The Cost Of Compassionate Caring
Luke 10:30-37
Introduction:
1. Ladies, what if your husband brought you home a beautiful bouquet of flowers? You would be touched and moved by his kindness and thoughtfulness. Then he says, “Yeah, they delivered them to the office by mistake. We had to get them out of there today so they asked me to bring them home.” Ladies, are you still touched?
• It didn’t cost him anything (time or money), so it doesn’t mean anything.
2. There is a principle that we see throughout Scripture – God looks beyond the action or service to the cost involved. Mark 12:41-44 God doesn’t simply ask, “What did we do?” The question God considers is “What was the cost?”
• Illustration: Reference 1 Chronicles 21:18-24 and 2 Samuel 24:18-24. King David understood this principle, and when he went to buy land from a man to erect an altar and worship God, the man said, “Just take it for free.” David said, “No sir – I will not offer to the Lord something that cost me nothing. I will pay you full price.”
• Illustration: Reference Mark 12:41-44. The widow only gave two mites, but Jesus said she gave more in His eyes than all the wealthy people. Why was this? Jesus said, “They cast in of their abundance, but she cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
3. God looks at the cost. In the same way, caring that costs us nothing really isn’t caring. This text before us is known as the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told this story in answer to the question “Who is my neighbor?” Read Luke 10:30-37.
4. One thing is clear from this story – compassionate caring will always cost you something, but that’s what the Christian life is all about (vs. 27). How can a person say they love God and not choose to care for wounded and hurting people?
5. Those of us who know Jesus, know His compassion; in dying on the cross for us, He inspires us to reach out and care for others. Ephesians 5:2
6. Believers who love the Lord are willing to pay the cost to compassionately care for others. What does this mean? What do we learn from Jesus’ parable? Compassionate caring means:
There is a willingness to give of yourself.
1. The priest and Levite saw this man and passed by on the other side. Notice in verse 33, the Samaritan saw him and “had compassion on him and went to him.”
2. At that moment, when the Samaritan saw him, there was a conscious decision that had to be made. Do I get involved, or do I look the other way and continue on my way?
3. He allowed his heart to be moved with compassion. The opposite of compassion is to be calloused – hardened, feeling no emotion.
4. When you choose to compassionately care, it means getting in the trenches and getting involved. Notice again, that he had compassion on him, and went to him.
• Illustration: You are on your way to church and a guy is trying to push his car out of the street to gas station. Do you get involved? You don’t know the guy. If it were the pastor, a family member or LIFE Group member you would stop. But this stranger?
5. We tend to like to give of ourselves to people that we feel appreciate it and are worthy of our caring. But the giving in this story is far deeper and Christ-like.
There is a willingness to give of your time.
1. Look at verse 34. Don’t you know this took some time? This Samaritan was on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was heading somewhere to do something. (You don’t head I-4 West for no reason.)
2. It was decision time – do I interrupt my schedule to help this guy? Is this a bother or is it an opportunity? The priest and Levite decided it was a bother. I’m sure they had noble excuses.
• The Levite’s and priest’s thoughts – “I’ve been serving at the temple; I’ve done my part. I need to get home to my family. Let somebody else help. This isn’t my fault. He probably deserved it.”
• Thoughts about the guy who ran out of gas on street – “Serves him right. The dummy should have watched his gas gauge. I’m in my church clothes. I have to get to LIFE Group.” Excuses are never a problem.
• One of the easiest things to do is to do nothing! Somebody once told their pastor, “Pastor, we have a lot of willing people in this church… willing to let somebody else do it.” Illustration: “It’s easier to do nothing.”
3. Usually, when people don’t choose to care and make a difference, it isn’t because they lack opportunity, it is because they aren’t willing to pay the cost.
4. The priest and Levite had the same opportunity as the Samaritan. They looked, sized up the situation, and decided they simply wouldn’t pay the cost, nor take the time to help the man. (This passage could be talking about the Good Levite or Good Levite’s Purse!)
5. The Samaritan looked, and being moved with compassion, decided that he would make a difference by caring – giving of himself and his time (vs. 34).
• Illustration: Salvation’s plan did not happen with a snap of the finger. It took God time. The incarnation, 33 years of life on earth, torture, carrying the cross up Golgotha, dying, 3 days in tomb, 40 post-resurrection days on earth.
• God took the time to plan, initiate, and implement a plan of salvation for you and me. He thought the cost was worth His time in order to save and rescue us. Aren’t you thankful?
6. It is easy to give of your time to people you love, but what about the needy and wounded person that cannot give back to you? What about the outcast that nobody else wants to take time for? This is when God must do something outside of and against our nature that is within us, and do something supernatural through us. If you are yielded to the Spirit, Christ’s life will be manifested in you and through you evidenced by your words and actions.
There is a willingness to give of your possessions.
1. The thieves were guilty of coveting after this man’s possessions and wanting them for themselves. But the priest and Levite were guilty of greed too in that they refused to share their resources and possessions with a needy man. Three attitudes we see:
• The Thieves – What’s yours is mine – I’ll take it.
• The Priest and Levite – What’s mine is mine – I’ll keep it.
• The Samaritan – What’s mine is yours – I’ll give it.
2. Satan desires that we use people and love things; God desires that we love people and use things. We are called to love people and use our possessions to minister and help people. This is exactly what the Samaritan did (vs. 34-35).
3. To be honest, this is where many believers draw the line when it comes to compassionate caring. They may get involved and give of their time, but they aren’t going to turn let go of their money or stuff. You cannot love God and love money. It is that simple. You cannot love people and love money. You cannot compassionately care and be greedy. 1 Timothy 6:18
4. We must look at our possessions as a God-given ability to further the work of God and help people. You aren’t taking them to heaven, so you want to put them to work for God while you have opportunity on earth. This is the heart of Christ. Acts 20:35
In Conclusion:
1. The Samaritan stayed there, nursed the man, and paid the bill himself. There was a willingness to get involved; he gave of his time and resources.
2. There is always a cost when you compassionately care. Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.
3. What did the Samaritan have to gain from this? Did Jesus end this by saying, “Oh, by the way, the wounded man recovered, found the Samaritan, thanked him, and gave him a huge reward for saving his life?” No, He didn’t.
4. Sometimes the only reward for compassionately caring is the inner joy and personal growth that comes from caring, loving, and being Christ-like. But what a reward it is!
• The story about the man running out of gas happened to me on my way to the church Sunday morning. I helped him push the car to the gas station, made sure he had money for gas, and made sure his car worked. As well, I invited him to church and gave a testimony for Christ. I don’t know if he will ever come to church or if I will ever see him again, but I am so glad I chose to care! Maybe I will see him in heaven one day because of the impact that day.
