Luke 10:30-35 – Samaritan Sense

Text: Luke 10:30-35

Introduction

In our text, Jesus tells a certain lawyer of a certain Samaritan that did a good deed for a man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho. This lawyer asked who his neighbor was (Luke 10:29), and Jesus showed how to be a neighbor (Luke 10:36-37). Perhaps there was something else Jesus was teaching the lawyer. One can only wonder if the lawyer needed to realize that Samaritans can be good neighbors, and he needed to be a good neighbor to Samaritans…

Body

I. Some Samaritans did not receive Jesus.

A. There was not a good relationship between Jews and Samaritans.

1) The king of Assyria placed many foreigners in Samaria who did not fear the LORD, and often served idols (2 Kings 17:24ff.).

2) As time went on, Jews had no dealings with Samaritans (John 4:9,27; 8:48).

B. As Jesus sent out the twelve apostles, He commanded them not to enter a city of the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5).

C. One village of the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, as He was ready to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-56).

II. Some Samaritans believed Jesus.

A. A woman of Samaria was wary of Jesus when she came to draw water at Jacob’s well, but later leads many Samaritans to Him (John 4:9ff.).

B. Peter and John preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans (Acts 8:25).

III. One Samaritan was thankful to Jesus.

A. Jesus healed ten lepers (Luke 17:11-14).

B. Only one leper, a Samaritan, returned to say thank you (Luke 17:15-19).

Conclusion

A. We can learn a lot from the Samaritans.

1) They are people, just like all of us.

2) They have the same opportunity to hear, believe, and obey the gospel.

a) Some believed themselves and led many others to Christ.

b) Some went to Christ and were thankful, as we all should (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

c) Some were good examples of how to love their neighbor.