Three to Love • July 11, 2004

Amos 7:7-17 • Psalm 82 • Colossians 1:1-14 • Luke 10:25-37

Sermon by Michael R. Martin, Certified Lay Speaker
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

In Luke this week, we come (once again) to the familiar parable of the good Samaritan. Now Luke has turned from mission and discipleship, which has been our focus in readings and the message over the past few Sundays, to basic attitudes the disciple is to possess. In a series of three passages he addresses attitudes toward neighbor, spending time with Jesus and prayer to God. There is an important connection here. How we respond to our neighbor and how we walk with God are integrally connected. Both Jesus and the lawyer connect these two concepts in this week’s reading.

As it starts, we have a Jewish lawyer asking Jesus: "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied by asking the lawyer what the scriptures said and the lawyer replies with the Great Commandment of Deuteronomy: "'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."

The story of the Good Samaritan is a familiar one, and it teaches us who is our neighbor and how to treat our neighbor. In those times, as now, there was the concept of neighbor and non-neighbor, us and them. Or should I say us versus them? Through this parable, Jesus tells us to treat everyone as a neighbor. There is no US and THEM. Not only that, we are to love our neighbor, that is to say EVERYONE, as we love ourselves. And the tremendous power of the story back then was this: nowadays we think of “good Samaritan” and we think “Oh, well, a Samaritan is good.” But the truth of the day was that to a Jewish scribe a Samaritan would have been the exact opposite, a notorious "bad guy" and traitor. So the HERO of this story was a bad guy. Culturally he was the last person expected to be hailed as an exemplary neighbor.

Ethics, how we conduct ourselves, how we treat others, our neighbors, is not an abstract question of options in a particular situation; it is a matter of character developed through a walk with God and a focus on Jesus. I am reminded of an incident that I experienced this past week, a lesson in ethics.

Marlene & I were in Yorktown Heights in Putnam County, working on a project I have to help clean up a lake. On this particular trip we were looking at storm sewers, drains and underground pipes, that dump polluted stormwater into the lake. After visiting the main problem area at the lake, a large storm drain that was adding pollutants to the lake, we decided to find the Town Hall since my client had said that the Town had a map of the storm sewers. We could use the maps to determine how big of an area was contributing to the problem.

Well, finding the Town Hall was an adventure. Yorktown is a large town, and that part of the state has lots of roads, lots of traffic, and more than their share of dangerous intersections. Some helpful folks at the local fire station gave me directions and we set off. After several missteps, we knew we were close. We drove by the Town Garage and continued on, finally coming to the Town Hall. The parking lot was full, but inside it was very still. We could see folks in various offices, behind windows, talking among them selves. As you first walk into the building, a sign directs visitors to the building directory, I guess so you can find where you need to go with out disturbing anybody. Marlene and I studied the directory and decided that the engineering department, which included environmental issues and mapping, was the place to go. According to the directory map, the engineering department was in the basement, so we set off, found the stairs, and hidden behind a corner, found a very uninviting closed door marked “Engineering.” I opened the door, rather hesitantly, and went inside. Two women were talking. One looked my way and I told her we were looking for storm sewer maps. She quickly pointed to the other woman, and turned away. The second woman looked at me, and I repeated that we were looking for storm sewer maps. “Well, that is two separate things,” she replied rather haughtily. She obviously misunderstood me, thinking I was referring to storm sewers (storm drains) and sanitary sewers as one. “OK,” I explained, “we are looking for storm DRAIN maps.” “You have to go to the Highway Department. We do sewers here, they do storm drains there.” Now, Marlene and I know that while Highway Departments often CLEAN storm drains, it is usually the engineering department that creates and maintains the maps. But we set off to the Highway Department. Of course, at the Highway Department, we were told that all mapping was done at the Engineering Department back at the Town Hall. Back through all the traffic and REALLY dangerous intersections from whence we came.

So back we went. And I nicely said to that same secretary that the Highway folks said the maps were here. Fortunately, as she was denying it, someone over the wall heard her, came out, and brought us back to where he did the mapping. As this fellow explained, they did the mapping but the highway department was given the software to look at it too. And over the wall we could hear the secretary say something to the effect of “See, I WAS right.” Well, we got what we needed and more from the gentleman who came and rescued us from that secretary, but here attitude bothered me all the rest of the day. I wasn’t so much mad at her treatment of us, but saddened by her attitude. To this woman, it mattered more that she was right, could justify herself to herself right or wrong, than whether she was nice to us, or helpful, or learned something new. She was the “Anti-Good Samaritan” and it seemed it would probably take some serious shock to change her ways.

The lawyer in Luke brings forth one of the most abstract, but important, questions we can wrestle with: What is the goal of life. Humankind has struggled with this question throughout its history. Many people engage in such a quest whether they have religious interests or not. Most of us sense that power and possessions are really meaningless life goals. We sense that there is something more. But beyond that, we often draw a blank.

Ephesians 1:11-12 It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

I’ve started reading a book called The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren – This is NOT a self-help book, as the author is quick to point out. The premise of the book is that if you want to discover your life's purpose, ask God. The book is a 40 day journey, each chapter seeking to focus your thoughts on the meaning of life. Chapter two, for instance: "You are not an accident. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it."

Rick Warren writes: "The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That's because we typically begin at the wrong starting point — ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life's purpose. . . Contrary to what many popular books, movies, and seminars tell you, you won't discover your life's meaning by looking within yourself."

The author continues: "The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose."

I’d like to end with a verse from Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

To that, I would only add this: There are always those people out there who are a challenge to love. But one of the hardest things some of us struggle with is loving and accepting ourselves. After all, God didn’t want us loving our neighbor as ourselves if we don’t like ourselves, don’t take good care of ourselves. The bible tells us to love one another, love your neighbor. Please be SURE to include yourself in this equation. Love GOD, love yourself, love your neighbor.

Michael R. Martin – July 11, 2004
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM