Date Posted: 2025-07-17 21:59:19 | Video Duration: 00:20:38
At Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, the sanctuary is a place where ancient words and modern lives intersect, where faith is both questioned and affirmed. This week, the sermon invites us to delve into the parable of the Good Samaritan, a tale that challenges our understanding of community, compassion, and what it truly means to be a neighbor.
In a week fraught with questions of safety and divine presence, the sermon acknowledges the faithful nature of these inquiries. “Where was God in all of this?” is a question many have asked, and the pastor reassures us that such questions deserve time and space for reflection. Yet, amidst the chaos, one question remains unasked: “Who is my neighbor?” The parable of the Good Samaritan, as recounted in Luke 10:25-37, provides profound insights into this query.
The narrative of the Good Samaritan is familiar, yet its implications are often overlooked. Jews and Samaritans of Jesus’ time shared a mutual disdain rooted in religious differences, making the term “Good Samaritan” an oxymoron. These two groups worshiped at separate temples and harbored long-standing mistrust. Yet, Jesus chooses a Samaritan as the hero, a figure whose heart breaks open to another’s suffering, demonstrating compassion that crosses cultural and religious divides.
As the pastor reflects, “The ditch has a way of revealing what we often miss from the road.” From the perspective of the broken and the marginalized, anyone who offers a hand of compassion is a neighbor, perhaps even a friend. This perspective challenges us to reconsider who we deem worthy of our compassion and to embrace the notion that we all belong to one another.
In the parable, it’s the Samaritan, not the priest or the Levite, who stops to help the wounded traveler. This act of kindness transforms the narrative, suggesting that faith is less about theological correctness and more about heartfelt compassion. The pastor reminds us, “God is like the good Samaritan,” who does not walk away from suffering but moves towards it, offering healing and love.
Throughout the week, the congregation has embodied this message in tangible ways. From assembling cleanup buckets and hygiene kits to writing prayers and letters, members have shown up in acts of love and service. These actions are not driven solely by goodness but by a heartbroken awareness of the world’s suffering, echoing the compassionate path of Christ.
The sermon closes with two poignant questions, inviting personal reflection: “How have your hearts been broken open to the suffering of others this week?” and “How have you moved towards those who are suffering with compassion and grace?” In answering these questions, the congregation is called to continue surprising one another with kindness, to keep showing up, and to live as though we all belong to one another.
As we move forward, the invitation is clear: let us walk towards one another with compassion, grace, and mercy, mirroring the boundless love of God, who never crosses the street on us but always walks towards us.
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