The Good Samaritan

Sermon from CCM Fallowfield

;

LISTEN

 

This sermon was preached by Tom O’Toole at the Fallowfield site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 7th November 2021.

BIBLE VERSES

 

This sermon was based on Luke 10:30-37.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

KEY POINTS

The Situation

  • Jesus told a famous parable about a man who was attacked on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and was left half dead beside the road. 
  • The only hope for the man was for a passer-by to stop and help him.

The Priest

  • Priests were religious workers who twice a year spent a week on duty at the temple. 
  • One reason for the priest not to help the man was that he had a lot going on. He was on his way back from Jerusalem, and was likely exhausted from his week of serving, plus would have had a lot of catch-up to do when he got back on his ordinary work. 
  • Another reason was ‘What if…’ – it would be possible that bandits were still around, and there was a chance that the man was already dead which would have meant ceremonial uncleanness that necessitated a return to Jerusalem to sacrifice for the priest if he had touched the body.

The Levite

  • Levites also worked in the temple in a less prestigious role than the priests.
  • The same reasons that the priest had not to help would also have applied to the Levite. 
  • In addition, there was the social influence of having already seen the priest concluding that he shouldn’t help that would have made it easier for the Levite to make the same choice. 

The Samaritan

  • In addition to the reasons discussed, the Samaritan also might have been put off helping because of the personal cost that was involved and the fact that it wasn’t expected of people like him, as Samaritans were looked down upon and despised by the Jews of the day.
  • Yet the Samaritan did choose to help, showing compassion, giving care and bearing the cost.
  • He did so for two simple reasons: 
    • There was a need
    • He could

Jesus

  • Jesus ends the story by encouraging his hearer to act in the same way as the Samaritan.
  • Jesus himself did likewise, having compassion on us, caring enough to come into our world and bearing the cost of our salvation on the cross.  

MORE SERMONS

To see more sermons from Christ Church Manchester, you can visit our sermons page, or why not consider subscribing on iTunes.