[Music intro] It has stood
00:00:05.57\00:00:12.81
the test time, God's
book, the Bible, still relevant
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in today's complex world.
It Is Written, sharing hope
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around the globe.
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I'm John Bradshaw,
this is It Is Written.
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Thanks for joining me.
Wesley Autrey was standing on
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the platform of a
subway 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. And at
that moment the lights
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of an oncoming train
appeared 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.
Just seconds later the train
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rushed right over the top
of 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.
When the train came to a
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halt, Wesley called up to
the frightened onlookers on the
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platform. "There
are two little girls
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up there. Let them
know their Daddy is
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OK." Instantly Wesley Autrey
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became a national hero.
Everyone was moved by his
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bravery and for the
compassion he showed a total
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stranger. There
was no logical reason
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for him to risk his life.
He had two small daughters up
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there to think about.
But a human being was in
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desperate need, and Wesley
- moved with compassion - did
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what he could to save the man.
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The press called him "The
Subway Superman", the "Harlem
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Hero." But the headline in one
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newspaper described
Wesley 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. It's
likely the basis of this
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story was a real
incident. 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.
Today we're going to look at
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that story. And
we're going to take a
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close up look. As a
matter of fact, together
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we are going to go
together 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.
One thing you notice about
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the area is that
it's a harsh environment.
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Rocky and arid
and dry - and hot.
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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.
Of course, there is no way at
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all to know just where
this happened, but it happened
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somewhere along this road
and you can imagine what it was
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like. Here is
what Jesus said: "A
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certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho and fell
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among thieves who stripped
him of his clothing, wounded
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him and departed him,
leaving him half dead."
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I can imagine that. And
if you get left for dead
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around here, it is not
going 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 ...
"Now by chance a certain
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priest came down that
road and when he saw him, he
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passed by on the other
side." Now, as you look at this
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road, there are wider
bits and narrower but it's
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not a freeway The
priest, who got out of the way
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who had been wounded
virtually had to step over
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him or step around him
and most likely it wasn't a
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matter of crossing a wide
place but maybe his robes,
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his flowing robes
even dragged over the poor
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fellow's half-dead body as
he went by so it's not like the
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priest could
say "never saw 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. When
he arrived at the place,
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he came and looked and
passed by on the other side.
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So, he saw something.
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."
And he too went around the
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guy. Then Jesus
says, "There came
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by someone who was a 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. And I want
to think with you,
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now that we are in this
environment, about what the
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story really means.
The Samaritan, as he
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journeyed, came where he
was, and when he saw him, he had
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compassion. So
he went to him and
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bandaged his wounds, pouring
on oil and wine and he set
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him on his own animal,
brought him to an Inn and
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took care of him. So
this man found the wounded
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fella, the wounded man,
he refers to him as a man, we
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don't know what stripe he was.
00:06:24.35\00:06:26.28
He put him on his
animal. I mean, look at this
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environment. He went
to some trouble to do
00:06:29.28\00:06:31.29
this. It wasn't easy.
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He went out of his way
and then he said: You know,
00:06:32.59\00:06:38.49
instead of just going to
Jericho where I was going, I
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think I'll go and find an Inn.
00:06:41.60\00:06:44.23
He may have taken him to
Jericho for all we know, but
00:06:44.23\00:06:46.74
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
00:06:48.47\00:06:50.34
The Hampton Inn and Suites,
or whatever the case might
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be. He went out of his way and
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found a place and he said,
look after this man for me.
00:06:56.85\00:07:00.72
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
00:07:03.52\00:07:05.62
left for you to look
after this man, then I will come
00:07:05.62\00:07:08.49
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.
00:07:17.50\00:07:20.30
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.
00:07:26.84\00:07:29.84
[Music] But is
there more to the story
00:07:34.88\00:07:41.56
of the Good
Samaritan? Let's look further
00:07:41.56\00:07:46.06
in just a moment. [Music]
00:07:46.06\00:07:56.91
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00:09:01.67\00:09:06.37
This is It Is Written.
I'm John Bradshaw, thank you
00:09:10.18\00:09:12.58
for joining me today.
Today, the story of the Good
00:09:12.58\00:09:14.58
Samaritan. Now to
get from Jerusalem to
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Jericho today would take
you no more than an hour by car,
00:09:17.29\00:09:22.09
less than an hour.
It's a distance of not quite
00:09:22.09\00:09:24.69
30 miles, and what's
interesting about that trip
00:09:24.69\00:09:27.83
is that along the way
you descend about 3250 feet -
00:09:27.83\00:09:32.73
1000 meters or so.
That's how far down you go.
00:09:32.73\00:09:36.60
Now why did Jesus tell the
story of the Good Samaritan
00:09:36.60\00:09:39.34
do you think? Was it
just because He wanted
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to share the
lesson of compassion?
00:09:41.44\00:09:44.18
No doubt that was part of
it, but Jesus shared this story
00:09:44.18\00:09:47.32
in answer to a question.
And the answer the story
00:09:47.32\00:09:51.29
provided spoke directly
to the needs of the hearts of
00:09:51.29\00:09:53.82
His hearers - and
it speaks to us today.
00:09:53.82\00:09:57.73
A theologian had asked Jesus
this question, he said, "What
00:09:57.73\00:09:59.76
shall I do to
inherit eternal life?"
00:09:59.76\00:10:02.30
(Luke 10:25). So
what Jesus said in
00:10:02.30\00:10:04.87
response - which includes the
story of the Good Samaritan -
00:10:04.87\00:10:09.04
is to be understood in
the context of the subject of
00:10:09.04\00:10:11.64
SALVATION. What
is the process of
00:10:11.64\00:10:15.18
salvation? A serious question.
00:10:15.18\00:10:17.61
A wrong answer could
have eternal consequences!
00:10:17.61\00:10:21.25
Jesus responded by saying this.
00:10:21.25\00:10:23.75
You read it in Luke 10:
"What is written in the law?
00:10:23.75\00:10:28.09
What is your reading of
it?" (Luke 10:26) When Jesus
00:10:28.09\00:10:32.69
preached to the multitudes
in the Sermon on the Mount, he
00:10:32.69\00:10:35.06
said "You have
heard that it was said."
00:10:35.06\00:10:38.03
Most of those in His
audience that day couldn't read.
00:10:38.03\00:10:40.37
They had to rely on what they
have heard which is why Jesus
00:10:40.37\00:10:43.24
said "You have heard."
But this man was learned, he
00:10:43.24\00:10:46.78
could read. Jesus
asked him "What is your
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reading of the law? Now
this man knew his Bible.
00:10:50.55\00:10:54.52
He summarized the first four
commandments by quoting Moses
00:10:54.52\00:10:57.92
in Deuteronomy
11:13. Let's look at that.
00:10:57.92\00:11:01.22
"I command you this day,
to love the LORD your God, and
00:11:01.22\00:11:05.26
to serve him with all
your heart and with all your
00:11:05.26\00:11:08.30
soul." For a
summary of the last six
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.80
commandments he referred to Lev.
00:11:10.80\00:11:13.07
19:18 "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself..."
00:11:13.07\00:11:17.61
His answer came
easily. This was something the
00:11:17.61\00:11:22.58
lawyers, the theologians,
discussed among themselves.
00:11:22.58\00:11:26.11
Jesus said "You have answered
rightly; do this and you will
00:11:26.11\00:11:30.62
live." But there was another
00:11:30.62\00:11:32.89
question also hotly discussed
among the lawyers: "How
00:11:32.89\00:11:36.32
should one's
neighbor be defined?"
00:11:36.32\00:11:39.69
So this man snapped
back "Who is my neighbor?"
00:11:39.69\00:11:43.03
To answer this question,
Jesus told the story of the
00:11:43.03\00:11:46.03
Good Samaritan.
Looking at everything in
00:11:46.03\00:11:48.74
context we see that
this parable isn't simply an
00:11:48.74\00:11:51.14
appeal from Jesus to be more
compassionate as important as
00:11:51.14\00:11:54.54
that is, and it is important.
The issue, however, is much
00:11:54.54\00:11:57.98
bigger. What is
at stake here is the
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.42
question of how to be
saved. The parable of the Good
00:12:00.42\00:12:03.62
Samaritan is part of Jesus'
answer on how God saves us.
00:12:03.62\00:12:06.92
Now let's make sure we
don't miss something important.
00:12:06.92\00:12:11.26
The question asked was,
"Lord, What must I do to be
00:12:11.26\00:12:14.10
saved?" On the answer to this
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.16
question hinges
our eternal destiny.
00:12:16.16\00:12:18.50
And no one can give us
a better answer to this
00:12:18.50\00:12:22.04
question than
the Savior Himself.
00:12:22.04\00:12:24.14
Therefore, we need
to listen carefully.
00:12:24.14\00:12:28.21
The answer our Lord
gave is a radical answer.
00:12:29.28\00:12:32.25
Essentially, He said this:
"Obeying the law is a vital
00:12:32.25\00:12:37.72
part of the
salvation experience."
00:12:37.72\00:12:39.72
Now, we know that salvation
is a gift that can't be
00:12:39.72\00:12:43.83
earned. Paul said this in Romans
00:12:43.83\00:12:46.39
3:20, "By the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be
00:12:46.39\00:12:52.87
justified in his
sight. That's clear.
00:12:52.87\00:12:56.60
Galatians 3:11 let's
read that: "But that no man is
00:12:56.60\00:13:00.38
justified by the law in the
sight of God, it is evident:
00:13:00.38\00:13:04.01
for, the just
shall live by faith.
00:13:04.01\00:13:08.58
Again and again the New
Testament proclaims that
00:13:08.58\00:13:09.58
salvation is by
God's grace through faith.
00:13:09.58\00:13:14.26
(Ephesians 2:8, 9) "For
by grace are ye saved through
00:13:14.26\00:13:16.93
faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of
00:13:16.93\00:13:19.73
God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast."
00:13:19.73\00:13:23.37
(Ephesians 2:8, 9) The Bible
says this in Romans 10: "That
00:13:23.37\00:13:27.67
if you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus, and
00:13:27.67\00:13:30.71
believe in your heart that
God has raised him from the
00:13:30.71\00:13:32.71
dead, you will be
saved." (Romans 10:9).
00:13:32.71\00:13:35.68
So what was Jesus saying
when he told his hearers in the
00:13:35.68\00:13:38.65
story of the Good Samaritan?
Well for one thing, it's much
00:13:38.65\00:13:43.08
the same as what He
told the Rich young Ruler.
00:13:43.08\00:13:45.65
If you want to be saved, if
you want to live in the right
00:13:45.65\00:13:49.09
relationship with God,
it's important that you keep
00:13:49.09\00:13:52.56
God's commandments.
Now - does saying that make
00:13:52.56\00:13:57.33
a person a legalist?
Only if you want to call
00:13:57.33\00:14:01.54
Jesus a legalist!
Salvation is definitely a
00:14:01.54\00:14:04.47
gift from God. And
Jesus certainly is not
00:14:04.47\00:14:07.04
suggesting that we begin
trying to earn salvation with
00:14:07.04\00:14:10.98
our obedience and good deeds.
So how do you reconcile this?
00:14:10.98\00:14:15.92
How do you bring
these two points together?
00:14:15.92\00:14:17.99
Jesus telling people to
obey the commandments if they're
00:14:17.99\00:14:20.59
serious about salvation,
and Paul saying that salvation
00:14:20.59\00:14:23.89
comes freely, by
grace through faith?
00:14:23.89\00:14:29.13
We want to remember that
salvation is a love affair.
00:14:29.13\00:14:33.50
It was initiated by God
because, as the Bible says,
00:14:33.50\00:14:36.57
"God so loved the world that
He gave his only begotten Son
00:14:36.57\00:14:40.64
that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have
00:14:40.64\00:14:44.31
eternal life." (John
3:16) Salvation is the
00:14:44.31\00:14:49.02
gift of God's love.
Sin estranged us from God.
00:14:49.02\00:14:53.76
To find His lost sheep Jesus
left His Father's house and
00:14:53.76\00:14:57.53
condescended to be
clothed with humanity.
00:14:57.53\00:15:00.63
He endured the
brambles and thorns of Calvary.
00:15:00.63\00:15:03.06
He shed His blood, He endured
the agony of the crucifixion,
00:15:03.06\00:15:07.04
in the darkest hour on
the hill of Golgotha he cried
00:15:07.04\00:15:10.04
out, "My God, My God,
why have you forsaken Me?"
00:15:10.04\00:15:15.38
The pain caused by this
separation broke His heart
00:15:15.38\00:15:18.88
and caused His death.
But He found His lost sheep
00:15:18.88\00:15:23.15
and all heaven
rejoiced with Him.
00:15:23.15\00:15:25.92
And now there is nothing
He wants more than to have us
00:15:25.92\00:15:29.26
with Him forever. In
His High Priestly Prayer
00:15:29.26\00:15:33.40
He had one passionate
request: "Father," Jesus
00:15:33.40\00:15:36.77
prayed, "I desire that they
also whom You gave Me may be
00:15:36.77\00:15:42.04
with Me where I am."
(John 17:24) There is nothing
00:15:42.04\00:15:47.18
Jesus wants more than to have
you and me with Him forever.
00:15:47.18\00:15:52.85
But God's offer isn't
meaningful in any practical
00:15:52.85\00:15:55.68
way until the
sinner responds to it.
00:15:55.68\00:15:58.99
What good will eternal
life be to those who don't love
00:15:58.99\00:16:02.32
God? People who
haven't learned to
00:16:02.32\00:16:05.06
love God wouldn't
even be happy in heaven!
00:16:05.06\00:16:08.13
They'd be miserable.
Because God loved us, we
00:16:08.13\00:16:13.44
respond to His love
by loving Him in return.
00:16:13.44\00:16:17.54
The apostle John said "We
love him, because he first
00:16:17.54\00:16:21.34
loved us. (1
John 4:19) The primary
00:16:21.34\00:16:26.38
reason why we should
desire to be saved is because we
00:16:26.38\00:16:29.65
love Jesus so much, we
appreciate so greatly the
00:16:29.65\00:16:33.15
love of God that we want
to spend eternity with Him.
00:16:33.15\00:16:36.86
And Jesus makes it very clear
that our love for Him must be
00:16:36.86\00:16:39.59
supreme. Remember what he said?
00:16:39.59\00:16:41.63
Let's read this together.
Here is what Jesus said: "He
00:16:41.63\00:16:43.83
that loves father or mother
more than me is not worthy of
00:16:43.83\00:16:48.84
me: and he that loves son
or daughter more than me is not
00:16:48.84\00:16:53.07
worthy of me. And he
who does not take his
00:16:53.07\00:16:56.04
cross, and follow after
me, is not worthy of me."
00:16:56.04\00:17:00.15
(Matthew 10:37, 38) Such
a love for Jesus leads to
00:17:00.15\00:17:06.39
eternal life and this is
what Jesus told the lawyer.
00:17:06.39\00:17:08.82
If you love God with all
your heart, mind, soul and
00:17:08.82\00:17:11.89
strength, then He will save you.
00:17:11.89\00:17:14.96
And what is it that
demonstrates this love?
00:17:14.96\00:17:18.63
Do you want to hear it: This
is in 1 John 5: "For this is
00:17:18.63\00:17:23.54
the love of God that
we keep His commandments."
00:17:23.54\00:17:28.18
(1 John 5:3) And Jesus
said in John 14:15 "If you love
00:17:28.18\00:17:33.88
me, keep my commandments."
Now notice he was not saying
00:17:33.88\00:17:38.32
"If you love me then go
ahead and prove it by keeping my
00:17:38.32\00:17:41.72
commandments. Jesus
was saying If you love
00:17:41.72\00:17:44.43
me, something is going
to happen in your life.
00:17:44.43\00:17:46.73
It's an inevitability
that you will keep my
00:17:46.73\00:17:49.26
commandments.
Those who were save won't
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.27
have worked their way to heaven.
00:17:51.27\00:17:53.30
But their obedience will
have shown that they loved God,
00:17:53.30\00:17:55.90
they loved Jesus
with all their hearts.
00:17:55.90\00:17:58.61
Jesus wasn't telling the
lawyer that salvation is by
00:17:58.61\00:18:01.04
works. He said
"You confess that you
00:18:01.04\00:18:04.31
must love the Lord with all
your heart if you want to be
00:18:04.31\00:18:06.38
saved. That is the right answer.
00:18:06.38\00:18:08.68
But, your love for God will
be revealed by your obedience
00:18:08.68\00:18:11.59
to God's commandments."
But then Jesus takes it a
00:18:11.59\00:18:15.46
step further. I'll
have more in just a
00:18:15.46\00:18:16.96
moment. [mysterious music]
00:18:16.96\00:18:28.34
Every Word is a one-minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:18:28.74\00:18:32.14
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:18:32.14\00:18:34.71
especially for
busy people like you.
00:18:34.71\00:18:37.31
Receive a daily spiritual
boost. Watch Every Word.
00:18:37.31\00:18:40.92
[upbeat music]
While you're living your
00:18:43.39\00:18:49.69
Christian life and serving
God and reading the Bible
00:18:49.69\00:18:52.33
and going to church -
presuming you do those things
00:18:52.33\00:18:54.96
- there's a crucial aspect of
the Christian life God doesn't
00:18:54.96\00:18:58.33
want us to
neglect. James 1:27 says,
00:18:58.33\00:19:01.14
"Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the
00:19:01.14\00:19:03.84
Father is this: to
visit orphans and widows
00:19:03.84\00:19:06.84
in their trouble." As
long as there are needy
00:19:06.84\00:19:09.01
people near by you've
got a place to work for God.
00:19:09.01\00:19:11.15
It's genuine Christianity
when you're moved by God to help
00:19:11.15\00:19:14.72
people in need -
and they're everywhere.
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.22
How can you be a
blessing to someone?
00:19:17.22\00:19:19.29
How can you reveal Jesus to
someone who might not want a
00:19:19.29\00:19:21.46
Bible study but might
really need a loaf of bread
00:19:21.46\00:19:23.89
or a listening ear?
Jesus revealed the love of God
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.83
to people in need by
being available and ministering
00:19:26.83\00:19:29.56
to them. And He
calls us to join Him in
00:19:29.56\00:19:32.53
that work today.
I'm John Bradshaw for
00:19:32.53\00:19:35.60
It Is Written. Let's
live today by Every Word.
00:19:35.60\00:19:40.54
The concept of loving God
is pretty easy to get your arms
00:19:42.78\00:19:46.25
around, isn't it? That
is, it's obvious God is
00:19:46.25\00:19:50.02
good. He gives us life, He pours
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.72
out His blessings,
we know He is good...
00:19:52.72\00:19:55.56
Our problem is usually
more often with those who are
00:19:55.56\00:19:58.33
closest to us.
You'll notice in the parable
00:19:58.33\00:20:01.93
of the Good Samaritan, the
lawyer - who was actually a
00:20:01.93\00:20:04.47
theologian, a doctor of
the law - asks Jesus a really
00:20:04.47\00:20:08.90
interesting question.
Jesus affirmed him when he
00:20:08.90\00:20:11.57
told Jesus that people
ought to love God and love their
00:20:11.57\00:20:14.31
neighbor. He got
that from the writings
00:20:14.31\00:20:16.38
of Moses. But he
said to Jesus, "Who is
00:20:16.38\00:20:20.18
my neighbor?" And
you'll notice, the
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.18
passage in Luke 10 says
that he asked Jesus this because
00:20:22.18\00:20:25.45
he was "willing to
justify himself" (Luke 10:29).
00:20:25.45\00:20:30.63
The parable of the Good
Samaritan challenged the
00:20:30.63\00:20:33.06
people listening to Jesus.
Because in the eyes of the
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.13
Jews, there were
no "good" Samaritans.
00:20:36.13\00:20:39.70
They were all bad. The
worst insult a Jew could
00:20:39.70\00:20:41.70
sling at the one he despised
was to call him a Samaritan.
00:20:41.70\00:20:44.54
Listen how they maligned Jesus.
00:20:44.54\00:20:47.78
"Do we not say rightly that
You are a Samaritan and have
00:20:47.78\00:20:51.85
a demon." (John
8:38) In their eyes no
00:20:51.85\00:20:55.88
one could be lower than a
demon possessed Samaritan.
00:20:55.88\00:20:58.59
The woman at the well told
Jesus this,"the Jews have no
00:20:58.59\00:21:01.66
dealings with the Samaritans."
00:21:01.66\00:21:04.63
(John 4:9 KJV) The shortest
route between Jerusalem and
00:21:04.63\00:21:07.96
Galilee went through Samaria
but many Jews were willing to
00:21:07.96\00:21:11.37
almost double the distance
by crossing the Jordan and
00:21:11.37\00:21:14.00
travelling up the west bank
up to the Sea of Galilee just
00:21:14.00\00:21:17.54
to avoid going through Samaria.
00:21:17.54\00:21:19.74
If just the shadow of a
Samaritan fell on a Jew, he'd
00:21:19.74\00:21:22.84
feel morally unclean.
Yet here's Jesus telling
00:21:22.84\00:21:26.88
these people that a
Samaritan was their neighbor.
00:21:26.88\00:21:31.09
In this parable Jesus drives
home a powerful lesson home.
00:21:31.09\00:21:34.76
You can talk all you
want about loving God, but the
00:21:34.76\00:21:37.63
truth is that your love for
God is no stronger than your
00:21:37.63\00:21:41.50
love for your fellow man.
Your confession that you love
00:21:41.50\00:21:44.53
God may be impressive, but
it's meaningless unless you
00:21:44.53\00:21:48.50
love your neighbor as yourself.
00:21:48.50\00:21:50.74
The Bible says this, in
1 John 4:20, 21: "If a man
00:21:50.74\00:21:57.98
says, I love God, and
hate his brother, he is a liar:
00:21:57.98\00:22:01.98
for he that does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how
00:22:01.98\00:22:05.19
can he love God
whom he has not seen?
00:22:05.19\00:22:08.39
And this commandment we
have from Him: That he who loves
00:22:08.39\00:22:12.26
God must love his brother also."
00:22:12.26\00:22:16.30
(1 John 4:20, 21) Jesus said
in Luke 6:32 (NKJV), "But if
00:22:16.30\00:22:20.07
you love those who love
you, what credit is that to you?
00:22:20.07\00:22:23.07
For even sinners
love those who love them."
00:22:23.07\00:22:26.78
This is what makes
this parable so powerful.
00:22:26.78\00:22:29.34
The Priest and the Levite
by their offices, confessed to
00:22:29.34\00:22:32.41
love God. They
did service for Him.
00:22:32.41\00:22:35.32
Their lives were
committed to Him.
00:22:35.32\00:22:37.59
They were recognized by
the people as "spiritual".
00:22:37.59\00:22:39.62
But Jesus says their
profession was meaningless.
00:22:39.62\00:22:42.32
It was only a show.
Those who truly love God will
00:22:42.32\00:22:46.66
reveal their love for
God by how they treat others.
00:22:46.66\00:22:50.20
The Samaritan might have been
despised, but he showed more
00:22:50.20\00:22:53.70
genuine love for God than
did the Priest or the Levite.
00:22:53.70\00:22:57.44
Through this parable
Jesus is speaking to us.
00:22:57.44\00:23:00.48
He asked Peter,
"Do you love Me?"
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.84
He is still addressing
this question to you and me.
00:23:02.84\00:23:05.15
We can claim to be
Christians, or a good person,
00:23:05.15\00:23:08.35
show up in church, keep a
Bible on our bookshelf, but
00:23:08.35\00:23:12.15
the truth is revealed when
we find a neighbor next to us on
00:23:12.15\00:23:14.86
the road. Whatever
we do to one of the
00:23:14.86\00:23:17.39
least, we do it to Jesus.
Too many people are Priests
00:23:17.39\00:23:21.56
and Levites in the
way they treat others.
00:23:21.56\00:23:23.77
They confess to be
saved... but their confession is
00:23:23.77\00:23:27.74
hollow. There
is no salvation for
00:23:27.74\00:23:31.17
anybody as long as there is
a neighbor who needs help while
00:23:31.17\00:23:33.64
we pass by on the
other side, unmoved.
00:23:33.64\00:23:37.08
And let's turn that over.
We shouldn't claim that our
00:23:37.08\00:23:41.78
neighborly actions give
evidence that we are truly
00:23:41.78\00:23:45.22
Christians if our lack
of obedience to God shows
00:23:45.22\00:23:49.82
otherwise. These
are two sides of the
00:23:49.82\00:23:52.33
same coin.
Salvation will reveal that
00:23:52.33\00:23:54.86
you love God because
obedience to God is being
00:23:54.86\00:23:59.00
shown, demonstrated in
your life through obedience to
00:23:59.00\00:24:03.00
God's Commandments. But
on the otherwise, if all
00:24:03.00\00:24:06.14
you have is obedience and
no love for your fellow human
00:24:06.14\00:24:09.11
being, that obedience
isn't really worth two cents.
00:24:09.11\00:24:13.52
They go hand in hand.
Jesus shared the parable of
00:24:13.52\00:24:17.45
the Good
Samaritan to show us this.
00:24:17.45\00:24:21.76
Today, I'd like to make
you a very special offer.
00:24:21.76\00:24:23.96
We've talked today about
genuine Christianity and I'd
00:24:23.96\00:24:26.96
like to share with you a
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00:24:26.96\00:24:29.26
understand what genuine
Christianity looks like and
00:24:29.26\00:24:32.23
how you can
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00:24:32.23\00:24:34.37
How you can know God and
be close to him and have a
00:24:34.37\00:24:37.64
genuine Christian experience.
This book is powerful.
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It's called Steps to Christ
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00:24:42.18\00:24:46.25
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00:24:46.25\00:24:48.52
This book will bring into
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00:24:48.52\00:24:50.99
and will help you to
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00:24:50.99\00:24:53.42
know Jesus truly as your
Lord and Saviour, how to have a
00:24:53.42\00:24:57.46
relationship with him that
is successful and that will keep
00:24:57.46\00:25:01.03
you moving in the
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00:25:01.03\00:25:05.50
If you want to develop a
closer relationship with Jesus,
00:25:07.60\00:25:10.67
please call and request today's
FREE book, 'STEPS TO CHRIST.'
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.61
This book will help you in
your daily walk with Jesus.
00:25:14.61\00:25:18.68
Please call or write us
and 'STEPS TO CHRIST' will be
00:25:18.68\00:25:23.05
on its way to you.
There is no cost and
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no obligation. It's
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Lines are open 24 hours daily.
00:25:33.40\00:25:37.13
They may be busy, so
please do keep trying.
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You may also request
this free book by writing to:
00:25:40.94\00:25:44.47
It Is Written, P O Box
6, Chattanooga, TN. 37401,
00:25:44.47\00:25:48.84
and we will mail a copy to
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00:25:48.84\00:25:52.58
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website: itiswritten.com.
00:25:57.42\00:26:01.72
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry and your support makes
00:26:01.72\00:26:04.73
it possible for us to share
God's good news with the world.
00:26:04.73\00:26:08.93
Your tax-deductible gift can
be sent to the address on your
00:26:08.93\00:26:11.90
screen, or through our
website at ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:11.90\00:26:15.47
Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:26:15.47\00:26:18.04
Again, our toll-free
number is, (800) 253-3000, and
00:26:18.04\00:26:23.08
our web address
is, ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:23.08\00:26:31.52
I'd like to pray with you now.
00:26:31.52\00:26:33.52
Let's pray together.
Our Father in heaven, we
00:26:33.52\00:26:36.29
thank you for this wonderful
parable Jesus shared of the
00:26:36.29\00:26:38.96
Good Samaritan. And
how through this simple
00:26:38.96\00:26:42.26
story Jesus shows us that our
profession of faith in you is
00:26:42.26\00:26:47.24
revealed in how we treat others.
00:26:47.24\00:26:49.90
Give us grace to be Good
Samaritans and at the same
00:26:49.90\00:26:53.84
time as Jesus spoke to
that theologian, he made it very
00:26:53.84\00:26:57.41
clear that He calls us to
be obedient and faithful and to
00:26:57.41\00:27:03.62
follow the Word of God
and the precepts of heaven.
00:27:03.62\00:27:07.52
Lord, I think we can
confess we're incapable of that.
00:27:07.52\00:27:10.53
We need you to come into
our lives and do in us what we
00:27:10.53\00:27:14.50
cannot do ourselves.
Thank you that there is a
00:27:14.50\00:27:17.33
Savior, one who transforms
and enables us to do what we
00:27:17.33\00:27:21.80
couldn't do otherwise.
We thank you today and we
00:27:21.80\00:27:25.44
pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:25.44\00:27:27.84
Thank you for joining me today.
00:27:47.66\00:27:49.66
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:49.66\00:27:51.67
Until then, remember - It
is written, man shall not live
00:27:51.67\00:27:55.70
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:55.70\00:27:59.51
mouth of God.
00:27:59.51\00:28:01.51