A sermon on the good samaritan

Are.You.The.Good.Samaritan?.
Lk..10:25-27:.KW—07.25.10.
Intro:.
A...Lk..10:25-37.
......1...My.mind.is.thinking.about.our.20/20.Vision:.."A.unified.congregation.that.is.equipped.to.evangelize.South.
...........Mississippi.".
......2...One.of.the.best.lessons.on.evangelism.comes.from.the.story.of.the.Good.Samaritan..
B...All.members.of.the.body.of.Christ.can.find.their.soul.winning/evangelistic.activity.and.attitude.in.this.parable..
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I...The.THIEVES.lived.by.the."iron.rule"—beat.life.down.
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.....A...When.I.think.of.robbers,.I.think.of.those.who.take.something..
. .
...........1...Someone.says,."Well,.that.certainly.doesn't.describe.me…".
...........2...It.is.possible.to.be.a.good,.moral.member.of.the.church.and.still.rob.folks..
.................a...Ex:.
..........................One.preacher.friend.told.me.how.he.tore.up.his.brother's.false.beliefs.without.first.establishing..
..........................truth...(The.brother.left.religion.all.together)..
..........................Tract:.."26.Reasons.Why.The.Baptist.Church.is.Wrong".
..........................Preacher:."If.you.don't.repent.and.be.baptized,.you'll.go.to.Hell—and.I.hope.you.do.".
................b...It's.been.my.observation.that.many.are.anxious.to.prove.other.folks.wrong,.but.they.fail.to.first.establish.
......................truth.or.show.how.error.can.be.overcome..
.........................Like.robbers,.they.strip.others.of.their.erroneous.raiment,.wound.their.feelings,.and.leave.them.half-.
..........................dead.emotionally..
.........................One.of.the.worst.things.I.can.do.is.have.the.attitude.that.says,."I'm.right,.you're.wrong,.and.I'm.tickled.".
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.....B...When.studying.with.folks.we.often.feel.compelled.to.answer.every.question.like.it.is.asked..
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...........1...Notice.Jesus...cf.,.Lk..10:25-37.
.................a...Asked.man.how.his.Bible.read..
.................b...Reinforced.the.correct.answer..
.................c...He.illustrated.and.then.let.the.man.answer.his.own.question..
...........2...One.of.the.best.ways.to.answer.a.question,.is.not.to.answer.it..."We.have.a.series.of.Bible.lessons.that.answers.
.................that.very.question...Which.night.would.be.the.best.for.you—Tuesday.or.Thursday?"..Ex:...
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II...The.PRIEST.and.the.LEVITE.lived.by.the.silver.rule—pass.life.by.
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......A...It's.been.my.experience.that.people.can.give.several.reasons.for.not.obeying.the.gospel..
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...........1...Ex:.Lynn.in.Waverly—"I'm.not.ready.yet."..(He.was.in.his.80's.and.eventually.died.outside.of.Christ)..
...........2..."I.don't.know.enough…".
................a...I.am.tempted.to.ask,."What.will.it.take.for.you.to.be.ready,".and."How.much.do.you.know.now…?".
................b...It.is.wrong.to.give.excuses.when.we.know.what.to.do..
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......B...But.isn't.that.exactly.what.the.Priest.and.Levite.did?..
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............1...It.is.wrong.to.reject.the.gospel..
............2...But.it.is.always.just.as.wrong.to.withhold.the.gospel..
..................a...Many.feel.good.when.they.have.obeyed.the.gospel.themselves,.but.they.have.never.taught.it.to.others..
..................b...Cf.,.1.Tim..4:16;.Heb..5:12;.2.Tim..2:24-25.
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III...The.GOOD.SAMARITAN.lived.by.the.golden.rule—lift.life.up.
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.......A...The.Samaritan.was.willing.to.sacrifice.danger,.discomfort,.effort,.money,.commitment,.and.time.
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.............1...What.was.the.key?.."Compassion.".
.............2...What's.the.difference.between.pity.and.compassion?.
...................a...Pity.means.I.have.sympathetic.sorrow.for.your.suffering..
...................b...Compassion.means.I.have.sympathetic.sorrow.for.your.suffering.with.a.desire.to.alleviate.it..
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.......B...What.right.attitudes.do.I.need?...
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.............1...Love...cf.,.Eph..4:15.
.............2...Patience...2.Tim..2:24..Ex:.."Amazing.grace,.how.sweet.the.sound,.that.saved.a.wretch.like.me...I.once.was..
..................lost,.but.now.am.found,.was.blind.but.now.I.see.".
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Concl:.
A...Review:.
......1...I.don't.want.to.be.a.robber.and.simply.steal.faith.and.belief.from.folks..
......2...I.don't.want.to.be.selfish.and.withhold.what.is.important.from.others..
......3...I.do.want.to.be.compassionate.and.share.what.I.have.myself..
B....Ex:..A.little.boy.saved.his.money.to.buy.a.puppy...One.day.he.saw.a.sign,."Puppies.for.Sale."..He.hesitatingly..
.......knocked.on.the.door.of.the.large.house.and.waited.expectantly...The.owner.frowned.when.he.saw.the.caller.was.
.......a.small.boy.in.overalls..."Do.you.have.puppies.for.sale?".he.asked..."Yet,.but.these.are.registered.pups.and.you.
.......wouldn't.be.interested.because.I.am.asking.$250.each."..The.boy.said,."I.have.$2.58.and.I.will.pay.you.ten.cents.a.
.......week,.I.promise."..The.owner.was.touched,.but.still.not.convinced...About.that.time.the.mother.dog.appeared.with.
.......five.frisky.puppies.close.behind...The.little.boy.was.captured.by.the.sight...Then.a.sixth.puppy.tottered.around.the.
.......corner...It.was.obvious.he.could.not.run...He.was.crippled...Without.a.moment's.hesitation,.the.boy.said.firmly,."I'll.
.......take.that.one!".and.picked.him.up.and.held.him.close...The.owner.said,."You.wouldn't.want.him,.son...He.is.
.......malformed.and.will.never.be.able.to.run.like.the.others."..The.boy.insisted,."He.needs.someone.to.love.him,.too.".
.......And.so.the.deal.was.made.for.$2.58...As.the.boy.walked.down.the.path.to.the.sidewalk,.the.man.noticed.for.the.
.......first.time.a.steel.brace.under.his.overalls...Obviously,.there.was.a.special.empathy.between.the.boy.and.the.dog..
.......1...We.are.all.sinners..
.......2...We.all.need.the.love.of.Christ....

--Mike Benson