Trinity 13

Good Shepherd

2004 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS 39531

Draft 2 Chrs 28:8–15; Gal 3:15–22; Lk 10:23–37; Ps 32; anti: v. 2   –     8/30/26

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Gospel records, And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” A seemingly simple question, but let’s roll back the polished English to see what this lawyer properly said. In the Greek we find that the man actually pairs a participle and a singular form pronoun with his future verb, specifically a past participle which indicates also a single complete action: “Teacher, having done what thing shall I inherit eternal life?” Very good, pastor, you may say, what difference does the clunkier English make? Not much, by itself, but with the Greek of what Jesus says before the story, and the Greek of both men after the parable it makes all the difference in the world.

The Gospel continues, He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And 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.” Then we reach how Jesus speaks in response, And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; continue doing this, and you will live.” Then Jesus tells the lawyer the story and ends with a question, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” And here with the lawyer’s response and Jesus’ command the deeper meaning of the encounter opens up to us, showing that the lawyer still did not understand. The lawyer said, “The one having once showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You continue going, and continue doing likewise.” The lawyer sees the action for his own salvation essentially as a once and accomplished thing, hence the two times he uses the past participle showing once and done actions. But Jesus in both responses and in the story itself shows that the good work God expects is no simple matter but a continual effort that does not reach its completion so quickly Look at the Samaritan: And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Though he departs for a time he ensures the continued care of the injured man. The help the Samaritan brought did not end once the man was bandaged, or given ointment, or even brought to the inn.

What is Jesus trying to teach this lawyer, and therefore trying to teach us? That our salvation is not by our own works, and therefore the lawyer’s opening question is itself wrongheaded; and that the Christian life of charity is not so simple as basic uprightness, and therefore the lawyer’s final answer does not see the truth, it is still only an attempt to justify himself. He still thinks his works will justify himself before God.

C.F.W. Walther once preached, the reason loving our neighbor does not save us is because Christ’s command demands “that out of love for him we must be ready to make the greatest sacrifices.

“All who suppose that they are able to justify themselves before God by fulfilling the command to love one’s neighbor are in the grips of a delusion. They believe that if they deal uprightly with every person, if no one can call them to account, if all the world must recognize that their acts were upright, they have sufficiently fulfilled the law of love. If they give everyone his due. If they duly return what they borrow. If they pay off in the same coin, kindness for kindness, love for love. If they help their neighbor when it does not cause them too much trouble, place them in no danger, nor cause them any special loss. If they give of their abundance to the poor and needy, and the like, they suppose that that is the love which one can demand of them.” (2.128)

This is sort of how the lawyer is thinking. All he really wants is for Jesus to reassure him that his simplistic reading of the Law of Moses is correct, that the mere effort of dealing uprightly with all, owing no one anything nor allowing anyone to owe him anything, is sufficient to please God’s standards. In this way he hopes to inherit eternal life; but Walther says, “They, however, err greatly. That is not love; that is uprightness. True love is not only upright and fair; it must do incomparably more.” (2.128) How do we know this is the case? From the example of Job who looks into the perfect Law of God and sees that no man can be righteous in God’s sight (Job 9, cf. 15, 25) which Psalm 143, Ecclesiastes 7:20, and Romans 3 also tell us. Or what about Jesus Himself, how does He explain God’s standards for the Law? “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. Even the thoughts of our minds will be brought to account so that if by the mere thought we break one of God’s Commandments St. James says we have broken them all (2:10). Under this I am most certainly guilty, as are all of you, as is that lawyer.

What about the Good Samaritan? Walther says, Christ shows someone doing incomparably more than the Levites and the Priests taught the Law demanded. The Good Samaritan “did not think, ‘If the priest and Levite passed by that wretched man who was their brother in the faith, it is not necessary for me to exert myself on his behalf.’ He did not think, ‘Oh, these woods are unsafe; I must think of my own safety and hurry on in order that I may come to a safe inn.’ He did not think, ‘I am tired and need my animal myself; I will go to the inn and there summon people who will bring this half dead person in.’” (2.128) Rather, he thought only of the needs of the injured man, putting himself at risk and great inconvenience.

“True love does not ask what another person usually does. It thinks, ‘Even if no one does it, I am compelled to.’ True love does not ask whether a person can demand this or that of his love; it is not satisfied to have acted uprightly as though it would receive justice before a worldly court. It always thinks, ‘What would you want another to do to you if you were in the same situation as your neighbor?’ True love loves one’s neighbor as it loves itself. It does not think, ‘Someone else has a greater obligation than I have; why should I be so concerned about it?’ No, it thinks, ‘If another, who should do it, does not want to, I will do what I can.’ True love would rather suffer injury than let his neighbor suffer injury. It is ready to help even if it becomes a burden, even if it has no abundance; even if that which it needs itself must share with the needy. Yes, it is ready to stake goods, health, honor, and even life itself for his neighbor, if that becomes necessary. Moses writes, ‘If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him’ (Exodus 23:5). And in the New Testament, we read, ‘Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor’ (1 Corinthians10:24). ‘Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:2). ‘We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers’ (1 John 3:16b).” (2.129)

God is perfect, therefore, whoever would inherit eternal life with God must also be perfect. However, St. Paul explains, if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. The lawyer thinks that through the Law comes life, but Jesus shows him first that his concept of keeping the Law is woefully inadequate. The lawyer must be shown his sin of pride before he can hear any more of the truth, so Jesus demonstrates the full keeping of the Law and uses the hated race of the Samaritans as the good neighbor. According to the understanding of the lawyer, Jesus is intimating, someone must be as generous and loving as this Samaritan to inherit eternal life, not just rescuing the injured man, but tending his wounds, feeding him, cleaning him, and providing for his whole recovery. But this is not one act and done, every act must be this way, in full love and full care for all in need every time.

Is this possible for any one of us? What about when such demands of those in need contradict, how to we square that? How do we balance our own life and family with the needs of every beggar? We cannot. We cannot act without sin. We cannot constantly act in full love for everyone. The Law then only condemns us. So St. Paul asks, Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. As a result, Walther then says, “Now where is the person who leads such a life in love? There is none. Only Christ has perfectly lived, suffered, and died in love, not for Himself but for sinners.” (2.129) The lawyer should have identified his pride and repented. He should have seen the full force of the Law, and despaired, then his heart would be fertile ground for the Gospel, then he could have heard the comforting promise of the Messiah. Until he was crushed by the weight of sin and the Law, he would not be able to grasp that salvation comes only through faith in Christ, for Christ alone does the one deed that makes man worthy of inheriting eternal life: Jesus took the lawyer’s sin, your sin, my sin, the sin of all men, onto Himself so that He could suffer the consequences in our place on the cross. The wages of sin is death, therefore someone must receive death for sin. Those who would by their own work inherit eternal life only accomplish sinning when they try by their own efforts, therefore they will die. But Jesus is not willing that sinners die and go to hell, so He took our guilt and death that He might earn for us the gift of God which is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:23). So we do not need to square this circle, Christ has done if for us who believe in His name. He will provide.

Then, by faith, we are blessed. Then, by faith, are we inheritors of eternal life. As the psalm says, Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessèd is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. … I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

What then, Christian? Let us walk in the footsteps of Christ, live toward our neighbors as Jesus the Good Samaritan lived. Strive to love as Christ loved. Repent when you fail. Strive to love fully, uncomplaining, and with generous hearts, words, and hands, yet never with pride like that of the lawyer, for “True Christians, in whom Jesus lives, make a beginning of such love but never become perfect.” (2.129) That perfection awaits in the heavenly kingdom. For now, steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen