Years ago as a young dad, I spent hours and hours reading stories to my kids. My kids loved to hear the same stories, over and OVER again.  I always enjoyed reading to the kids or telling them stories at bedtime. We wore books out reading them so many times!  Dr. Seuss was always a favorite.  We all remember "Green Eggs and Ham”, right?

“My name is Sam, Sam I am……”  We ALL know the story!  Sam likes green eggs and ham, but the other character DOES NOT LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM! Until at last he tries them and, to his surprise, he DOES LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM. The simple message?  Try something new, you may actually like it!

One of the reasons that kids love to hear the same stories over again and again is that they are always learning new things! They are learning new words, new thoughts.  Another reason that kids love to hear the same old stories again and again is because there is great comfort in being reminded that some things never change…

It’s the same with God’s Word.  We enjoy hearing the same stories over and over again to both learn new things and also to be reminded that the truth of God’s word never changes.

We have heard the parable of the Good Samaritan many times.   A man comes to Jesus and asks Him, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus invites the man to answer his own question, to which the man says, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus commends the man on his correct answer, but the man still desires to “justify himself”, so he asks Jesus the question,” And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus answers the question with the parable of “The Good Samaritan.”  What’s the old truth that we may already know?  It could be something simple like “the golden rule”, something like “be kind to people even if they are not kind to you.” That is true, but I think that Jesus is always trying to teach us something new…

The new teaching that Jesus brings is a call to repentance so that we can be healed by our “Good Neighbor”, Jesus!  The old story is that I am NOT always acting like a neighbor! That is a sin deriving death! The new lesson is that the only person who ALWAYS acted as a true neighbor and treated others with love was Jesus!  The Good News is that Jesus is the Good Samaritan!  I am the man beat up alongside the road, suffering from my own sin.  Jesus comes and binds up the wounds of my sin. Jesus came into our world of sin and pain and took my place on the cross. He paid the price of my healing and convalescence with His own blood.

So now what do I do?  I follow the Good Samaritan (Jesus) and I act like a neighbor to others.  I don’t ask the question, “Who is my neighbor?” I simply become a neighbor to EVERYONE I meet. Tell the story! Share the hope and the healing balm of the love of Jesus!

Sharing His Story,

Pastor Maske