Trinity 13 August 29, 2021
Luke 10:23-37
Now THAT’S Mighty Neighbourly!
v.36-37 “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Dear friends—dear neighbours—in Christ, this morning we see Jesus give an answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” And He who is and became a neighbour to all—for all—instructs us in what it means to be neighbourly.
Who do you most often think of when you think of a good neighbour? Perhaps it is one of your own neighbours—one who is always ready/willing to help at any time with any need—one who would quite eagerly “give you the shirt off his back.” Perhaps a good example of neighbourliness comes from the world of television. Mr. Roger’s Neighbourhood (the third longest running program on PBS) delighted children with wonderful examples of how to be kind and generous to one another. Or, there is always the crazy antics of Ned Flanders from the Simpsons. The guy who is regularly insulted, ridiculed, hurt, and mocked by Homer, but who, somehow, as a Christian, still manages to keep his sunny disposition and is always there to help Homer.
We all have neighbours—and yet, sometimes—we’re not quite sure what to make of them. Sometimes neighbours can be your very best friends—sometimes they can be your worst enemies. Sometimes your neighbours just seem strange! Yet we all have neighbours, we all are neighbours—and not just to those whom we happen to live next door to.
No, indeed, this is the very question that Jesus responds to by telling the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan. An expert in the Mosaic Law had asked Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Upon learning that one must keep the Law by loving both God and your neighbour perfectly, the man quickly asked another question seeking to justify his behaviour towards others, “And who is my neighbour?”
You see, if your neighbour is someone whom you like/get along with—it can be very easy to love them—especially if you don’t have to see them every day—or even every week! But Jesus' response in the parable indicates that a neighbour is not just one whom you may like, indeed, it may be someone whom you despise—whom you don’t even know—but it is one whom God has placed near you for a specific purpose—to show mercy.
And therein lies our problem dear friends—for we may be good neighbours at times—we may be exceptional Christian neighbours some of the time—but then there are those times when we are not—when we are crabby, cold, mean, and nasty. There are those times when we stick up our noses and turn in the other direction when we see someone who is in need. And we pass our actions off as no big deal because “we don’t know them, so they’re not our responsibility.”
However, Jesus says that is not the case. The Samaritan in the parable did not know the man who fell among robbers. He only knew that he was Jewish—an ancient enemy to the Samaritans. Yet, he was neighbourly, showing mercy to another human being in need. And this is precisely what God demands/expects of all of us. It does not matter who you are—where you live—where you come from—God demands that you show perfect love to whomever you meet in your life—especially those who do you wrong and who hurt you.
Now that is a tall order! That is an impossible task! Yet that is what God’s Holy Law explicitly demands of each and every person—especially Christians—those who have known and experienced the love of God in Christ Himself. We have no excuse. We have so often failed to show mercy to one another—our supposed loved ones, even, let alone our enemies! Where then does this leave us? We who have been held captive and beaten by our sin—chained by the devil—beset by death on all sides?
It leaves us looking to God and praying for Him to be our neighbour. And God, in Jesus Christ, has done just that. Our Lord has done more than just “give us the shirt off his back.” He has given us the blood in His veins and the flesh off his bones. To take away your sin—to heal you of your death—to loose you from the bonds of Satan. Christ has beaten back your worst enemies and has set you free! Free by His shed blood on the cross—free by the whip marks on His back—free by His nail-pierced hands and feet—free by His thorn-pierced brow. Free—fully and completely—forgiven—by His grace—for He has shown mercy to you by living, suffering, dying, and rising again—so that in Him—you might never die.
Now, THAT is mighty neighbourly. God could have simply turned and walked away from sinful man. God could have justly destroyed us all by His Almighty power—wiping us clean from the face of the earth forever. For, due to our sin, we are God’s enemies by nature. But He has proven to be the very best of neighbours. Jesus has borne our burdens in His own flesh on the cross. He has anointed us with His Spirit working through His Word and Sacraments. He has fed and nourished us with full forgiveness of our sins in Holy Absolution, Baptism, and the Supper.
What does a good neighbour do? He takes care of those who are in need. Our need was extreme—apart from His mercy we would all surely perish. But Jesus has come to speak His welcome to us—to invite us into His heavenly home with Words of peace and forgiveness and life—to say your sins are forgiven for the sake of His shed blood. He has brought you into His home—filthy and covered in the grime of your sin—He has washed you clean in the waters of Holy Baptism—making you new and clothing you with the robe of His own righteousness. He has brought you to His Table—to feed you a sumptuous meal—prepared by His own hand—and consisting of His own body and blood—that you might be strengthened and nourished all the days of your life.
What better neighbour could we possibly have than the Lord Jesus who has taken such good care of us—especially when we do not deserve a bit of it? He has responded to our pleas for mercy—with mercy—showering upon you the very gifts that you need most—forgiveness, salvation, and life. These belong to you because your neighbour Jesus has given them to you—gifted them to you in the package of simple words with water, bread, and wine. Yet in them He has restored your soul and brought you into His own heavenly kingdom where you will live forever with Him in all eternity.
Furthermore, we are moved by His Spirit to show our neighbour the same mercy that we ourselves have received so freely at the hands of our loving Saviour. As our hearts are changed by His love and forgiveness, so we are enabled to reach out to our neighbour—whomever they may be—with words and deeds of kindness and compassion—seeking to show them the Lord Jesus Christ by what we say and do. Leading them to His house and to His Word and Sacraments—that they too might hear of His mercy and so receive His life—from the One who is their very best Neighbour.
Jesus who is near you in His Word and Sacraments will draw you near to Him through the same that you might be strengthened in the one true faith and experience life and salvation in His name. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Luke 10:23-37
Now THAT’S Mighty Neighbourly!
v.36-37 “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Dear friends—dear neighbours—in Christ, this morning we see Jesus give an answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” And He who is and became a neighbour to all—for all—instructs us in what it means to be neighbourly.
Who do you most often think of when you think of a good neighbour? Perhaps it is one of your own neighbours—one who is always ready/willing to help at any time with any need—one who would quite eagerly “give you the shirt off his back.” Perhaps a good example of neighbourliness comes from the world of television. Mr. Roger’s Neighbourhood (the third longest running program on PBS) delighted children with wonderful examples of how to be kind and generous to one another. Or, there is always the crazy antics of Ned Flanders from the Simpsons. The guy who is regularly insulted, ridiculed, hurt, and mocked by Homer, but who, somehow, as a Christian, still manages to keep his sunny disposition and is always there to help Homer.
We all have neighbours—and yet, sometimes—we’re not quite sure what to make of them. Sometimes neighbours can be your very best friends—sometimes they can be your worst enemies. Sometimes your neighbours just seem strange! Yet we all have neighbours, we all are neighbours—and not just to those whom we happen to live next door to.
No, indeed, this is the very question that Jesus responds to by telling the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan. An expert in the Mosaic Law had asked Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Upon learning that one must keep the Law by loving both God and your neighbour perfectly, the man quickly asked another question seeking to justify his behaviour towards others, “And who is my neighbour?”
You see, if your neighbour is someone whom you like/get along with—it can be very easy to love them—especially if you don’t have to see them every day—or even every week! But Jesus' response in the parable indicates that a neighbour is not just one whom you may like, indeed, it may be someone whom you despise—whom you don’t even know—but it is one whom God has placed near you for a specific purpose—to show mercy.
And therein lies our problem dear friends—for we may be good neighbours at times—we may be exceptional Christian neighbours some of the time—but then there are those times when we are not—when we are crabby, cold, mean, and nasty. There are those times when we stick up our noses and turn in the other direction when we see someone who is in need. And we pass our actions off as no big deal because “we don’t know them, so they’re not our responsibility.”
However, Jesus says that is not the case. The Samaritan in the parable did not know the man who fell among robbers. He only knew that he was Jewish—an ancient enemy to the Samaritans. Yet, he was neighbourly, showing mercy to another human being in need. And this is precisely what God demands/expects of all of us. It does not matter who you are—where you live—where you come from—God demands that you show perfect love to whomever you meet in your life—especially those who do you wrong and who hurt you.
Now that is a tall order! That is an impossible task! Yet that is what God’s Holy Law explicitly demands of each and every person—especially Christians—those who have known and experienced the love of God in Christ Himself. We have no excuse. We have so often failed to show mercy to one another—our supposed loved ones, even, let alone our enemies! Where then does this leave us? We who have been held captive and beaten by our sin—chained by the devil—beset by death on all sides?
It leaves us looking to God and praying for Him to be our neighbour. And God, in Jesus Christ, has done just that. Our Lord has done more than just “give us the shirt off his back.” He has given us the blood in His veins and the flesh off his bones. To take away your sin—to heal you of your death—to loose you from the bonds of Satan. Christ has beaten back your worst enemies and has set you free! Free by His shed blood on the cross—free by the whip marks on His back—free by His nail-pierced hands and feet—free by His thorn-pierced brow. Free—fully and completely—forgiven—by His grace—for He has shown mercy to you by living, suffering, dying, and rising again—so that in Him—you might never die.
Now, THAT is mighty neighbourly. God could have simply turned and walked away from sinful man. God could have justly destroyed us all by His Almighty power—wiping us clean from the face of the earth forever. For, due to our sin, we are God’s enemies by nature. But He has proven to be the very best of neighbours. Jesus has borne our burdens in His own flesh on the cross. He has anointed us with His Spirit working through His Word and Sacraments. He has fed and nourished us with full forgiveness of our sins in Holy Absolution, Baptism, and the Supper.
What does a good neighbour do? He takes care of those who are in need. Our need was extreme—apart from His mercy we would all surely perish. But Jesus has come to speak His welcome to us—to invite us into His heavenly home with Words of peace and forgiveness and life—to say your sins are forgiven for the sake of His shed blood. He has brought you into His home—filthy and covered in the grime of your sin—He has washed you clean in the waters of Holy Baptism—making you new and clothing you with the robe of His own righteousness. He has brought you to His Table—to feed you a sumptuous meal—prepared by His own hand—and consisting of His own body and blood—that you might be strengthened and nourished all the days of your life.
What better neighbour could we possibly have than the Lord Jesus who has taken such good care of us—especially when we do not deserve a bit of it? He has responded to our pleas for mercy—with mercy—showering upon you the very gifts that you need most—forgiveness, salvation, and life. These belong to you because your neighbour Jesus has given them to you—gifted them to you in the package of simple words with water, bread, and wine. Yet in them He has restored your soul and brought you into His own heavenly kingdom where you will live forever with Him in all eternity.
Furthermore, we are moved by His Spirit to show our neighbour the same mercy that we ourselves have received so freely at the hands of our loving Saviour. As our hearts are changed by His love and forgiveness, so we are enabled to reach out to our neighbour—whomever they may be—with words and deeds of kindness and compassion—seeking to show them the Lord Jesus Christ by what we say and do. Leading them to His house and to His Word and Sacraments—that they too might hear of His mercy and so receive His life—from the One who is their very best Neighbour.
Jesus who is near you in His Word and Sacraments will draw you near to Him through the same that you might be strengthened in the one true faith and experience life and salvation in His name. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.