Orange Paper (non)Sermon

9/11/11

Yesterday = first day in long time home (tried to avoid)

Being vs. doing
• Doing = work “in the ministry” = know what should and shouldn’t do = keep going and working for God because it’s the right thing.
• Being = resting, praying, listening, sitting with life, thinking = uncomfortable sometimes but where, I think, God reaches us and connects us to God’s heart and all of humanity.

Scripture = Luke 10:30-37 = prayed to hear in new way = fresh eyes and ears:

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


What I heard:
• We are ALL stripped, wounded, departed, left half dead (through loss of jobs, abusive homes, broken friendships, depression, stress, weight of world on shoulders, sickness, shattered dreams, betrayal, loss, and more).
• Samaritan looked down upon and judged = knew how it felt to feel stripped, wounded, departed, outcast. When you know that feeling, you know that you never want anyone to feel it and you do what you can to stop it in those around you!
• Maybe priest and Levite were so busy doing things for God that they hadn’t stopped to realize that they were the same as the man beaten.

Samaritan = physically helped AND gave money to do what he could not do. THAT is how Jesus ways to love with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
• Physically helped = called to different things = different gifts and passions for hands on. Ex. Project Help = I am not called to do something in all areas but am called to some.
• Gave money = gave to help restore dignity and worth of the man = we do that, too, when we give our money to missions and causes bigger than ourselves. Our money reaches where our hands physically, literally, cannot.
• Finished his journey = didn’t sacrifice where he was going but still made sure to reach beyond himself = we do that, too, when we follow our individual call but still offer resources and prayers.

Conclusion:
• In being yesterday, bought DVD player = watch “Coach Carter” = modern day parable = HE BELIEVED IN THE KIDS WHEN NO ONE ELSE DID BECAUSE SOMEONE BELIEVED IN HIM! He paid it forward—as we can—and we can pray it forward as well. Let us pray…
• Thank you, Jesus, for coming to live with us—for being stripped, wounded, departed, and left dead for us—for defeating death to live again and making the way for us to live true life—for living with and loving us and giving us the command to love…