A Horse Called Good Samaritan

Pentecost 5, Proper 10C

Luke 10:25-37

St. Matthias

July 14, 2019

           Today we hear once more, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  A man was going down to Jericho and we all know what we are supposed to do.  He is left by the side of the road badly beaten and we are called to stop and help.  And someone does and because he is from Samaria, we call him the Good Samaritan because he does what good people are supposed to do.  He is a good example for all of us to follow. There are Good Samaritan hospitals, counseling centers, and homeless shelters.  There are at least a dozen Good Samaritan Episcopal Churches out there.  I found a Good Samaritan App for your iPhone AND EVEN a racehorse named Good Samaritan in Versailles, Kentucky.  Of course, I have to wonder if he stops on the racetrack to help other horses who are injured? 

           It would be easy to think that this Parable is all about us and what we are supposed to do when we see someone else in need.  It could also be about what NOT to do - because a priest and a Levite PASS BY in a hurry and didn’t want to get involved.    And I have preached that sermon several times over the years – and it would work just fine if I did the same again today - but this year is different because what I want to know each Sunday is WHAT is this scripture telling us about God.  Remember – the Bible is first and foremost about God.  It is only about us when we ask what this scripture lesson tells us about God and our relationship with our Savior.  So – SINCE we believe in God and God loves us and we are called to love our neighbors – what’s the Parable of the Good Samaritan all about?

           A lawyer stood up to TEST Jesus asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

           This week I read one of those articles that rather emphatically suggests that you don’t have to be religious in order to be a good person.  I find this line of reasoning to be quite fascinating because it is TRUE.  You don’t have to be a Christian or even religious to be good or do good!  But this is not a valid argument against Christianity or religion in general.  Nothing in scripture says that we believe in God or follow Jesus so that we can DO good things.  Otherwise, Jesus would have told the people that day that in order to inherit Eternal Life, you need to go out and do something good – like help an injured traveler on the side of the road.  But he doesn’t!   Jesus answers the man’s question with a question and the answer is LOVE.  Love God with all your heart.  Why – because God loves us, and love is what Eternal Life is all about. 

There are lots of people who I love.  I love Phyllis.  We love our granddaughter, our daughter, and our son-in-law.  There are friends who I love, and they love me because we tell each other, and we just know that it is true.  When you tell someone that you love them, and you mean it – then it becomes real.  And I like it when love is real and so I tell Phyllis every day that I love her.  It’s every bit as much for me as it is for her.

God loves us!  The Bible says it over and over again.  We say that WE BELIEVE GOD LOVES US every time we gather to worship.  BUT I don’t think I’ve really said it back to God.  So, I tried it – this week.  I resisted the urge to make it sound all HOLY by using a bunch of religious-sounding language.  Instead, I said it during my prayers - GOD, I LOVE YOU – trying to say it just as I would to Phyllis or Lydia.  It was a rather unique and interesting spiritual experiment.  I am going to do it again. 

Now the thing is – when we give and receive something as wonderful as LOVE – then it becomes something we want to share.  We want to LOVE others and experience that same experience of LOVE over and over again.  Sometimes we GIVE – sometimes we RECEIVE.  Jesus told the Parable to say TO the lawyer and everyone listening – LOVE God and love one another and share that love when you are feeding the hungry or caring for the sick or stopping to help an injured man on the side of the road to Jericho.  I’m often asked what HEAVEN is like and the best answer I can give is that HEAVEN is where we know God’s love perfectly.  And I think we can begin to know that now through FAITH.  Today we will pack beans and rice.  We can pack them because it is a good thing to do.  We can stay and pack to check it off our spiritual to-do list.  But what if we do it because we love God and our neighbors who will be fed.  Pour beans and rice in a bag saying in your heart – I Love You!  Say it to God and say it to the neighbors who will be filled never knowing that it was you who put their beans and rice in that bag.  But know that they may eat – and feel God’s love and your love – and be filled with food and Love.  And if we love God and they love God and we love one another – then we will experience Heaven on Earth right here at St. Matthias.  Sounds like eternal life to me!  AMEN.