Who Is My Neighbour? The Gospel in the Good Samaritan

So this evening we’re going to look at the Good Samaritan. Actually, what we’re going to be considering is found in the Bibles at the back page, 1603. But I put this verse up here, Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20, because you matter to God.

And if you don’t remember anything that I’m going to share with you, I trust that you will remember these words: “The Son of God who loved me,” the apostle Paul says, “who loved you, and gave Himself for me, for you.” Galatians 2:20.

What got me thinking about the Good Samaritan was that I was thinking about neighbours — and there’s a reason for that which I won’t go into right now — but I was thinking about neighbours. And I thought, is there a gospel message in the Scriptures that has to do with neighbours? And there is. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan, and we’re going to look at that and apply it in the gospel this evening.

So turn with me, if you will, to page 1603, Luke chapter 10, and we’ll begin to read at verse 25. We’ll read the eleven verses of Scripture first, and then we’ll try to do a bit of a deep dive into these verses. Luke chapter 10, verse 25.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him — tested the Lord Jesus — saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him — Jesus said to this certain lawyer — “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” And He said to him — Jesus said to him — “You have answered rightly. That’s what the law says. Do this and you will live.” But he, the certain lawyer, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” Then Jesus answered and said, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he, the half-dead man, was. And when the Samaritan saw the half-dead man, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So, which of these three — the priest, the Levite, or the good Samaritan — do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?”

So, let’s do a bit of a deep dive into this story and see how this relates to you and to me in the presentation of the gospel this evening.

I want you to notice here, first, there was a certain lawyer. Now, that’s interesting — why does it say a certain lawyer? And then in verse 30, why does it say a certain man? And why, in verse 33, does it say a certain Samaritan? The word, or the use of this expression “certain” — this adjective describing these individuals — is pointing out that these are specific individuals. It’s a specific lawyer; it’s not just lawyers in a general sense. It’s a specific lawyer.

And we must clarify that when we say a lawyer here, we’re not thinking of lawyers as we know them in our society today, who go to court and represent people or prosecute for justice. No, no — a lawyer here in the New Testament is one who is an expert in the Old Testament law, the Mosaic law. This certain lawyer would have known the first five books of the Bible; in fact, he probably could recite all of those books. Now, the little Bible I’ve got is only 207 pages, and the Bible you’ve got, with bigger print than mine, is probably five or six hundred pages of verses. These lawyers would know it by heart.

This man is standing up. He’s looking to find occasion against this person called Jesus. He does not believe He’s the Messiah. He does not believe He’s the Son of God who left the splendours of heaven to come into this world — because the Father sent Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners, because the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. He doesn’t believe that. He’s looking to find fault with the Lord Jesus.

And so he stands up, and it says he tested Him, and he says, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s a pretty good question, don’t you think? Wouldn’t each one of us desire to have eternal life? But you know, his question has some elements that don’t ring true. There’s nothing that you and I can do that warrants our having eternal life.

In fact, if we look at the book of Ephesians, we see very clearly that having eternal life is dependent upon what somebody has done — and that someone is the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ has died for our sins, that our sins might be forgiven, so that we might have eternal life. It’s not “what shall I do to inherit.” When we think of inheritance, it’s usually along these lines: somebody dies, and as a result of that person’s death, some benefit comes to me. I’m going to inherit perhaps some of the property, some of the money in their bank account, because I’m in their will, or because I’m the last remaining relative.

Well, he speaks here about inheriting eternal life. You know, we don’t inherit eternal life because we’re in somebody’s will. But we have eternal life — we have the life that God wants to give, eternal, everlasting life — as a result of a death. And that death is the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, which we will touch on in the preaching of the gospel.

The Lord Jesus answered him, and He says to the lawyer — this certain expert — “What is written in the law?” Now, the law of Moses, we might say, well, what does that involve? Just to be concise, let’s think of the Ten Commandments, because this man sums up the Ten Commandments in his answer. The first four commandments have to do with man’s relationship with God — His righteous standard in regard to having a relationship with Him. The other six commandments have to do with what your relationship should be with others.

And so He says, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” That’s a strange expression. What is your reading of it? Could I rephrase that? He’s asking him, “What effect does the law have on you?”

Now, as we read the answer here, and as you read it in your Bible, just ask yourself the question: what effect does this have on me? Here’s the answer the lawyer gives — he’s quoting from the Ten Commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… with all your soul… with all your strength… and with all your mind.” What effect does the law have on you? I can tell you the effect the law has on me: I’m condemned. Because from infancy to my present state — being in my seventy-fifth year — I have not loved God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with all my mind, and I haven’t loved my neighbour as myself.

What effect does the law have on you? You know, this certain lawyer — it would have been a fitting response for him to just bow his head and say, “I’m condemned.” I mean, how many of us — some are young here this evening, some are perhaps older than me — how is there anyone here in our meeting this evening who has kept this from infancy, from the time you first understood anything? Well, you might say, “I’m a believer now, and I’m loving the Lord with all my heart, I’m trying.” My friend, we’re not perfect, and God’s law requires perfection. So what effect does reading the law have on you?

But this man wanted to justify himself. In other words, his whole plot of putting the Lord Jesus Christ on the spot, and perhaps catching Him up in some technicality of the Mosaic law, has failed. And he wants to justify himself — he’s trying to defend himself. So he says, “Who is my neighbour?” — Can we advance to the next slide? Who is my neighbour? — And so the Lord Jesus takes an opportunity of telling him, whether it’s a story or an actual account that took place — we don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. But the Lord relates this story, and He says, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.”

Who is the certain man? Well, it’s a specific individual. Well, who is that specific individual? Could I suggest to you tonight that that specific individual is you? That specific individual is me. A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

Now, you can see my little ChatGPT picture that I tried to create here — it’s a downward grade, and that’s true to the geographic features of Jerusalem and Jericho. Jerusalem is at a higher elevation, and Jericho is at a lower elevation — I think it’s approximately thirteen to fifteen kilometres from Jerusalem down to Jericho. We know that Jerusalem was where the temple was, and Jericho — why Jericho is known as a place of the curse — a downward road. Do you get the picture?

God has created us for Himself, because He loves us. Brother Devon has brought out that God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was the agent of creation — all things were made by Him. We’ve been created in God’s image, for God to have fellowship with us. But here we are, because of a sinful nature, on this downward road — from Jerusalem, we might say, from the presence of God, down to the place of the curse. A certain man went down there.

Not only did he go down on the downward road, but he fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Isn’t that what sin does in our lives? Satan and sin, interacting with our nature — which is a sinful nature inherited because of Adam and the garden, the original sin: “Wherefore, as by one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and death by sin — for the wages of sin is death — death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” We all have that sinful nature, and we’re all on that downward road.

And sin has stripped us — stripped us of what we were created by God to be: His children, to have a relationship with Him, to be for His glory. It’s stripped us even of our identity, made in the image of God. Sin has wounded us grievously and has left us half dead on the side of the road. What a dreadful predicament sin has done, and is doing, to individuals in our world.

But we find that there are some people coming down the road who perhaps can be of help. And here we find a certain priest came down that road. Now, from our story, it would seem that this priest saw him — I would think from a distance — and he passes by on the other side. He crosses over the road; he’s not going down to examine this man further — he’s crossing over to the other side.

And you know, we were thinking this morning that a priest — it was in the portion we already read this morning — that if a priest were to touch a dead man, it would bring defilement. It would affect him; he would need cleansing; he couldn’t continue in his office without cleansing as priest. This man was more interested in his position as a priest than he was in helping someone who was possibly still alive on the side of the road.

Makes us think, really, doesn’t it, about how it is in our world today. People are saying that they are spiritual advisors, and the majority of them — a good number of them — certainly don’t even know Christ as Saviour and Lord in their lives. They have no compassion, no zeal to see souls saved and their wounds bound up and treated well. So the priest does nothing — he’s not interested in it.

Then comes the Levite — the law. And what do we find with the Levite? Well, he comes and he sees the man, and it says that he too passed by on the other side, but he did come and look, and pass by on the other side. And what does that make us think of? Well, perhaps it draws our attention to the law — that law of Moses, a statement of God’s righteous standard. It brings conviction of sin, but the law cannot heal us — not by the works of the law. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But Galatians 3:11 says, “That no one is justified, no one is made right with God by the law, is evident.” The apostle Paul says, “For the just shall live by faith.” The righteousness we need comes by faith in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the Levite passes by.

But then we read, in verse 33, a certain Samaritan. This is not just a Samaritan — this is a certain Samaritan. This is a specific person, just as it is a specific person that God is speaking to — and I’ve suggested that it’s you and me. This certain Samaritan is a specific person: it’s the rejected Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why the Saviour said it was a Samaritan. Samaritans were hated by the Jews; they hardly acknowledged them as being even human.

But here is this Samaritan, and he comes coming down the road with his animal. As he journeyed, he came where he was. I just think of this in the context of the Lord Jesus Christ — He came where we were. He left the splendours of heaven, knowing that Calvary’s cross was His portion — that’s where He was going, knowing His destiny. And He came right to where we were, in all of our wounded condition — stripped, and robbed, and left for half dead — physically alive, spiritually dead.

Is that your plight tonight? Oh yes, you’re alive — you’re here in the meeting — but you have no relationship with God. You’ve never trusted in Christ as your Saviour. God is your Creator; God is not your Father, but He wants to be. And that’s why the Father sent the Son — to be your Saviour, to be the Saviour of the world.

And so He goes to him — the Samaritan gets down right where he is — and He bandages those wounds, those awful wounds, wounds and bruises and putrefying sores, as Isaiah says. He pours in oil and wine, administering what He has for the healing of this individual. And then it says He set him on His own animal — mule, or donkey, or horse, whatever it might have been — and He brought him to the inn.

The Samaritan is going with him. You know, I really appreciate that — He’s going with me. The Lord Jesus, my Saviour, is going with me in this life. He’s with me; He will never leave me nor forsake me. And He brought me to an inn. And you know, we can see a lot in the inn — we can be suggestive — it’s a place where there would be safety, security, and enjoyment. I believe it’s a reflection of the local New Testament church, that is caring for individuals, preaching the gospel, proclaiming the Word of God, the ministry of God’s Word, edifying and building up believers.

And then He makes this promise — He pays the innkeeper well, and there are rewards for those who care for others. He says, “Take care of this wounded man, this certain individual, and whatever more you spend, when I come again” — the Lord Jesus is coming back; He’s coming back for His own — “when I come again, I will repay you.” What a wonderful prospect that we have, those who have trusted Christ as Saviour, when He comes again.

And so the question that the Lord Jesus asked: “Which of these three do you think was the good neighbour?” Well, of course, the answer is obvious — the good Samaritan. Do you know the good Samaritan as your Saviour? Do you know the good neighbour as your Saviour? He wants to save you; He came to save you.

— Could we change that to the last slide? — I just want to close with this. I hope you see the connection, because I have made it in my mind and my heart. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah has often been described as the Old Testament preacher of the gospel. And in Isaiah 1, verses 5 and 6, he’s describing the Israelite people in the nation of Israel who were not living as they should — they were sinners, and they weren’t in obedience to God. He says, “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints; from the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it — but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores, that have not been closed, or bound up, or soothed with ointment.”

Isaiah is taking a picture, almost of a leprous person, with all kinds of wounds and bruises oozing — but he’s not thinking of a leper specifically; he’s using this graphic picture to describe people who are not saved, people who are at odds with God, who aren’t believing God, not trusting in God, not living for God’s glory. It’s the picture of a sinner who has never trusted in Christ as their Saviour. Is that how you look spiritually to God — wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores?

But then the same preacher of the gospel, Isaiah, takes us on, many chapters later, to Isaiah 53. But what does he say there? He was wounded for our transgressions. You see, it’s our transgressions, it’s our iniquities, that have created these awful wounds and putrefying sores that are a picture of us in our great need. But the Lord Jesus Christ bore the wounds for our transgression; He bore the bruising for our iniquities. The punishment, the chastisement, so that we could have peace, was upon Him. And by His stripes we are healed.

Friend, at Calvary’s cross, the Lord Jesus Christ was beaten beyond recognition — He was marred in visage, more than any man. He knew what it was to suffer because of physical pain. But you know, what a wonderful Samaritan, good Samaritan He is. I was enjoying this this morning, because on the cross, we read nothing in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John about Jesus Christ complaining about His physical pains or sufferings. Were it you or me, we would be in agony and pain, probably crying out, asking for mercy. What did Jesus Christ say from the cross? “Father, forgive them — they don’t know what they’re doing.”

What does it say about the good Samaritan? He had compassion on him. Listen, dear friend, tonight, the Lord Jesus Christ loves you. He values you. He wants to save your soul. He has compassion on you. The priest and the Levite had no mercy, and they were powerless to help this man. But the Lord Jesus Christ, the good Samaritan, has compassion — He wants to save you. “The Son of God loved me, loved you, and gave Himself for you.”

And we’re trusting tonight that as you reflect upon Calvary’s cross, and that the Son of God suffered, bled, and died there at Calvary’s cross, you might understand He did that for you. As Devon said, if you were the only one, He still would have come, and still would have gone to Calvary’s cross. He wants to save you. And He said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden — I will give you rest.” That’s the call of the gospel: “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.”