I have been sharing a lot on the story of the Good Samaritan. Let’s
look at Luke 10 beginning at verse 25. Jesus often told stories to
communicate a truth. In our days we tried to give an answer, even
if we didn’t really know the answer. Jesus, the Son of the living God
often answered with a question. In verse 30, Jesus replied with an
illustration:
“A (Jewish) man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho
and was attacked by bandits who robbed him of his clothes and
money. They beat him up and left him half-dead by the side of the
road.”
Wow! A friend of mine from Nigeria had almost an identical
experience, this is happening even today, so this is relevant.
“By chance a (Jewish) priest came along and when he saw the
man lying there he crossed to the other side of the road and passed
him by.” This seems incredible doesn’t it? How can a man just pass by
someone who is beaten up and lying on the side of the road? “Then
the temple assistant came along and also passed by on the other side
of the road.” What a sad and pathetic situation! “Then a despised
Samaritan came along and when he saw the man he felt deep pity for him. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan helped him.”
Samaritans
were considered enemies of the Jews and were considered to be like
scum. They were the people down the road with whom the Jews had
no dealings with, like a Dalit or an “Untouchable” in India.
So this despised Samaritan comes along, kneels down, bandages
the man and puts him on his donkey and takes him to an Inn where
he could be taken care of. The next day he gives the innkeeper two
pieces of silver and tells him to take care of him. The innkeeper is
assured, if the bill runs higher, then he will be paid the difference next
time he passes through. What a powerful and revolutionary story!
The story of the Good Samaritan is a favorite story of children.
As adults, we sometimes just gloss over and read the story.
What
we need to understand is that Jesus, after he told this story, asked
the question, “Now which of these three men was a neighbor to the
man who was attacked by the bandits?” The man replied, picking
up at verse 36, “The one who showed mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes,
now go and do the same.” If only he had not said that! This is a great
challenge when it says clearly, “yes,” now go and do the same. We
have to start doing some thinking.
I have made many mistakes in my Christian life and God has
been very merciful. We can’t possibly learn all the lessons in God’s
Word just in a year or even 10 years.
When I first launched into
ministry I was not that concerned about peoples’ physical needs in
terms of my own ministry. I prayed for people often if they were ill
and was concerned in my heart, but I made the mistake of thinking
that other organizations like World Vision or Tear Fund, medical
missionaries, agencies like the Salvation Army and later on people
like Mother Theresa—they answered the Good Samaritan call and it
was their ministry. My ministry was literature evangelism, winning
people to Christ, training people, planting churches and leadership.
We were overwhelmed with what we were attempting to do, much
less take on other tasks in terms of peoples’ physical needs. That was
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a great mistake on our part. It took people from the two-thirds of
the world and people like Tony Campolo and Samuel Escobar, men
and women from many different countries, a deeper study of the
Word of God and a re-look at stories like the Good Samaritan to
completely change me in regard to this great challenge.
There are many people today lying by the side of the road. We
cannot pass them by, nor can we just give them a tract or a Bible
and say, “See you later.” We must somehow respond to the challenge
of Jesus concerning peoples’ physical situation. If you are already
overcommitted, this message needs to be contextualized into your
situation; I am not wanting you to just take on more in terms of
deeds and action, but I want you to take this message into your
heart and your spiritual DNA and share it with others who may not
be overcommitted, and not yet even be saved.
This aspect of our kingdom message appeals to non-Christians.
Many non-Christians are the pace setters in some of the things I am
going to talk about. When we, maybe not even fully understanding it,
at least sympathize with them and have some discernment (Christians
often lack discernment in these areas) we are going to find them more
open to talk about Jesus.
Britain is one of the most humanitarian
nations that has existed in history. It is part of the culture and DNA of
the nation. Even as the nation has tended to part and leave the basics
of the Christian faith, the challenge of giving has remained within the
culture. All different charities are trying to raise money. You and I,
if we want to make an impact in post-modern Britain, have to learn
to affirm people who as yet don’t know Jesus, but are doing good
things rather than constantly come across negative about anyone who
is not a Christian. The amount of prejudice against Christians today
is greater than it had been before, for many reasons, rather than get
very upset and blame this person or that person, especially those in
government, we need the Holy Ghost’s discernment to understand
the new culture in which we live.
There are innumerable global scourges around us, but let me
list here just seven. What I am talking about here is not about
individuals, but clusters of people.
1. Children at Risk
The first person lying by the side of the road is a little child—millions
of little children. One billion children are at risk, about one-sixth
of the earth’s population. Many of them are dying. Many groups in
the world are responding to “children at risk,” but research by Viva
Network and Patrick McDonald has shown that there is an awful
lot of work yet to be done. We are speaking of children who are sold
into factory slavery, and thousands of children in the age of 11 or 12
who are sold into sexual slavery. We are talking about street children
in places like Brazil, where sometimes even the police pull the trigger
and murder them. We are talking about millions of AIDS orphans in
Africa and other countries.
Th ere are new books coming out about children, some of them
are living right down the street, sometimes abused by their own
parents. If you do not think that is an issue then you are living in a
cloud and you need to come down to earth. If you don’t think that
happens to those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, then
you obviously have not been involved in much personal ministry
with people. “Children at risk” is overwhelming and it is time for
the church to speak out and to reach out and do what the Good
Samaritan did in Luke 10.
2. Abused Women
The second person lying by the side of the road is a woman, an
abused woman, a woman at risk. True Grit by Debbie Meroff , I
believe, is probably the most significant book that we have ever
published by Authentic Media. Th is is a book about women and
what they are suffering. We have reprinted this book many times over by now. It is unbelievable to know what is going on in Europe
in the area of sex trafficking; even President Bush has been speaking
out about this, as well as other global leaders. We need to have a
more biblical, revolutionary view of women and their suffering. The
abuse of women under certain religious systems is unbelievable.
What went on in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule? Very few
Christians spoke out about it.
The Feminist Movement, though
having many positive and negative points, were the first to speak
out on the suffering of women in Afghanistan. In God’s mercy the
Taliban was removed. What about female circumcision? Have you
ever read anything about that or do you prefer not to read things
that are unpleasant?
Friend, let me tell you something, if you do not want to
read things that are unpleasant, then whatever you do, don’t read
the Bible. Some of the most unpleasant stories I have ever read,
including rape, are written in the Bible. I believe one of the marks
of authenticity of the Word of God is that it does not gloss over sin
even when it is committed by a great leader like David, a man after
God’s own heart, who was guilty of murder and adultery.
You and I need to speak out about things like female circumcision.
I think the Danish Government was the first to want to get a law
against this. I can read pretty heavy stuff without getting ill, but I
have never been able to finish what I have attempted to read about
female circumcision, it is so sickening. It is so disturbing that women
could be so abused and it is growing and still going on. Hundreds of
thousands of women are going through this unbelievable ordeal.
3. The Extreme Poor
The third person lying by the side of the road is, what we call, the
extreme poor. There are many poor people, and it is sad that many
Christians with just one cliché write the whole thing off , even
misquoting from the New Testament. If we study the Bible and listen to men and women of God down through the years going
right back to William Booth, we know that God has a bias towards
the poor. Some of you come from a poor background, and you
should never ever be ashamed of that. You should never feel inferior
in this society that it is still a class and racist and “caste”ist society
even though we do not like to admit it. Some of the greatest people
in the world came from the poorest background and some are still
poor.
What about the Dalits of India known as the Untouchables?
There are 250 million of them which is more than three times
the population of the British Isles. In the past few years the Dalits
have started to move, they are leaving Hinduism by the thousands.
Many have become Buddhists while others are knocking at the door
of the church. In OM alone we have planted over two thousand
churches in the last couple of years mainly for Dalits and many are
experiencing the reality of the Holy Spirit. In India we have decided
to be involved with the extreme disenfranchised and poor under
the leadership of Joseph D’souza (he has written a book about the
Dalits). We decided to involve in human rights, not in every aspect
because it is such a huge area and one can easily get beyond their
boundaries. A new movement (All India Christian Council) was
born with Joseph D’souza, the leader of OM India, who was made
the head of the Board. It is separate from OM, with all different
agencies and churches, mainly Bible-believing people, to speak out
in connection with the persecution of Christians in India, (especially
after Graham Staines and his two sons were murdered) and the cause
of the Dalits.
Human rights: concern for human rights and defense of human
rights are a part of God’s kingdom. Guess what? Most Christians
who are not involved with human rights still believe in it, because
they get really upset when one of their neighbors does something
that is a breech of their human rights. I am amazed at what upsets
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the average person. It is usually trivial, but often is connected
with human rights without us realizing it. We all believe in justice
and human rights. It took me years to grasp this, but we are not
just called to evangelize the world; we are also called to build the
kingdom everywhere. Th at is overwhelming and you have to find
your place and get guidance. If you can capture the whole vision in
your heart, that will enable you to respond better to your particular
part of the vision, no matter how small that may be. The global poor
should be a priority and there is much that we can do. Th e church,
more than ever before in history, is responding to this challenge.
Th e story of Tear Fund is one of the greatest Christian stories in the
British Isles as is the story of Bob Pearce founding World Vision and
then Samaritan’s Purse and hundreds of other less known agencies
around the globe.
4. People with HIV/AIDS
The fourth person lying by the side of the road is the person with
HIV/AIDs. Forty million have been infected and 20 million have
died. Millions of children have been orphaned and whole societies
are burgeoning under the weight of so many dying so young. Rather
than standing by and judging, let us respond in love and action.
(Many have HIV and don’t know it.) Let us also take advantage of
this opportunity to share the gospel. We have found that, because
death is so imminent, AIDS patients are very open to the gospel.
I would urge you to read Aids and You by Patrick Dixon. It is being
supplied free around the globe. I took Patrick to meet with 50
Africans and others in Uganda who were concerned about this huge
pandemic and it is overwhelming when we think of the task. Th e
church is on the move but there is a lack of finance in this battle. In
the western world you can get expensive medical cocktails, so people
can live another five or ten years, but so many in India and Africa
do not have access to these medications and medicines. We know
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of a few cases where God has intervened and healed people. I don’t
believe that we should limit our response to that huge problem
only through prayer, though prayer has got to be a part of it. God
sometimes does unusual things. We must mobilize the entire church
for prevention. In Africa almost every church has people with HIV/
AIDS in their congregation. You don’t die of AIDS, AIDS runs
your body down so that any one of 50 different illnesses takes you
in the end—many die very young.
5. People without Clean Water
The fifth person lying by the side of the road is the thirsty person.
Water is becoming increasingly scarce. Thirty percent of the world
has no access to clean water. Many have to walk miles to get clean
water, and so often the ones who do it are children whose bodies are
not designed for such back-breaking work. Big cities are running out
of water and are shipping it in at great cost, while in other parts of
the world the dysfunctional water systems are breeding grounds for
disease. May each of us be part of the effort to see more people getting
clean water, as we seek to preserve the precious water at our disposal.
My concern is for the people in poverty-stricken areas of the
world where there is drought and other difficulties leading to
no access to pure water. They drink impure water from the river
and many of them will be dead within the year. You and I can do
something about it. Christian agencies are being raised up that
primarily work to make available pure water. Non-Christians are
doing it as well. Would you pray for these people? Would you pray
for the release of money because it takes money to drill wells, and
to make a water-purifying-machine from very basic components. It
is incredible what can be done when we exercise a little sanctified
imagination. Th at has always been one of my prayers for God’s
chosen people. If you are one of the unenthusiastic types let me tell
you there is still hope for you, don’t give up. Even if you are my age, there is still hope that a fire would be lit in your heart. Let us serve
the thirsty people, the sick people, with simple pure water.
6. The Environment
The sixth person lying by the side of the road, this is going to really
surprise you, is the planet earth, the environment. I was reading
sitting in a train, and a man sitting behind me asked, “Are you
George Verwer?” We talked and I discovered he was a Christian from
Sunderland. He had heard me preach in Dublin in the seventies and
somehow it struck a cord in his heart. He shared how his work is
in connection with the environment and I was able to tell him that
I now preach about that. I preach about the environment and the
need to be concerned about the Rain Forest, the air we breathe.
Asthma is getting out of control in the British Isles and this is linked
with the environment. God is concerned about all these things and
we can do something about them.
It is a shame that so many evangelical Christians not only have
little concern for the environment, but are sometimes known as antienvironmental.
How can this be when our Creator God has asked us to
care for his creation? Pollution of the earth is totally unacceptable. Th is
is an issue that our young people care about, and if we don’t connect
with them on valid issues such as preservation of the environment,
how then can we expect them to listen to us at all?
Why do so many people throw rubbish all over the place? Have
you ever taken a walk and seen all the rubbish? Sometimes my wife
and I go for a walk and I take a bag and pick up rubbish as I go. Little
things count with God! Th e Bible says if you give someone a glass of
water you will get a reward. Are you out of the box enough to think
that picking up a discarded bottle/can that could hurt someone, a
child as they could cut or injure themselves, might get you some
kind of reward? Hey, are you willing to think out of the box? Do
you know what that means, those of you who are older? Out of the
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box is a young expression. It means that you are not just conforming
to the same old ways; it means that you are willing to be different.
Brothers and Sisters, let us start thinking about the environment,
because that is also going to enable us to talk to many young people
who have made this a big thing, maybe they have made this too big
of a thing. If they don’t know Jesus and are only concerned about
animals and the environment then they are making a big mistake,
as they will never get to heaven through doing these good works.
But by talking and listening to them, sympathizing where you can,
you may see them come to know Jesus. It is so worth reaching out
of your own comfort zone even to people who do not understand. I
am a pilgrim; I am a struggler. I fail and I constantly have to crawl
back to the cross and re-read books like Calvary Road and be filled
afresh with the Holy Spirit.
7. The Lukewarm Christian
It has been many years since I started to share on the 7 Global
Scourges and eventually I based the message on the story of the
Good Samaritan in Luke 10. I started to add “lukewarmness” about
which I have been preaching for 53 years in a different message. In
some messages Number 6 is “The Unborn” and Number 7 is “Th e
Environment.” These are listed on the back of my business card that I
distribute and this is the list on my website; www.georgeverwer.com.
(I hope you can take a look at it!)
I have always believed that abortion is wrong. Mrs Payne, who
was in OM spoke on this 30 years ago. I went on a Pro-Life March
back in the eighties in Omaha, Nebraska with a local church. When
my good friend Dr. Francis Schaeffer went into this in a major way
towards the end of his life, I wondered about this, especially as I was
living outside the USA, where people generally are more liberal in
their thinking and often react to what they feel is “American pro-life
extremism.” I made a big mistake in my failure to speak out about
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abortion and I thank the Lord that a few years ago after reading,
praying and seeing our whole Movement become more holistic that
I took the step to become more pro-active in this important area.
Abortion is a horrendous thing. Have you seen photos of a fetus
after a few weeks? No one has the right to take the life of that
little child. I highly esteem women and I know that there are very
complex situations at times, but they do not have the right to take
a life. Most men and women of God are in agreement on this, yet,
often we are silent.
I then linked up with Randy Alcorn who has helped us fl ood his
book, Why Pro-Life around the world. We are helping to translate
this into languages, some of which almost have nothing on this
subject. I would be happy to send it free to anyone who asks for it.
Th is book is very down-to-earth and does not just hit people with
Scripture verses as that doesn’t always mean much to those who
are not believers. I would urge every one of you to become more
committed and active in this area of challenge and that you will be
able to read this book.
However, it is true that lukewarmness among the Lord’s
people is probably the greatest single global crisis in the body of
Christ. It is not an either–or situation, but both. So, the seventh
person lying by the side of the road is the lukewarm Christian. I
believe that lukewarmness in the church is greater than all of the
other problems.
There is a danger in thinking that somehow all the problems are
out there. In reality, often the problems are here. Lukewarmness is a
scourge. I had been in meetings where a high percentage of people in
the meeting acknowledged that they were lukewarm. Th ey stood up
to repent, ask for forgiveness and pray the verses in Acts 4:31 “to go
forth and speak the Word of the Holy Spirit” with boldness.
Don’t confuse basic lukewarmness with battling lukewarmness.
We all at times battle lukewarmness. I have to battle lukewarmness
just as I have to battle with wrong attitudes and impatience. Don’t
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succumb and give in. Don’t stop studying the Bible because it is
boring. Perhaps the one exception to this is the person suffering from
chronic medical depression, a very unique kind of illness. Those
people need unique, special attention, concern, and prayer; but most
of us do not fall in that category. However if it is a matter of struggle
may you get the care that you need. It is not an easy road and many
godly people have gone through that. My own wife went through
depression for a year and by his mercy she came out of it. I am talking
more about spiritual depression which comes about in neglecting the
Word, prayer, getting discouraged or allowing bitterness to come in.
My wife and I have had many disappointments in our lives,
but we know that disappointment can be God’s appointment to do
better things for his kingdom. Many of the things that keep us from
lukewarmness are not necessarily positive things. Negative things
can really keep us on our toes. So we learn from our pilgrimage how
to respond to the environment and circumstances. Until we keep
our spiritual temperature at a place where it is not dependent on
the weather, spiritually-speaking, we will never be God’s marathon
runners. Spiritually the weather does change, doesn’t it? For us as
God’s people to mainly think about ourselves or even our own
family and not reach out to the lonely, confused and bereaved is a
great mistake and a breach of the teaching of Luke 10.
May God enable us to receive his Word. May he keep us from
feeling totally overwhelmed and enable us to understand that even
the smallest thing we do for any of these people lying by the road
side will be honored in the kingdom. Many of you have already
been doing this for years and pouring funds into global missions.
May God bless you.
Th e new ship, Logos Hope will be more involved in the
HIV/AIDS crisis, global poverty and in proclaiming this message that
I have shared. Can you imagine the multiplication impact through
prayer as we share these concerns? I don’t remember who said, “It is easier to cool down a fanatic than to wake up a corpse.” So let’s
not worry about becoming too enthusiastic for the global poor, too
enthusiastic regarding HIV/AIDS, too enthusiastic concerning the
problems of the environment. I don’t think that too much enthusiasm
is going to be our biggest problem. Let’s take God’s Word with all of
our struggles, weaknesses and vulnerability; let’s respond, making sure
we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Let’s not let lukewarmness get a
hold of some areas of our lives so that we in turn can minister to all
these groups of people we have spoken about.
A new generation of young people is here. Instead of condemning
them, because they would rather play a video game than hear a boring
sermon in the local church, we should try to understand video games
and the huge impact that they have both for good and evil on our
culture. This generation of children generally are more interactive.
They don’t just only want to listen, they want to get involved in the
action. If they would be saved, they could be the generation that
finishes the task of world evangelism, because they are willing to roll
up their sleeves and get involved. As I meet young people, I tell you,
God is working in this post-modern generation. Do not become one
more old-age wet blanket just because they don’t want to sing the
same hymns that you were singing when you went to Sunday school
in 1908 or whenever it was.
Let us pray:
Our God and Father you have brought this Word
to my heart. I have shared it and I cannot run away from it even
though (maybe) I have tried. Lord, I believe that you are going to
raise up those who will pray more concerning all these things, those
who will help release more finance, those who will help release more
workers. Lord of the harvest we pray as we are taught in Luke and
Matthew let us send forth workers into the harvest field.
