The Gospel is for All

Luke 17 What Samaritan do you see?

Because of a long and convoluted history, Israel hated the Samaritans but not Jesus! Are we like the Israelites or like Jesus? What prejudice today keeps us from sharing the gospel message of hope and reconciliation?

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the well. She heard the message, left her water jar, and went and told and many came to believe in Jesus. Later, Jesus told the story of one who had been robbed and injured. Two Israelites came, saw, but left him destitute on the road. Then, a Samaritan happened by that way; he stopped and nursed the man. In this chapter, Jesus meets ten lepers. They cried out for Jesus to heal them, and He did. He also told them to go and show themselves to the priests. All went, but one, seeing his healing, returned to Jesus to thank him. Jesus said were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? And was it only this foreigner…this Samaritan…who has come to thank God for his cleansing?

In three encounters, three people heard or met the Master, who met their needs. Not one of them was an Israelite! Jesus wants us to see that no prejudice kept him from telling the gospel story to those in need.
What is keeping us from doing His work? Is it prejudice because of race or homelessness? Is it because we don’t see the need because of x,y, z reasons?

Photo Credit: Klang Church of Christ