Zach (Host of Jesus Podcast) (20:14)
I want to tell you all a personal story. It's a story of when my wife and I were first married, moving into a tiny little apartment in Carpinteria, California. This apartment was 500 square feet and you could only get to it by going through a narrow staircase. We had a couch that wasn't large, but was still large enough to require two people to lift it. My wife and I tried our best to get the right angles to get this couch into our apartment. But we failed each and every time. As it turns out, it needed more than two people to help. We struggled for hours trying to get this couch through the narrow staircase into our apartment. We were new to town and had no one to call for help. That's why we got really excited when a couple from the same complex passed by. Both of them were wearing workout gear. It looks like that they were ready to go out on a run or walk to the gym. We tried our best to give subtle eye contact with them, giving our best puppy dog help us eyes and looks. They looked at us, waved, and then went on. There was another man who came out of the apartment complex next to us who, who turned out to be our neighbor. He looked at us struggling and then went his own way. And then something unexpected happened. Walking along the sidewalk next to our apartment complex were two men, baggy jeans, baggy sweatshirts, hood over their heads, sharing a joint as they walked along the road. We didn't wave them down. We didn't give them those puppy dog eyes. We didn't think that they would help us. But as they saw us struggle, they jogged over to us and said, let us help you. And then they spent, and I'm not joking, an hour and a half helping us, trying to get this couch inside the doorway. These men gave us their numbers and they told us all of the awesome places to eat in town. They weren't people that we expected at all to help us out. And that's a little glimpse into what happened in today's story. Who is my neighbor? Is it the person with the same background as me? Is it the person who looks like me, talks like me and agrees with all of my opinions? This parable told by Jesus tells us that kindness, sacrifice and sharing the love of God bind people more than culture, creed or country. Ezra was beat near death and desperate for help. But that help didn't come from the usual suspects. The Levites passed by and couldn't be bothered to help. The priest had sympathy, but he wouldn't inconvenience himself. These are figures of religious piety and societal respect. They should be the ones to help. Yet their responses, or lack thereof, to the suffering man pierce the veil of religiosity, revealing a heart wrenching truth. Knowledge of the law, positions of influence and rituals of faith are rendered meaningless without the embodiment of love. And compassion. James 2 reminds us that faith without works is dead. It's not enough to have all the right words, say the right prayers and believe the right things if our faith doesn't compel us to compassion, and then what use is it? Listen to James talk about faith and works as one and the same. What good is it? My brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works, can faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to him, go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving him the things that he needs for the body, what good is that? So also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Someone will say, I have faith and I have works, and show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well, even the demons believe and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless. James is giving us a compelling truth. It's one thing to go to a hungry person and say, I'm going to pray that you would be warmed and filled. I'm going to pray that a rotisserie chicken falls magically from the sky and falls right before your feet. And it's another thing entirely to go right into the grocery store and buy one yourself. James is saying that our prayers and our faith need to have some sort of leg behind them. Action. The excuses that these Levites and priests might have conjured up resonate with the myriad of justifications we also give ourselves. I'm too busy. It's not my place to help. Or what would others think if I actually did that? These excuses reveal our apathy and the shallowness of our faith. Whether it be fear, inconvenience or judgmental heart, these barriers obstruct the flow of God's love through us to those in need. The narrative takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of the Samaritan. This is something that a first century Jew would have never expected to happen. It's a twist in the story that would have shocked everyone who's listening. Because Samaritans were hated back then. Samaritans were a figure of scorn and prejudice in the eyes of Jesus. Original audience. It was even said that if a Samaritan woman is giving birth on the side of the road, that a Jew should just walk on the other side. That's how much the Jews hated Samaritans. We gave this man a name, Jehu, even though Jehu is a Samaritan and considered dangerous and second class to Jews. He embodied the law of love. More than the priest and more than the Levite, he crossed societal boundaries and personal biases to tend to the wounds of a stranger. His actions, pouring out oil and wine, bandaging wounds, and ensuring ongoing care are tangible expressions of God's love, a love that knows no boundaries of culture, creed, race, or ethnicity. A love that doesn't care about class, a love that doesn't care about prejudice. A love that can break down petty divisions like political parties or area codes. This Samaritan, much like Jesus, steps into the messiness and brokenness of life, offering healing and hope. His example calls us to active, sacrificial, and selfless love, challenging us to see every individual as our neighbor, worthy of compassion and aid. May we all be like Jehu, ignoring the scorn of others and doing what's right no matter what. What I love about the portrayal of the good Samaritan in this story is that we get to see Ezra's prejudice slowly melt away under the warmth of Jehu's kindness. Never underestimate the power of kindness. Romans 2:4 says that Jesus kindness leads us to repentance. This world is a divided place. There are issues to solve and injustices to address, my friends. Hatred and judgment are not the answer to these problems, and of course we all know that. But it's harder to embody that as an ideal. It's an ethic of kindness, truth, and love that direct the hearts of people, even those we would consider enemies. Jesus concludes with a compelling directive to the young lawyer, go and do likewise. This command beckons us beyond mere contemplation to actionable love. It invites us to view every encounter as an opportunity to be a neighbor, extend mercy, and embody Christ's love to others. In reflecting on the societal and personal implications of this parable, let's consider these questions. How do we respond to the needs before us, both in our immediate communities and in the wider world? Are there any prejudices or biases that hinder our ability to show compassion to people? How can we cultivate a heart that sees beyond societal divisions, recognizing the image of God in every individual? As we ponder these questions, let's pray for grace to embody the love and compassion of the good Samaritan in our daily lives. May our actions reflect the transformative power of Christ's love, breaking down barriers and building bridges of hope and healing. May we be known not merely by the titles and doctrines we profess, but by our love, a love that acts, heals and unites. Let us go forth, inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan, to live out the gospel in a world that desperately needs God's love. Our next episode will introduce us to two men with vastly different lives. One is a member of an exclusive club of religious elites. He's righteous, moral and eloquent. The other is a betrayer of his people, a known sinner and a tax collector. They'll both offer their prayers to God, but only one will walk away blessed. Be sure to follow and subscribe to this podcast so you never have to miss an episode. And for more daily devotions, prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime, visit pray.com.
