A preacher was running late when he pulled into a full-service gas station for fuel. A little guy came out from office. He had a toboggan pulled down low, his face was covered with acne, his hair was greasy, and his pants were so large he had to keep pulling them up. The guy spoke poorly and slowly. It seemed to take forever for him to pump the gas. When the preacher gave him his credit card, it took several minutes before he came back to say they didn't accept that card. The preacher then gave him another card only to learn after several more minutes that it didn't work. Finally in desperation, he asked, "Do you still take cash?" The little fellow then took several more minutes to make change and return it. The preacher was so furious when he left that he backed up and spun his tires as he left the station!
A few blocks away, the Holy Spirit began to convict him about his impatience and rudeness to the attendant. He drove back up and the little guy was to scared to come out of the office! Finally, the preacher said to him, "I'm really sorry for the way I treated you." The man pushed back his toboggan and said, "That's okay mister. everybody treats me that way."
There are a lot of people who might say, "Everybody treats them that way." In a cold, lonely, impersonal world, those who take time to care for others are the exception not the rule. When we receive Christ, we not only enter into a relationship with him, but with every other believer. We are called to serve and care for.
(PHIL 2:3-4) "LET NOTHING BE DONE THROUGH STRIFE OR VAINGLORY; BUT IN LOWLINESS OF MIND LET EACH ESTEEM OTHER BETTER THAN THEMSELVES. {4} LOOK NOT EVERY MAN ON HIS OWN THINGS, BUT EVERY MAN ALSO ON THE THINGS OF OTHERS."
(MARK 9:41) "FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL GIVE YOU A CUP OF WATER TO DRINK IN MY NAME, BECAUSE YE BELONG TO CHRIST, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, HE SHALL NOT LOSE HIS REWARD."
(1 JOHN 4:11) "BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE OUGHT ALSO TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
(ROM 12:10) "BE KINDLY AFFECTIONED ONE TO ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY LOVE; IN HONOUR PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER;"
Everyone wants to be part of a caring church. One statement I often hear from people who are searching for a church home is "We want a church where people really care about each other." I suppose it is also true that every church wants to be a caring church. However, caring churches are made up of caring individuals. If we are going to be a caring church, the kind of church that makes an impact on people, each of us must learn to care for others.
Read: Luke 10:25-37
I. Characteristics of Uncaring People (vv.25-32).
A. A Tough Question for Jesus (vv.25-29).
1. v.25 says "a certain lawyer."
a. A "lawyer" was not an attorney as we may think of one today, but a man who was an expert in the O.T. law, a religious scholar.
b. His job was to interpret the Mosaic Law and guide people on how to relate it to their lives.
2. This man "stood up" so as to confront and "tempted" or "tested" Jesus.
a. It seems that He was not so much interested in Jesus' teachings as he was in tricking Him.
b. The gospels recount numerous situations where these highly educated Jews tried to trap Jesus with their religious riddles and mind games.
3. He asked, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
a. This was not so much a man seeking truth as it was a philosophical play, an intellectual trap.
b. In other words, he asked, "Because You are supposed to be a great teacher, tell me how to find life in its fullness, how to find true happiness now and for eternity."
4. Jesus answers masterfully. He answers the question with a question, "What is written in the law?"
a. That is "What does the Scripture tell you?"
b. Jesus also asks, "How readest thou?" or "How do you understand it?
c. What does it mean to you?"
5. In v.27, we see the man responds with the only accurate answer he could give, the most basic commandments to love God and his neighbor.
a. To this Jesus responds, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."
b. v.29 tells us the man wanted "to justify himself."
c. Not giving up the debate, he pressed further.
d. Almost mockingly he asked "And who is my neighbor?"
B. An Answer in a Parable (vv.30-32).
1. A certain man "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho."
2. Many of the priests and religious workers lived in Jericho when they were not at their turn ministering in the temple.
3. That was about a 16 mile stretch of road that wound through rocky dangerous gorges where robbers and thieves would easily prey upon lonely travelers.
4. On this trip, "he fell among thieves."
a. They "stripped him of his clothing, wounded him and departed leaving him half dead."
b. About that time "a certain priest" passed by.
c. Jesus specifically states that he "saw him" and "passed by on the other side" of the road.
d. v.32 describes a "Levite" who was a servant in the Temple and a minister of religious worship also literally stopped and "looked" but then "passed by on the other side."
C. These two men were unconcerned about this man and his condition.
D. They reveal to us several characteristics of uncaring people.
1. Uncaring People are Self-Centered.
a. The "priest" and the "Levite" were busy, important men.
b. Perhaps their minds were absorbed with their jobs in the Temple.
c. Far too often we fail to care for those who are hurting because we don't want any interruption in our own plans.
d. We don't comfort them or help them simply because we are too selfish.
2. Uncaring People are Too Hurried.
a. I believe both the "priest" and the "Levite" passed by because they were late for work.
b. After all they had thousands of people depending on them in Jerusalem.
c. How often we fail to listen to the concerns of others because we are simply too busy.
3. Uncaring People are Too Isolated.
a. People in church are often masters at this.
b. We separate ourselves from others by adding layers of protection so that the "real us" is never seen.
c. We may make small talk and speak superficially because we are afraid of getting involved with others.
d. One lady conducted an experiment.
1) To everyone who asked her, while passing the hallways, "How are you?" she replied, "Lousy!"
2) Some didn't even hear what she said.
3) Some said, "I'm sorry to hear that" but no one asked her why.
4. Uncaring People Think Someone Else will Help.
a. When some folks hear about a need, the first thing they do is call the pastor.
b. They automatically think that someone else should take care of it.
"Our church is deeply saddened by the passing of an irreplaceable member, Someone Else. For all these years he did far more than any other church member. Whenever leadership was mentioned, Someone Else was looked to for inspiration and achievement. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, everybody always turned to Someone Else. It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the largest contributors to the Church. Whenever there was a financial need, every just assumed that Someone Else would make up the difference. Although we are grieved by the loss of Someone Else, his death comes as no big surprise. He was far too overworked and continually stretched too thin. In fact, we may have contributed to his death by expecting to much out of Someone Else. He left a wonderful example to follow, but it appears there is nobody willing to fill the shoes of Someone else. I shudder to think what we happen to our church since we can no longer depend on Someone Else."
5. Uncaring People Think Problems will Solve Themselves.
a. Don't get involved!
b. They'll work it out.
6. Uncaring People are Often Judgmental.
a. "If they had done what was right to begin with, they wouldn't be in this situation right now."
b. "He made his bed, let him lie in it."
I will close the message tonight. I will bring the second part next time we are together. How to become a caring church. Let's consider ourselves this evening. Are we a caring church? Are we caring people? Or do we better fit with those characteristics we have looked at tonight?
Whatever the need this evening, I encourage you to come as we have the invitation hymn.