Now by chance a priest was going down the road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.[Luke 10:31-33]
Some people enjoy Jesus' parable about the Good Samaritan. There are others who might find the Lord's story is a bit too close for comfort.
Case in point: an elderly woman who was trapped in her burning car at a Chevron station in Portland, Oregon. The station had any number of people there, but those people -- like the priest and the Levite in Jesus' illustration -- decided to remain uninvolved and pass by on the other side.
No, that's not exactly right. Passing by would have been better than what they were doing.
These people -- there were six of them -- were using their cell phones and taking movies of the fire, the car, and the imminent demise of the little old lady. In contrast to them was good-deed doer, 19-year-old Philippe Bittar. This young Good Samaritan took a look at the situation and made a snap decision. He said, "I wasn't really thinking, I just saw her and knew I had to get her out of there before it gets worse." Bittar, who was a high school linebacker, used his fist and smashed the window with a single punch.
He reached in and pulled the lady to safety.
No sooner was the lady out of the car then the flames began shooting out of the car's front seat. The woman was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and Bittar was treated on the scene for cuts to his hand.
And so things ended happily ever after.
Well, not really. You see, out in Ohio, another man also decided to videotape rather than help two teenagers who were severely injured in a car accident. Rather than providing assistance to the young adults, one of whom died at the scene, the man captured the tragedy on film.
And then he tried to sell the footage to a local television channel.
It is my hope these video-tapers weren't Christians. You see, we are incredibly blessed people. We are blessed because we have a Savior who taught us how to love. Even though the world didn't want Him and didn't accept Him, Jesus came into this world to rescue us. Here He gave His life so that all who are brought to Holy Spirit-given faith are cleansed of their sins and granted a place in the Father's family of life.
In response to the Savior's loving sacrifice, believers are given the opportunity to love their neighbors, which includes the folks who live next door and little old ladies in burning cars and teenagers who had an accident.
As the Bible says, "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me honor You by being a Good Samaritan rather than a bad spectator. This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.
Some people enjoy Jesus' parable about the Good Samaritan. There are others who might find the Lord's story is a bit too close for comfort.
Case in point: an elderly woman who was trapped in her burning car at a Chevron station in Portland, Oregon. The station had any number of people there, but those people -- like the priest and the Levite in Jesus' illustration -- decided to remain uninvolved and pass by on the other side.
No, that's not exactly right. Passing by would have been better than what they were doing.
These people -- there were six of them -- were using their cell phones and taking movies of the fire, the car, and the imminent demise of the little old lady. In contrast to them was good-deed doer, 19-year-old Philippe Bittar. This young Good Samaritan took a look at the situation and made a snap decision. He said, "I wasn't really thinking, I just saw her and knew I had to get her out of there before it gets worse." Bittar, who was a high school linebacker, used his fist and smashed the window with a single punch.
He reached in and pulled the lady to safety.
No sooner was the lady out of the car then the flames began shooting out of the car's front seat. The woman was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and Bittar was treated on the scene for cuts to his hand.
And so things ended happily ever after.
Well, not really. You see, out in Ohio, another man also decided to videotape rather than help two teenagers who were severely injured in a car accident. Rather than providing assistance to the young adults, one of whom died at the scene, the man captured the tragedy on film.
And then he tried to sell the footage to a local television channel.
It is my hope these video-tapers weren't Christians. You see, we are incredibly blessed people. We are blessed because we have a Savior who taught us how to love. Even though the world didn't want Him and didn't accept Him, Jesus came into this world to rescue us. Here He gave His life so that all who are brought to Holy Spirit-given faith are cleansed of their sins and granted a place in the Father's family of life.
In response to the Savior's loving sacrifice, believers are given the opportunity to love their neighbors, which includes the folks who live next door and little old ladies in burning cars and teenagers who had an accident.
As the Bible says, "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me honor You by being a Good Samaritan rather than a bad spectator. This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Psalms 127:(0) A song of ascents. By Shlomo:
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
____________________________
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Psalms 127:(0) A song of ascents. By Shlomo:
(1) Unless Adonai builds the house,
its builders work in vain.
Unless Adonai guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
2 In vain do you get up early
and put off going to bed,
working hard to earn a living;
for he provides for his beloved,
even when they sleep.
3 Children too are a gift from Adonai;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 The children born when one is young.
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
5 How blessed is the man
who has filled his quiver with them;
he will not have to be embarrassed
when contending with foes at the city gate.
128:(0) A song of ascents:
(1) How happy is everyone who fears Adonai,
who lives by his ways.
2 You will eat what your hands have produced;
you will be happy and prosperous.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
in the inner parts of your house.
Your children around the table will be
like shoots from an olive tree.
4 This is the kind of blessing that will fall
on him who fears Adonai.
5 May Adonai bless you from Tziyon!
May you see Yerushalayim prosper
all the days of your life,
6 and may you live to see your children’s children!
Shalom on Isra’el.
129:(0) A song of ascents:
(1) Since I was young they have often attacked me —
let Isra’el repeat it —
2 since I was young they have often attacked me,
but they haven’t overcome me.
3 The plowmen plowed on my back;
wounding me with long furrows.
4 But Adonai is righteous;
he cuts me free from the yoke of the wicked.
5 Let all who hate Tziyon
be thrown back in confusion.
6 Let them be like grass on the roof,
which dries out before it grows up
7 and never fills the reaper’s hands
or the arms of the one who binds sheaves,
8 so that no passer-by says,
“Adonai’s blessing on you!
We bless you in the name of Adonai!”
Acts 18:1 After this, Sha’ul left Athens and went to Corinth, 2 where he met a Jewish man named Aquila, originally from Pontus but having recently come with his wife Priscilla from Italy, because Claudius had issued a decree expelling all the Jews from Rome. Sha’ul went to see them; 3 and because he had the same trade as they, making tents, he stayed on with them; and they worked together.
4 Sha’ul also began carrying on discussions every Shabbat in the synagogue, where he tried to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 But after Sila and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Sha’ul felt pressed by the urgency of the message and testified in depth to the Jews that Yeshua is the Messiah. 6 However when they set themselves against him and began hurling insults, he shook out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! For my part, I am clean; from now on, I will go to the Goyim!”
7 So he left them and went into the home of a “God-fearer” named Titius Justus, whose house was right next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, came to trust in the Lord, along with his whole household; also many of the Corinthians who heard trusted and were immersed.
9 One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Sha’ul, “Don’t be afraid, but speak right up, and don’t stop, 10 because I am with you. No one will succeed in harming you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 So Sha’ul stayed there for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12 But when Gallio became the Roman governor of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a concerted attack on Sha’ul and took him to court, 13 saying, “This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the Torah.” 14 Sha’ul was just about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime, I could reasonably be expected to hear you out patiently. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I flatly refuse to judge such matters.” 16 And he had them ejected from the court. 17 They all grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and gave him a beating in full view of the bench; but Gallio showed no concern whatever.
18 Sha’ul remained for some time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to Syria, after having his hair cut short in Cenchrea, because he had taken a vow; with him were Priscilla and Aquila.
19 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself went into the synagogue and held dialogue with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay with them longer, he declined; 21 however, in his farewell he said, “God willing, I will come back to you.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
22 After landing at Caesarea, he went up to Yerushalayim and greeted the Messianic community. Then he came down to Antioch, 23 spent some time there, and afterwards set out and passed systematically through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the talmidim.
24 Meanwhile, a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker with a thorough knowledge of the Tanakh. 25 This man had been informed about the Way of the Lord, and with great spiritual fervor he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Yeshua, but he knew only the immersion of Yochanan. 26 He began to speak out boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God in fuller detail. 27 When he made plans to cross over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote the talmidim there to welcome him. On arrival, he greatly helped those who through grace had come to trust; 28 for he powerfully and conclusively refuted the unbelieving Jews in public, demonstrating by the Tanakh that Yeshua is the Messiah.
____________________________
The Lutheran Hour660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment