It's Christmas time ... and we've forgotten the story ...

So it’s Friday night, and with a lot of other activities going on for other folks, there is no ministry work at church … but there is still ministry to be done (who said you can punch in and out of your calling?) …

Anyway, I’m watching “Be the Change, Save a Life” on ABC TV. And, along with my senior pastor, Ed Dacio, we spent four weeks going through the “Advent Conspiracy,” leading, we hope, the church to take back the Christmas narrative from the western world’s hyper-consumerism of the season (admit it, you’re spending money you don’t have and stressing over your gift list, right?).

So it all comes together on a Friday night at home, during Advent, during the Christmas season when we (theoretically, at least) remember the birth of the baby who became a man, who was fully God all along, who came to save us from the mess we made of our world and our lives (see John 3:16-17).

And, as a result of that, our role, the way we live our lives for those of us who call ourselves followers of this fully man/fully God named Jesus, has to be one of worshipping Him fully by spending less time being self-centered, giving more of our wealth and our time to others, and loving them all (see Philippians 2:1-11).

And, finally, why does it have to be a TV news special to serve as the inspiration for people to be agents for change for the better? Isn't that the the mission of those of us who follow Jesus?

Shouldn't we be carrying that banner and leading the way?

So rather than re-invent the wheel, see this entry, originally posted on Sept. 17, 2009, and look for the Christmas narrative (worship fully/spend less/give more/love all).

And, if you are so moved by the Spirit or your heart, please visit http://mycharitywater.org/alan_llavore, make a contribution, and help save a life.

'Go and do likewise ... '

(Originally posted on Sept. 17, 2009)

A lot of times we'll read the Bible and say, "Awww. Nice story!" And that's OK ... kind of. Because usually if we look at Scripture that way, it usually means we've missed (or worse, ignored) a key point. You know, like when we read about how Noah got the animals on the ark two-by-two ("Awww. Cute!") but miss or ignore the part about the people in the world drowning from the great flood. ("Whoa! That was in there, too?!")

Another one of those passages is the parable of the good Samaritan. Most of you know the story, but just in case:

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Luke 10:25-37

So we know of the priest (meanie!) and the Levite (meanie!) who passed by the man who was beaten by robbers. We know of the good Samaritan (yea!) for whom hospitals have been named. Good. We should know of them.

But, do we remember the "expert in the law" who asked the question of Jesus? And do we remember Jesus response outside of the parable? This expert, this teacher, knew the law, summing up the teaching of the Ten Commandments, to love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, all your strength, and to love one's neighbor as himself (because what right-minded, rational person hates himself?).

Jesus tells him the first time, good, you understand, now go it.

And the teacher, as Luke records it, asks who his neighbor is, probably because he was intellectually full of himself, and Jesus hits him with the parable in which one of the lowliest of people, in the mind of the Jewish religious leaders of the day, helps the person in need. Not the priest (you would think, yes?), not the Levite (you would think, yes?).

Jesus hits the teacher again with "Who was the neighbor of the victim?" The teacher says, "The one who had mercy on him." I find it interesting the teacher didn't say "the Samaritan."

And Jesus says, "Go and do likewise."

My point: Don't miss out on the expert in the law, who knows the Bible, can recite the Bible with no problem, but when asked to follow the teachings of the Bible -- especially those passages about sharing compassion and love (not just with our wallets) -- with "the least of these" and the lost, tries to qualify it with,"Yeah, but who is my neighbor?"

Then ask yourself (yes, me, too): "Am I like that expert in the law, who knows all this stuff that I'm supposed to know, but when asked to go and actually do it, when asked to live a life that reflects my faith, when asked to walk as Jesus did, do I hem and haw and try to justify my complacency?"

Thankful for the blessing of clean drinking water?

Want to share that blessing? Go to:

http://mycharitywater.org/alan_llavore