Dear Father in Heaven: I love You! Thank You for a wonderful day and all the blessings that You sent our way. Thanks for keeping those outdoor cats safe, even after they were buried in the heavy snow. Dear Lord, please forgive us of our sins. Please help us on this Salvation Wednesday to each out for You to help bring in the lost to Your fields of Harvest. Please help all those who are still working their way out of the big storms. Please watch over all those who are subject to falls. Lord, some of us do not bounce up as well as we once did. Protect Your people, Lord. Please keep protecting those running plow trucks. Please, Lord, protect our military and the Commander-in-Chief, President Obama. I pray he will come to You and become born again. Please keep watch over police officers as people still want to kill them. Oh, Lord, I pay people would all start to walk with You. Please help me now with a message and to get it dispatched. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters. The mayor of York, PA, and I am not sure of her last name, I will just refer to her as Mayor Kim, has been asking people to be kind to each other and to help each other during this time. As you know, York, like many other places, was hit with a 30 inches (plus or minus) of snow that then drifted and piled up even higher. In cities there is no place to put snow, yet some people think they should be plowed out in just a few hours. Yes, she was trying to teach us part of the two great Commandments. And by looking at her face, I do believe she is a true follower of Jesus. Anyway, it is a good time to get back to the Big Trip and talk about those Good Samaritans. Oh, and please do not let the news people know that when they call someone a Good Samaritan they are really referring to some really great Words of Jesus. So let us take a look at a few Good Samaritans from this storm.
Salvation Wednesday: January 27, 2016: The Big Trip (Day Thirty-one)
The Good Samaritan
Brothers and sisters, in the news this week, and I only saw it once, three young men set out to help others. It was said that these folks, over the years going back to their parents and grandparents, would go out in storms to help others. When coming upon a disabled car the three stopped to help. When they walked up to the car to tell the driver they came to help, the driver pulled a gun and shot at them, hitting one of the men. Then the shooter got out of the car and while that man was laying on the ground, he shot him over and over again, killing him. I bring this out for it is an example of what could happen when we follow Jesus and try and help others.
With that said, I still want to be a "Good Samaritan," what about you? Here is the scripture that talks about being a "Good Samaritan" or a Good Neighbor as commanded by our Lord Jesus.
Luke 10:30-37 New International Version (NIV)
30 - In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii 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.' 36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (NIV)
Okay, you have had a chance to read it all together. Let us take it apart a tad, but first I want to tell you two times I stopped to help others. Both occurred while I was on one of my motorcycles.
One summer day, I was heading home and turned from Progress Avenue onto Southbound Route 81. At the end of the ramp was a car parked with a flat tire and this, folks, was before people carried cell phones. Now this cycle had crosses painted on the windshield as did all of ours. I parked behind the car and walked up to see if I could change the tire. Much to my surprise the car was driven by a Roman Catholic Sister, and there were three other nuns with her. She looked at me and I said to her, I would like to change your tire. She said, how did you know to come and help us? My next statement just came out. I pointed up and said, "Jesus sent me."
Now while Jesus did not tell me to go that way, I am sure He had His hand upon this event. I changed the tire and we formed a circle and prayed and I told them I loved them and they told me the same. Yes, God did set me up to see if I would be a "Good Neighbor."
The next event, also on Route 81 South. I was again riding toward home when I passed a car on the shoulder of the road, and again this was before people had cell phones. The car was overheated with steam coming out of the radiator. I looked at the vehicle and noticed that the heater hose was broken where it went over the small pipe. I took my trusty scout knife and with it cut that bad piece off. I then removed the clamp, put the fresh end back on and tightened the clamp. I said to the man who was driving who had his family with him, all we need is some water. Well, they had a jug of mixed water and antifreeze in the trunk, so I put it in the motor, and it was enough to get them off the highway. I was pleased with what had happened up to then. However, while I was working on the car, a big rig went past so fast that my big Gold Wing was pulled forward by the vacuum coming off the truck, my side stand went down and the cycle laid over on its side. I pointed that out to the man I just helped and walked up to my bike. I thought he would walk up with me and help me pick it up. However, he did wave and smile as he drove past.
I am happy I stopped to help him, however, I did need to pray to God for forgiveness for what I was thinking when that man drove away. I also prayed to God for Him to give me the strength to pick it up. And He, our dear Lord Jesus, gave me that burst of strength. So my question here is this: Who was the Good Samaritan?
These events both happened. I did not make them up. In both events, God placed me where He wanted me and I did what He wanted. And just so you know, I have missed many chances to help others, and did not. Oh, and I did pray for the man and his family and maybe that might have been why he did not stop and help me.
Has God ever put you in a place to help others? What about during this past storm? I watched out our window our neighbors helping each other, it was great. However, not one called us to check on us. But God was taking care of us and our kids called us to make sure we were okay. Sometimes even in this storm, you can be a good neighbor and while you are trying your best, that neighbor might not lift a finger to help you. That is okay, remember you are serving our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, regardless of what others might think about you as you do your walk with Jesus, keep on smiling, keep on helping others the best you can, and know this. You will be rewarded when You get to heaven. Jesus will forgive all of your sins when you ask Him to and He will not bring them up against you. But those things you do working for Jesus WILL BE REMEMBERED. They will not get you into heaven, that is between Jesus and you. However, those are the type of things that after you are "Born Again" are done so that you are sealing up that blessing of Salvation coming from Jesus, who died on The Cross for you and me. Instead of me taking apart each verse, let us just read that scripture again.
Luke 10:30-37 New International Version (NIV)
30 - In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii 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.' 36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (NIV)
Dear Father in Heaven, please help us in all we do, follow the examples set by Your Son Jesus when He walked this earth. Help us to Love God above all others and to Love our neighbors next. In Jesus' Name, I give thanks and praise for You giving us chance after chance to serve You. Even when we fail, You give all of us other chances to serve You. I love You and pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Now go forth and serve Jesus, sharing His love with all others. Please try your best to be safe as you do these things. Love ya.
Pastor Dan
I Will Serve Thee (Bill and Gloria Gaither)
I will serve Thee because I love Thee;
You have given life to me.
I was nothing before You found me;
You have given life to me.
Heartaches, broken pieces,
Ruined lives are why You died on Calvary.
Your touch was what I longed for;
You have given life to me.
(repeat as often as you like!)
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