Becoming a Caring ChurchLuke 10:25-37
Illustration: 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.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. {4} Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Mark 9:41 (NIV) "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."
1 John 4:11 (NIV) "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
Romans 12:10 (NIV) "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
Everyone wants to be part of a caring church. "I 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. Caring churches are made up of caring people. If we are going to be a caring church, each of us must learn to care be caring.
READ Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF UNCARING PEOPLE
Almost mockingly the lawyer asked "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus Answers in a Parable "A certain priest" passed by. He "passed by on the other side" of the road. A "Levite" who was a servant in the Temple and a inister of religious worship also literally stopped and "looked" but then "passed by on the other side."
These two men were unconcerned about this man. They reveal several characteristics of uncaring people.
Uncaring People are Self-Centered.
The "priest" and the "Levite" were busy, important men. Perhaps their minds were absorbed with their jobs. Too often we fail to care for those who are hurting because we don't want any interruption in our own plans. We don't comfort or help them simply because we are too selfish.
Uncaring People are Too Busy.
The "priest" and the "Levite" passed by because they were too busy. They had thousands depending on them in Jerusalem. We fail to hear the concerns of others because we are simply too busy.
Uncaring People are Too Isolated.
People in church are often masters at this. We separate ourselves from others. We add layers of protection so that the "real us" is never seen. We make small talk, Speak superficially, We are afraid of getting involved with others.
Illustration: One lady conducted an experiment. To everyone who asked her, while passing the hallways, "How are you?" she replied, "Lousy!" Some didn't even hear what she said. Some said, "I'm sorry to hear that" No one asked her why.
Uncaring People Think Someone Else will Help.
We hear about a need, the first thing they do is call the pastor. We automatically think that someone else should take care of it.
Illustration: "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."
Uncaring People Think Problems will Solve Themselves.
Don't get involved! They'll work it out.
Uncaring People are Often Judgmental.
"If they had done what was right to begin with, they wouldn't be in this situation right now." "He made his bed, let him lie in it."
Where are you today?
Where is your church?
II Characteristics of Caring People (vv.33-37).
Caring People Put Aside Prejudices v.33a. Jesus tells us that the third man to come down the road was "a Samaritan." Samaritans were half-breed Jews. They were a race of people who had Jewish ancestry on one side and Canaanite on the other. Because of the mixed blood, Jews hated Samaritans. The feeling of hatred was mutual.
The fact that the wounded man was Jewish didn't seem to bother the "Samaritan" at all. When someone is hurting, a caring person put his prejudices aside.
Jesus died for all men regardless of race, color, social or economic standards. Many of us have prejudices. Some have gone to great lengths to biblically prove that it is acceptable. The KKK burn crosses!
Caring People Notice Other's Pain (v.33b). Notice specifically that this verse says: The Samaritan when he "came where he was ... saw him." He went over to inspect the man.
This Samaritan, carefully making his way down this desolate dirt road, looking out for bandits when he hears a groaning along the roadside. Disregarding his own safety, he went over to see what made the sound and there he found a beaten man, naked and "half dead."
He took time to see what was wrong. Too often we are like the priest and Levite. We are so caught up in our own plans that we don't even notice when someone else is hurting. Caring people are looking for ways to serve others.
Caring People Take Time to be Compassionate
Notice: The Samaritan "had compassion." Jesus had that same "compassion" for the multitudes. God's people need "compassion" today. Are we willing to help the wife that lost her husband, The dad who lost his job, single mother etc... When we exercise compassion, we are benefitted as well.
Caring People Get Involved (v.34).
The Samaritan "went to him." He didn't pass by. He chose to get involved. He "bound up his wounds" The Samaritan "set him on his own animal." We assume he traveled with a donkey. Instead of riding, he allowed this Jew, his racial enemy to ride while he walked. The Samaritan "brought him to an inn and took care of him."
There were no hospitals, no emergency rooms, no ambulances, no 911 as we know today. There was no place to drop this victim off. So, the Samaritan rented a room in an "inn" and cared for the man as best he could.
In our culture it is so easy to be isolated. It's easy to look the other way when we see the homeless. It's easy to forget to pray for or call or visit a fellow church member going through a difficult time. Jesus got involved in the lives of people.
Caring People are not Stingy (v.35).
The next day when the Samaritan got ready to leave, he paid the innkeeper and said "Take care of him and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you." He cared for the man, AND paid the bill!
Jesus is not stingy either; He paid our sin debt with His own life.
Hymn: "Jesus paid it all! All to Him I owe! Sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow!"
Jesus asks an Easy Question (vv.36-37). Finishing the parable, Jesus turned to lawyer and asked, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" The lawyer answered, "And he said, He that shewed mercy on him." "Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
Steps in Becoming a Caring Person.
Identify People who need your Care. Make a list of the needs of people around you: Consider your family, the church, your neighbors...
Reach Out to Others, Don't Wait for Them to come to You. Shake hands and introduce yourself. Get to know them. Communicate Beyond the Superficial Level. When we meet someone it is okay to "talk about the weather." Develop a depth by asking meaningful questions.
Empathize with Them. Galatians 6:2 (NIV) "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Let them know that you are willing to help them. Get under their load with them.
Listen without Judging. Good listening requires concentration, hearing what is not said as well as that which is said. It involves eye contact and body language. By trying to communicate in this way, we can hear a person's heart, needs, and anxieties.
Everyone wants to be a part of a caring church. The church is made up
of individuals. This church is totally different from every other church
in the world. No other church has the people that we have in this church.
Your church is merely a reflection of the membership. Are we a caring church
or a cold church? Do we comfort or condemn? Are we concerned with others
or ourselves?