“Merciful Neighbors” – Luke 10:25-37 – July 15, 2007

Who is my neighbor? That was one of the questions that the lawyer asked Jesus. Jesus however did not give him a direct answer. Instead he responded by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. The story is not difficult to understand. A man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. Tragically, both a priest and a Levite passed by and didn’t help. But a Samaritan had compassion and took the time to help him.

Now we know who our neighbor’s are. They are the ones who are abandoned by society, those who need someone to care for them. That of course could be just about anyone. It could be an invalid parent who is suffering from health problems and confined to a nursing home. It could be a friend who needs financial assistance. It could be someone who is homeless or someone who needs a job. The possibilities are endless.

To ask the question, “Who is my neighbor,” is not the question the lawyer needed an answer for. The story tells us he knew the answer. He was completely aware of Jewish law, that loving one’s neighbor is what believers are called to do. I believe he asked that question to force Jesus to limit the possibilities. If we know the limits then we can ignore anyone who does not qualify. We can justify our indifference by taking care of just a designated few.

Jesus responded to that challenge by not giving the man in need a name, a nationality or anything that would describe who he was. Neither did he describe his race, place of origin, occupation, economic status or education. He was simply “a man.” By making the man’s helper a Samaritan Jesus was extending the limit of help beyond familiar boundaries. And since Jews and Samaritans didn’t like each other, the Samaritan would have been the last person that the lawyer would have expected to extend a helping hand.

By telling the parable Jesus was challenging the lawyer to make his own decision about who he could help. When we have the opportunity to help someone, it has to be our decision to respond. And it is we who have to live with the consequences of choosing to help or not.

The question we need to ask is not, “who is my neighbor,” but, “am I helping those who have needs?” As long as the lawyer could debate the issue of who is neighbor was, nobody was receiving any help. At some point he had to make a conscious decision about helping others and then do something.

So, how do we make the leap from talking about helping to actually helping? How do we get from realizing a need and then responding to that need? At some point we have to act.

Once upon a time a man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out. A sensitive person came along and said, “I feel for you down there.” A practical person came along and said, “I knew you were going to fall in sooner or later.” A Pharisee said, “Only bad people fall into a pit.” A mathematician calculated how he far he fell. A news reporter wanted an exclusive story on his pit. An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit. A self-pitying person said, “You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit.” A mystic said, “Just imagine that you’re not in a pit.” An optimist said, “Things could be worse.” A pessimist said, “Things will get worse.” Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit! (from Ray Pritchard, The Lawyer Who Wanted a Loophole)

What were Jesus’ final words to the lawyer? “Go and do likewise.”

Recently there was an article about volunteerism in America. They stated that there is a greater amount of volunteerism in the Midwest than in any other part of the country. I wonder why that people in the heartland are willing to give of their time and resources than in other parts of the country? Perhaps it’s that Midwestern work ethic. Or, perhaps it’s the fact that there are more attractive things to do in the coastal areas and in the south where the weather is warmer. In other words, we volunteer because there is nothing else to do.

We all have our favorite charities and church folks are some of the most generous people in the world. We all support our favorite programs but there are usually strings attached. We know someone in the organization, we were once helped by a particular program or agency or we get something out of it.

The Samaritan had no agenda. He was on a journey when he happened to come upon a man who needed help. He saw a need and responded. He had no ulterior motive except to extend himself to a stranger who was in trouble. It was a spontaneous act of love.

Remember, the lawyer first asked the question, “What do I have to do to inherit eternal life?” What Jesus did was make a connection between a spontaneous act of love and living eternally. Few would argue the importance of the love ethic. I think the problem for us is make eternal life a real and concrete experience that people can understand. Eternal life is a concept that is difficult for us to grasp. Who can imagine living forever? We know we are going to die someday. Just what is eternal life? Most people associate eternal life with heaven, a place far away, but perfect and wonderful. The story of the good Samaritan doesn’t describe eternal life, it only tells us how to receive it. Want eternal life? Then love others.

I believe we need to look at the story through the life of the man by the road instead of the Good Samaritan. We would rather see ourselves as heroes, rescuers or “do-gooders.” Martin Luther preached on this passage about five hundred years ago. He said the Good Samaritan was really Jesus. And we are the victim beside the road. We are the ones who have been beaten up and robbed. Jesus is our neighbor who attends to us. He soothes our pain, comforts us then paid an innkeeper to give us a place to stay.

Could that be the key to eternal life? With God we have a place in the inn? Did Jesus not say, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places? If it were not so I would have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”(John 14:2) For me, eternal life has to do with being secure in God’s hands. It means I am a welcome guest in an inn that will be there forever. Maybe it will be like a cottage by a lake or a cabin in the mountains. Or, maybe it will be like a condo near a beach. It might even be a stable. This I am sure, each of us has the potential to be a permanent guest with no worry of ever being evicted.

Have you made your reservations? The lawyer didn’t see it this way. He was interested in getting his inheritance. But Jesus said, it's not about you and what you get. It’s about what you give, to God and to your neighbor. It is Christ who rescues us, attends to our wounds and gives us a second chance. At the same time Jesus wants us to love our neighbors so that others may live as well.

On the morning of May 26, 2006, Daniel Mazur, a mountain climber, was less than 1,000 feet from the summit of Mt. Everest. He abandoned his own climb to the top in order to save another climber, Australian, Lincoln Hall, who had been left for dead by his own team. Mazur’s decision to aid the fallen climber meant that none of his group could press on. His fellow climbers included Andrew Brash (Canada), Myles Osborne (UK) and Jangbu Sherpa (Nepal). Hall had succumbed to the oxygen-poor altitude the previous night and become desperately ill. Two guides tried to help him but they had to leave to save themselves. Hall was declared dead, but when Mazur and his team found him the next morning, he was sitting up and disoriented. He was given emergency assistance and the team worked to take him down the mountain. They also radioed ahead for help. Help came and Hall was taken to a base camp further down the mountain. He fully recovered the experience. Mazur’s group had expended so much energy helping Hall they could no longer complete the journey to the summit.

While Mazur’s team was helping Hall, two Italian climbers passed by en route to the top. They claimed they didn’t understand English and therefore couldn’t help. Later it was disclosed that they could speak English. A few days before, a British climber; David Sharp, had died on the same route. Approximately 40 people said they saw Mr. Sharp in distress, and walked past him, but no one rescued him. In the world of high-altitude climbing, such behavior is often acceptable, especially when a person is judged to be too far gone. There is the possibility that other climbers might die in the harsh conditions in their attempt to save a victim.

Dan Mazur was a true Good Samaritan. He made a choice that denied him the opportunity to reach the mountain top but instead provided him the opportunity to save a life. Daniel Hall was given new life in a base camp on the side of a mountain. It wasn’t an inn, but to him I’m sure it was just like heaven. (from Homiletics, July, 2007)

Many people hope and strive for a mountain top experience. We spend our energy and resources, trying to get ahead, acquire more stuff and win all we can. Eternal life however is not at the top of the mountain but on the slopes and valleys below, whenever we attend to a neighbor who has need.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio