旅店的事奉
路加福音十章30至35节
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。’
信息分享
撒玛利亚人替伤者料理伤口之后，并非任由他留在路上，便自行离去。
我们能否从事件发生的次序来学到一些功课呢？一个旅人发现路上躺着一名受伤的陌生人，就立即上前伸出援手；在他最需要的时候，给予最适当的服侍。然后还送他到旅店疗伤。这个服侍人的步骤，很值得我们反省和学习。
我们今天怎样服侍周遭有需要的人呢？许多时候，我们会说：「来我们教会，我们会帮助你。」然而，他们是否准备好去教会呢？我们是否应该去他们那里，在他们最需要的时候，给予适当的帮助，然后才邀请他们到教会呢？
因此，我们第一项责任是要去到人群中间服侍他们。有些人把这个行动称为「福音预工」。在这之后，下一步便是邀请他们去「旅店」──也就是当地教会。
旅店主人见到伤者，会有甚么反应呢？伤者被送入旅店，又会有何感觉？教会里的信徒，看见心灵受创的人、渴望得到关心和爱的人来到他们当中，会用爱心来接待他们呢？还是只顾与认识的信徒彼此交谈，忽略了新朋友的需要？
这个故事的重点并不在于伤者在旅店受到照顾，而是，如果撒玛利亚人任由伤者留在路上，没有把他带到旅店给他进一步的照顾，那才是一个遗憾和悲剧。
所以，我们的事奉是要到有需要的人中间，主动帮助他们，邀请他们到我们的教会。接着的事奉，就是教会的弟兄姊妹共同事奉和接待这些有需要的人。
THE MINISTRY OF THE INN
Luke 10:30-35
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.’
Message
The Samaritan did not leave the bandaged man beside the road.
What was the order of events in the story and how can it apply today? The stranger found a man in need and helped him. He ministered to him where he was. Then he took him to an inn. That sounds like a good sequence - good follow up.
What about ourselves and our ministry to needy souls today? Sometimes we find ourselves saying, 'Come to our church and you will be helped'. But are they ready for that? Isn't there some bandaging, some spiritual first aid we need to give them before they come?
Often our first duty is to minister to them where they are. Call them listening bandages. Sometimes this is called 'pre-evangelism'. Then when this has been done, the next step is to take them to the inn, the local church.
How did the innkeeper feel being left with a badly wounded man? How did the man feel? How would our local church re-act if a hurting soul, needing love and attention unexpectedly came in one morning? Would any of us try to show a loving welcome to that one? Or would we be too busy talking to each other?
The ministry of the inn and the inn keeper. are not the main thrust of the story, but it would have been a tragedy if the Samaritan had left the bandaged man just where he found him.
What is our ministry? To help people right where they are, then when they are ready welcome them at our church door. What about your church? What kind of a welcome would they receive?