321 00:15:39.458 --> 00:15:42.362 world who he is. And they see God's goodness, and they see his 322 00:15:42.386 --> 00:15:43.550 holiness in it. 323 00:15:46.470 --> 00:15:48.090 It's not cheap grace. 324 00:15:49.310 --> 00:15:52.278 It's costly grace. It's precious 325 00:15:52.334 --> 00:15:54.810 grace. It's sacrificial grace. 326 00:15:56.270 --> 00:15:59.222 All of this comes from a 327 00:15:59.246 --> 00:16:01.750 man seeking to test and 328 00:16:01.790 --> 00:16:04.774 justify himself. Church. Before 329 00:16:04.822 --> 00:16:07.502 we even get into the parable here, in just a 330 00:16:07.526 --> 00:16:10.450 moment, may we not be people 331 00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:13.612 who, in our own religious 332 00:16:13.796 --> 00:16:16.484 works, are doing so in an 333 00:16:16.532 --> 00:16:19.404 attempt to prove that we have 334 00:16:19.492 --> 00:16:22.120 earned what God has done. 335 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:25.880 And it's through the grace in the work of God. 336 00:16:26.860 --> 00:16:29.604 And not you, not me, 337 00:16:29.772 --> 00:16:32.468 not your kid, not your spouse, 338 00:16:32.604 --> 00:16:35.492 not your sweet grandma deserved 339 00:16:35.516 --> 00:16:37.940 it, but it was given 340 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:41.100 by faith in Christ. 341 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.128 So back to this parable, verse 342 00:16:45.184 --> 00:16:46.500 30. In Luke ten, 343 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:49.540 Jesus replied, 344 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.000 a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho 345 00:16:54.040 --> 00:16:56.880 when he fell among robbers, who 346 00:16:56.920 --> 00:16:59.500 stripped him and beat him and departed, 347 00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:02.795 leaving him half dead. Now, 348 00:17:02.827 --> 00:17:05.683 by chance, a priest was going down that 349 00:17:05.731 --> 00:17:08.715 road, and when he saw him, he passed 350 00:17:08.747 --> 00:17:11.259 by on the other side. So 351 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:14.112 likewise a, Levite, when he came to the place and saw 352 00:17:14.176 --> 00:17:16.420 him pass by on the other side. 353 00:17:17.360 --> 00:17:19.860 But a samaritan, as he journeyed, 354 00:17:20.320 --> 00:17:23.032 came to where he was. And when he saw 355 00:17:23.096 --> 00:17:24.940 him, he had compassion. 356 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:28.650 He went to him and bound up his wounds, 357 00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:31.091 pouring on oil and wine. 358 00:17:31.671 --> 00:17:34.327 Then he set him on his own animal 359 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:36.959 and brought him to an inn and took care of 360 00:17:36.975 --> 00:17:39.791 him. And the next day, he took out two 361 00:17:39.831 --> 00:17:42.375 daenerys and gave them to the innkeeper, 362 00:17:42.423 --> 00:17:44.891 saying, take care of him, 363 00:17:45.231 --> 00:17:48.039 and whatever more you spend, I will repay 364 00:17:48.095 --> 00:17:51.061 you. When I come back. which of these 365 00:17:51.141 --> 00:17:54.013 three do you think proved to be 366 00:17:54.037 --> 00:17:56.773 a neighbor to the man who fell among the 367 00:17:56.797 --> 00:17:59.597 robbers? And he 368 00:17:59.629 --> 00:18:02.221 said, the one who showed him 369 00:18:02.261 --> 00:18:04.845 mercy. And Jesus 370 00:18:04.893 --> 00:18:07.117 said, go and do 371 00:18:07.149 --> 00:18:10.037 likewise. I read this 372 00:18:10.069 --> 00:18:12.917 quote this week. It's a pretty long quote. I'm going to read it to 373 00:18:12.949 --> 00:18:15.877 you, help draw 374 00:18:15.949 --> 00:18:18.797 my attention into the details of 375 00:18:18.829 --> 00:18:21.237 this. Here's what this quote 376 00:18:21.269 --> 00:18:24.073 says. This parable 377 00:18:24.137 --> 00:18:26.577 begins with a lawyer trying to justify 378 00:18:26.649 --> 00:18:29.553 himself by asking the question, who 379 00:18:29.577 --> 00:18:32.417 is my neighbor? And ends 380 00:18:32.449 --> 00:18:35.313 with Jesus asking the question, which 381 00:18:35.337 --> 00:18:37.301 of these proved to be a neighbor? 382 00:18:38.721 --> 00:18:41.681 Ten sermons could be preached on 383 00:18:41.721 --> 00:18:44.041 ten different issues raised by this 384 00:18:44.081 --> 00:18:46.865 parable. But I want you 385 00:18:46.913 --> 00:18:49.593 to see, but what? I want you to see one 386 00:18:49.657 --> 00:18:52.309 crucial thing. Jesus 387 00:18:52.365 --> 00:18:55.125 tells a story that 388 00:18:55.173 --> 00:18:57.041 changes the question. 389 00:18:58.581 --> 00:19:01.365 Jesus tells a story that changes the 390 00:19:01.413 --> 00:19:03.949 question from what kind of 391 00:19:04.005 --> 00:19:05.881 person is my neighbor? 392 00:19:06.901 --> 00:19:09.281 To what kind of person am I? 393 00:19:11.061 --> 00:19:12.801 He changes the question 394 00:19:13.701 --> 00:19:16.453 from what status of people are 395 00:19:16.517 --> 00:19:18.201 worthy of m my love 396 00:19:19.141 --> 00:19:21.845 to how can I become the kind of 397 00:19:21.893 --> 00:19:24.693 person whose compassion disregards 398 00:19:24.757 --> 00:19:27.741 status? Here's what 399 00:19:27.741 --> 00:19:30.161 I want to say. Who is your neighbor? Everyone. 400 00:19:31.501 --> 00:19:34.461 Everyone. Whether you're 401 00:19:34.501 --> 00:19:37.413 here, there, or everywhere. Whether 402 00:19:37.477 --> 00:19:40.213 you're in your home, whether 403 00:19:40.277 --> 00:19:43.029 you're at work, whether you're at Walmart, 404 00:19:43.085 --> 00:19:45.875 whether you're on vacation. Wherever you go, 405 00:19:45.973 --> 00:19:48.727 whoever you encounter is your 406 00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:49.651 neighbor. 407 00:19:52.271 --> 00:19:53.691 But what about our heart? 408 00:19:55.751 --> 00:19:58.551 Because I feel that at the essence of 409 00:19:58.591 --> 00:20:01.439 this, it's not just an 410 00:20:01.495 --> 00:20:04.487 informational piece of who do I need 411 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.247 to serve? But it's are you 412 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:10.111 willing to serve them? And then 413 00:20:10.151 --> 00:20:13.051 number two, why are you willing to serve them? 414 00:20:13.891 --> 00:20:16.755 Why? Because the why 415 00:20:16.803 --> 00:20:19.511 matters. The why matters. 416 00:20:20.331 --> 00:20:22.231 So what do we know about this man, 417 00:20:23.371 --> 00:20:26.323 this man who's been injured? All we 418 00:20:26.347 --> 00:20:29.227 know is his condition. He's been beaten, 419 00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:32.251 he's been robbed, he's been stripped, he's been left to die. 420 00:20:32.291 --> 00:20:35.163 In fact, the description of him is that most people, as 421 00:20:35.187 --> 00:20:37.511 they journeyed by, would have thought that he were already dead. 422 00:20:38.551 --> 00:20:41.439 That's all we know. What do we know about the 423 00:20:41.455 --> 00:20:43.847 priest and the Levite? There's lots of things that we can 424 00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:46.591 infer, but we're not going to in this 425 00:20:46.631 --> 00:20:49.455 message. But we know this. They're religious 426 00:20:49.503 --> 00:20:51.911 men who both have a 427 00:20:51.991 --> 00:20:53.837 moral and religious obligation. 428 00:20:55.411 --> 00:20:58.227 but they ignore and they pass by on the other 429 00:20:58.259 --> 00:21:01.131 side. There's part in their culture 430 00:21:01.171 --> 00:21:04.115 that would have called them to help. There's part that's in their faith that would 431 00:21:04.123 --> 00:21:06.961 have caused them to help. But they both, for 432 00:21:07.001 --> 00:21:09.865 a long list of reasons that we could draw from, 433 00:21:09.993 --> 00:21:12.929 choose to instead pass by on 434 00:21:12.945 --> 00:21:15.461 the other side of the road, as far away as they can. 435 00:21:16.681 --> 00:21:18.701 But what do we know about the man who helped? 436 00:21:19.481 --> 00:21:22.161 We know about the man who helped. We know his 437 00:21:22.201 --> 00:21:25.025 ethnicity. He's a samaritan. Let me just explain 438 00:21:25.073 --> 00:21:27.793 this to you, right? In the world 439 00:21:27.857 --> 00:21:30.521 that Jesus lived in, in the context that 440 00:21:30.561 --> 00:21:33.537 Jesus would tell this parable, the Samaritan was 441 00:21:33.569 --> 00:21:36.441 never going to be the hero. Never, 442 00:21:37.341 --> 00:21:40.173 never going to be the hero of the 443 00:21:40.237 --> 00:21:42.765 story, but Jesus makes 444 00:21:42.813 --> 00:21:44.521 him the hero. 445 00:21:45.781 --> 00:21:48.669 What did he do? He stopped 446 00:21:48.685 --> 00:21:51.597 and he checked. He stopped to evaluate. 447 00:21:51.629 --> 00:21:53.841 He stopped to look. He stopped to see. 448 00:21:54.621 --> 00:21:57.533 In that moment of him stopping, he decides that 449 00:21:57.557 --> 00:22:00.557 he's going to make a list of financial 450 00:22:00.749 --> 00:22:03.557 sacrifices. He provided medical 451 00:22:03.629 --> 00:22:06.477 care that he bandaged and cleaned his wounds. Like, he 452 00:22:06.509 --> 00:22:09.485 busted out the first aid kit, right? Like, right there. Here's what we're going 453 00:22:09.493 --> 00:22:12.133 to do. He provided physical 454 00:22:12.197 --> 00:22:14.965 sacrifice. He got off of 455 00:22:15.013 --> 00:22:17.561 the animal that he was riding on 456 00:22:18.501 --> 00:22:21.373 and put the man on the animal 457 00:22:21.557 --> 00:22:24.533 so that he could finish the journey down the road to 458 00:22:24.557 --> 00:22:26.441 get the man where he needed to be. 459 00:22:27.401 --> 00:22:30.233 He provided financial care. He took him to 460 00:22:30.257 --> 00:22:33.233 an inn. He provided money, and 461 00:22:33.257 --> 00:22:36.225 for any further care, promised to pay the 462 00:22:36.273 --> 00:22:38.741 debt that the man occurred. 463 00:22:39.601 --> 00:22:42.065 And this is what we see with 464 00:22:42.113 --> 00:22:44.897 this man. We don't 465 00:22:44.929 --> 00:22:47.673 know why the priest and 466 00:22:47.697 --> 00:22:50.141 the Levite passed by. 467 00:22:50.721 --> 00:22:53.699 Perhaps they didn't want to. Perhaps they didn't want 468 00:22:53.715 --> 00:22:56.603 to go through becoming religiously unclean because they 469 00:22:56.627 --> 00:22:59.427 thought the body was dead. Perhaps they thought it was a setup. 470 00:22:59.499 --> 00:23:02.387 Perhaps they found themselves in a predicament where 471 00:23:02.419 --> 00:23:05.403 they felt uncomfortable. Perhaps they found where 472 00:23:05.427 --> 00:23:08.115 they needed to be. We don't know why they 473 00:23:08.163 --> 00:23:11.099 didn't stop, but we do 474 00:23:11.155 --> 00:23:13.859 know why the Samaritan 475 00:23:13.915 --> 00:23:16.707 stopped. Jesus tells us in Luke 476 00:23:16.739 --> 00:23:19.371 1033. Look back there. 477 00:23:20.031 --> 00:23:22.873 When he saw him, what? He 478 00:23:22.897 --> 00:23:25.769 had compassion. When he 479 00:23:25.825 --> 00:23:26.861 saw him, 480 00:23:28.721 --> 00:23:31.657 there was a peace in his heart, in his soul, in 481 00:23:31.689 --> 00:23:34.225 his very being that drew from 482 00:23:34.273 --> 00:23:36.981 him compassion for this man, 483 00:23:38.121 --> 00:23:40.793 of being uncertain of what got him 484 00:23:40.817 --> 00:23:43.507 there, uncertain, what involvement 485 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:46.577 would require, being willing to 486 00:23:46.609 --> 00:23:48.945 give the sacrifice of what was 487 00:23:48.993 --> 00:23:51.657 needed. He 488 00:23:51.689 --> 00:23:54.049 stopped, and he didn't 489 00:23:54.105 --> 00:23:57.025 stop because he felt obligated 490 00:23:57.073 --> 00:23:58.917 to. He. Hm. 491 00:23:59.185 --> 00:24:01.741 Stopped because he had compassion. 492 00:24:05.001 --> 00:24:06.541 That's the hard word. 493 00:24:08.361 --> 00:24:09.821 That's the hard word. 494 00:24:11.141 --> 00:24:13.041 If jesus would have said in 495 00:24:14.461 --> 00:24:15.881 Luke 1033 496 00:24:17.541 --> 00:24:20.509 when he saw him, he 497 00:24:20.525 --> 00:24:22.681 felt like, you know, I got to do this. 498 00:24:24.741 --> 00:24:27.717 I don't really want to. Got places I got to get 499 00:24:27.749 --> 00:24:30.653 to. I've only got $20. That's 500 00:24:30.677 --> 00:24:33.589 a long walk. Now I got to get off my animal so that he 501 00:24:33.605 --> 00:24:36.281 can ride my animal there. But, man, you know, 502 00:24:37.101 --> 00:24:39.001 I gotta do some good stuff today. 503 00:24:40.261 --> 00:24:43.101 But it said that there was a peace that 504 00:24:43.141 --> 00:24:45.933 was in him, that when he saw 505 00:24:45.997 --> 00:24:48.077 a man who 506 00:24:48.109 --> 00:24:50.813 potentially was unworthy 507 00:24:50.917 --> 00:24:53.277 of his help, he stopped 508 00:24:53.309 --> 00:24:54.041 anyways. 509 00:24:55.301 --> 00:24:58.149 What stops us? What 510 00:24:58.205 --> 00:25:01.081 stops us from compassion? 511 00:25:01.881 --> 00:25:04.313 I think there's two things that drive 512 00:25:04.377 --> 00:25:07.121 us when we see the 513 00:25:07.161 --> 00:25:09.713 person, figuratively speaking, on the side of the 514 00:25:09.737 --> 00:25:12.305 road, when we see the 515 00:25:12.353 --> 00:25:15.249 person that desperately needs something 516 00:25:15.305 --> 00:25:18.257 that causes us not to. I think there's two 517 00:25:18.329 --> 00:25:21.153 things that cause us to have a lack 518 00:25:21.177 --> 00:25:23.411 of compassion. one, I think, is our 519 00:25:23.451 --> 00:25:26.331 immaturity, our spiritual 520 00:25:26.371 --> 00:25:29.277 immaturity. When we see those people that 521 00:25:29.309 --> 00:25:31.853 need the grace and the love of Christ and the 522 00:25:31.877 --> 00:25:34.789 compassion of the Christian that's there, I 523 00:25:34.805 --> 00:25:37.693 think what can stop us oftentimes is a sense 524 00:25:37.717 --> 00:25:40.701 of spiritual immaturity. And here's what I mean 525 00:25:40.741 --> 00:25:43.461 when I talk about spiritual immaturity, is 526 00:25:43.541 --> 00:25:46.501 we look at the person, we stop seeing the person. We start 527 00:25:46.541 --> 00:25:49.373 seeing the sin, we start seeing the lifestyle, we start seeing the 528 00:25:49.397 --> 00:25:52.173 choices. We figure, well, you know what? They just kind of got themselves in this 529 00:25:52.197 --> 00:25:55.087 predicament. They got them where they are. And it's not really up to me to help 530 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:58.103 fix this mode. This is what they need to walk through. This is 531 00:25:58.127 --> 00:26:01.095 what they need to do. And so our focus becomes on not the individual 532 00:26:01.143 --> 00:26:03.863 that's made in the image and likeness of God, but it's instead, it's 533 00:26:03.887 --> 00:26:06.663 focused on the sin that's consumed them and has brought them to point where they 534 00:26:06.687 --> 00:26:09.211 are. And in that, 535 00:26:09.591 --> 00:26:12.251 okay, been there, thought that, 536 00:26:12.631 --> 00:26:15.623 done that. I've told this story. Let me tell 537 00:26:15.647 --> 00:26:18.543 it again because I don't want you just feel like this is pointing fingers at you. This is pointing 538 00:26:18.567 --> 00:26:20.961 fingers at me as well. One day, Emma 539 00:26:21.001 --> 00:26:23.649 was, I don't know, she was like third 540 00:26:23.705 --> 00:26:26.673 grade. And I'm taking her to her dance 541 00:26:26.777 --> 00:26:29.729 studio. Some of 542 00:26:29.745 --> 00:26:31.501 you chuckle because you know this story. 543 00:26:32.521 --> 00:26:34.461 And we get off the interstate, 544 00:26:35.241 --> 00:26:37.701 and there's a man standing there 545 00:26:38.521 --> 00:26:39.781 holding a sign, 546 00:26:40.681 --> 00:26:43.101 homeless needs some money. 547 00:26:44.281 --> 00:26:46.941 And Emma looks at me, young 548 00:26:47.021 --> 00:26:48.931 Emma, and says, are we going to help that man 549 00:26:50.031 --> 00:26:52.931 and me in my sin, 550 00:26:53.431 --> 00:26:56.327 in my immaturity? Seeking to 551 00:26:56.359 --> 00:26:58.687 justify myself for not 552 00:26:58.719 --> 00:27:01.171 helping. I said, sweetie, 553 00:27:01.711 --> 00:27:04.691 no, we're not. You know, 554 00:27:05.351 --> 00:27:07.371 you don't know what he's going to do with that money. 555 00:27:08.111 --> 00:27:11.093 We talk through the life lessons of all 556 00:27:11.117 --> 00:27:13.901 the things that were there. The light turned 557 00:27:13.941 --> 00:27:16.941 green, I turned left, we kept 558 00:27:16.981 --> 00:27:19.941 driving. And my daughter, who's 559 00:27:19.981 --> 00:27:22.461 never been shy on correcting 560 00:27:22.501 --> 00:27:25.477 me, looks 561 00:27:25.509 --> 00:27:27.761 at me when I get done 562 00:27:28.101 --> 00:27:30.597 standing there as this lawyer, in all of my 563 00:27:30.629 --> 00:27:33.241 justification, and says to me, 564 00:27:33.621 --> 00:27:36.271 yeah, but, you don't know that he's going to spend it on that either. 565 00:27:39.121 --> 00:27:41.561 You're correct. My 566 00:27:41.601 --> 00:27:44.341 immaturity of my assumptions, 567 00:27:44.681 --> 00:27:47.489 which leads me into the second one. Not only 568 00:27:47.545 --> 00:27:50.381 our spiritual immaturity, but our own self righteousness. 569 00:27:53.001 --> 00:27:55.813 I'm, better than them. I'm better 570 00:27:55.861 --> 00:27:58.765 than them. Look at these people and who they 571 00:27:58.797 --> 00:28:01.605 are and what they've done. And 572 00:28:01.637 --> 00:28:04.369 in this moment of Jesus telling this parable, 573 00:28:05.069 --> 00:28:07.773 in understanding the danger and what would 574 00:28:07.821 --> 00:28:10.821 happen consistently on this road, I'm sure there's 575 00:28:10.845 --> 00:28:13.645 a group of people in that moment who are seeking to 576 00:28:13.677 --> 00:28:16.029 justify themselves in that 577 00:28:16.069 --> 00:28:18.677 moment. And Jesus says, 578 00:28:18.853 --> 00:28:21.733 but there is a man who stopped because 579 00:28:21.781 --> 00:28:24.693 he had compassion. So here's what I want 580 00:28:24.701 --> 00:28:27.213 to ask you. Do you have 581 00:28:27.261 --> 00:28:29.869 compassion? Do you have 582 00:28:29.909 --> 00:28:32.251 compassion? Do you have the 583 00:28:32.275 --> 00:28:34.795 compassion of Christ in 584 00:28:34.827 --> 00:28:37.779 you? Do you seek and desire to see 585 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:40.675 people, not the way that the world sees them, maybe not the way that you see 586 00:28:40.707 --> 00:28:43.199 them, but to see them in the way that God sees them, 587 00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:46.319 made in the image of their creator, 588 00:28:48.379 --> 00:28:50.963 fallen into. Whatever has they 589 00:28:51.011 --> 00:28:53.459 fallen into, but with a 590 00:28:53.499 --> 00:28:55.879 heart and a compassion to help. 591 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:00.087 Do you have compassion? I think there's 592 00:29:00.103 --> 00:29:02.991 a second question, though. There's 593 00:29:03.015 --> 00:29:05.921 a second question that I want to ask, and, it's 594 00:29:05.945 --> 00:29:08.769 this question. Why should we 595 00:29:08.809 --> 00:29:11.745 have compassion? Why 596 00:29:11.777 --> 00:29:13.189 should we have compassion? 597 00:29:15.449 --> 00:29:18.241 We have our reasons. We have what 598 00:29:18.265 --> 00:29:20.977 we've learned. We've had life experience. 599 00:29:21.153 --> 00:29:24.059 We've had all of these things. We've picked ourselves 600 00:29:24.139 --> 00:29:26.639 up. We've moved ourselves beyond this. 601 00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:31.227 Why should we have 602 00:29:31.283 --> 00:29:34.147 compassion for those who 603 00:29:34.203 --> 00:29:36.459 we deem are not 604 00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:39.119 worthy of our compassion? 605 00:29:40.739 --> 00:29:42.959 And I think when we look at this, 606 00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:46.159 when we see this parable, 607 00:29:47.019 --> 00:29:49.879 that you and I can begin to understand 608 00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:53.343 that we should be like the 609 00:29:53.391 --> 00:29:56.391 samaritan who showed compassion. 610 00:29:56.535 --> 00:29:59.319 But why should we be like the 611 00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:02.175 Samaritan? Because here's the 612 00:30:02.207 --> 00:30:04.695 reason, spiritually 613 00:30:04.767 --> 00:30:07.179 speaking, until 614 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:10.415 Christ saved you, do 615 00:30:10.447 --> 00:30:12.659 you know who you were in the story? 616 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:16.351 The man on the side of the road, left to 617 00:30:16.375 --> 00:30:19.335 die. Do you know what got you 618 00:30:19.367 --> 00:30:21.899 there? Your sin. 619 00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:25.751 Do you know what the Bible says that you couldn't do and that I 620 00:30:25.775 --> 00:30:28.619 couldn't do? We couldn't save ourselves. 621 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:31.459 And do you know what passed us by 622 00:30:32.199 --> 00:30:35.191 as we laid there in our own death, dying on the 623 00:30:35.215 --> 00:30:38.143 side of the road? Do you know what passed us by? 624 00:30:38.231 --> 00:30:41.139 Unwilling and incapable of helping us. 625 00:30:41.999 --> 00:30:44.983 What passed us by was religion. Do these 626 00:30:45.031 --> 00:30:47.895 rules become a better you? Reach for enlightenment, 627 00:30:47.967 --> 00:30:50.197 create your own path, determine your own 628 00:30:50.253 --> 00:30:52.649 understanding, do more good than bad? 629 00:30:53.549 --> 00:30:55.605 All of them passed us by, 630 00:30:55.717 --> 00:30:58.509 incapable of saving us. But do you know 631 00:30:58.589 --> 00:31:01.541 who found us? There was an unlikely 632 00:31:01.605 --> 00:31:03.809 man traveling down a road. 633 00:31:04.349 --> 00:31:07.213 There was an unlikely man that no one thought would be 634 00:31:07.221 --> 00:31:10.165 the hero of a story. There was an unlikely man 635 00:31:10.237 --> 00:31:12.941 born of a virgin that was headed down the road, 636 00:31:13.045 --> 00:31:15.913 and he wasn't happy. One ethnicity and 637 00:31:15.961 --> 00:31:18.681 half the other ethnicity. This man traveling down the 638 00:31:18.705 --> 00:31:21.577 road, fully God, fully man. And he stopped on the 639 00:31:21.593 --> 00:31:24.369 side of the road, and he reached down. Whatever 640 00:31:24.449 --> 00:31:27.233 mess that you created for you and that I 641 00:31:27.281 --> 00:31:30.041 created for me, whatever mess that he looked at 642 00:31:30.065 --> 00:31:32.921 us, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ looked 643 00:31:32.945 --> 00:31:35.745 at you and because of the compassion that he had for 644 00:31:35.777 --> 00:31:38.649 you, not because of what you did or what you deserve, but 645 00:31:38.689 --> 00:31:41.429 out of his compassion and his goodness and his 646 00:31:41.469 --> 00:31:44.461 love and his mercy for you, that he looked at you 647 00:31:44.485 --> 00:31:47.285 on the side of the road, and he picked you up. And he 648 00:31:47.317 --> 00:31:50.269 picked me up from the mess and the death that we 649 00:31:50.309 --> 00:31:53.125 found ourselves in. And he picked us up, and he 650 00:31:53.197 --> 00:31:56.165 carried us, and then he carried us, and 651 00:31:56.197 --> 00:31:58.869 he saved us because we couldn't do it for 652 00:31:58.909 --> 00:32:01.765 ourselves. And like the Samaritan did for the 653 00:32:01.797 --> 00:32:04.693 man, he cleaned us, and he 654 00:32:04.701 --> 00:32:07.581 didn't put on temporary bandages, but he washed 655 00:32:07.605 --> 00:32:10.197 us with the blood of the lamb, and he cleaned us, and he made 656 00:32:10.213 --> 00:32:12.915 us new, and he made us whole again. 657 00:32:13.067 --> 00:32:15.987 And then he took all of that debt that it took, 658 00:32:16.083 --> 00:32:18.971 that we had, the reason why we found ourselves there. He 659 00:32:18.995 --> 00:32:21.939 took and he paid that debt. And then not only did he pay the 660 00:32:21.979 --> 00:32:24.923 past debt and the present debt, but he looked and said, you know what? 661 00:32:24.971 --> 00:32:27.939 I'm paying the future debt as well. And so everything 662 00:32:27.979 --> 00:32:30.891 that you've done then, everything that you're doing now, and everything that you 663 00:32:30.915 --> 00:32:32.959 will do, I pay it. And I pay it in full. 664 00:32:33.939 --> 00:32:36.895 And he didn't do it because we were 665 00:32:36.927 --> 00:32:39.631 good. He didn't do it because we were 666 00:32:39.655 --> 00:32:42.247 righteous. He didn't do it 667 00:32:42.383 --> 00:32:45.367 because we were loving. He did it because 668 00:32:45.423 --> 00:32:48.335 he is good. He did it because he is righteous. And 669 00:32:48.367 --> 00:32:50.019 he did it because he is loving. 670 00:32:51.639 --> 00:32:53.019 Why should we do this? 671 00:32:54.479 --> 00:32:55.219 Why? 672 00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:59.113 Because the compassion, that 673 00:32:59.161 --> 00:33:00.389 he showed us, 674 00:33:01.909 --> 00:33:04.525 he's calling us to show to 675 00:33:04.557 --> 00:33:05.129 others. 676 00:33:09.109 --> 00:33:11.409 Do they deserve it? No. 677 00:33:12.509 --> 00:33:15.405 And neither did I. And 678 00:33:15.437 --> 00:33:18.269 show the compassion that Jesus 679 00:33:18.309 --> 00:33:21.165 showed. Give them the care 680 00:33:21.317 --> 00:33:24.197 that Jesus gave you. Share with them the life 681 00:33:24.333 --> 00:33:26.049 that Jesus shares with you. 682 00:33:27.049 --> 00:33:29.585 And in that is the 683 00:33:29.617 --> 00:33:32.349 compassion that we're called to in Christ. 684 00:33:33.249 --> 00:33:35.509 I'm gonna close with this passage of scripture. 685 00:33:36.209 --> 00:33:38.389 Paul writes in ephesians, chapter two, 686 00:33:39.369 --> 00:33:42.001 starting in verse four, you 687 00:33:42.025 --> 00:33:44.549 just think about God. 688 00:33:44.969 --> 00:33:47.553 But God being 689 00:33:47.641 --> 00:33:49.949 rich in mercy 690 00:33:50.649 --> 00:33:53.369 because of the great love with 691 00:33:53.409 --> 00:33:55.029 which he loved us, 692 00:33:56.489 --> 00:33:59.233 even when we were dead 693 00:33:59.321 --> 00:34:01.709 in our trespasses and sins, 694 00:34:03.089 --> 00:34:05.589 made us alive together. 695 00:34:05.929 --> 00:34:08.833 With Christ, by 696 00:34:08.881 --> 00:34:11.789 grace, you have been saved 697 00:34:13.169 --> 00:34:15.389 and raised us up with him 698 00:34:16.129 --> 00:34:18.949 and seated us with him in the 699 00:34:18.989 --> 00:34:21.209 heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 700 00:34:22.469 --> 00:34:25.117 so that in the coming ages, he might show the 701 00:34:25.173 --> 00:34:27.893 immeasurable riches of his grace and 702 00:34:27.941 --> 00:34:30.689 kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 703 00:34:31.429 --> 00:34:34.253 For by grace you have been saved through 704 00:34:34.301 --> 00:34:36.893 faith. And this is not your own 705 00:34:36.941 --> 00:34:39.809 doing. It is the gift of God, 706 00:34:40.749 --> 00:34:43.653 not a result of works, so that 707 00:34:43.701 --> 00:34:46.435 no. 1 may boast, for we 708 00:34:46.467 --> 00:34:49.243 are his workmanship, created 709 00:34:49.291 --> 00:34:51.439 in Christ Jesus for good works 710 00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:54.995 which God prepared beforehand, that 711 00:34:55.027 --> 00:34:57.987 we should walk in them. Would you 712 00:34:58.003 --> 00:34:58.879 pray with me, 713 00:35:05.979 --> 00:35:07.919 God? I come to you, Lord. 714 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:10.959 We're thanking you. 715 00:35:11.515 --> 00:35:14.143 M thanking you of the 716 00:35:14.191 --> 00:35:16.859 gift of salvation, 717 00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:22.779 Lord. None of us deserve it. 718 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:28.019 We're incapable 719 00:35:29.439 --> 00:35:30.819 of earning it. 720 00:35:32.795 --> 00:35:35.699 M. We're incapable 721 00:35:36.779 --> 00:35:37.999 saving ourselves. 722 00:35:41.379 --> 00:35:44.319 Lord, when we compare ourselves 723 00:35:45.419 --> 00:35:46.879 to your standard, 724 00:35:48.979 --> 00:35:50.679 when we compare ourselves 725 00:35:51.819 --> 00:35:53.959 to the perfection of your word, 726 00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:57.039 Lord, we come up short, 727 00:36:00.379 --> 00:36:02.079 not by inches, 728 00:36:03.939 --> 00:36:05.199 not by feet, 729 00:36:06.779 --> 00:36:09.239 but in an infinite distance. 730 00:36:09.899 --> 00:36:11.119 We can't understand. 731 00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:16.439 We can't pull ourselves out of the pit. 732 00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:21.679 We can't grab ahold and pull ourselves 733 00:36:22.419 --> 00:36:23.879 into the lifeboat. 734 00:36:27.299 --> 00:36:28.839 We can't reach out 735 00:36:30.489 --> 00:36:32.149 and fight for it. 736 00:36:34.649 --> 00:36:36.309 So, God, you come 737 00:36:38.089 --> 00:36:40.777 in, Christ, making a 738 00:36:40.793 --> 00:36:43.473 way for those of 739 00:36:43.521 --> 00:36:46.089 us dead in our trespasses and 740 00:36:46.129 --> 00:36:48.881 sins to come to 741 00:36:48.905 --> 00:36:51.789 salvation, to come to faith, 742 00:36:53.169 --> 00:36:55.939 not by who we are, but by 743 00:36:55.979 --> 00:36:58.875 who you are. M that 744 00:36:58.907 --> 00:37:01.795 you reached out and you grabbed 745 00:37:01.827 --> 00:37:03.359 us and you brought us in, 746 00:37:04.939 --> 00:37:07.639 Lord, and we respond to you by faith, 747 00:37:09.859 --> 00:37:11.439 faith that saves, 748 00:37:13.219 --> 00:37:14.639 faith that you've given. 749 00:37:19.259 --> 00:37:20.759 And God, I pray 750 00:37:22.169 --> 00:37:25.121 that, Lord, like statistics 751 00:37:25.185 --> 00:37:27.869 tell us your word, tells us 752 00:37:28.409 --> 00:37:30.509 that even though that there are people 753 00:37:31.649 --> 00:37:33.269 who acknowledge Christ 754 00:37:34.569 --> 00:37:37.489 with their word or 755 00:37:37.529 --> 00:37:40.289 that the condition of their hearts still 756 00:37:40.369 --> 00:37:42.829 seeks to justify themselves 757 00:37:45.849 --> 00:37:47.789 and God, I pray that this morning, 758 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:50.759 whether they're eight or they're 80, 759 00:37:53.819 --> 00:37:56.679 that, Lord, through the drawing of your holy spirit, 760 00:37:58.019 --> 00:38:00.579 or that they'll respond to you this 761 00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:03.515 morning in the free 762 00:38:03.587 --> 00:38:04.239 gift 763 00:38:07.539 --> 00:38:08.839 of salvation 764 00:38:10.459 --> 00:38:11.519 through Christ, 765 00:38:13.459 --> 00:38:15.159 Lord, give us hearts 766 00:38:16.899 --> 00:38:18.319 of compassion, 767 00:38:21.379 --> 00:38:23.279 Lord, help us see people 768 00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:26.719 the way that you see them. 769 00:38:28.299 --> 00:38:31.291 Help us see people the way that 770 00:38:31.315 --> 00:38:32.479 you saw us, 771 00:38:35.379 --> 00:38:37.719 Lord, have us respond to them 772 00:38:39.259 --> 00:38:41.719 in the way that you would call us to 773 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:44.735 respond. M Lord, may we. May we 774 00:38:44.767 --> 00:38:47.259 not look at how we can throw 775 00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:50.567 pennies at 776 00:38:50.623 --> 00:38:52.727 poverty for the sake of self 777 00:38:52.783 --> 00:38:53.779 righteousness. 778 00:38:55.879 --> 00:38:58.791 But, God, could we wake up every morning? Could 779 00:38:58.815 --> 00:39:01.519 we seek every day in communion and 780 00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:04.175 conversation with the living God, this is 781 00:39:04.207 --> 00:39:06.579 God. Lead me and guide me today 782 00:39:07.149 --> 00:39:10.021 to love and to share the way that you would have me 783 00:39:10.045 --> 00:39:10.609 to, 784 00:39:12.989 --> 00:39:15.901 to love people, to share the gospel, 785 00:39:16.005 --> 00:39:18.049 to give words of encouragement, 786 00:39:19.029 --> 00:39:21.829 Jesus, in the way that you would lead me to, Lord, may we 787 00:39:21.869 --> 00:39:24.605 may. We desire to be led in such a 788 00:39:24.637 --> 00:39:27.413 way as the Holy. The Holy Spirit leads 789 00:39:27.461 --> 00:39:30.365 us, Lord, that we would be willing to sacrifice the 790 00:39:30.397 --> 00:39:32.829 things that we claim to be our own own 791 00:39:35.249 --> 00:39:37.829 for the good of others. 792 00:39:40.329 --> 00:39:43.249 Lord, may it come from a 793 00:39:43.289 --> 00:39:43.869 heart 794 00:39:45.409 --> 00:39:47.989 surrendered to Christ. 795 00:39:49.449 --> 00:39:52.169 May it come from a heart 796 00:39:52.329 --> 00:39:55.289 of response to the spirit of 797 00:39:55.329 --> 00:39:58.221 God leading God. 798 00:39:58.245 --> 00:40:01.245 I thank you that 799 00:40:01.277 --> 00:40:02.529 you save us 800 00:40:04.189 --> 00:40:05.929 and that you call us, 801 00:40:07.149 --> 00:40:09.853 you invite us, you 802 00:40:09.901 --> 00:40:12.821 empower us to be on 803 00:40:12.845 --> 00:40:14.169 your mission with you 804 00:40:16.789 --> 00:40:18.169 in Jerusalem, 805 00:40:19.669 --> 00:40:20.729 Judea, 806 00:40:21.989 --> 00:40:24.841 Samaria, to the ends of the 807 00:40:24.865 --> 00:40:27.481 earth. God, I 808 00:40:27.505 --> 00:40:30.457 pray that there's anyone 809 00:40:30.553 --> 00:40:31.989 here today, 810 00:40:33.809 --> 00:40:36.785 whether this is their first or 811 00:40:36.817 --> 00:40:39.469 this is their thousandth time hearing the gospel. 812 00:40:40.449 --> 00:40:43.241 What if they haven't responded? I 813 00:40:43.265 --> 00:40:46.209 pray that today would be the day that by 814 00:40:46.249 --> 00:40:49.025 faith and respond to 815 00:40:49.057 --> 00:40:51.949 you. It's in Jesus name we pray. 816 00:40:52.329 --> 00:40:52.635 Amen. 817 00:40:52.635 --> 00:40:55.507 thanks again for listening, and be sure to check back next 818 00:40:55.563 --> 00:40:58.427 week for another episode. In the meantime, you 819 00:40:58.443 --> 00:41:01.379 can visit us uh@willowridgechurch.org, or by 820 00:41:01.419 --> 00:41:04.267 searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, Instagram 821 00:41:04.323 --> 00:41:04.699 and Twitter.