Towards Want, Not Consolation: The Blood-Purchased Path of the Good Samaritan

Suppose I wrote you a letter, about 5 pages lengthy, wherein I clarify in some element a controversial conduct of mine per week in the past that folks have been misinterpreting. And suppose that within the letter, I describe the conduct in a paragraph, and I give the background for it, and I clarify my motivations, and I let you know concerning the final result and the place all of it led, and I clarify the way it pertains to my religion in Jesus and the way his dying and resurrection give me hope.

And suppose you learn the letter, and then you definately take the paragraph from the letter, the one which merely described the controversial conduct, and also you lifted it out of the letter, and also you ignored all the things I mentioned concerning the background and my motivation, and all the things I mentioned concerning the final result of the conduct, and all the things I mentioned about the way it pertains to my religion and the dying of Jesus, and also you merely unfold throughout social media that “John Piper has this conduct” — with not one of the context that I supplied.

What would you be doing?

Love’s Surest Measurement

One reply to that query is that you’d be disobeying this textual content. When the lawyer says on the finish of Luke 10:27 that you shouldn’t solely love God, but additionally love your neighbor as your self, Jesus authorized of that reply. Verse 28: “You’ve gotten answered accurately.” So, one of many teachings of this textual content is that we should always love our neighbor as we love ourselves — which is about as radical a factor as you possibly can say.

“Love your neighbor as your self” isn’t about vanity. It’s about the truth that each one in every of us does what we expect will make us pleased. We don’t stroll in entrance of vans. We don’t drink poison. We don’t leap off buildings. We put a roof over our head when it’s raining. We put on heat garments within the winter in Minnesota. We attempt to get sufficient sleep and train to operate. We wish good grades for ourselves at school. We wish a job that can put bread on our desk. And we need to be handled pretty. We wish individuals to learn our letters pretty.

So, to like our neighbor as we love ourselves is to maintain them from strolling out in entrance of vans, or consuming poison, or leaping off buildings. To assist them have a roof over their heads. To assist them have garments in winter and sleep and train and good grades and jobs and be handled pretty. As a result of all of that we wish for ourselves, which is what it means to like ourselves.

The apostle Paul utilized this command to marriage in Ephesians 5:28–29, saying, “Husbands ought to love their wives as their very own our bodies [as they love themselves]. He who loves his spouse loves himself. For nobody ever hated his personal flesh, however nourishes and cherishes it.” That’s what “self-love” means. And of itself, it’s not flawed. To like your neighbor as you like your self is to make your personal self-care the measure of your take care of others. It’s very radical. Loopy radical. It’s completely life-revolutionizing. Church buildings full of individuals like this, scattered all through the cities, can be gloriously unusual.

Will You Love Luke?

To learn my letter in a method that you’d by no means need your letter to be learn is to disobey this textual content. Why on the earth am I pointing that out? As a result of that’s the best way hundreds of thousands of individuals learn the Gospel of Luke, particularly in the case of this parable — the parable of the nice Samaritan. Hundreds of thousands of unbelievers love this parable and ignore what Luke teaches. And I’m saying that whenever you learn the Gospel of Luke that method, you’re disobeying the Gospel of Luke. You’re disobeying Jesus and never loving Luke.

It’s disobedient to Jesus and unloving to Luke to take this parable, elevate it out of its Gospel-setting, and use it to construct your personal wrath-omitting, repentance-omitting, faith-omitting, blood-omitting, justification-omitting ethic of fine deeds. That’s the playbook of theological liberalism, which rejects the authority of the Bible however retains the Bible, selecting and selecting the elements it likes, and treating the remainder as legend or mythology.

And I’m saying that’s disobedient to Jesus and unloving to Luke. Whenever you deal with a biblical writer that method, you’re breaking the commandment to like your neighbor as your self. On this case, to like Luke as you like your self. If you happen to love Luke, for those who deal with him the best way you need to be handled — for those who learn him the best way you need to be learn — you’ll remember the opposite essential issues that he says whenever you learn this parable.

For instance, John the Baptist warns concerning the wrath of God that’s coming (3:7). Jesus warns that until we repent, we’ll all likewise perish (13:3). Jesus mentioned to not worry those that merely kill the physique, however to worry him who, after he has killed, can solid into hell (12:5). So, one burning query not just for the lawyer, the priest, and the Levite on this textual content, but additionally for the Good Samaritan is that this: Will they escape the wrath of God?

And if we are saying to Luke or to one another, “There’s no wrath on this story,” wouldn’t Luke say, “Do I’ve to place all the things in each paragraph? Isn’t it sufficient that I let you know about these items throughout my Gospel? Is it an excessive amount of to ask that you’d hold them in thoughts as you learn? And, oh — this can be a story about inheriting everlasting life [verse 25].”

One other instance is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus says in Luke 5:24 that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And in Luke 7:47 he says, “He who’s forgiven little, loves little,” implying that real love for others goes to circulation from a way of getting been forgiven by God.

Luke’s Listing Goes On

Or then there’s justification. In Luke 18:11–14 Jesus says there was a boastful man who went as much as the temple, and there was a damaged man who went as much as the temple. The damaged man mentioned, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” To which Jesus responded, “I let you know, this man went all the way down to his home justified, reasonably than the opposite.” That has one thing to do with everlasting life.

After which there’s interior transformation. In Luke 6:43–44 Jesus says, “No good tree bears unhealthy fruit, nor once more does a foul tree bear good fruit, for every tree is thought by its personal fruit.” And later he says, “Didn’t he who made the skin make the within additionally? However give as alms these issues which might be inside” (11:40–41). Outward good deeds with out inward change is Pharisaism. So, what’s the lesson of the Samaritan’s good deeds?

Or what about religion in Jesus, allegiance to Jesus? In Luke 12:8–9 Jesus says, “Everybody who acknowledges me earlier than males, the Son of Man additionally will acknowledge earlier than the angels of God, however the one who denies me earlier than males will likely be denied earlier than the angels of God.” Will the Good Samaritan be acknowledged earlier than God?

Or what about that different time a person got here to Jesus in Luke 18:22 and, like this lawyer, requested inherit everlasting life? And Jesus says, in any case the person’s law-keeping, this: “One factor you continue to lack. Promote all that you’ve and distribute to the poor, and you should have treasure in heaven; and are available, observe me.” Backside line: “Observe me. Confess me. With out me, no everlasting life.” Does it matter if the Good Samaritan follows Jesus?

Or most essential, what concerning the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of sin? Jesus says in Luke 22:20, “This cup that’s poured out for you is the brand new covenant in my blood.” And the brand new covenant is that this: “You imagine in me; I forgive your sins.” As Luke 24:47 says, “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins [will] be proclaimed in his title to all nations.”

“Jesus modified the query from ‘What sort of particular person is my neighbor?’ to ‘What sort of particular person am I?’”

So, once we come to learn the parable of the nice Samaritan, we should always love Luke the best way we love ourselves. We must always learn him the best way we’d need to be learn. As I used to be making ready for this message, I heard Luke, so to talk, say to me, “Pastor John, as you discuss this parable, please remind individuals of what I mentioned about wrath and repentance and justification and the blood of Jesus and forgiveness of sins and religion in Jesus.” Sure, Luke, I’ll.

With that nice imaginative and prescient of actuality, let’s watch this story unfold.

Legislation-Maintaining Isn’t the Path

In verse 25, an professional within the Mosaic legislation, known as a “lawyer,” places Jesus to the take a look at by asking, “Trainer, what shall I do to inherit everlasting life?” You don’t need to method Jesus like that — placing him to the take a look at. If you happen to ask Jesus a query, it higher be since you need to know, not since you need to journey him up. If you happen to come to Jesus just like the lawyer, he’ll lure you in your personal phrases. We’re going to observe it occur.

In verse 26 he turns the take a look at round and says, in impact, “You’re the professional within the legislation — you inform me.” The lawyer solutions, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your coronary heart and with all of your soul and with all of your energy and with all of your thoughts, and your neighbor as your self” (verse 27). To which Jesus responds in verse 28, “You’ve gotten answered accurately; do that, and you’ll stay.”

Now, there are two methods you possibly can perceive Jesus’s approval of the lawyer’s reply. Jesus could also be saying, “That’s proper, Mr. Lawyer, for those who select the trail of law-keeping as a way of getting proper with God and a way of incomes your method into everlasting life, then following these two commandments is the best way to go about it. Love God together with your complete being, and love your neighbor as your self. And you need to do it completely for those who’re going to point out that you simply should be within the presence of the superbly holy God by law-keeping.”

If that’s the best way you perceive it, then Jesus can be exhibiting the lawyer that he’ll by no means be capable of do this, and that he ought to look away from law-keeping to the work of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, justification by religion, and salvation by grace, not works. That might be a theologically, orthodox, and biblically trustworthy method of understanding Jesus’s approval of the lawyer’s reply.

Love Is on the Path

However there’s one other solution to perceive this textual content, which I’m inclined to assume is nearer to the thoughts of Christ. Particularly, Jesus agrees that loving God and loving your neighbor is the trail that results in the inheritance of everlasting life — the solely path that results in that inheritance. It’s the path that you’re on proper now, in case you are a Christian — in case you are saved by grace by way of religion.

Luke needs us to know, within the context of his complete Gospel, that Jesus died for our sins, and that we’re justified, and that our sins are forgiven by religion, not by works of the legislation, and that we obtain the Holy Spirit and are modified from the within by turning to Jesus and renouncing law-keeping as a method of incomes everlasting life. However rejecting law-keeping as a method of incomes everlasting life doesn’t imply rejecting love — for God and neighbor — as the trail that results in everlasting life. And the one path.

The apostle Paul mentioned to the Christian church at Corinth, “If anybody has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” (1 Corinthians 16:22). No love for God, no everlasting life. That’s true for Christians. And earlier in the identical e book he mentioned, “If I give away all I’ve, and if I ship up my physique to be burned, however haven’t love, I acquire nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). No love for individuals, no everlasting life.

Why? This isn’t about incomes life. The apostle John places it like this: “We all know that now we have handed out of dying into life, as a result of we love the brothers. Whoever doesn’t love abides in dying. . . . Anybody who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, as a result of God is love” (1 John 3:14; 4:8). Loving God and loving neighbor is important to inherit everlasting life not as a result of it’s a work of advantage to earn life, however as a result of it’s a fruit of the Spirit that proves life is current.

So, on this parable, we’re going to be proven the trail of affection that results in everlasting life. We will stroll this path by religion, trusting the blood-bought guarantees of Jesus, or we will miss the trail and be part of the lawyer in his need to justify himself. Self-justification is the other of religion and the other of affection.

A (Surprising) Story for an Reply

Verse 29: “However he, needing to justify himself, mentioned to Jesus, ‘And who’s my neighbor?’” In different phrases, “Which teams of individuals don’t I’ve to like?” Jesus likes questions — however not that sort. Questions which might be designed to flee the sacrificial path of affection, Jesus received’t reply. So, as a substitute of answering, he tells a narrative. And on the finish of the story, he’s going to show the lawyer’s query the wrong way up — and look us proper within the eye. Verses 30–35:

A person was happening from Jerusalem to Jericho [a drop of about 3,500 feet in 17 miles], and he fell amongst robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half useless. Now by likelihood a priest was happening that street, and when he noticed him he handed by on the opposite facet. So likewise a Levite, when he got here to the place and noticed him, handed by on the opposite facet. However a Samaritan, as he journeyed, got here to the place he was, and when he noticed him, he had compassion. He went to him and certain up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his personal animal and introduced him to an inn and took care of him. And the subsequent day he took out two denarii [two days wages, maybe $400] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Maintain him, and no matter extra you spend, I’ll repay you after I come again.”

There are at the very least three stunning issues right here.

First, it’s stunning that the individuals who move by on the opposite facet, leaving the person half useless to die, are those who serve most intently to the holy place of God: the priest, who serves within the temple, and the Levite, who assists monks. I believed perhaps Jesus would make one of many unhealthy guys a lawyer. That might work, wouldn’t it? However it appears that evidently the purpose is that this: getting religiously “shut” to essentially the most sacred acts, occasions, and locations doesn’t essentially make you a loving particular person. That is very sobering to these of us who spend most of our lives with God’s sacred e book and God’s sacred church. Very sobering.

Second, it’s stunning that the hero of the story is a Samaritan. John 4:9 says that “Jews don’t have any dealings with Samaritans.” Luke 9:53 says that the Samaritans wouldn’t obtain Jesus and his apostles as a result of they had been going as much as Jerusalem. The Samaritans are Jewish half-breeds who intermarried with the pagan individuals of the land and arrange their very own temple. They’re outcasts and unclean.

And the stunning factor isn’t {that a} Samaritan cared for a Jew (the half-dead man isn’t known as a Jew), however {that a} Samaritan surpassed a priest in changing into the sort of particular person Jesus got here into the world to create. The message is evident: this Christ doesn’t restrict his remodeling work to 1 ethnicity.

Third, it’s stunning how over-the-top lavish the Samaritan’s care is for a complete stranger. Certain his wounds. Poured oil and wine. Let him trip the Samaritan’s animal. Took care of him at an inn. Gave him $400 for his wants. Promised to return and pay extra. “Let your mild shine earlier than others, in order that they could see your [lavish] good works and provides glory to your Father who’s in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

“Christ died to create a people who find themselves so safe, and so content material in Christ, that we transfer towards want, not consolation.”

What’s the distinction between the spiritual leaders and the Samaritan? The one distinction that Jesus factors out is that the Samaritan felt compassion. Verse 33: “A Samaritan, as he journeyed, got here to the place he was, and when he noticed him, he had [felt] compassion.” Compassion is a sense, not an act. However oh, the way it overflowed in lavish acts — items of money and time and danger. However the root was compassion. And compassion rooted in love for God requires a brand new coronary heart.

How Compassion Strikes

The story ends in verses 36–37 with Jesus turning the lawyer’s authentic query the wrong way up. The lawyer asks, “Who’s my neighbor? Which group don’t I’ve to like?” Jesus says,

“Which of those three, do you assume, proved to be a neighbor [became a neighbor] to the person who fell among the many robbers?” [The lawyer] mentioned, “The one who confirmed him mercy.” And Jesus mentioned to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Jesus modified the query from What sort of particular person is my neighbor? to What sort of particular person am I? He modified the query from What standing of persons are worthy of my love? to How can I grow to be the sort of particular person whose compassion disregards standing?

How can I grow to be the sort of one who, as a substitute of transferring to the opposite facet of the street (or the opposite facet of city), strikes towards want and sacrifice and danger? For many years at Bethlehem one in every of our standing mottos for the neighborhoods and for the nations was this: “Christians transfer towards want, not consolation.”

And a whole lot have discovered, as Jesus says, that “it’s extra blessed to present than to obtain” (Acts 20:35). Extra blessed to maneuver towards want than consolation. The danger of crossing the street, or the ocean, is price it.

As we transfer to the Desk, keep in mind this: among the many many issues in Luke’s Gospel wherein this parable is embedded, is that this nice phrase of Jesus: “This cup that’s poured out for you is the brand new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). Christ died to create a people who find themselves so safe, and so content material in Christ, that we transfer towards want, not consolation.