[Music intro]
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It has stood the
test time, God's book,
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the Bible, still relevant
in today's complex world.
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It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
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I'm John Bradshaw,
this is It Is Written.
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Thanks for joining me.
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Wesley Autrey was standing
on the platform of a subway
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station in New York.
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With him were his two
little daughters, aged 4 and 6.
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Suddenly another man on
that platform had a seizure, he
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stumbled, and fell off
the platform onto the subway
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tracks.
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And at that moment the lights
of an oncoming train appeared
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in the tunnel.
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What was going to
happen would be horrific.
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But without hesitation,
Wesley jumped down onto the
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subway tracks - with the
train approaching - and tried
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to drag the man
out of harms way.
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Then he realized the train
was approaching too fast and
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there would be no time to
get the man off the tracks.
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But realizing there was a
drainage trench between the
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tracks, Wesley pushed the
man into that gap and threw
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himself on top of him.
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Just seconds later the train
rushed right over the top of
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them, barely missing Wesley.
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It was so close that the
train left grease marks on
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Wesley's knitted cap.
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When the train came to a
halt, Wesley called up to the
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frightened
onlookers on the platform.
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"There are two
little girls up there.
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Let them know
their Daddy is OK."
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Instantly Wesley
Autrey became a national hero.
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Everyone was moved by
his bravery and for the
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compassion he
showed a total stranger.
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There was no logical
reason for him to risk his life.
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He had two small daughters
up there to think about.
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But a human being was in
desperate need, and Wesley -
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moved with compassion -
did what he could to save the
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man.
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The press called him "The
Subway Superman", the "Harlem
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Hero."
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But the headline in one
newspaper described Wesley
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Autrey in biblical terms.
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It read, "Good Samaritan
Saves Man on Subway Tracks."
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You know, a couple of
thousand years ago, Jesus
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related an incident
that was somewhat similar.
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It's the parable
of the Good Samaritan.
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It is well known.
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It's likely the basis of
this story was a real incident.
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It could be ...
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could be that it was headline
news and possibly some of the
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people in the crowd listening
to Jesus may have personally
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known the
characters in the story.
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That's possible.
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Today we're going
to look at that story.
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And we're going to
take a close up look.
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As a matter of fact, together
we are going to go together
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to Israel.
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The parable of the Good
Samaritan is set on the road
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between Jerusalem and Jericho.
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Today, part of that road is
known as the Wadi Qelt, and I
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visited that road to see what
it was like - not just today,
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but to get an idea of what
it must have been like 2000
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years ago when Jesus
related that parable.
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Being in that location caused
me to reflect upon the story
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of the Good Samaritan.
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One thing you notice about
the area is that it's a harsh
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environment.
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Rocky and arid
and dry - and hot.
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Really hot.
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And it wasn't nearly the
hottest time of year when I
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visited.
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What can we learn from the
story of the Good Samaritan.
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While I was walking in the
area I met a young man riding
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his bicycle along the road.
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He told me he had been
attacked by a pack of dogs
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and had to fight them off.
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And I thought about
that when I was there.
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What if a pack of dogs
were to attack you right there -
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where would you run?
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[Music] You know, running
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from a dog around
here is one thing.
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Don't think I haven't thought
about this either, but what
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would you do if you were
set upon here by a gang of
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thieves or robbers?
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Not much you could do.
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Jesus, in Luke 10 told a
parable regarding a man who
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had had that very experience
and he set the parable on
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this road,
track, path, trail ...
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whatever word you'd like to use.
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He talked about a man who
was walking to Jericho and this
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was the way to Jericho.
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Of course, there is no way
at all to know just where this
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happened, but it happened
somewhere along this road and
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you can imagine
what it was like.
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Here is what Jesus said:
"A certain man went down from
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Jerusalem to Jericho and
fell among thieves who stripped
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him of his clothing, wounded
him and departed him, leaving
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him half dead."
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I can imagine that.
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And if you get left for dead
around here, it is not going
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to be a pretty sight.
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You wouldn't have
a whole lot of hope.
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And then we read this
very interesting passage where
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Jesus pretty well skewers
the religious establishment
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because he says ...
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"Now by chance a certain
priest came down that road
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and when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side."
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Now, as you look at this
road, there are wider bits
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and narrower but it's not
a freeway and if that priest
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came by it's not like ..
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I remember hearing the
story for the first time, and
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thinking well, he
crossed the street.
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There's not a street.
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It's a trail.
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It's a pathway.
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The priest, who got out of
the way who had been wounded
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virtually had to step
over him or step around him and
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most likely it wasn't a
matter of crossing a wide
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place but maybe his
robes, his flowing robes even
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dragged over the poor
fellow's half-dead body as he
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went by so it's not like
the priest could say "never saw
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him."
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The priest couldn't miss
him and actually had to go to
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some effort to avoid the
man and then Jesus talks on
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likewise a Levite.
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When he arrived at the place,
he came and looked and passed
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by on the other side.
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So, he saw something.
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He said, "Ah, what's that?
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I think I'll go
and check it out."
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And he came and he saw
this fella and he realized ...
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"Naaaa, not the sort
of things I want to bother
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getting my hands dirty with."
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And he too went around the guy.
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Then Jesus says, "There
came by someone who was a
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Samaritan."
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One of these lower cast,
lower class guys, the kinds
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of people that the Israelites
looked at like they were
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dogs, treated like they were
less than human, and he came
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by.
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And I want to think with
you, now that we are in this
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environment, about
what the story really means.
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The Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came where he was,
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and when he saw
him, he had compassion.
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So he went to him and
bandaged his wounds, pouring
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on oil and wine and he
set him on his own animal,
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brought him to an
Inn and took care of him.
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The animal that he had most
likely was a donkey and these
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are just donkey trails.
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You just walk at walking speed.
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If I was in a hurry to get
to Jericho from here, I'd be out
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of luck.
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If you went too fast, you
are likely going to tip yourself
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over and hurt yourself badly.
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So this man found the wounded
fella, the wounded man, he
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refers to him as a man,
we don't know what stripe he
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was.
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He put him on his animal.
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I mean, look at
this environment.
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He went to some
trouble to do this.
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It wasn't easy.
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He went out of his way
and then he said: You know,
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instead of just going to
Jericho where I was going, I
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think I'll go and find an Inn.
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He may have taken him to
Jericho for all we know, but
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going to an Inn wasn't a
matter of just going, driving
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to the next freeway exit and
pulling off at the Motel 6 or
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The Hampton Inn and Suites,
or whatever the case might
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be.
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He went out of his way
and found a place and he said,
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look after this man for me.
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I'll even come back and
make sure that I've given you
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enough money, because if
it takes more money that I've
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left for you to look
after this man, then I will come
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back here and I will settle
it Being in this place where
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the story actually happened
shines a whole new light on
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the story of The Good Samaritan.
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Here on the Jericho Road,
the road where Jesus walked.
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Jesus told the story to make
us stop and think about what
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it is to be compassionate.
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You know, the story was
preceded by a question that
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was made: Who is my neighbor?"
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Well, now we know.
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And if a Samaritan who may
or may not have been heading to
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Jericho but he was going down
this road, if a Samaritan can
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treat a perfect stranger,
as a matter of fact, an
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imperfect stranger most
likely, would that kind of
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compassion and
that kind of care ....
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And it makes me stop
and think while I am in this
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harsh, stark environment,
walking the road Jesus
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walked, that perhaps,
just perhaps, I might want to
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think about treating
people in the same way.
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[Music] But is there
more to the story of the Good
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Samaritan?
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Let's look
further in just a moment.
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It Is Written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around the
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world.
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To discover more about It
Is Written, I invite you to
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visit our website:
itiswritten.com and browse
00:10:00.40\00:10:03.80
the dozens of pages that
describe what we do and how
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we do it.
00:10:06.63\00:10:07.63
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:10:07.63\00:10:10.76
Visit our website:
itiswritten.com today.
00:10:10.76\00:10:14.13
This is It Is Written.
00:10:14.13\00:10:15.13
I'm John Bradshaw, thank
you for joining me today.
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Today, the story
of the Good Samaritan.
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Now to get from Jerusalem
to Jericho today would take you
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no more than an hour
by car, less than an hour.
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It's a distance of not
quite 30 miles, and what's
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interesting about that
trip is that along the way you
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descend about 3250
feet - 1000 meters or so.
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That's how far down you go.
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Now why did Jesus tell the
story of the Good Samaritan
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do you think?
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Was it just because He
wanted to share the lesson of
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compassion?
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No doubt that was part of
it, but Jesus shared this story
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in answer to a question.
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And the answer the story
provided spoke directly to
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the needs of the hearts of
His hearers - and it speaks
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to us today.
00:10:59.06\00:11:00.76
A theologian had asked Jesus
this question, he said, "What
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shall I do to
inherit eternal life?"
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(Luke 10:25).
00:11:07.40\00:11:08.83
So what Jesus said in
response - which includes the
00:11:08.83\00:11:11.86
story of the Good Samaritan
- is to be understood in the
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context of the
subject of SALVATION.
00:11:15.13\00:11:18.50
What is the
process of salvation?
00:11:18.50\00:11:21.20
A serious question.
00:11:21.20\00:11:22.70
A wrong answer could
have eternal consequences!
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Jesus responded by saying this.
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You read it in Luke 10:
"What is written in the law?
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What is your reading of it?"
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(Luke 10:26) When Jesus
preached to the multitudes in
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the Sermon on the Mount, he
said "You have heard that it
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was said."
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Most of those in His
audience that day couldn't read.
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They had to rely on what they
have heard which is why Jesus
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said "You have heard."
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But this man was
learned, he could read.
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Jesus asked him "What
is your reading of the law?
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Now this man knew his Bible.
00:11:57.50\00:11:59.50
He summarized the first four
commandments by quoting Moses
00:11:59.50\00:12:03.00
in Deuteronomy 11:13.
00:12:03.00\00:12:04.83
Let's look at that.
00:12:04.83\00:12:06.20
"I command you this day,
to love the LORD your God, and
00:12:06.20\00:12:10.26
to serve him with all
your heart and with all your
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soul."
00:12:13.33\00:12:14.33
For a summary of the last
six commandments he referred to
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Lev.
00:12:17.33\00:12:18.33
19:18 "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself..."
00:12:18.33\00:12:22.70
His answer came easily.
00:12:22.70\00:12:26.13
This was something the
lawyers, the theologians,
00:12:26.13\00:12:28.63
discussed among themselves.
00:12:28.63\00:12:30.60
Jesus said "You have answered
rightly; do this and you will
00:12:30.60\00:12:35.16
live."
00:12:35.16\00:12:36.40
But there was another
question also hotly discussed
00:12:36.40\00:12:38.63
among the lawyers: "How
should one's neighbor be
00:12:38.63\00:12:43.06
defined?"
00:12:43.06\00:12:44.13
So this man snapped
back "Who is my neighbor?"
00:12:44.13\00:12:47.50
To answer this question,
Jesus told the story of the
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.50
Good Samaritan.
00:12:50.50\00:12:52.20
Looking at everything
in context we see that this
00:12:52.20\00:12:54.46
parable isn't simply an
appeal from Jesus to be more
00:12:54.46\00:12:57.10
compassionate as important
as that is, and it is important.
00:12:57.10\00:13:01.06
The issue,
however, is much bigger.
00:13:01.06\00:13:03.60
What is at stake here is
the question of how to be saved.
00:13:03.60\00:13:07.06
The parable of the Good
Samaritan is part of Jesus'
00:13:07.06\00:13:09.36
answer on how God saves us.
00:13:09.36\00:13:12.76
Now let's make sure we
don't miss something important.
00:13:12.76\00:13:15.70
The question asked was,
"Lord, What must I do to be
00:13:15.70\00:13:18.53
saved?"
00:13:18.53\00:13:19.53
On the answer to this
question hinges our eternal
00:13:19.53\00:13:23.16
destiny.
00:13:23.16\00:13:24.16
And no one can give us
a better answer to this
00:13:24.16\00:13:28.63
question than
the Savior Himself.
00:13:28.63\00:13:31.40
Therefore, we need
to listen carefully.
00:13:31.40\00:13:34.10
The answer our Lord
gave is a radical answer.
00:13:34.10\00:13:36.66
Essentially, He said this:
"Obeying the law is a vital
00:13:36.66\00:13:42.06
part of the
salvation experience."
00:13:42.06\00:13:44.70
Now, we know that salvation
is a gift that can't be
00:13:44.70\00:13:48.30
earned.
00:13:48.30\00:13:49.30
Paul said this in Romans
3:20, "By the deeds of the
00:13:49.30\00:13:55.06
law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight.
00:13:55.06\00:14:00.06
That's clear.
00:14:00.06\00:14:01.13
Galatians 3:11 let's
read that: "But that no man is
00:14:01.13\00:14:04.80
justified by the law in the
sight of God, it is evident:
00:14:04.80\00:14:09.00
for, the just
shall live by faith.
00:14:09.00\00:14:12.93
Again and again the New
Testament proclaims that
00:14:12.93\00:14:14.96
salvation is by
God's grace through faith.
00:14:14.96\00:14:18.10
(Ephesians 2:8, 9) "For
by grace are ye saved through
00:14:18.10\00:14:20.80
faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of
00:14:20.80\00:14:23.60
God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast."
00:14:23.60\00:14:27.26
(Ephesians 2:8, 9) The Bible
says this in Romans 10: "That
00:14:27.26\00:14:32.16
if you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus, and
00:14:32.16\00:14:34.56
believe in your heart that
God has raised him from the
00:14:34.56\00:14:36.60
dead, you will be saved."
00:14:36.60\00:14:38.50
(Romans 10:9).
00:14:38.50\00:14:39.50
So what was Jesus saying
when he told his hearers in the
00:14:39.50\00:14:42.46
story of the Good Samaritan?
00:14:42.46\00:14:44.43
Well for one thing, it's much
the same as what He told the
00:14:44.43\00:14:48.00
Rich young Ruler.
00:14:48.00\00:14:49.43
If you want to be saved, if
you want to live in the right
00:14:49.43\00:14:52.86
relationship with God, it's
important that you keep God's
00:14:52.86\00:14:56.36
commandments.
00:14:56.36\00:14:57.76
Now - does saying that
make a person a legalist?
00:14:57.76\00:15:04.30
Only if you want to
call Jesus a legalist!
00:15:04.30\00:15:07.03
Salvation is
definitely a gift from God.
00:15:07.03\00:15:09.36
And Jesus certainly is
not suggesting that we begin
00:15:09.36\00:15:12.10
trying to earn salvation with
our obedience and good deeds.
00:15:12.10\00:15:18.53
So how do you reconcile this?
00:15:18.53\00:15:19.70
How do you bring
these two points together?
00:15:19.70\00:15:21.76
Jesus telling people to
obey the commandments if they're
00:15:21.76\00:15:24.46
serious about salvation,
and Paul saying that salvation
00:15:24.46\00:15:27.73
comes freely, by
grace through faith?
00:15:27.73\00:15:32.96
We want to remember that
salvation is a love affair.
00:15:32.96\00:15:37.30
It was initiated by God
because, as the Bible says,
00:15:37.30\00:15:40.73
"God so loved the world that
He gave his only begotten Son
00:15:40.73\00:15:44.23
that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have
00:15:44.23\00:15:48.03
eternal life."
00:15:48.03\00:15:49.03
(John 3:16) Salvation
is the gift of God's love.
00:15:49.03\00:15:54.13
Sin estranged us from God.
00:15:54.13\00:15:57.46
To find His lost sheep Jesus
left His Father's house and
00:15:57.46\00:16:01.30
condescended to be
clothed with humanity.
00:16:01.30\00:16:04.36
He endured the
brambles and thorns of Calvary.
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.26
He shed His blood, He endured
the agony of the crucifixion,
00:16:07.26\00:16:11.43
in the darkest hour on
the hill of Golgotha he cried
00:16:11.43\00:16:13.76
out, "My God, My God,
why have you forsaken Me?"
00:16:13.76\00:16:19.13
The pain caused by this
separation broke His heart
00:16:19.13\00:16:22.63
and caused His death.
00:16:22.63\00:16:24.83
But He found His lost sheep
and all heaven rejoiced with
00:16:24.83\00:16:28.36
Him.
00:16:28.36\00:16:29.36
And now there is nothing
He wants more than to have us
00:16:29.36\00:16:33.00
with Him forever.
00:16:33.00\00:16:35.40
In His High Priestly
Prayer He had one passionate
00:16:35.40\00:16:38.86
request: "Father," Jesus
prayed, "I desire that they
00:16:38.86\00:16:42.80
also whom You gave Me
may be with Me where I am."
00:16:42.80\00:16:47.46
(John 17:24) There is nothing
Jesus wants more than to have
00:16:47.46\00:16:52.16
you and me with Him forever.
00:16:52.16\00:16:56.53
But God's offer isn't
meaningful in any practical
00:16:56.53\00:16:59.40
way until the
sinner responds to it.
00:16:59.40\00:17:02.73
What good will eternal
life be to those who don't love
00:17:02.73\00:17:06.03
God?
00:17:06.03\00:17:07.40
People who haven't learned
to love God wouldn't even be
00:17:07.40\00:17:10.76
happy in heaven!
00:17:10.76\00:17:11.90
They'd be miserable.
00:17:11.90\00:17:14.06
Because God loved us, we
respond to His love by loving
00:17:14.06\00:17:19.80
Him in return.
00:17:19.80\00:17:21.23
The apostle John said "We
love him, because he first
00:17:21.23\00:17:25.06
loved us.
00:17:25.06\00:17:26.20
(1 John 4:19) The primary
reason why we should desire
00:17:26.20\00:17:31.83
to be saved is because
we love Jesus so much, we
00:17:31.83\00:17:35.40
appreciate so greatly the
love of God that we want to
00:17:35.40\00:17:38.83
spend eternity with Him.
00:17:38.83\00:17:40.46
And Jesus makes it very clear
that our love for Him must be
00:17:40.46\00:17:43.20
supreme.
00:17:43.20\00:17:44.26
Remember what he said?
00:17:44.26\00:17:45.60
Let's read this together.
00:17:45.60\00:17:46.60
Here is what Jesus said:
"He that loves father or mother
00:17:46.60\00:17:50.36
more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loves son or
00:17:50.36\00:17:54.70
daughter more than
me is not worthy of me.
00:17:54.70\00:17:58.10
And he who does not take
his cross, and follow after me,
00:17:58.10\00:18:02.26
is not worthy of me."
00:18:02.26\00:18:03.76
(Matthew 10:37, 38) Such
a love for Jesus leads to
00:18:03.76\00:18:10.00
eternal life and this is
what Jesus told the lawyer.
00:18:10.00\00:18:13.26
If you love God with all
your heart, mind, soul and
00:18:13.26\00:18:15.50
strength, then He will save you.
00:18:15.50\00:18:18.60
And what is it that
demonstrates this love?
00:18:18.60\00:18:21.83
Do you want to hear it: This
is in 1 John 5: "For this is
00:18:21.83\00:18:27.23
the love of God that
we keep His commandments."
00:18:27.23\00:18:32.20
(1 John 5:3) And Jesus
said in John 14:15 "If you love
00:18:32.20\00:18:37.56
me, keep my commandments."
00:18:37.56\00:18:39.43
Now notice he was not saying
"If you love me then go ahead
00:18:39.43\00:18:43.73
and prove it by
keeping my commandments.
00:18:43.73\00:18:46.36
Jesus was saying If you
love me, something is going to
00:18:46.36\00:18:49.30
happen in your life.
00:18:49.30\00:18:50.30
It's an inevitability
that you will keep my
00:18:50.30\00:18:52.86
commandments.
00:18:52.86\00:18:53.86
Those who were save
won't have worked their way to
00:18:53.86\00:18:55.90
heaven.
00:18:55.90\00:18:56.90
But their obedience will
have shown that they loved God,
00:18:56.90\00:18:59.53
they loved Jesus
with all their hearts.
00:18:59.53\00:19:02.30
Jesus wasn't telling the
lawyer that salvation is by
00:19:02.30\00:19:04.63
works.
00:19:04.63\00:19:05.63
He said "You confess that
you must love the Lord with all
00:19:05.63\00:19:08.96
your heart if
you want to be saved.
00:19:08.96\00:19:10.96
That is the right answer.
00:19:10.96\00:19:12.30
But, your love for God will
be revealed by your obedience
00:19:12.30\00:19:15.20
to God's commandments."
00:19:15.20\00:19:18.00
But then Jesus
takes it a step further.
00:19:18.00\00:19:20.06
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:19:20.06\00:19:23.23
In Matthew 4:4, the Word of
God says, "It is written, man
00:19:25.16\00:19:29.00
shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.66
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:19:32.66\00:19:34.73
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:19:34.73\00:19:37.93
presented by pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:19:37.93\00:19:40.80
especially for
busy people like you.
00:19:40.80\00:19:44.00
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:19:44.00\00:19:46.73
on-line everyday on our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:19:46.73\00:19:50.70
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:19:50.70\00:19:53.06
Watch Every Word.
00:19:53.06\00:19:54.73
You'll be glad you did.
00:19:54.73\00:19:57.46
The concept of loving God
is pretty easy to get your arms
00:20:00.10\00:20:03.06
around, isn't it?
00:20:03.06\00:20:04.53
That is, it's
obvious God is good.
00:20:04.53\00:20:07.30
He gives us life, He pours
out His blessings, we know He
00:20:07.30\00:20:11.10
is good...
00:20:11.10\00:20:12.16
Our problem is usually
more often with those who are
00:20:12.16\00:20:14.93
closest to us.
00:20:14.93\00:20:17.36
You'll notice in the parable
of the Good Samaritan, the
00:20:17.36\00:20:20.00
lawyer - who was actually
a theologian, a doctor of the
00:20:20.00\00:20:22.56
law - asks Jesus a
really interesting question.
00:20:22.56\00:20:27.00
Jesus affirmed him when he
told Jesus that people ought
00:20:27.00\00:20:29.53
to love God and
love their neighbor.
00:20:29.53\00:20:31.93
He got that from
the writings of Moses.
00:20:31.93\00:20:34.60
But he said to
Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.80
And you'll notice, the
passage in Luke 10 says that
00:20:37.80\00:20:40.56
he asked Jesus this because
he was "willing to justify
00:20:40.56\00:20:44.30
himself" (Luke 10:29).
00:20:44.30\00:20:47.23
The parable of the Good
Samaritan challenged the
00:20:47.23\00:20:49.66
people listening to Jesus.
00:20:49.66\00:20:51.23
Because in the eyes of
the Jews, there were no "good"
00:20:51.23\00:20:55.90
Samaritans.
00:20:55.90\00:20:56.90
They were all bad.
00:20:56.90\00:20:58.13
The worst insult a Jew could
sling at the one he despised
00:20:58.13\00:21:00.73
was to call him a Samaritan.
00:21:00.73\00:21:02.26
Listen how they maligned Jesus.
00:21:02.26\00:21:04.40
"Do we not say rightly that
You are a Samaritan and have
00:21:04.40\00:21:08.46
a demon."
00:21:08.46\00:21:09.66
(John 8:38) In their eyes
no one could be lower than a
00:21:09.66\00:21:13.50
demon possessed Samaritan.
00:21:13.50\00:21:15.30
The woman at the well told
Jesus this,"the Jews have no
00:21:15.30\00:21:18.20
dealings with the Samaritans."
00:21:18.20\00:21:21.16
(John 4:9 KJV) The shortest
route between Jerusalem and
00:21:21.16\00:21:24.50
Galilee went through Samaria
but many Jews were willing to
00:21:24.50\00:21:27.93
almost double the distance
by crossing the Jordan and
00:21:27.93\00:21:30.56
travelling up the west bank
up to the Sea of Galilee just
00:21:30.56\00:21:34.10
to avoid going through Samaria.
00:21:34.10\00:21:36.30
If just the shadow of a
Samaritan fell on a Jew, he'd
00:21:36.30\00:21:39.40
feel morally unclean.
00:21:39.40\00:21:42.03
Yet here's Jesus telling
these people that a Samaritan
00:21:42.03\00:21:45.63
was their neighbor.
00:21:45.63\00:21:47.63
In this parable Jesus drives
home a powerful lesson home.
00:21:47.63\00:21:51.30
You can talk all you
want about loving God, but the
00:21:51.30\00:21:54.10
truth is that your love for
God is no stronger than your
00:21:54.10\00:21:58.00
love for your fellow man.
00:21:58.00\00:21:59.93
Your confession that you
love God may be impressive, but
00:21:59.93\00:22:03.00
it's meaningless unless
you love your neighbor as
00:22:03.00\00:22:06.06
yourself.
00:22:06.06\00:22:07.30
The Bible says this, in
1 John 4:20, 21: "If a man
00:22:07.30\00:22:14.53
says, I love God, and
hate his brother, he is a liar:
00:22:14.53\00:22:18.46
for he that does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how
00:22:18.46\00:22:21.66
can he love God
whom he has not seen?
00:22:21.66\00:22:24.86
And this commandment we
have from Him: That he who loves
00:22:24.86\00:22:28.76
God must love his brother also."
00:22:28.76\00:22:34.00
(1 John 4:20, 21) Jesus said
in Luke 6:32 (NKJV), "But if
00:22:34.00\00:22:36.93
you love those who love
you, what credit is that to you?
00:22:36.93\00:22:39.86
For even sinners
love those who love them."
00:22:39.86\00:22:42.76
This is what makes
this parable so powerful.
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.83
The Priest and the Levite
by their offices, confessed to
00:22:45.83\00:22:48.90
love God.
00:22:48.90\00:22:50.23
They did service for Him.
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.80
Their lives were
committed to Him.
00:22:51.80\00:22:54.06
They were recognized by
the people as "spiritual".
00:22:54.06\00:22:56.60
But Jesus says their
profession was meaningless.
00:22:56.60\00:22:58.73
It was only a show.
00:22:58.73\00:23:01.40
Those who truly love God will
reveal their love for God by
00:23:01.40\00:23:04.70
how they treat others.
00:23:04.70\00:23:06.73
The Samaritan might have been
despised, but he showed more
00:23:06.73\00:23:10.23
genuine love for God than
did the Priest or the Levite.
00:23:10.23\00:23:13.93
Through this parable
Jesus is speaking to us.
00:23:13.93\00:23:16.90
He asked Peter,
"Do you love Me?"
00:23:16.90\00:23:19.26
He is still addressing
this question to you and me.
00:23:19.26\00:23:21.56
We can claim to be
Christians, or a good person,
00:23:21.56\00:23:24.76
show up in church, keep a
Bible on our bookshelf, but
00:23:24.76\00:23:28.56
the truth is revealed when
we find a neighbor next to us on
00:23:28.56\00:23:31.26
the road.
00:23:31.26\00:23:32.73
Whatever we do to one of
the least, we do it to Jesus.
00:23:32.73\00:23:36.66
Too many people are Priests
and Levites in the way they
00:23:36.66\00:23:39.20
treat others.
00:23:39.20\00:23:40.20
They confess to be saved...
00:23:40.20\00:23:41.60
but their confession is hollow.
00:23:41.60\00:23:45.16
There is no salvation for
anybody as long as there is a
00:23:45.16\00:23:48.63
neighbor who needs help while
we pass by on the other side,
00:23:48.63\00:23:52.50
unmoved.
00:23:52.50\00:23:53.60
And let's turn that over.
00:23:53.60\00:23:56.20
We shouldn't claim that
our neighborly actions give
00:23:56.20\00:23:59.93
evidence that we are
truly Christians if our lack of
00:23:59.93\00:24:04.40
obedience to
God shows otherwise.
00:24:04.40\00:24:07.53
These are two
sides of the same coin.
00:24:07.53\00:24:10.03
Salvation will reveal
that you love God because
00:24:10.03\00:24:13.03
obedience to God is being
shown, demonstrated in your
00:24:13.03\00:24:17.60
life through
obedience to God's Commandments.
00:24:17.60\00:24:20.63
But on the otherwise, if
all you have is obedience and no
00:24:20.63\00:24:24.26
love for your fellow human
being, that obedience isn't
00:24:24.26\00:24:27.93
really worth two cents.
00:24:27.93\00:24:29.86
They go hand in hand.
00:24:29.86\00:24:32.23
Jesus shared the parable of
the Good Samaritan to show us
00:24:32.23\00:24:36.00
this.
00:24:36.00\00:24:38.10
Today, I'd like to make
you a very special offer.
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00:24:43.30\00:24:45.63
understand what genuine
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00:24:45.63\00:24:48.60
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How you can know God and
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00:24:50.73\00:24:54.00
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This book is powerful.
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00:25:09.73\00:25:13.80
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For immediate access, you
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version of the book Steps
to Christ from our website.
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Itiswritten.com.
00:25:54.86\00:25:57.80
It Is Written is a
faith-based ministry made
00:25:57.80\00:26:00.43
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00:26:00.43\00:26:02.96
To help the worldwide
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00:26:02.96\00:26:04.96
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00:26:04.96\00:26:08.20
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00:26:08.20\00:26:11.96
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00:26:11.96\00:26:14.26
Our toll free number is
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00:26:14.26\00:26:21.53
address is itiswritten.com.
00:26:21.53\00:26:25.43
I'd like to pray with you now.
00:26:25.43\00:26:27.43
Let's pray together.
00:26:27.43\00:26:28.43
Our Father in heaven, we
thank you for this wonderful
00:26:28.43\00:26:31.60
parable Jesus shared
of the Good Samaritan.
00:26:31.60\00:26:34.73
And how through this simple
story Jesus shows us that our
00:26:34.73\00:26:39.33
profession of faith in you
is revealed in how we treat
00:26:39.33\00:26:42.73
others.
00:26:42.73\00:26:43.73
Give us grace to be Good
Samaritans and at the same
00:26:43.73\00:26:47.70
time as Jesus spoke to
that theologian, he made it very
00:26:47.70\00:26:51.26
clear that He calls us to
be obedient and faithful and to
00:26:51.26\00:26:57.40
follow the Word of God
and the precepts of heaven.
00:26:57.40\00:27:01.36
Lord, I think we can
confess we're incapable of that.
00:27:01.36\00:27:04.36
We need you to come into
our lives and do in us what we
00:27:04.36\00:27:08.36
cannot do ourselves.
00:27:08.36\00:27:10.20
Thank you that there is a
Savior, one who transforms
00:27:10.20\00:27:14.53
and enables us to do
what we couldn't do otherwise.
00:27:14.53\00:27:17.60
We thank you today and we
pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:17.60\00:27:21.76
Thank you for joining me today.
00:27:41.46\00:27:43.46
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.46
Until then, remember - It
is written, man shall not live
00:27:45.46\00:27:49.50
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:49.50\00:27:53.50
mouth of God.
00:27:53.50\00:27:55.50