Love Your Neighbor -- Very Carefully!
Preaching
Lions And Cows Dining Together
And 111 Other Sermon Ideas
Object:
Purpose Statement: It is important to remind our church family to not allow ourselves to be placed in jeopardy by doing good deeds.
The Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25-37) is one of the most famous and favorite that Jesus told. This, despite the fact that it asks a tremendous sacrifice of each one of us. A "teacher of the Law" inquires about the "love your neighbor as yourself" part of the Great Commission (this is another version of the Golden Rule). When the teacher asks Jesus who is his neighbor, Jesus answers with the Good Samaritan parable. If the principle lesson of the story is that we should help others, the ancillary idea is that love and service knows no class, religious, ethnic, or such restrictions. Everyone is a sister or brother and a neighbor to us. (The story mentions it was "religious leaders" who passed by without helping the victim. Pastors love to say, "they saw the man was already robbed and so went on their way.) There is a serious and valuable addendum to this story each pastor must share. We must be very careful that being a Good Samaritan doesn't put us in danger.
a. It's mandatory. We cannot argue with the idea that it is God's will that we love each other, and this means helping others out of difficulties wherever we can. Once a state trooper saw me pulled over at the side of the road with a flat tire. He made a U-turn, came back, and would not let me change my tire. He insisted on doing it for me so I would not get my suit and tie ensemble soiled. Jesus made it clear there were no conditions to that love and service. You and I must help anyone we can, even an enemy. Matthew 5:38-48, and many other passages, leave no doubt in the matter. Such good deeds make our world a much better place to live.
b. It's dangerous. The main point of this message is that there is danger in doing good and each pastor must see to it that the Good Samaritan story comes with a warning label. One such danger is that you, or I, could inadvertently cause more harm to a person in need. Despite our intentions to help, we might accidentally injure the individual and be the recipient of a lawsuit. We cannot let the risk of being sued prevent our good deeds. Just be extra careful. There are laws on the books (coincidentally called the "Good Samaritan Laws," I believe) where you cannot be held responsible for doing harm when you were sincerely trying to do good. Know the laws of your state. However, a more insidious danger is that you may be the victim of a trap laid to rob or injure you. Occasionally, that stranded motorist, or needy person knocking on your door, doesn't really need help, but is a criminal planning to attack you. Of course, there are times when we do risk our lives to save another person. Jumping into the lake to save someone who is drowning, or rushing into a burning building to rescue someone, are examples where we may choose to risk our lives, but it is important for us to first consider other alternatives. There may be a long pole we can use to reach out to the drowning person.
c. It's doable. We can provide help in many instances in a safe way. (Here the sermon should recite a list of examples of safety precautions we should know and use. For example: If the situation doesn't look right, don't stop. Use your cell phone or the phone at the next stop to call for help for the person stranded by the road. Don't let strangers into your home to use the phone. Make the call for them. We can't stress the importance of this message enough. Our church members are not doing the "right thing" by allowing themselves to become victims of a criminal act.) There are many alternatives and safe ways to provide service to someone in need without jeopardizing our lives. God calls on us for sacrifices on occasion, but never foolish ones. It is never intended that we become the victim of crime, when there are more careful and responsible ways of being a Good Samaritan.
The Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25-37) is one of the most famous and favorite that Jesus told. This, despite the fact that it asks a tremendous sacrifice of each one of us. A "teacher of the Law" inquires about the "love your neighbor as yourself" part of the Great Commission (this is another version of the Golden Rule). When the teacher asks Jesus who is his neighbor, Jesus answers with the Good Samaritan parable. If the principle lesson of the story is that we should help others, the ancillary idea is that love and service knows no class, religious, ethnic, or such restrictions. Everyone is a sister or brother and a neighbor to us. (The story mentions it was "religious leaders" who passed by without helping the victim. Pastors love to say, "they saw the man was already robbed and so went on their way.) There is a serious and valuable addendum to this story each pastor must share. We must be very careful that being a Good Samaritan doesn't put us in danger.
a. It's mandatory. We cannot argue with the idea that it is God's will that we love each other, and this means helping others out of difficulties wherever we can. Once a state trooper saw me pulled over at the side of the road with a flat tire. He made a U-turn, came back, and would not let me change my tire. He insisted on doing it for me so I would not get my suit and tie ensemble soiled. Jesus made it clear there were no conditions to that love and service. You and I must help anyone we can, even an enemy. Matthew 5:38-48, and many other passages, leave no doubt in the matter. Such good deeds make our world a much better place to live.
b. It's dangerous. The main point of this message is that there is danger in doing good and each pastor must see to it that the Good Samaritan story comes with a warning label. One such danger is that you, or I, could inadvertently cause more harm to a person in need. Despite our intentions to help, we might accidentally injure the individual and be the recipient of a lawsuit. We cannot let the risk of being sued prevent our good deeds. Just be extra careful. There are laws on the books (coincidentally called the "Good Samaritan Laws," I believe) where you cannot be held responsible for doing harm when you were sincerely trying to do good. Know the laws of your state. However, a more insidious danger is that you may be the victim of a trap laid to rob or injure you. Occasionally, that stranded motorist, or needy person knocking on your door, doesn't really need help, but is a criminal planning to attack you. Of course, there are times when we do risk our lives to save another person. Jumping into the lake to save someone who is drowning, or rushing into a burning building to rescue someone, are examples where we may choose to risk our lives, but it is important for us to first consider other alternatives. There may be a long pole we can use to reach out to the drowning person.
c. It's doable. We can provide help in many instances in a safe way. (Here the sermon should recite a list of examples of safety precautions we should know and use. For example: If the situation doesn't look right, don't stop. Use your cell phone or the phone at the next stop to call for help for the person stranded by the road. Don't let strangers into your home to use the phone. Make the call for them. We can't stress the importance of this message enough. Our church members are not doing the "right thing" by allowing themselves to become victims of a criminal act.) There are many alternatives and safe ways to provide service to someone in need without jeopardizing our lives. God calls on us for sacrifices on occasion, but never foolish ones. It is never intended that we become the victim of crime, when there are more careful and responsible ways of being a Good Samaritan.
