Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Milt Warkentien.
On Sunday, Rev. Scott Tunseth preached on parables and throughout our morning together, we heard three different stories shared by Jesus. This got me thinking about my favorite parable.
When I think about Jesus’ teaching through parables the one that usually comes to mind is the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37. Here’s how that story goes…
A “teacher” asks Jesus what he must do to have eternal life and of course, Jesus answers the question with a question, saying “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” The “teacher” replied that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. He stated that the scriptures say to love your neighbors as yourself. Jesus says, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” Not happy with just giving the right answer the “teacher” got a bit egotistical (in my opinion) and asked Jesus the question “and who are my neighbors?”
Let’s pause for a moment and look back at what the “teacher” said. We are to love the Lord with everything we can muster and love our neighbors as ourselves. To me, this seems like a hard enough task, but then the question of ‘who is our neighbor’ is raised. To be honest, this seems like poor timing for a question of this magnitude, but here we are, we are now going to know exactly who our neighbors are.
Back to the story…
Two religious people passed a beaten man, by going to the other side of the road. (How many of us are probably guilty of doing the same thing to some degree?) A third man and “outcast” stops and helps the man, not only that but takes him to get help and then pays for his care!
Jesus asks the “teacher” which person was a neighbor to the man. The “teacher” gave what seems to be the obvious answer, ‘the one who showed him mercy’. Jesus responds by saying the following words that seem so simple yet so hard to do, “go and do the same!”.
Go and do the same. What does this mean for us? How are we supposed to do the same when there is so much poverty, homelessness, crime, hunger, wars, and so much more? What can I do about all this? What does ‘go and do the same’ mean for us?
Back in 1990, I was chaperoning a PoP youth trip, and the conversations that we were having centered around this very question – how do I go and do the same? I’ve chaperoned many other PoP youth trips over the years, and this question never stops getting asked. I know many of the youth going to Denver this summer, and in conversations I have had with them, I hear this question being asked still – how do I go and do the same?
I know I’ve used my song “Give from Your Heart” before, but it really was speaking to me again, so I’ll leave you with the words:
1) Where is the Light? Darkness abounds. Where’s the Light that the world’s in need of now? Open your heart and let God’s Light shine the Lord calls us all to serve. Turn darkness to Light. Hatred to love and show the world that the Light is present here. Give from your heart.
2) Take time to care. Take time to share. Show the world that the Light is present here. Give of your self to help those in need, the Lord call us all to serve. So take time to care. Take time to share and show the world that the light is present here. Give from your heart.
3) Reach out your hands. Give from your heart. Show the world that the Light is present here. Don’t turn away and don’t pass right by, the Lord calls us all to serve. So reach out your hands. Give from your heart and show the world that the Light is present here. Give from your heart. From your heart. From your heart.
The tasks may seem overwhelming, but most of us have hearts that want to “go and do the same”, so don’t give up, do your best to not get frustrated, or overwrought, and just keep plugging along, joining with others near and far, and continue making a difference. We aren’t perfect, but we have hearts to give from.
Dear God: help us be your Light in a world that has far too much darkness. Help us keep the faith, and strength to keep striving for a better world. Help us to give from our hearts, so that we may truly “go and do the same”.
The worship team will be performing “Give from Your Heart” for the prelude at both worship services this coming Sunday. I encourage you to come early with an open heart ready to ponder the question – How do I/we go and do the same?
While it will not be the same instrumentation on Sunday, I encourage you to listen to the following recording that Bill Thornton put together while we were shut down due to Covid.
Take a deep breath and sit back and let the spirit move you.