We are called to Go . . . But How and to who?

We are called to go!
I want to look at the Good Samaritan and see how he goes.
The Good Samaritan addresses and challenges cultural mind sets on who is classed as your neighbor, and what is required to care for your neighbor.
There are 4 characters in this story;
The Jew - beaten - left for dead
The priest - Just happened to be walking by - possibly the more likely person to stop and care?
The Levite - a worshipper at the temple of God -
The Samaritan - Jews worst enemy - they did not get on - at all! Not one bit!

Why is it that only the Samaritan stopped by? why didn't the priest or the levite stop by?

I think it was possibly because getting involved would have been costly - the investment may have seemed too high - It was easier to walk straight by and get on with there lives!

So why was it that the Jews worst enemy was the one to come and save him? Calling a Jew a Samaritan was bad - really bad! They lived together under the Roman emperor, but they did not get on at all!! infact Jesus was once called a Samaritan as an insult.
Jesus could have easily told this story with switched roles
 - The good Jew - seen as Jesus was a Jew, But he knew the prejudice and the pure hate some of his fellow Jews had for the Samaritan. So with this story - he didn’t just challenge how we are to care for people, but also who we are to care for.

1- Meeting the needs with Loving deeds.
Its so easy for us to get cought up with doing stuff for the sake of doing it! Giving money, because that’s what is expected of us, but in this story, the Samaritan was not obliged at all to help, he could have carried on by like the others, but he decided in that moment to stop and help! He saw the need and responded.

V 33 The Samaritan had pitty on him. The Greek for this word is Splagma which is translated as - Moved from the bowels, or moved from the foundations! And this is the word most often used to describe the emotional state of Jesus Christ!
The Samaritan was moved with the Love of Christ, he was moved enough not just to meet the needs, but to do it with Love!
The needs he met were Physical, Material and the emotional needs.
We have to be a people who are willing to go over and above meeting peoples needs! Always do things as if to the Lord - with excellence!
2- We don’t chose who our neighbors are.
The Samaritan did not choose who this guy was he helped. The Jew was on the road he was traveling on! He saw the need and he met it!
Your neighbor is ANYONE who is in your path. Someone you would least expect! We are called to Care for the needs of the people around Us, regardless of there race or religion or other differences.

3- Looking after the poor and needy is not optional as Christians, but it is essential!  It is Jesus definition of Love!
Love is an attitude of life - it’s a sign of real faith. Its not what is going to save you, but it’s a sign of being saved! A sign of Life!
Looking after those in need Is not just talking Love, but its doing it! Its more than just sentiments - although that’s good - its not enough!! The Samaritan was not just doing it because he felt he had to - like I mentioned earlier - he wasn’t obliged to help, but he responded over and above what would have been expected of him! If he wasn’t drawn by that compassion - he would not have done what he did!

In order to fully understand the parable of the Good Samaritan - you need to understand this 
You were poor. - Jesus came and poured out His spiritual richness on you and made you royalty! In 1 peter We called a royal priesthood - a holy nation!
You were the person in need - Jesus came on by and did not cross over the road but he impoverished himself on you He gave you life when you did not deserve it! This is called Grace! - God giving you something you do not deserve!
When the Expert of the law was asked which one of these were his neighbor, he replied - the one who had mercy on him.
Jesus was your neighbor - HE had no obligation to do this other than the Love and Splagma! - Compassion that moved from his bowels!

There are plenty of people we pass each day who are in need, and I’m not saying that you have to meet the needs of everyone! By yourself that is impossible. But I want to leave you with this challenge . . . 
Will you be willing to ask God to open your eyes to the needs that are around you?
And when you see it - will you act in Splagma - with the same compassion that Jesus has for you and me? A love and pitty that moves from the depths of our being?


 (Notes taken from Timothy Keller's preach - Blueprint for revival; social concern) 

Live each day

"A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months, or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God's boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it." D L Moody

When we look back in history way back when the Israelites were in the desert with Moses all they could do was to rely on God and His provision! One moment in history God rained down food for His people this was called manna. 

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.Exodus 16:4a

It was not something that they were previously familiar with, as they asked what it was when they first saw it. (The word Manna itself in Hebrew means 'What is it?') It was similar to frost in appearance, and tasted like oil and honey wafers. It rapidly deteriorated and could not be stored long. 

God does not ask us to look to the future and make sure that we have everything together for life. (thank goodness!) I am so thankful for His daily provision, I don't have to have everything together, I don't have to be able to see all the money I need in my bank account for the next year, the next month, or even for tomorrow! My God will supply ALL my needs!

 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(Matthew 6:25 - 34)

If we are obedient in seeking God first over and above everything else, I know that He would want nothing less than to make sure all our needs are supplied! All our needs! Financial needs, Job needs, housing needs, school needs, food needs, relationship needs! 

Before I came out here to the states I had half the amount of money I needed to keep me here for a year, but I knew this was were God wanted me, so I took a step of faith and came. 

In April 2010 my money ran out - I had enough to pay my rent at that was it! I started thinking and planning to to move back to England. But God spoke clearly to me at Forward '10 (Great Lakes Chi Alpha Staff meeting) there were at least 4 words that confirmed my staying here. "If God has called you to do something - DO IT" "God is faithful to His promises" 

I knew God was speaking to me! So I took another step an decided to stay! If God wanted me here He would have to provide for me! 

From that moment I have had enough money come in each month to sustain me! and more! I am totally amazed to watch how God enables me to pay ALL my bills! He is so good! and His is true to His word!
 

My thought - Take each day as it comes, and see how God works His miracle!