Sermon Central
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What? A Friend We Have In Jesus!
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 6, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Excellent for friend day
What? A Friend We Have in Jesus?
Best known parable of the Bible…the Good Samaritan.
v. 30a a very rugged, rocky pass, and perfect for thieves as there were so many places to hide behind rocks and corners! Robbery was so common on this road between Jerusalem and Jericho that the 21 mile stretch of road there became known as “the way of blood”.
v. 30b Jesus’ graphic description…
joke—s.s. teacher told story overly graphic: hit ‘em in the eye and it hung out of socket/blood poured out his nose/broken teeth/cracked skull and you could see his brains! Then she asked the class what they would have done if they passed by [hoping to solicit the response of help] and a precious little girl raised her hand and said, “I’da throwed up!”
If you were broken down on the side of the road, you’d be glad to have a preacher come by. In our text, a priest and a Levite came by, and neither offered to help. Then, to drive the point home, Jesus said that a Samaritan came by.
[despised/half breed of Jew and Gentile/hated/in those days a Jew would go miles out of their way not to even walk thru Samaria]
The Samaritan helped…not only the man’s immediate needs, but also $ to the innkeeper to meet the future needs of that man!
Jesus asked, which of these was a neighbor or friend to that man?
This story reveals 3 philosophies of life [attitudes] clearly are displayed:
[every person in this room fits into one of these philosophies!]
One is displayed by the thieves, one by the priest and levite, and a 3rd by the Good Samaritan.
Thieve’s attitude:
“What’s thine [yours] is mine, and I’ll take it if I can!”
[rarely does this attitude result in armed robbery, as in this case]
However, this philosophy can be found quite often…
Businessperson who is willing to lie to push a deal thru…
Student who cheats in school…
Gambler who hopes to win from others’ losses…
The great American dream has changed. It used to be “just give me an opportunity…
To go to school and I’ll work hard/sweat/labor, and earn something.
Today the American dream is “oh God, please help me pick the right 6 numbers!”
The thieves’ philosophy says, I’ll take advantage if the opportunity arises!
Ill.—clerk gives too much change? ‘hey, it’s THEIR mistake!’ or ‘they’re overpriced anyway’, ‘God is rewarding me w/ this!’, ‘finders keepers, losers weepers’, ‘what’s thine is mine, and I’ll take it if I can!’
3 causes for this attitude:
1. Covetousness – Like any other sin, stealing begins in the heart.
Joshua 7 – Achan’s sin at Jericho [saw/coveted/took/hid, and 36 men died as a result!]
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth…
Covetousness leads to greed, and the philosophy: ‘what’s thine is mine and I’ll take it if I can!’
2. Jealousy – not only can we covet someone else’s treasures, but also their talents/abilities/recognition
[saul jealous of david…saul has slain his thousands, david his 10 thousands!]
I Sam. 18:9
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
“That’s my praise he’s receiving!…Hey David, what’s yours is mine!”
There’s no limit to what we can accomplish at GBC if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit!
[faithful nursery/children’s workers/painters/grounds-keepers/maintenance/sound booth]
But some want only the spotlight…and jealousy leads to envy: ‘what’s yours in mine!’
3. Laziness –
Prov. 21:25-26
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long…
joke—lazy football player in college/refused to study/copied off guy next to him in class—was quite intelligent/got caught on question #10 when the honor student wrote, I don’t know, and the football player put, “me neither!”
May all of us parents teach our kids that the world does not owe them a living!
“too many people are itching for things they’re not willing to scratch for!” And laziness leads to indifference.
Let’s dispel this attitude: what’s yours is mine…
2nd philosophy…religious leader’s attitude:
[walked right by]
“What’s mine is mine, and I’ll keep it if I can!”
Cause:
Selfishness – which says, I’ll get all I can, can all I get, and then sit on the can!
--too busy?/afraid to get involved?/act like you didn’t see?!
The people who are the most negative, critical, miserable also happen to be very much self-centered/in their own little world, thinking more about self than anyone else!
HOW TO BE SELFISH
Think about yourself.
Talk about yourself.
Use "I" as often as possible.
Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.
