(ii) Care
Robert Trotter
Luke 10: 25–37; Deuteronomy 6: 4–11
The previous section to the one we read in Luke’s gospel, beloved brethren, is taken up with what is heavenly. I think there is a certain order in the chapter. In the verses we read we find there is tremendous need, in fact a need that we know only one Person can satisfy, that is the Lord Jesus. What we find here is that there is a certain lawyer who remains nameless, but known as a lawyer and he “stood up tempting him”, that is the Lord Jesus. He is not only tempting but he is “desirous of justifying himself”. I suppose if he had left off earlier and not wanted to justify himself, would the rest of this have come out, I wonder? It certainly brings out the need of the neighbour, a very great test to us because we are set together as brethren and that is God’s ordering; God has done that, a company so diverse as natural persons yet set together as brethren. So what comes out first of all, of course, is this great matter of the Lord putting back upon him what is written in the law, and he certainly knew that. He knew what was written in the law, so it is “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart”, wonderful matter that it begins with the heart, “with all thy heart”. I suppose that makes it safe if it is a heart-matter, “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul”, bringing out, I think, that tremendous feeling has to enter into this. “Soul” would remind us of that. “With all thy soul”; it is not just a part. These are simple things and just to read the scripture the brethren can see, and then it goes on “and with all thy strength”. In one sense it seems to take up the whole person. All our faculties have to be employed in this way. Then the part that really tests us, I suppose, is “and thy neighbour as thyself”. How well-worded these things are. “And he said to him, Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live”. And then it says, “But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” How pertinent this question is, beloved brethren! I feel it. I am not laying it on anyone else. We have a neighbour.
As the verses unfold, of course, we find that the Lord brings out this great matter of “A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who also, having stripped him and inflicted wounds, went away leaving him in a half-dead state”. We are entering now the great area of need. What a need this man has! As I mentioned earlier, I think we approach this from the heavenly side. That is the test to us, the test to me because, beloved brethren, that is where all the resources are. They are in heaven. But, of course, as we know, they have to be administered down here amongst us.
So we have the “certain priest”. It says he “happened to go down that way”. Well, this is old ground, of course. I cannot say much fresh in relation to it. It says, “and in like manner also a Levite, being at the spot, came and looked at him and passed on on the opposite side”. They looked at least, but they had no resources. It has been said and I may as well say it now – I am quoting when I say this – that the Lord is seeking to transfer us from lawyers to neighbours. I suppose the lawyer would say, Well, I know what is wrong. I know exactly what is wrong, but have we the resources, beloved brethren?
Then it goes on to say, “But a certain Samaritan journeying came to him”. There is direction in this. This Samaritan is journeying. Oh what journeys were His, beloved brethren! Think of where He went to supply the need! Think of where He went to supply the resources, to make the resources available! “But a certain Samaritan journeying came to him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion”. What compassion, the compassions of the Saviour! We have all, I trust, experienced something of them. It says, “and came up to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and having put him on his own beast, took him to the inn and took care of him”. What a verse this is! Of course, we know according to teaching that there would be some indication of the Spirit in these matters, “pouring in oil and wine”, putting him on his own beast, some fine thoughts as to the Spirit! And then he is taken to the inn. I have been thinking a little bit about the inn. Wonderful place the inn! Someone else said in relation to Mr Coates that he had said that he was cured and carried and cared for. These three things, beloved brethren, what matters they are. Each one of us has been a recipient of them. He was cured and carried and cared for. Well, I think there is a great need for this to-day. It is easy to point the finger and say, Well, why is so-and-so not exercising more care? Because these features, beloved brethren, have to find their place amongst us and in us. What the Lord Jesus Himself in type showed in this parable in the journeying and being moved with compassion and the pouring in of the oil and wine, I think that is to be found among us. There is a need and we are to be persons with resource. Oh how I am tested by that! Have we the resource, resources to care for persons? It says, “Take care of him, and whatsoever thou shalt expend more, I will render to thee on my coming back”. That reminds me of Paul, beloved brethren. He speaks of being spent, to “spend and be utterly spent”, 2 Cor 12: 15. How he lived like that! Paul could speak about “these hands”, Acts 20: 34. How he had lived! What a test these things are!
That is why I read in Deuteronomy because there is a link between these two scriptures, and what it brings out to me is that while verse 5 is more or less what we have read, then it says, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart; and thou shalt impress them on thy sons”. These things have to be continued. There are generations and it says here, “and thou shalt impress them on thy sons”. I suppose it means that they are spoken about and the importance of these things is stressed, and it goes on to say, “and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou goest on the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”. It is like every area of our lives is covered by this. “And thou shalt bind them for a sign on thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and upon thy gates”.
Well, I just feel the importance of these simple words, beloved brethren. I feel that there is a need in our day especially. We tend to drift along, and these elements of care, caring for one another, the neighbourly features, are to be seen in us and are to be exercised by us. Well, may we be encouraged for His Name’s sake!
EDINBURGH
3 December 2002