Get Off of Your Donkey

An old fable that has been passed down for generations tells about an elderly man who was traveling with a boy and a donkey. As they walked through a village, the man was leading the donkey and the boy was walking behind.  The townspeople said the old man was a fool for not riding, so to please them he climbed up on the animal's back. When they came to the next village, the people said the old man was cruel to let the child walk while he enjoyed the ride.  So, to please them, he got off and set the boy on the animal's back and continued on his way.  In the third village, people accused the child of being lazy for making the old man walk, and the suggestion was made that they both ride. So the man climbed on and they set off again.  In the fourth village, the townspeople were indignant at the cruelty to the donkey because he was made to carry two people.  The frustrated man was last seen carrying the donkey down the road.  To be popular with everyone, you must please everyone, and that is impossible!

Luke 10:30-37 … Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. [31] A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. [32] So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. [34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. [35] The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' [36] "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" [37] The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

What is your purpose here in Hearne?

Your purpose is to reach people with the “Good News” of Jesus Christ! How do we do that?


 

I.          To Reach People a Church Must Have VISION

a. The Good Samaritan ’SAW’ the wounded man lying by the wayside.

[33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.    

John 4:35 … I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

b. The Church must have a vision for the lost.

c.  They must look beyond their private world and see the reality of a dying world and a lost humanity without Christ.

d. The Good Samaritan saw the dying man on the wayside.

e. He was not preoccupied with his own journey but could see the suffering of a fellow traveler on the wayside.

A minister requested the following words on his monument: Go tell the Church that I am dead, But they need shed no tears; For though I'm dead I'm no more dead Than they have been for years!

In 1980, a little girl was born. She cost money from the moment she was born… from babyhood to girlhood, she cost even more… Dresses and shoes are expensive … doctoring through those childhood illnesses are high… school and teen years cost money  … college expenses are high.… after college she fell in love and married… church weddings cost a lot … Five months after her marriage she suddenly sickened and within a week she was dead. She has not cost a penny since the day the parents walked away from her grave.

As long as the church is alive she will cost money, and the more alive a church is, the more money she will cost. Only a dead church, like a dead child, is no longer expensive!

II.       To Reach People the Church Must Have COMPASSION

a. The Good Samaritan had COMPASSION on the wounded man.

[33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.    

Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.                            

1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

b. Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitude because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

c. The number one task of the church is to win the lost!!!

d. To win the lost we must have compassion for the lost!

e. The Good Samaritan had compassion on the wounded man.

A certain woman went down from Washington to Richmond and ran over a spike which punctured her tire and left her stranded by the side of the road. After raising the hood of her car and tying a scarf to her radio antenna, she locked the door handles and sat in the car, praying for the Lord to send help! By chance, there came a limousine that way with a bumper sticker that read, "Smile, God Loves You!" When the occupants saw the stranded woman, they passed by in the far lane-without smiling. And likewise, there came a sports car with a CB radio and a bumper sticker saying, "Honk If You Love Jesus!" The man who was driving passed by in the far lane without honking and without using his CB to tell the Highway Patrol about the woman's dilemma. But a certain working man, as he traveled to his job, came to the spot where the woman was and, when he saw her raised hood, white scarf, and flat tire, he had compassion on her. He stopped his old beat-up pickup-which had no bumper sticker-and crossed the four-lane highway, and offered to change the tire. The woman opened the door and gave him the key to the trunk. The man took out the spare tire, jacked up the car, removed the flat tire, and replaced it with the spare. When he had finished, the woman tried to pay him. He refused the money, saying, "If my wife were stranded on the highway with a flat tire, I'd want some Good Samaritan to stop and help her out." He returned to his bumper-stickerless truck, smiled, honked at her, and went his way. Which of these three was neighbor unto her who had a flat tire?

III.    To Reach People We Must Have ASSOCIATION

a. The Good Samaritan went near the wounded man

[34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.                                          

Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." 'But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

b. Association is very important to reaching people.

c. Jesus was called a friend of sinners and publicans because he associated with them.

d. The church must develop association with non-believers to win them to Christ.

e. The Good Samaritan went near the wounded man and associated himself with him and helped him.

Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

IV.    To Reach People We Need UNCTION

a. UNCTION – (dictionary.com) the shedding of a divine or spiritual influence upon a person.

b. The Good Samaritan used oil which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit

[34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.                                              

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.                                      

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

c.  Jesus said ’You will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses ’.

d. The Holy Spirit working through you will cause people to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

e. Planting a tree. If you plant an apple tree what do you get? … apples. If you plant a pear tree, what do you expect to get … pears. If you plant a Christian tree, what do you expect to get … more Christian

V.        To Reach People We Need PURIFICATION

a. The Good Samaritan used wine which is a symbol of the blood of Jesus

[34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.                                                  

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

b. Purification by the blood of Jesus is very important to reaching people.

c.  God doesn’t work through dirty vessels.

No amount of phsycology or secular counselling can remove guilt from the human heart . Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse and forgive the sins of mankind and give true peace and joy to the sinner.

A farmer went each week to the Farmers' Market to sell, among other things, the cottage cheese and apple butter made on his farm. He carried these in two large tubs, from which he ladled the cottage cheese or apple butter into smaller containers the customers brought. One day he got to the Market and discovered he'd forgotten one of his ladles.  He had no choice but to use the one he did bring for both products. Before long, as the two products got mixed in with each other, he couldn't tell which was which. That's the way it is when the child of God loses his or her purity --he or she is no longer different, distinct, from the people of the world.

d. The Good Samaritan cleansed the wounds of the dying man.

VI.    To Reach People We Need PROVISION

a. The Good Samaritan paid for the expenses for the further care of the wounded man.

[35] The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'       

Luke 8:3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

b. Provision of funds is very important to reaching people.

c.  Jesus was supported financially by several women which helped Him to meet the expenses involved in fulfilling His ministry.

d.The People of God must support generously the ministry of the church.

e.  The Good Samaritan paid for the expenses involved in providing care to the wounded man.

A parent took their children to see a movie. At the movie theater the children saw their mother open her purse, and take out a $20 dollar bill.  She slid the twenty dollar bill under the window.  Then she took three little pieces of cardboard in return, and led them into the theatre. The next day, the mother  took her little daughter to church with her. When the offering was taken up, the child saw her mother open her purse, take out a five dollar bill, and put it in the plate as it passed by. As the organ played the soft, religious music, the little girl looked up into her mother's face, and said, "Mommy, church sure comes a lot cheaper than the MOVIES, doesn't it?"

Paul Brand is an orthopedic surgeon. . . has world recognition. . . is married to an ophthalmologist of world recognition. Together they could have grossed $1 million a year. But for more than 17 years they were just provided food, and clothing, and shelter for themselves and six daughters in India as missionaries? "They must be crazy!" you say. No.  They must be OBEDIENT.  They must think that taking the LIGHT of Jesus Christ to the Indians is more important than a million bucks a year.

Leoma Gilley is a single woman. . . an only child.  She recently finished a doctorate in London.  "That's great," you say.  "London's a nice city." But, she finished it for one purpose:  to go back to southern Sudan to work in the midst of a civil war and to reduce to writing a language that has never been written . . . that they might receive the Word of God in their own language . . . that they might hear about Jesus Christ . . . that they might learn that sin is not to be swept under a rug, not to be psychoanalyzed or intellectualized. Sin is to be FORGIVEN by the blood of Jesus Christ.  This is God's ONLY plan of salvation.  You have to simply come to Him in humility seeking forgiveness for your sins. . . believing that He will forgive you even as you ask.

A medical doctor and his wife were going to be missionaries recently. . . .she has had a soft life.  But now they are going to the Ivory Coast in Africa.  They don't know a single person.  For half a day this doctor plans to work in the hospital for free. . . and for the other half of the day to go out and share Jesus Christ with total strangers.  Not on a short term basis. . . but on a lifetime basis unless the Lord calls him elsewhere. "He must be a fool," you say. No.  Just OBEDIENT. . . just OBEDIENT.