“THE NAZARNE NEIGHBOR”
Saint Luke 10. 23-37
13th Sunday after Trinity: 18 September Anno Domini 2011
Fr JW Watson S.S.P.
"O Lord God of my Salvation: I have cried day and night before Thee." That may have been the cry of the wounded man in the text-if he had been a believer in God. He may have been waiting for Messiah; the text does not tell us the answer. But it most assuredly is your plaintive cry for help when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and experience your own daily muggings from the bandits called: the world, the sinful self, and Satan.
The faithful will always be tested, persecuted, and challenged by the unbelief and its minions. The world runs by hard work and self-effort-or at least by stealing and cheating and taxing others of their hard earned wages. The Scribe stood up to challenge the Lord only after over-hearing His Gospel spoken to the "12." It is only after he hears Jesus blessing His Disciples for seeing and hearing Him that the Scribe asserts "work righteousness" and the way of sinful man.
The question was, the question is, "what can you DO to inherit eternal life?" The corollary question is: "what can you DO to inherit a full earthly life right now?" When one focuses on the word "DO" it is only a Law question. The Law kills as sure as bandits and cut-throat robbers.
What can you do to earn (earning things is by way of Law) youth, mental acuity, strong internal organs, and full vigor? You can't earn your earthly life and its abundances and superlatives. "Be perfect and you will live" the Lord told Adam. Adam chose to be imperfect. It did kill him and it has delivered you into a condition that has you too choosing to be imperfect-sinners. You earn old age and Alzheimer's; osteoporosis and congenital heart disease; radiation and chemo; tubes in orifices and adult diapers; a casket and a grave.
The Scribe gave the perfect answer to all your "Church Questions." His answer was text-book and class-room perfect; it was hypocritical, supercilious and all LAW! One may have eternal life by DOING the following: "Love the Lord thy God with all the heart, soul, strength and mind," and "Love ones neighbor as oneself."
Do these and you all shall earn eternal life.
I suppose a pastor could now walk you through each of the 10 Commandments in detail and minute specificity in an attempt to point out how YOU are the bandits and robbers of God's honor and your neighbor's life. You are the "love-thief." It is either the Nazarene or the narcissist.
The Scribe knew his systematic, his "Jew-confessions," and answered the Letter but not the Meaning. That is why the Lord said "thou hast answered right; THIS DO, and thou shalt live." The Lord was hoping that by again saying THIS DO that the Scribe would repent. Christ's answer, Christ's proper interpretation of the Killing Law, should have crushed the lawyer to the point of tears and breast-smiting-YOU TOO!
"But he willing to justify himself…" the Scribe began to make excuses, explain away, defend himself, and claim a human righteousness. He thought He did love God perfectly because he attended his own Augsburg Lutheran Church every Holy Day and tithed all that he had. He thought he did love his neighbor because he showed respect and civil courtesies to all his fellow confessional and liturgical Lutherans, his fellow Scribes. He thought he worked hard and gave it his best and that he always tried to help those people who were… well, just like himself.
Who is your neighbor? Who is your God? If you believe that you have a God, than you cannot be your own God and cannot make and define the rules-including the definition of "who is your neighbor." You either need Jesus as your Justifier & Justification-or you are attempting to justify yourself. The famous aphorism is correct: "the lawyer who defends himself in a trial has a fool for a client…and a mal-practicing monkey mouthpiece as well."
You whine, moan, and pout over the same question: "but who Lord is my neighbor?" You grouse and quibble over the Law that says your neighbor isn't just everybody else (though they are) but your neighbor is also the people you don't like, and in fact hate.
The Lord turns the question on its head. Sure, Jews hated Samaritans and Samaritans hated Jews. For a Samaritan to pick up a wounded and half-dead Jew, to treat him for his grave injuries with make-shift first-aid, and then to take him into a Jewish village for further medical after-care was almost suicidal. But the Samaritan did this act of love and self-sacrifice for his enemy.
Your enemies are you neighbors. You should love them and try to bring them to a peaceful accord and concord with you and yours…you should not torture and kill them because of the rantings of liars, thieves, and banksters.
But, when you fail, and when you run afoul of your own demons, sins, and enemies (sins in thought, word and deed); when you are laying in the ditch filthy, stripped, humiliated and dying; the Good Samaritan Christ Jesus will again rescue you; redeem you from yourself and give you HIMSELF.
The Lord left the "land of His own-the Blessed Trinity" and came into enemy territory. Christ came to the land and the people that had stoned the prophets and killed the truth-speakers. Christ also came to the lands of the Gentiles for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus came to all His enemies and adversaries, "and they received Him not." The Priest and the Levite will always walk by the injured and dying. They both "represent" the Law and the Law will never save. But Grace, the Love of God in Christ Jesus the Incarnated God/Man does save! Jesus binds up your wounds by being wounded Himself. Christ was wounded in humility as He dutifully but joyfully obeyed all the Law all the time all perfectly. Jesus loved His Father with all His heart, soul, strength and mind. Jesus loved all the neighbors (you and your own enemies) with all His heart, soul, strength and mind-with all HIS BODY AND BLOOD: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Your naked and stripped bodies are gently wrapped in Christ's own robes of purity even as He was stripped of His outer garments before His gruesome crucifixion. This "Christ garment," your Christening gown, is placed upon you as Jesus baptized you with the oil of Royalty when He washed you at the Font. The water from His pierced-side upon Calvary to the font to cool, refresh and enliven you. Jesus feeds and nourishes you with the wine of His own precious Blood shed for you upon Calvary. Jesus places you upon His own gentle mount, the "means of Grace" through His Holy Ministry and has you carried to His House of rest and peace in the Holy Church.
Jesus has re-made you from an enemy into His neighbor. Jesus loved you when you were still opponent and killer; HOW MUCH MORE does He love you now that you are friend, dinner companion, brother and sister.
You "do" nothing but Jesus does ALL! You inherit eternal life because to inherit something means that there is the death of the testator-the One Who leaves the Last Will & Testament. Christ died for you and your sins and now you inherit the gift of eternal life. It is eternal life because Christ did not stay dead but rose again on the 1st Day of the week: this day!
Come forward now and receive your everlasting gift as you receive Him in Body and Blood.
"Blessed are the eyes that see the things which ye see…and hear those things which ye hear…"
In the Name of The Father and + of The Son and of The Holy Ghost