There is always an attempt in the Sunday morning church service to have a coronation between the music service with that of the sermon. For instance, if is the sermon is on thanks then the music should be about thanks. Or if the sermon is about the Cross then the music should be about the cross. This brings us to the song for today which is what is now an old song and one of Cher’s first hits. But if you listen to the song, it’s not a song of praise or thanks or a song anything about love. No it’s a song about hate, in particular it’s a song about racial hatred. Was there racial hatred in the Bible and did Jesus have anything to say about it? Now listen to todays’ song.
In the tenth chapter of Luke Jesus is having a conversation will a Jewish lawyer, imagine that a Jewish lawyer! Starting at the twenty fifth verse the Bible says: 25. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tested him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26. He said unto him, ?What is written in the law? How readest thou ? 27. he, answering, said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and they neighbor as thyself. 28. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do,and thou shalt live. 29. But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? 30. And Jesus, answering, said,Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, and A certain man went down from Jerusalem to wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him. and passed by on the other side. 33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34.And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35. And on the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36.Which , now, of these three, thinkest thou, as neighbor unto him that fell among thieves? 37. And he said, He that showed mercy on him, Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. — What do think that the priest would say if he was asked why he didn’t stop and help. He might had said that when he saw the man it reminded him of his favorite scripture; God helps those who help themselves. You do know that” God helps those who help themselves”is not in the Bible anywhere, you would think that as many pages that there are in the Bible that would be in there somewhere! Since this man didn’t look like he was doing anything to help himself, then he gave me no reason to help the priest would say. And then what about the Levite what would he say? He might would say when I saw the man lying there I thought by the way that man looked he was here in this country illegally, he looked like he’s from a country where everyone’s from that country are rapist! If he lied there and died then that would be one less illegal rapist in our country! Now it’s time to discuss the Good Samaritan, who were the Samaritans? The Samaritans were Jews who married Gentiles this made them and wait for it——–half breeds, thus today’s song. The Jews hated the Samaritans with all their hearts and with all their souls and that’s right they hated the Samaritans with all their minds. The Jews considered the Samaritans unclean and a good Jew would not even speak to a Samaritan. If you will notice when Jesus asked the Jewish lawyer which of the three were a neighbor to the man. He said it was the one who showed mercy on him, he didn’t say it was the Samaritan because a good Jew wouldn’t even say the word Samaritan. Who knew that the story of the Good Samaritan was so complicated?
HOW DOES THE GOOD SAMARITAN APPLY TO US TODAY?
Suppose for a moment that after he helped the man the good Samaritan felt that it was his life’s calling to give everyone healthcare, he could call it Samaritan-care. Who do you suppose would be the most against Samaritan-care or for that matter anything that a Samaritan would do? My guess would be the priest and the Levite, the leaders of the church. That’s what is happening today, the leaders of the church are standing up against Obama-care because of the same reason they would back in Jesus time, that is racial hatred. The Republicans are against Obama-care for one reason–Obama is black! They are against anything a black man does. Of coarse if you go to church everyone will tell you that because Obamas black has nothing to do with it, Jesus is against Obama-care! They must know a passage of scripture where Jesus says to let those people on the side of the road die. And I’m sure they know a scripture where Jesus says not to give any of your money to someone just because they are in need. I would really like one of these church people tell me with chapter and verse exactly where Jesus joined the Republican Party.
SHOULD WE BE LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITIAN?
After the lawyer answered Jesus that the one who showed mercy was the neighbor , Jesus said Go, and do thou likewise. Jesus didn’t said, Go, if you feel like it, he didn’t say Go, if you have the time, he didn’t said, Go, if it will make you famous, Jesus said Go, and do thou likewise. This is what is know as a command of Jesus, A Christian does not have the option to leave someone on the side of the road. Maybe you have never looked on the story of the Good Samaritan like this, maybe you should. Tomorrow I will have another song that’s kind of a Christmas song.