a new look at the same old story

Perhaps the most important thing about hearing the Gospel spoken back to you by someone from another culture is that it can open you up to new understandings of the Gospel. Never has that been more clear to me than it was last night in my Introduction to Theology class.

By now, the parable of the good Samaritan is so familiar to us that it represents a challenge to preachers who are searching for something new and meaningful to offer on the topic. Everyone that I know would agree that the lesson that we should take away from the parable goes something like this:

We should be like the Samaritan. Even though he had no good reason to stop and help the man laying beaten on the side of the road, he did.

We always see ourselves as one of the three passers-by. The sermon titles are, "Which of the three are you?" and "Being like the Samaritan." My new question is, "Have you ever considered that you might be the one lying beaten in the road?"

It is probably a reflection of our culture. Why would we be the ones in need? We are big, strong, and tough . . . we have no reason to think that we might be the ones in need of assistance.

My professor told of a summer sabbatical that he spent in Tanzania. While there he heard a preacher preach on this text. His take on the parable? Sometimes God sends assistance in unexpected ways, even through your enemies. He went on to say something to the effect of, "If the communists come to your village and bring food, take it; if the Muslims come to your village and bring you food, take it; and if the Hindus come to your village and bring you food, take it; and once you have the food, say 'PRAISE JESUS.' "

How blessed we are to be able to hear the Gospel spoken back to us by another culture.