Genesis 4:9 (KJV) And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?
And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Luke 10:36-37 (KJV) Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him
that fell among the thieves?
[37] And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus
unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
VERY BREIFLY THIS EVENING I WOULD LIKE TO USE FOR A TOPIC
(I AM MY BROTHER`S KEEPER).
THIS STORY FOUND IN THE 4TH CHAPTER OF GENESIS IS A VERY FAMILIAR STORY
MOSES REVEALS TO US THAT ADAM LAY WITH HIS WIFE EVE
SHE CONCEIVES AND GIVE BIRTH TO HER FRIST SON CAIN
LATER, SHE CONCEIVES AGAIN AND GIVES BIRTH TO HER SECOND SON , ABEL
THE RECORD ALSO REVEALS THAT CAIN WAS A FARMER AND ABEL WAS A
SHEPHERD
AND CAIN & ABEL GAVE OFFERINGS TO THE LORD.
ABEL`S OFFERING WAS LOOKED UPON WITH FAVOR,
BUT GOD REJECTED CAINS OFFERING
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT CAIN BECAME UPSET AND INVITED ABEL OUT TO THE FIELD
AND IT WAS THERE THAT HE COMMITTED THE WORLD FRIST MURDER
VERSE 9 IN THE TEXT REVEALS THAT the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother
? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
IN THIS STORY NOT ONLY DO WE FIND THE GENESIS OF ALL CREATION
BUT ALSO THE BEGINNING OF DIVISION, STRIFE,AND SEPERATION BETWEEN BROTHERS
AND THIS SEED OF DIVISION AND STRIFE CONTINUES TO MOVE DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS
FROM CAIN AND ABEL TO JACOB AND ESAU TO JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS TO ABSALOM AND AMMON AND
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON
AND IT EVEN HAVE MANIFESTED ITSELF IN THE CHURCH TODAY
THIS DIVISION AND SEPERATION OF BROTHERS WOULD BECOME SO ENGRAINED INTO THE FABRIC OF THE
ISRAELITE COMMUNITY
THAT BY THE TIME JESUS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE
IT HAD PREMATED THE VERY RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
A COMMUNITY THAT GOD HAD COMMISSIONED TO BRING RECONCILIATION AMONG BROTHERS
AND IF THE PURPOSE OF GOD WAS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISH
SOMEBODY HAD TO ANSWER CAIN`S QUESTION ( AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER)
SO AS WE EXAMINE THE 10TH CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
WE FIND JESUS BRINGING CLOSURE TO CAIN`S QUESTION
IN THE 10TH CHAPTER OF LUKE
JESUS IS TEACHING HIS DICIPLES AND THE COMMUNITY
VERSE 25 TELLS US - a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:26 Jesus replied, "What does Moses' law say about it?"
Luke 10:27 "It says," he replied, "that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself."
AND REALLY TRYING TO BE SLICK - The man wanted to justify (his lack of love for some kinds of people), so he asked,
"WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR"
JESUS BEING THE MASTER TEACHER HE IS JESUS
TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A CASE STUDY THROUGH WHICH HEARERS COULD DECIDE FOR
THEMSELVES THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION
HE BEGINS BY TELLING THEM A STORY THAT’S HELPS TO DEMONSTRATE THE TRUE MEANING OF BEING OUR
BROTHER`S KEEPER
JESUS SAID, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his
raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:31-32 (KJV) 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.
Luke 10:33-35 (Living) "But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity.
[34] Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man
on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night.
[35] The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than
that,' he said, 'I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
[37] The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on
him."Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
AND THIS PARABLE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAVE BECOME TO MANY OF US A LIVED REALITY
CAN I TELL YOU WHAT I`M TALKING ABOUT
THERE ARE MANY NAMELESS AND COUNTLESS MEN
WHO ARE TRAVELING OR HAVE TRAVELED THE LONELY DESOLATE ROCKY ROAD
AND MAYBE IT`S ROCKY -BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANYTHING EXCEPT JAIL OR PRISON
MAYBE IT`S ROCKY BECAUSE THEY NEVER KNEW THERE FATHER OR MOTHER AND HAD TO SEARCH FOR
MANHOOD IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES
BUT WHENEVER ONE FALLS ON THE LONELY ROAD THEY ARE LIKELY TO FALL AMONG ROBBERS
ROBBERS CALLED-RACISM -CLASSISM -UNEMPLOYMENT
ROBBERS CALLED-ANGER -VIOLENCE-REJECTION
ROBBERS CALLED-SUICIDE-HOMICIDE-AND GENOCIDE
AND WE WHO THINKS WE,RE ALL THAT GETS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PASS THEM BY
BUT WE ARE THE VERY ONES THAT HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT AND SET APART BY GOD TO SERVE
AND WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WE,RE PASSING CHURCH ON THE WAY TO THE CHURCH
WE HAVE GOT SO CAUGHT UP IN ANNUAL DAYS AND PRAYER BREAKFAST AND TEA PARTYS
CAUGHT UP IN LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS -BUT WANT LIFT A HAND TO HELP SOME BODY
CAUGHT UP IN TOTING A BIBLE ON SUNDAY MORNING BUT WON,T STUDY IT AND DO WHAT GOD INSTRUCTED
US TO DO
CAUGHT UP THAT WE ARE NEGLECTING OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY
BUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS THE REAL PRIZE
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BUT AS I EXAMINE THE TEXT JESUS TELLS US 3 THINGS WE MUST DO IF WE,RE GOING TO BE OUR BROTHER`S
KEEPER
Luke 10:33 (KJV) But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on
him,
AND IF WE,RE GOING TO BE BROTHERS KEEPER THE WAY GOD INTENDED FOR US TO BE
(COMPASSION)
WE MUST FRIST HAVE COMPASSION
SEE THE DIFFERECE BETWEEN THE PRIEST , THE LEVITE, AND THE SAMARITAN WAS THAT THE
SAMARITAN HAD COMPASSION
ALL THREE OF THEM SAW THE MAN.
ALL THREE OF THEM SAW THE GRAVITY OF HIS CONDITION, BUT ONLY ONE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
MEANT TO BE HIS BROTHERS KEEPER
AND IF WE,RE GOING TO BE OUR BROTHER KEEPER IN OUR CHURCHES ,COMMUNITES,AND FAMILES WE MUST
HAVE COMPASSION FOR OTHERS
BUT NOT ONLY DO WE NEED COMPASSION BUT WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVE
2 POINT -(GET INVOLVED)
Luke 10:34 (NIV) He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own
donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
IN OTHER WORDS THE SAMARITAN `S COMPASSION MOVED HIM TO ACTION
THE TEXT REVEALS THAT THE SAMARITIAN GOT INVOLVED.
AND IF WE ARE GOING TO SEE CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF MEN,AND WOMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS TODAY, WE
MUST GET INVOLVED
AND GETTING INVOLVE MEANS - RISKING BEING INCONVENIENCED
IT MEANS MOVING BEYOND WHAT IS COMFORTABLE
AND IF WE,RE GOING TO BE OUR BROTHERS KEEPER THEN WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVE IN THERE SITUATION
AND THE PROBLEM THAT WE,RE HAVING IN THE CHURCH TODAY IS A LOT OF US IS GETTING INVOLVED
WITH THE WRONG THINGS
CAN I TELL YOU WHAT I`M TALKING ABOUT
SEE A LOT OF US WILL GET INVOLVE WHEN IT COMES TO A MESS MEETING BUT WE WILL RUN FROM A PRAYER
MEETING
WE WILL GET INVOLVED WHEN IT COMES TO GOSSIPING BUT WILL ZIP OUR LIPS WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING
THE GOSPEL-THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST
WE GET INVOLVE WHEN IT COMES TO TEARING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DOWN -BUT WE WON`T GET
INVOLVE WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING THEM UP
BUT WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVE
3RD POINT
BUT NOT ONLY DID THE SAMARITAN SHOW COMPASSION,AND GET INVOLVED BUT HE ALSO
PROVIDED PROVISION SO THE MAN COULD HAVE A FUTURE
Luke 10:35 (KJV) And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto
him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
THE SAMARITAN PAID THE COST TO MAKE SURE THE MAN WOULD LIVE AND AT SOME POINT MAKE IT ON HIS
OWN
AND THE BEST WAY WE CAN MAKE PROVISION IS TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE SON OF MAN NAME JESUS
WE MUST TEACH THEM TO- Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
TEACH THEM TO seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
TEACH THEM- I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
WE MUST LET THEM KNOW THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE
WE MUST LET THEM KNOW THAT GOD GAVE ADAM EVE
WE HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT
WHOSOEVER BELIEVE IN HIM WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAV EVERLASTING LIFE
WE HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW
THAT JESUS DIED ON A HILL CALLED CALVARY
HE DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND FOR MY SINS
DIED -FOR THE SUN REFUSE TO SHINE
DIED -FOR THE EARTH STAGGERED LIKE A DRUNK MAN
DIED FOR THE VIEL IN THE TEMPLE RENT IN HALF
JOSEPH OF ARIMETHA PLACE HIM IN A BORROWED TOMB
HE STAYED THERE ALL FRIDAY EVENING
STAYED THERE ALL DAY SATURDAY MORNING AND EVENING
BUT GIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR A HIGH 5 AND TELL THEM
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING HE GOT UP WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HAND
AND BECAUSE HE GOT UP -I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPERS
SAY YEA -SAY YEA -AH YEA
AIN`T HE ALRIGHT-AIN`T HE ALRIGHT
I KNOW HE`S ALRIGHT BECAUSE I TRIED HIM FOR MYSELF
AND BECAUSE I TRIED HIM YOU CAN`T MAKE ME DOUBT HIM
BECAUSE IT WAS A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I FELL AMONG ROBBERS
A ROBBER CALLED DRUG ADDICTION
A ROBBER CALLED WHOREMONGER
A ROBBER CALLED SIN
MY DADDY TRIED TO HELP ME BUT HE COULD`NT HELP ME
MY MAMA TRIED TO HELP ME BUT SHE COULD`NT HELP ME
BUT ONE DAY I MET JESUS AND HE WAS ABLE TO HELP ME
HE PICK ME UP AND CLEAN ME UP AND TURN MY LIFE AROUND
PLACE MY FEET UPON A SOLID GROUD
AND EVERY SINCE THAT DAY LIFE HAVE`NT BEEN THE SAME
SOME DAYS CRAWLING AND SOME DAY CRYING ALL NIGHT LONG
BUT HE PUT SOME PRAISE ON MY LIPS AND A SONG IN MY MOUTH
SOME CLAPPING IN MY HANDS RUNNING IN MY FEET
AND JOY IN MY HEART
