Sermon Central
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The Great Samaritan
Contributed by Howard Parnell on Oct 3, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: When Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan, He answered a lot more than just, "Who is my neighbor?" He detailed the entire history of man and man’s need for a Savior.
THE GREAT SAMARITAN
INTRO. This parable is probably among the most well known of all the parables. Everyone is familiar with the story of the "Good Samaritan". But far too many people do not understand the primary meaning of the parable. This is not a parable told to highlight the need for Christian doctors. It is not about feeding the poor or caring for the sick.
Chapter 10 is an evangelistic chapter, and right in the middle of it is this parable...this evangelistic parable. This parable is about compassion. The greatest compassion that can be shown from one person to another. It is about the compassion of Christ for sinful mankind, and the compassion that Christians are to have for the lost around them.
I. THE WAY OF SIN.
A. For just a moment, let us consider this traveler as being representative of all of mankind. He is traveling down life’s road, leisurely enjoying his journey. While it is true that no one can know the future for certain, it appears that the road is quite safe.
B. But things are not always what they seem to be. And the road of life is certainly not without its hazards.
1. The Bible says of Satan in the Garden... "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made." (Gen. 3:1)
2. Jesus said of the Devil..."He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."--Jn. 8:44
C. Deception is a trademark of sin and Satan. How many are even now like this lone traveler. They proceed through life as if they haven’t a care. They seem to believe that if they treat life well, life will treat them well. They are completely unsuspecting of the dangers that lie ahead.
D. But that is the way of sin. It has been that way since the beginning of time. Satan likes nothing better than to lure man into thinking that there is nothing to fear from this life or the life to come. Then sin jumps up from behind a rock and shows itself in all it’s disgusting fury and leaves behind a hollow shell of a man. Notice the similarities between sin and the robbers in our parable.
1. Sin has stripped you of your raiment.
a. Adam was created in the image of God. He was clothed only in the perfection of God and reflected the righteousness of God.
b. But when he succumbed to the temptation of Satan, he was stripped of his perfection. His glory became his shame. His loss was so great that he could no longer commune with God as he had before.
c. Then he passed this condition down to his children and so on. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
2. Sin has wounded you.
a. All men are born with the sin nature. "There is none righteous, no not one."
b. Because of the terrible wounding of sin there is nothing you can do that will commend you to God. "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."
3. Sin has left you alone.
a. "He that believeth not is condemned already."
b. You can find no comfort in the fact that you are a sinner. There is no hope in sin. No love, no assurance, no future. And if you die in your sin you will stand alone before a holy and just God.
4. Sin has left you half dead.
a. This is ultimately the end of sin. "For the wages of sin is death."
II. THE WAY OF JESUS.
A. Such is the condition of all men. And such was the condition of this traveler. Fortunately for him, however, a compassionate man came by.
B. This man was a stranger, a foreigner, a man from a far off country. And because of his race (Samaritan) he was one who would have been rejected by any self-respecting Jew. But even so, notice the actions of this good Samaritan in verses 33-35.
C. Mankind, stripped of virtue, wounded, and left alone to face eternity on his own, has also been visited by a compassionate Saviour. [He too was from a far country, and was rejected by the Jewish people.] Note the similarities presented here:
1. Christ saw the sinful condition of man. As God looked down through time He saw the dread and totality of sin. He saw the helplessness of man. He saw the need of man for something greater than himself.
2. Christ had compassion on man. Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; This is what grace is all about. (I Jn. 4:10) -- "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
