Have you ever read the story of the good Samaritan? You can read it in Luke 10. It is a story that Jesus told about a man who was caught by thieves while walking from Jerusalem to Jericho. They hurt him and left him by the side of the road half dead. This reminds us of how sin hurts us and leaves us unable to help ourselves.
The Bible story says that the first person who passed by the injured man did not even stop to ask if he could help! He was a religious person, but was too busy to stop. The second person who passed the wounded man wouldn’t stop to help him either. Finally we read of the Samaritan who not only stopped, but picked up the man and put him on his own beast and carried him to an inn.
Once a very similar thing happened to Marita when she was nine years old. She was at a camp up in the mountains where there was about five feet of snow on the ground. Marita was taking a shortcut between the lunchroom and the cabin when her boot got stuck in the snow . . . and she couldn’t get it out! However, she was very close to the narrow path that went down a long hill.
Soon a lady came down the path and stopped to ask why Marita was digging there in the snow. Marita explained that her boot was stuck and she couldn’t get it out. The lady said she was sorry, but if she helped dig for the boot she would ruin her clothes. Then she went on, saying she would see if she could get help. The next person to pass Marita was a whistling man who never even stopped.
But then Marita saw her father standing at the top of the hill. She knew her father loved her and he wouldn’t leave her stranded. She called to him, and he came right down to help her get her boot out.
When Marita saw her father coming, do you think she told him she didn’t need him? No! She knew she needed someone bigger than herself to get the boot out of the snow. Do you think that the wounded man by the side of the road told the Samaritan that he would soon recover if left alone? No! He accepted the Samaritan’s kindness, knowing he couldn’t help himself. But many people seem to think they can get out of their sins by themselves! Isn’t that foolish? There is only one Person who can take away your sins. He is God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He died on Calvary’s cross to take away the sins of every person who accepts Him as Saviour. “When we were yet without strength . . . Christ died for the ungodly [sinners]” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)).
There is something else to see in that story. The Samaritan, who is a picture of Jesus Himself, paid the innkeeper what it would cost to care for the wounded man. He also promised the innkeeper that he would come back later. Jesus will be coming back soon to take to heaven everyone who belongs to Him! Will you be ready for Him? All you need is to believe that Jesus paid the cost for your sins. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)).
ML-06/09/1996