作好鄰舍的代價
路加福音十章29至37節
29那人要顯明自己有理，就對耶穌說：“誰是我的鄰舍呢？”
30耶穌回答說：“有一個人從耶路撒冷下耶利哥去，落在強盜手中。他們剝去他的衣裳，把他打個半死，就丟下他走了。
31偶然有一個祭司從這條路下來，看見他就從那邊過去了。
32又有一個利未人來到這地方，看見他，也照樣從那邊過去了。
33惟有一個撒馬利亞人行路來到那裡，看見他就動了慈心，
34上前用油和酒倒在他的傷處，包裹好了，扶他騎上自己的牲口，帶到店裡去照應他。
35第二天拿出二錢銀子來，交給店主，說：‘你且照應他，此外所費用的，我回來必還你。’
36你想，這三個人哪一個是落在強盜手中的鄰舍呢？”
37他說：“是憐憫他的。”耶穌說：“你去照樣行吧。”
信息分享
比喻中有四個人。首先是一個受傷的旅人。耶穌對他的描述不多，也沒有介紹他的姓名，他的出現是要引出其他三個人對他的反應。
第二個出場的人，是一個冷漠的祭司。字面上說：「他從這條路下來。」他看見了甚麼？心中想甚麼？他可能為傷者不是自己而感謝神。但他沒有理會躺在地上的傷者，只管快快離開。
然後來了一個有趣的利未人。他想上前看看發生了甚麼事，或許他思考著要做些甚麼來改善這條僻路的治安。但最後，他還是袖手而去。
最後來了一個滿有同情心的人。他上前察看那名傷者，小心將傷者翻過來，發現他仍然活著，不過，卻是與撒瑪利亞人不相往來的猶太人。可是，這位撒瑪利亞人的同情心並沒有因此而冷卻，他看見傷者的傷口需要處理，便首先替他包紮傷口，繼而送他到最近的旅店，囑咐店主照顧他。
比喻說完了，便來到應用的部分。耶穌為何要說這個故事呢？正是為了要解答一個問題。
所以，祂對那名律法師說：「好了，朋友，故事中的哪個人遵守了律法，愛他的鄰舍呢？」
那名猶太人的律法師顯然不屑說出「撒瑪利亞人」這幾個他所恨的字眼。他只能說是那個幫助傷者的人（37節）。主耶穌便跟著說：「何不學習他的榜樣呢？」
撒瑪利亞人為了幫助那傷者，不惜打亂自己原先的計劃，耽誤了行程。倘若在這個星期或今天，神安排了一件突如其來的事情，要你去關心或幫忙他人，你會否願意更改原先的計劃，甘心樂意地回應呢？
IT COSTS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR
Luke10:29-37
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Message
The story mentions four men. First the wounded man. He is the unknown. He is the pawn in the game. What do the others do about him?
Next came the indifferent man, the priest. Literally 'he came alongside'. What did he see? What did he think? He may have even thanked God that it had not happened to him. But he walked on.
Then came the interested man, a Levite. He wanted to see, he wanted to know what happened. He probably thought 'something needs to be done about this Jericho road'.
But he himself did nothing.
Now the compassionate man arrived. Can you picture the scene? He gently turns the wounded man over and discovers he is a Jew, then that he is still alive. His compassion wasn't a passing emotion. He saw the need and tried to render first aid. Next he took the man to the nearest inn and asked for him to be looked after.
End of story? Yes, but now comes the application. The purpose for which the story had been related.
'Now my friend which one fulfilled the law and showed love to his neighbour?'
The Jewish lawyer couldn't say those hated words 'The Samaritan'. All he could admit was it was the man who had helped (v.37). Our Lord said, 'Why not follow his example?'
The wounded man must have interrupted the plans of the Samaritan. Are we willing for any interruptions God might have planned for us this week? Today?