From Away – A Samaritan

I live in Prince Edward Island, was born in Ontario, that makes me a “Come From Away”. Out here if you are a local, having been born here, you are an accepted part of everything,  but not a “Come From Away.”

As I was sitting enjoying a cup of coffee this morning the story of the Good Samaritan came to my mind as well as the verse from Acts 1 that calls for all of us to reach out beyond our own back yard.

Are we truly, and I mean truly open to people from other places moving into our neighbourhoods, villages and towns?

When I ask this, I mean are we going to allow them into the fold and be part of things. I ask this because as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ we are supposed to be open, welcoming and accepting of people despite our differences.

I have used the following passage many times when I have spoken about reaching out to the lost, the forgotten people. I have used this passage about our mission field, which isn’t just our own little area where we live. We have a world at our door steps and it starts in your neighbourhood and goes out from there.

Churches are looking for people to come and be part of the fold. But are they truly welcoming? What do they do when a Samaritan, a Judean or another “Come From Away” comes and darkens the door and occupies a seat? Are we truly wanting new comers from all around, are we “praying people in” as I have heard spoken from a pulpit, or are we just speaking the words?

Friends ask yourself what would Jesus have us do?

Acts 1:6-8

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

This next passage is one we are all familiar with I am sure. In it I see the image of the church walking by and ignoring the needs of the ones who need help, while the ones who are shunned or looked down upon help the ones in need. Jesus reached out and touch many, whether they were clean, dirty, from the wrong side of the tracks or not.

How many churches are reaching out and helping? Are we clothing, feeding, visiting and caring for the lost, the lonely, the shut ins, the sick, the grieving? Are we there for the people who have moved into our neighbourhoods, even if they are from Samaria, Judea and beyond? Do we care to make the “Come From Aways” welcome in our towns and churches?

Luke 10:30-37

Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

All too often in the world today we leave it to others to do what Jesus calls us to do. We put on the appearance of being open, but when push comes to shove, we leave the real work to others. So many “religious” groups have come into our areas and they are doing the work that Jesus has called us to do, they are doing the work that Jesus through His life showed us to do.

In my area I see Buddhists, Mormons and other groups reaching out. I don’t see Christian Churches that are actively going out and letting the world know they are welcome to come in.  I see some churches inviting people to a meal, but not going out and inviting them in.

Matthew 22:9-10

Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

Did you see that, good and evil. Or those who are local or from away, a local or a Samaritan, those who are a farmer, fisherman or a tax collector, those who are respected or from a shady part of life.

Also if they do come do we really want them, are we going to make them a part of things or just leave them on the edges and just nod when we see them.

Jesus welcomed, Romans, Samaritans, Tax Collectors, Lepers, Harlots and more. Do we? Are you prepared to bring a Matthew into your fold or ignore the tax collector and leave him in his tax booth?

Are we going to reach out to a Paul, a religious leader who has been a threat and open the doors to him?

Luke 17:11-21

While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with  signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Sometimes we need to recognize that those that aren’t the normally accepted are the ones who will come back and offer to help, they are the ones who often are the most appreciative.

The Bread of Life, the Living Water is for everyone. Everyone is welcome. Jesus welcomes us all. Our churches need to as well. We need to be accepting of those who Jesus sends to us. We need to bring those into the fold and have them become part of the fold.

John 4:7-14

There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Let’s tear down the walls we have built to keep people out. Open those doors, we need the Samaritans, the Ethiopians, the Romans, Tax collectors, and more to be part of the fold.

John 10:12-16

He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

Jesus told us that the fold, the flock would include others from outside, other sheep. He told us that they would become one flock. Jesus didn’t ignore the Samaritans, the “Come From Aways” neither should we!

Are you open, is your church open to other sheep? Will you accept, and take into the flock other sheep and make them one flock? 

Acts 8-:25

So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

My friends, will you make the Samaritans part of the flock, active parts of the flock or are you going to leave them on the fringe?

As I Have asked before, “What Would Jesus Do?” Not sure read the above!