The church and the law cant do it

Scripture Reference Luke 10:31-33 “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And like wise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain man as He journeyed, came to where he was: and when He saw him, He had compassion on him”

We revisit our “certain man”.  He has been attacked by the vicissitudes of life, and been “wounded and left half dead”.  The attack is over.  The beating has stopped.  But yet he is still not safe.  Put yourself in his shoes.  There you are on the side of the road, you have been attacked, wounded, and left bleeding.  That’s the way some of life’s ups and downs leave us.  A divorce can leave you wounded, and half dead. The death of a family member can leave you wounded, and half dead.  The loss of a job, can leave you wounded and half dead.  And there you lie on the side of the road, bleeding. 

If something doesn’t stop the hemorrhaging soon, you will die. If something doesn’t stem the pain, you may never be able to get up on your feet.  You wonder, “Is this it?”  Then you hear footsteps!  But you can’t relax.  The last footsteps you heard coming, attacked you, beat you and left you bleeding.  “Is that thing coming back”, you wonder?  You ever been hurt then when something good comes along you’re scared to even look at it?

You find out its religion.  The “church”.  It comes, it does as most “church” folks do.  It looks at you, and says, “That’s a mess you got going on over there.”  And passes you by on the other side.  Never giving you what you need.

Then you hear again more footsteps.  This time it’s a Levite: the “law”.  Surely the law can help right a wrong.  Yet, the law falls short too.  And can merely pass us by on the other side, only agreeing with religion that we are a true mess.

The third time you hear footsteps, your hopes are dashed.  For after all, the church wouldn’t help, the law couldn’t help, and you still lay on the side of the road, with nothing to stop you’re your hemorrhaging.  But the Bible says that a certain Samaritan, someone from a different land: for we know that our “certain man” is more than likely a Jew, coming from Jerusalem.  Samaritans and Jews don’t associate.  But look what this certain Samaritan does.  He has compassion on us, comes to us, binds us up, and takes us to safety.  Look at Jesus here, how He will come for you, have compassion on you, bind you up, and take you to safety to be with Him.

You see we need to stop placing our trust in man, hoping in the law, and start realizing that it is only Jesus who can save us, heal us and make us whole again.  Are you looking to Jesus, or are you looking to man?

Jesus says, “Come to me, you broken one.  And I will give you peace: for my yoke is easy and my burden light.  Come to me, and I will give you peace!”