Good Morning Friends,
Today’s lectionary selection includes two great stories. The first is the story of Jonah and the second is of the parable of the Good Samaritan. They both give us clues to how to tell our stories in ways that will help other others but also strengthen our souls. The emotions are real, and the drama is worthy of the story being told for they relate to how we all are to survive. So, How Will You Be Saved?
Scripture: Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. The captain came and said to him, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.” The sailors said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, “Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them so. Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.” Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, O Lord, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
Jonah 1:1—2:2 (NRSV)
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)
Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16: 30-31 (NRSV)
Message: Being a victim of bandits on the Jericho Road or facing a Tempest in an angry Sea are both clear examples of someone needing divine help and frankly we are no different when it comes to our sins. And that is a good thing for God has a plan for our wellbeing. For just as God provides a good Samaritan man to help the unfortunate traveler, and an escape for Jonah, so too God provides for our salvation through Jesus. Of course, it is best we do not think of ourselves as victims but better victors in the reality of life. Now, maybe you are stubborn and rebellious like those who passed the victim, or Jonah, but still hope to change and believe. Maybe you are an outcaste like the Samaritan but still have a kind heart and hope to be used by God. Maybe you need mercy and a helping hand. Who doesn’t? Maybe you are like the young lawyer hearing the story of the Good Samaritan but just do not get it yet. Maybe you, like the lawyer, are convinced that the storyline to success and salvation is based on institutional religious power and wealth. Maybe you do not believe that God keeps us from sinning so we can be used for a heavenly purpose while at the same time enjoying an abundant life. Friends, the beauty of salvation is that the whole entire Gospel message is based on love. The main message of the gospel is that God loves the world and that Jesus both human and divine demonstrated this love on the cross to set us free from sin, death, and the fear of death. The message of the Gospel is that we are called to share as the Good Samaritan on the Jericho Road because God shares a path to eternal life out of these painful situations. We are each called to face our own Nineveh. The problem is that we are all infected with sin and we actually choose to sin and that separates us from God unless we have an intervention from God. The thing is that all sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite God. And because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. Payment still has to be made and only the love of God can do it here to provide a path alternative to destruction. Today’s stories illustrate this message of our need to comfort and be comforted, to encourage and be encouraged. For believing in Jesus in these moments gives us courage on the journey to experience God, even in unexpected places as we too are moved to love. The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, what he must do to be saved. Paul and Silas responded that he was to believe in the Lord Jesus as the solution. It is that simple and we discover the transformation when we risk loving others by sharing the way.
And So, whether one is in the belly of a fish for three days or the victim of bandits on the Jericho Road or recovering from the storms of life, divine help is needed. Thankfully no matter where you are and what your situation you cannot hide from God. And just as God catches up with Jonah with a solution and provides a good Samaritan man to help the unfortunate traveler, so too God provides for our salvation. Maybe you are stubborn and rebellious like Jonah but still believe. Maybe you are an outcaste like the Samaritan but still have a kind heart and can be used by God. Maybe you need mercy and a helping hand. Who doesn’t? Interestingly Jonah gets the message and God gets his attention but perhaps the young lawyer hearing the story of the Good Samaritan does not. Jonah realized that only God saves. The lawyer seems convinced that the storyline to success was based on power and money. It is so sad if we do not believe that God keeps us so we can be used for a heavenly purpose while at the same time enjoying an abundant life. You have a story to tell friends and the object is to tell it in a way so that Holy History would include it as an example of how the human condition was improved because God was part of your life. When called as a witness to the sacrifices of others we are to testify to the truth of God’s love converging in the life we share.
Pray we believe in Jesus. Pray we have neighbors who grow in the face of pain even as they help. Pray we have neighbors who are heroes that care for the outcasts. Pray we are the kind of neighbor we would pray to experience as our own neighbor. Pray we realize that the real issue of life is not how many blessings we have but what we do with our blessings on our journey. Pray we trust in Jesus to forgive our sins. Pray in response we glorify God through the way we live. Pray we realize that God is sovereign and has always been and will always be in control. Pray God gets our attention so we might respond in a way that bring a little of heaven to earth in us. Pray we are willing to admit our mistakes and ask God for help. Pray that when called to give a witness to God’s salvation we have a story of how God saved us and then used us to forward the Kingdom of God. Pray our love and the love of God come together to guide and comfort us into greater unity.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 