The parable of the Good Samaritan would imply that eternal life is not earned but is given to those whom God has mercy upon. The foundation of a missional life is a missional God who graciously gives new life to the unregenerate: those who show mercy and compassion to others were first shown mercy and compassion by the Triune God. That only those reborn of the Spirit can fulfill the summation of the Law is found in Jesus’ response to the lawyer who asks how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him how he understands the law. The Lawyer then answers, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus affirms his answer saying, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But who can truly fulfill this apart from the Spirit? The answer is no one. The first implication for mission is that mission is a sovereign movement of God and the participation of the church is entirely empowered by the Holy Spirit.In addition, we learn that being religious doesn’t inherently make one responsive to the needs of this world. Both a priest and a Levite come upon the dying man and, whether acting out of self-preservation (the journey from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous) or not wanting to involve themselves in the affairs of a stranger, they do nothing. One would expect the religious to respond, but they do not. The Samaritan, who shows compassion, even at risk to himself, illustrates God’s desire to use the least and the unlikely in accomplishing his Kingdom purposes. On a practical level, this truth shows us that the only significant qualification for mission participation is the Spirit of God working in us and that the whole body of Christ as a part to play in God’s redemptive plan.
Like God, our missional vision should be for all peoples. “Who is my neighbor?” This question by the Lawyer illustrates our ethnocentric tendencies and prejudices towards others, where we begin to discriminate between nations of the world or peoples of the world who we deem more ‘deserving’ of our misisonal attention. Perhaps we could answer this question with another: who isn’t our neighbor? The parable of the Good Samaritan would suggest that anyone in need, both physically and spiritually, is a neighbor to the people of God. Who will stop and care for those in need if not the Church of Jesus Christ?
The immediate action by the Samaritan of caring for the man shows us that the time to meet the needs of others is now, when God puts the needs before our very eyes. The time for bandaging and cleansing the wounds of this world is now, for we do not know the hour of Lord’s coming. And to what extent does Christ ask his church to engage in reaching the peoples of the world? At what cost? As the parable instructs, we are to do whatever is necessary, to give all that is needed, to pour ourselves out as Christ poured himself out for us. As Christ instructs the Lawyer, we too should show mercy to an unbelieving world. In doing so, we truly love our neighbor while bearing testimony to He who is forever merciful.
4 comments:
Good reflection and insights, brother!
Blessings, Paul
Nice teaching. You're right, "Who isn't our neighbor?"
Hey Michael,
I think that the only thing I would add or further emphasize would be the word "initiate" ... our missional God uses the church through the initiation AND empowering of the Holy Spirit -- it is initiated by Him, for His purposes, for His glory, and for the fulfillment of His mission for 'Project Earth'. Man, in no way, ever initiated anything with Him... it began with Him, is sustained by Him, and it will end with Him. I love to view the Holy Spirit as the Holy Initiator -- constantly moving His presence upon me, urging me in His ways, and conforming my character to His in the fulfillment of His divine plans.
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