Will the “Real” Good Samaritan Please Stand Up? – Part 2

By Pastor Rey Diaz

In this famous story there are actually two heroes who ‘show mercy.’  The obvious one is the Good Samaritan.  The less obvious one is the innkeeper.  One way or another the innkeeper had to help a person who was for all intents and purposes – an enemy. If he were a Jewish innkeeper, then why would he want to allow a Samaritan to stay in his inn?  If he were a Samaritan innkeeper, why would he want to allow a Hebrew in his Inn?    The innkeeper was paid in advance with two silver coins but then the Good Samaritan left while the man recovering stayed in the inn.    So the innkeeper had to continue caring for this man on the hopes that the Good Samaritan would return.  The costs pile up.  It was difficult and inconvenient. 

So, in my estimation, the innkeeper is also a ‘Good Samaritan.’  He saw someone in need and helps.  The innkeeper was told by the Good Samaritan “take care of this man.” 

Take care of this man.  Take care of this person.  Take care of these people.  Take of this nation, tribe and tongue. 

What if we, the church, are called to be an inn?  What if we, followers of Jesus, are called to be innkeepers?  What if the ultimate Good Samaritan, Jesus, is bringing people to our inn and asking us “will you take care of them?”  So we need to recognize the people who God is bringing to our inn.  To our community.  To our church.  To our life. 

Here at Washington Cathedral we surrounded by people.  People that God died for.  People who don’t speak English.  People who don’t look like us.  People who don’t even value what we value.  People from every nation, tribe and tongue.  And Jesus has brought these people into our community.  And Jesus is looking at us and asking, “will you take of them.”  We have answered yes.  That’s why we are different.  Unique.  Unusual.  Meta. 

We are reaching out to so many different people groups.  Brazilians.  Egyptians.  Koreans.  Pacific Islanders.  Hondurans.  Spanish speakers.  English speakers.  We are a family of churches with one dream.  We are all about Jesus. 

This is costly.  It’s messy.  It’s complicated.  It’s confusing.  It would be so much easier to be a homogenous unit, but that is not what heaven will be like.  Because God is all about people.  People from every nation, tribe and tongue.  And if we are all about Jesus, then we need to be all about people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.  Jesus died for the whole world.  For all people. 

Revelations 5:9-10

⁹ And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. ¹⁰ And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”

Will the “Real” Good Samaritan Please Stand Up?

By Pastor Rey Diaz

It’s one of the most famous stories in the Bible – the parable of the Good Samaritan. This parable has inspired paintings, sculptures, poetry, and films. The colloquial phrase "Good Samaritan", meaning someone who helps a stranger, is derived from this parable, and many hospitals and charitable organizations are named after the Good Samaritan.  Many countries have “Good Samaritan laws” which protect anyone from being sued if they help someone in need. 

So what does it take to be called a Good Samaritan? Do you have to be like Mother Theresa or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?  Do you have to help old ladies cross the road or a next door neighbor find their missing cat?  Do you have to help someone who is half-dead? 

Honestly I don’t know.  So many pastors and theologians have looked at this story and everyone has a different bent.  A few of the things that most people agree on:

  -  It’s hard to be a Good Samaritan.  It is inconvenient and it cost time, energy, and resources.

  - Your neighbor includes people who don’t look like you and don’t talk like you.  

    People who you might even consider your enemy.

  -  The hero in this story is the Good Samaritan.

The person who told this story was in the middle of acting out the story himself.  As Jesus told this story, he was in the midst of a mission to rescue us.  So to some extent, Jesus is the ultimate Good Samaritan.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that we were ‘dead’ or separated from the source of life in our sin.  We were helpless and hopeless by the side of the road.  We would have died unless someone intervened.  We were in need of a Good Samaritan.  And the God “so rich in mercy” showed up.  “And he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life.” 

Jesus rescued us.  Redeemed us.  Bandaged us.  Anointed us.  Restored us.  Took care of us.  And paid for us.  We didn’t earn it.  We didn’t deserve it.  We didn’t inherit it.  It was totally grace.  Unmerited favor.

 

Jesus, the ultimate Good Samaritan, paid the price for us.  He is the Real Good Samaritan.  We look to Him to be inspired and motivated.  We love because he first loved us.  We try to be Good Samaritans because he was the first Good Samaritan.  And, honestly, that is the only way we can ever become Good Samaritans – by beholding Jesus.  You become what you behold.  Simple as that. 

And Jesus led us to the ‘Inn.’ Tomorrow I will share on what the ‘Inn’ is suppose to do today. 

Ephesians 2:1-10

¹Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. ² You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. ³ All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

⁴ But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ⁵ that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) ⁶ For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. ⁷ So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

We are All About Jesus

By Pastor Rey Diaz

We are all about Jesus.  Our world revolves around Jesus. Everything we do is about leading people to follow him.  We are just in love with Jesus.  Infatuated.  Obsessed.  Head over heels. 

I can’t say it enough.  We are all about Jesus.

He is our treasure.  All of our hopes are found in Him.  He gives us purpose, grants us meaning, and places on us inestimable value.

He forgave us.  Of everything.  All our mistakes.  All our failures.  All our shortcomings.  All our sins.

He redeemed us.  When we thought it was unredeemable.  When redemption seemed impossible.  He did it.

He healed us.  Of our pain.  Of our hurts.  Of our past.  Of the injustice done us.  Of our sickness.

He changed us.  To be better versions of ourselves.  To be who we are designed to be.  To be free of hurts, habits, and hang ups.

He taught us.  What really matters.  How to love.  How to forgive.  How to be vulnerable.  How to overcome.  How to trust.  How to pray.

He invited us. When we were unlovable.  Unbearable.  Far away.  Rebellious.  Haughty.  Sinners.

He challenged us.  To live up to our identity.  To live in God’s kingdom.  To take responsibility for our world.  To be children of God.

So we are a people in love with Jesus.  We have experienced True Life and we can’t go back.  We have enjoyed the light, so the darkness has nothing to offer. 

So we sing.  So we share.  So we learn.  So we gather and enjoy Jesus. 

We are all about Jesus. 

Does this seem right?  Are you in love?  Are you learning?  What is keeping you from Jesus?  How can you draw close?  Can we help?

What is Tailgating?

By Pastor Rey Diaz

Many people have been asking us “What is a tailgate party?” and “How does it work?” Well here is a definition from the source of all worldly knowledge -- Wikipedia (words in blue have been added by us).

A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating, which originated in the United States, often involves consuming beverages [our beverage of choice is root beer] and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas [our arena is the church], before and occasionally after games and concerts [we are following the great concert of worship]. People attending such a party are said to be tailgating. Many people participate even if their vehicles do not have tailgates.

Tailgate parties have spread to the pre-game festivities at sporting events besides football, such as basketball, hockey, soccer, and baseball, and also occur at non-sporting events such as weddings and barbecues.

In schools and communities throughout the United States, there are athletic departments, coaches and parents of student athletes who rely on post-game tailgating parties to build community and support for their program and team.

Popular tailgate party foods include picnic staples such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, and cold salads like coleslaw or potato salad. Some food products were created because of tailgate parties. A brand of pimento cheese, called Palmetto Cheese, got its start at Atlanta Braves tailgate parties [We have the traditional stuff, plus extra bonuses with specialties from our meta-congregations].

Lawn games.... are very popular during tailgates and tailgate parties. Lawn games are associated with tailgating primarily because of the simplicity in the game materials [Our lawn games will consist of football toss, relays, tug of war, and bean bag toss.  In addition we will have a photo booth for family picture and face painting, of course].

So if you are sports enthusiast, wear the colors of your favorite team.  If you are an avid fan, bring your car and decorate it up for tailgating.  If you just love to party with a great group of crazy people, come as you are and join in on the fun.