Good Shepherd sermon. July 13, 2025. Luke 10: 25 – 37
“Rendering Love Makes All Worthy”
Grace, mercy, and peace to you, from God, the Creator, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, thru the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This is such a powerful parable, isn’t it? Well, that’s Luke for you. Luke’s gospel provides some wonderful stories from which to teach and learn from Jesus. As a matter of fact this story of the “Good Samaritan” is one of 18 parables exclusive to Luke. Other rich stories found only in Luke are the “Prodigal Son,” the wonderful story of Zacchaeus, the parable of the “rich man and Lazarus” (not the one brought back from the dead), and many others.
Personally, I love this story of the “The Good Samaritan.” I even like the lawyer, who, according to Luke, was an “expert” in the law. He answers Jesus’ question about what was written in the Law in order to attain eternal life. “Love the Lord, our God with all our hearts, souls, strength, and minds, and love our neighbors as ourselves,” and he tells Jesus just that.
But then to “justify” himself, or as I see it, looking for a loophole to avoid any inconvenience of loving said neighbor, he asks, “By the way, Jesus, who is my neighbor?”
This is where the old rubber meets the road because the beauty of this parable is that it never – never – loses impact. At no point throughout history does the story of the “Merciful Samaritan” lose power. Sadly, it’s because every generation has had its unfair share of hatred toward one, or however many, groups. And, in the story Jesus tells, he knows exactly where to place the action – Jericho Road.
In a speech on the night before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, in April, 1968, he used this parable in his potent, “I Have Been to the Mountain” speech. Dr. King also knew how, and where to place emphasis. Listen.
“’On the one hand we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an society which produces beggars, needs restructuring.’”
That Jericho road Dr. King refers to was a 17-mile stretch of treacherous, narrow, bumpy, road beginning some 2300 feet above sea level in the Holy City of Jerusalem. It would dip down to almost 1300 feet below sea level (same as the surface of the Dead Sea), along with twisted turns, and plenty of places to hide so thieves could rob unsuspecting beggars. They could ambush their victims, and quickly flee almost beyond the possibility of pursuit. You pretty much took your life into your hands when you traveled on this route. It was like a gauntlet of greed and danger. That’s good enough reason for the road to also be called, “The Red Way;” red indicating blood.
To what does this parable speak? Simply stated, discipleship. And, that’s one of the major themes in Luke’s gospel. It gives descriptions of what following Jesus looks like and Jesus uses the stories such as today’s parable offers us. He wanted his followers then, and, us today, to better understand that being in a restored relationship with him would mean loving people despite who we are and despite who they are. That’s what Dr. King was also trying to accentuate.
I am reminded of Martin Luther’s thoughts on loving our neighbor. He says, “Everyone should ‘put on’ the neighbor and act toward him or her as if we were in the neighbor’s place.” sounds like the “Golden Rule,” right? Loving our neighbor, whoever and wherever they are, is an expression of our faith and another manner in which to serve God.
Jews and Samaritans were neighbors, but in Jesus’ day, the two groups hated each other. Can you imagine the look on this scholar’s face, or the astonishment of those in the crowd listening? I am to love that person? Come on, Jesus!
And, here is the irony of ironies – the expert in the Jewish Law must learn who his neighbor is from a Samaritan. How is he possibly going to justify himself now? Yeah, and he was going to test Jesus! As I said a few minutes ago, it seems to me this “expert” was looking for a loophole to avoid the inconvenience of loving his neighbor?
That’s the thing: Jesus was emphasizing that loving our neighbor means intentionally and deliberately putting aside our own opinions, thoughts, prejudices and preconceived ideas. He was teaching us the importance of loving people where they are, in whatever circumstance they are in, whatever life choice they have made, whatever clothes they wear, whatever language they speak, however they define their gender or sexuality, whatever religion they follow, however they voted in the last election, what political party logo is on their car’s bumper sticker, if they’re homeless living in the woods, or live in a huge home on a wooded lot.
He was showing us that unconditional love
can transform circumstances and lives.
We are all on Jericho roads. Our part in the ‘restructuring’ should be as integral to our Christian life as going to church on Sunday, or praying for others. The parable of the Good Samaritan is a story that challenges our non-involvement.
Whatever our Jericho road looks like, it will be difficult, costly and painful but it will be well worth the journey.
As we consider this text from the 21st Century, don’t we see so much of humanity in the first two individuals? It’s like they both take a look at the man in the ditch, and their thoughts seem to be, “What’s going to happen to me?” Of course, the Samaritan is asking himself, if I don’t stop to help this person, what’s going to happen to him?
Are we neighbors to help those in need? Are our hearts near enough to hear their cries and pleas? Are we able to put aside our own agendas and do what is really necessary?
Franciscan monk and theologian, Thomas Merton had his take on this. He said, “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.”
May we heed the words of Jesus to, “Love the Lord your God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength and with all our mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Now, dear friends – – – let us go and do likewise.
AMEN.