作好邻舍的代价
路加福音十章29至37节
29那人要显明自己有理，就对耶稣说：“谁是我的邻舍呢？”
30耶稣回答说：“有一个人从耶路撒冷下耶利哥去，落在强盗手中。他们剥去他的衣裳，把他打个半死，就丢下他走了。
31偶然有一个祭司从这条路下来，看见他就从那边过去了。
32又有一个利未人来到这地方，看见他，也照样从那边过去了。
33惟有一个撒马利亚人行路来到那里，看见他就动了慈心，
34上前用油和酒倒在他的伤处，包裹好了，扶他骑上自己的牲口，带到店里去照应他。
35第二天拿出二钱银子来，交给店主，说：‘你且照应他，此外所费用的，我回来必还你。’
36你想，这三个人哪一个是落在强盗手中的邻舍呢？”
37他说：“是怜悯他的。”耶稣说：“你去照样行吧。”
信息分享
比喻中有四个人。首先是一个受伤的旅人。耶稣对他的描述不多，也没有介绍他的姓名，他的出现是要引出其他三个人对他的反应。
第二个出场的人，是一个冷漠的祭司。字面上说：「他从这条路下来。」他看见了甚么？心中想甚么？他可能为伤者不是自己而感谢神。但他没有理会躺在地上的伤者，只管快快离开。
然后来了一个有趣的利未人。他想上前看看发生了甚么事，或许他思考着要做些甚么来改善这条僻路的治安。但最后，他还是袖手而去。
最后来了一个满有同情心的人。他上前察看那名伤者，小心将伤者翻过来，发现他仍然活着，不过，却是与撒玛利亚人不相往来的犹太人。可是，这位撒玛利亚人的同情心并没有因此而冷却，他看见伤者的伤口需要处理，便首先替他包扎伤口，继而送他到最近的旅店，嘱咐店主照顾他。
比喻说完了，便来到应用的部分。耶稣为何要说这个故事呢？正是为了要解答一个问题。
所以，祂对那名律法师说：「好了，朋友，故事中的哪个人遵守了律法，爱他的邻舍呢？」
那名犹太人的律法师显然不屑说出「撒玛利亚人」这几个他所恨的字眼。他只能说是那个帮助伤者的人（37节）。主耶稣便跟着说：「何不学习他的榜样呢？」
撒玛利亚人为了帮助那伤者，不惜打乱自己原先的计划，耽误了行程。倘若在这个星期或今天，神安排了一件突如其来的事情，要你去关心或帮忙他人，你会否愿意更改原先的计划，甘心乐意地回应呢？
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?