SAMARITANS ~ The Revealing of a Servant’s Heart ~ Transcript From Broadcast August 2, 2020

Good Morning Blessings – thank you for joining me on today’s ROF Ministries Broadcast.  It is such an honor and pleasure to be with you all today on this first Sunday of August.  I hope you enjoy learning today as much as I did studying while I was getting ready to share with you all.  I know I had mentioned us studying about the Five Fold Ministry this week, but instead we are going to talk about The Good Samaritan and how we too can be one ourselves.  Once I began really seeking more Biblical account of the Samaritans it was amazing to me of just how little I actually knew of them.  So hopefully, once we are finished today, you also will be more familiar with the cherished characteristics of those who the Lord used as an example for us to follow in the laying down of our lives for a friend, going way beyond what is expected.  But before we get started, if it is okay, I want to really share something else the Lord has laid upon my heart because I see this a lot and I was remembering not too long ago I was in that place too…  Not really seeing I was offended to some small degree and yet, although I thought it was others implying I be perfect, it really was the conviction of the Holy Spirit leading me out of a not so healthy place in my own mind.

So this is what would happen with me…  I would read the Word, hear a message or be triggered by something someone would say and my go to would be – I’M NOT PERFECT.  Well I see now that was all in my head space.  No one was saying act perfect – that was a wound from the past and I would be triggered by what expectations others were placing upon me in regards to holiness in my todays.  So my first go to excuse would always be – I am not perfect, whether they expected me to be or not, rather than looking within to see what changes needed to be made, so I did align more with Jesus or reflect on my own walk, I would give the excuse – I am not perfect.  And lately, it seems I am seeing that everywhere from others for some odd reason.  Since I’ve been there and done that, I thought I would share a little about this pit the Lord pulled me out of in hopes it may help some of you.

It is important to note when the Holy Spirit convicts us for a course correction – the flesh always wants to deflect so it doesn’t have to come under the submission of the Spirit.  This is why we make excuses for our sin nature – the old creature to stay alive – the excuse is the deflection.  So rather than evolve into the new we will say – I am not perfect… And no, the flesh is not perfect, so it must be slayed and raised back up – incorruptible, because until changed and we overcome a thing, it can still corrupt us in our souls.  Please don’t do what I did – I would target those who the Holy Spirit spoke out of with brassiness and implication that they thought they were perfect, pointing out that I am not, so this little manipulative defeated soul would sarcastically state – I am not perfect… In truth, if I could take the eyes off me and put them on the other person – I didn’t have to change.  Today just could possibly be a day of freedom for many of you.

First off – if someone is sharing the words of Jesus and we get offended, we are in the wrong and they should not become our target.

Secondly – No one is perfect so to state that repeatedly is point proving and unnecessary – it really goes without saying anyway and we know all will be without excuse when we stand before Jesus on that day. 

Thirdly – We do not realize our created purpose or we would not even expect perfection out of ourselves or others in which no human comprehends perfection as our Father does.  Divinely inspired and expected perfection is measured one way only – a heart that is seeking after God’s own heart, not measurable by the flesh at all.  So when we say, I am not perfect – we automatically forget the heart status and go right to flesh performance as to what is acceptable and what is not.

Lastly – We are not perfect, we are being cleansed.  We are right now, every moment we seek Him with our whole hearts are being redeemed by His cleansing blood, He is cleansing us as He washes away the desire for all impurities from within our hearts and once the heart is set free from lustful desires the flesh will follow suit and be overcome.  EVERYTHING originates in the heart & mind – BEFORE it is carried out by our flesh.  As a New Creature the old creature actions are gone, little by little – the desire leaves, the action is not carried out – even if thought about – you really for real, go and sin no more in that area. 

Again – remember, we are being cleansed, purified and made white and ready for harvesting. 

Perfection is seeking God – so really when you say you are not perfect, you are denying His cleansing blood being applied to your life enabling you to overcome all things, resurrecting the old creature once again.

It is so important we understand the innocent simplicity of the Words of Jesus – if a child who is full of folly can comprehend and come to Him, it should be even easier for us – He didn’t complicate it, we do.  So I pray this helps you just a little and encourages you to just rest in Him and have faith that His perfect work He is doing within you is just that… perfect and thankfully it is all up to Him to finish what He started within each of us.  I am finding more and more the burden I thought I carried for others or even myself has been lifted, therefore, I pray yours is, as well.

Alrighty, now for our study about SAMARITIANS ~~~~ and wouldn’t you know, after the Lord placed this on my heart for us to study, I was divinely set up for a manifestation of this very topic… Our Father is so amazing!

Samaritans in Hebrew means: Guardians/Keepers/Watchers – please note this is not to be confused with the Sumerians of old, they are not connected whatsoever.

Samaritans claim descent from the tribe of Ephraim and tribe of Manasseh (two sons of Joseph) as well as from the Levites,^[1] who have links to ancient Samaria – which is considered the West Bank in our time period –  from the beginning of the Babylonian captivity.

They believe they held the purest form of worship and refuse to acknowledge the Temple Mount as the sole place to worship.  They were considered a genetically isolated population, having their own language and alphabet which was not strictly Hebrew in nature.

Today Samaritans have a stand-alone religious status in Israel, and there are occasional conversions from Judaism to Samaritanism and vice versa due to marriages.

Samaritans are mentioned in the New Testament in the books of Matthew, Luke, John and Acts.

The best known reference to the Samaritans is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, found in the Gospel of Luke – which we will be studying today – and of course the “woman at the well” was a Samarian woman.

The following references are found throughout the New Testament:

• When instructing his disciples as to how they should spread the word, Jesus tells them not to visit any Gentile or Samaritan city, but instead, go to the “lost sheep of Israel”
• A Samaritan village rejected a request from messengers travelling ahead of Jesus for hospitality, because the villagers did not want to practice something they saw as a violation of the Law.
• Jesus healed ten lepers, of whom only one returned to praise God, and he was a Samaritan
• Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for water from Jacob’s Well, and after spending two days telling her townsfolk “all things” He told her, repeating the Good News that he is the Messiah, many Samaritans became followers of Jesus. It is important to note – Jesus accepts without comment the woman’s assertion that she and her people are Israelites, descendants of Jacob and instead offered her everlasting life by drinking from only Him in order to never thirst again and she did just that.
• Jesus is accused of being a Samaritan and being demon-possessed. He denies the latter accusation, but does not deny the former that seems to be meant to accuse him of not having Jewish beliefs.
• Jesus tells the apostles that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and that they would be his witnesses in “Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. He equaled the importance of the Samaritans before the religious of the day, which caused jealously to rise among Jews against them – even today.
• The Apostles were being persecuted. Philip preaches the Gospel to a city in Samaria, and the Apostles in Jerusalem hear about it. So they send the Apostles Peter and John to pray for and lay hands on the baptized believers, who then receive the Holy Spirit. They then return to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel “in many villages of the Samaritans”.
• Acts 9:31 says that at that time the churches had “rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria”.
• Acts 15:2–3 says that Paul and Barnabas were “being brought on their way by the church” and that they passed through “Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles”

During those days there was a cultural structure – just like we have today, from the top down it went:

PRIESTS, LEVITES, JEWS, TAX COLLECTORS/SINNERS, SAMARITANS, GENTILES and back then – they did not “mix” with one another at all – so you can probably see how Jesus turned the high horse they rode on upside down, no wonder they wanted to kill Him and since they couldn’t “see” Him… they were missing the LOVE OF THE TRUTH though they knew it well.  As they saw it, Jesus was basically asking them to touch the “unclean” or worse yet a “dead thing…”  which in turn would make them unclean.  Oh goodness – we’ve got that fear too, we fear death and that which can make us unclean (vaccines) ignoring it is not what we put into the body that defiles it – it is what comes out… But that takes some eyesight and precepts to grasp.  Maybe another day.

If we do not love our neighbor who we can see – it casts doubt on if we truly even love God or the truth – we may know about Him and still be told to depart – He never knew us.  What if the only way Jesus could recognize and KNOW US is by how we demonstrated brotherly love to others?  Can you just imagine how many people would change their perspectives on servitude if that really were the case?  What if it is?  Sometimes it makes you wonder doesn’t it?

So let’s get into the Word and read more about what transpired prior to Jesus speaking of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

LUKE CHAPTER 10 ~ The revealing of a Servant’s heart

10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

70 more appointed here by Jesus, He sent them in pairs of two to go ahead of Him and prepare the way for His arrival

² Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

True even today more than ever – the hearts of souls are just waiting for laborers in Christ to come to them in love preaching the Gospel – Good News

³ Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves

Go as a lamb – gentle and vulnerable led by the Shephard, Jesus – even in the face of those who want to devour you.

⁴ Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Think not what you will have need of and do not salute – join with in union any man – on this journey – stay close to who He sent you out with

⁵ And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

Test the spirits – see if you are welcomed by a heart the Lord prepared to receive you – enter a house with a greeting of peace so those who reside know you are coming in peace, not strife

⁶ And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

Same is true for us isn’t it?  Some people you just naturally are bonded in peace in the Sprit with – you have a commonality, a unity of peace through Jesus, while others you greet them with peace but no peace resides within them to exchange with – so ours is returned

⁷ And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Remain and commune with those who you share in Christ with – receive from them as they do from you – do not go from place to place searching for something you already have

⁸ And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

⁹ And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

These verses are all about communing with one another in Jesus with your same kind – which is placement in the Kingdom of God here on Earth

¹⁰ But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

¹¹ Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

This dust you shake off is strife.  When others reject you or throw you out or WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR PEACE, hold nothing against them – nothing (shaking the dust off) and keep moving because you have many more divine appointments set forth ahead of you –

Quick note – when we have wounds of rejection that need healing still we can get stuck in this place and fixate on the one who rejects us, we do not shake off the dust and move on like we should and become unstable in our ways and double-minded, carrying much guilt

¹² But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

¹³ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

You cannot preach the good news without speaking of repentance… just fyi

¹⁴ But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

¹⁵ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

Just more reassurance that the Father will handle those who have rejected His Son through us in His perfect will

¹⁶ He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

We’ve studied this a lot – it is just a great reminder that what we do to others or what others do to us is actually being done to Jesus Himself, and He is the perfect judge.

Oh something else – You know in the Bible where it says Jesus said “I judge no man”?  That means He doesn’t judge the flesh, but rather looks to the intentions of the heart – is it seeking Him? Just to keep it simple for now.  He is a righteous judge and He will come again to judge the living and the dead.  Okay, just wanted to make sure we are clear on that.

¹⁷ And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

We surrender to Jesus and because of Him alone darkness flees.

¹⁸ And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

¹⁹ Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Will anything hurt us?  No, not when we are operating in full subjection to Jesus.

²⁰ Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

This is a big one – actually, this is something I would like us to spend a whole day talking about sometime.  Too many people are rejoicing that evil is conquered by their own hands versus rejoicing that they are considered among those counted into the Kingdom of Heaven.  Again Jesus said – do not rejoice spirits are under your submission.  People have built whole ministries around that very thing, made videos, written books, been boastful, wielded their own power – lifting themselves up just because spirits submit to them – Lord have mercy, purge us of this misguided understanding.

²¹ In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

This mystery is hidden from those who are wise and yet, the spiritual babies see it clearly.  Did you notice how Jesus glorifies the Father in all His ways?

²² All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

Who reveals the Son to all of humanity?  The Father alone holds those keys.  There is only one way to the Father – Jesus.

²³ And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

Jesus shares privately with His disciples – those who see spiritually

²⁴ For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Everything is hidden in Christ – prophets, kings may seek to see and hear that which is only revealed to His own.

²⁵ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

So here we go… a legalist stood up trying to tempt Jesus by asking Him a question, interesting he called Jesus “Master.”

²⁶ He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Just love the Lord with all that you are – you, yourself all that you are – the fullness of you, which is why we can never compare one to another – some have a small amount of measurement to seek the Lord with and others a large amount – the measurement pertaining to weight is not the issue – what matters here is that it is all that you are – the fullness of you which seeks the Lord with your whiole heart.

²⁸ And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Jesus is just so amazing – an inspiration to follow for sure – He was calm, asked a question back and answered with yes you are right but you must do what you have understanding of in order to live. LOVE IS DEMONSTRATED, held within the confines of the heart and cannot be legislated with legalities of force or demand.

²⁹ But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

Legalist still trying to snare Jesus and justify himself, asked another question to provoke Him – which is why I despise provocation of others. It is a contentious soul who does that sort of thing. Now we are moving into the Scriptures relating to the Good Samaritan…

³⁰ And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Here is a man who was assaulted by thieves – stripped until he was naked, wounded him and left him where they assaulted him leaving him half dead.

³¹ And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

A holy man saw him and passed by on the other side – ignoring he was there suffering and left for dead

³² And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Levites – were serving the Priests in order to be trained to be a priest.  You could not become a priest unless you were a Levite first – their duties were to keep everything clean inside the temple, to make sacred loaves of bread, to open and shut the gates of the temple, to sing sacred hymns in the temple – just to name a few things. 

Similar to maybe an Elder today – or those who permit or do not permit certain things entering inside the church, a worship leader, pastor, etc…  Outwardly insured everything was orderly and holy appearing – they often take the freely given sacrifice Jesus made and withhold from those they deem as unclean.

So this guy actually looked at the man, seeing he was naked and suffering to death and passed by on the other side of him.

³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

The third person to come across this naked, suffering man was a Samaritan man and as soon as he saw him – what moved him to help?  Compassion – just like Jesus, who was moved to compassion in every single thing He did.  So the Lord is showing us here, compassion too is an action word, not just a feeling.

Being a Good Samaritan –

Step 1 – COMPASSION – recognizing someone is in pain, then seeking the Lord for direction on how to assist

³⁴ And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Compassion was demonstrated as he did not pass him by, he bound up his wounds, tended to them with that which heals – oil and wine – transported him to a place of comfort and safety and nurtured him.  Okay wow – this is a lot…  Can you see this?  Do you do this?  Do you realize some wounds are internal, contained within the heart?  How do you react?  Like a priest?  A levite? Or a Good Samaritan?  Because honestly, every single day we have an appointment with someone who has a wounded heart, if only we have the compassion to see it and are moved to be of comfort to tend to the wounds of another.  As a matter of fact, we will have more opportunities to share the good news with someone wounded inside than we will with someone laying dead on the streets throughout the course of our Journey with Jesus.

Step 2 – APPROACH THE ONE WHO IS SUFFERING

Step 3 – BIND UP THEIR WOUNDS (How?  By assessing what is hurting them)

Step 4 – OFFER HEALING COMFORT

Step 5 – PICK THEM UP AND CARRY THEM IF THEY CANNOT WALK TO WHERE THEY ARE SAFE

Step 6 – TAKE CARE OF THEM

³⁵ And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

He stayed with this man all night long, caring for him – he went out of his way, was delayed on his journey for the sake of another.  Knowing the injured man was in lack – he paid someone else to take care of him while he was away – but get this… he made sure he would pass by again, check in and pay more to the one taking care of him so the one wounded could focus on getting his strength back – his healing.  There are times when we may have other obligations to tend to, but it is a good practice to appoint someone to watch over while someone in need when you are not available. 

Step 7 – BE PROVISIONAL – Go above and beyond what is convenient for you while caring for someone in need.  Provide what is lacking when you are able to the fullest and always return, keeping your word so that you become a man or woman of integrity through honoring your word.  Being provisional is not only about finances, although that is often part of it – it mainly is tending to another, when it is not necessarily convenient for you to do so – whatever someone lacks and you have attained – share it – fellowship with those inside the body of Christ – share in sufferings, comfort others with the words you have been comfort with – actually put into action being the Hands and Feet and even heart of Jesus.

³⁶ Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

He is showing us here, this man likely got caught in a snare set before him by the enemy

³⁷ And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Who’s a neighbor?  The one WHO SHOWS MERCY to one who is in need and suffering and hurting, wounded, broken and broken with no way to care for themselves, lift themselves up and what?  Be healed.  Neighbor helping neighbor, being your brother’s keeper in place of only keeping the Law.

³⁸ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

So of course, just in the Lord’s perfect way – this portion ends with a comparison of works, represented by Martha and of love by Mary who sat at His feet and heard His word.  Martha was frantic and troubled/distracted by so many things, including the cares of this life, she missed the better part… Caring for Jesus, afterall she was anointing His body getting it ready for burial.  Do you see Jesus in those who are abandoned and hurting?  If so, are you moved by compassion to help?  What is done to the least of these is done to Jesus Himself and will never be taken away from us.  I think we see Jesus in people when we are looking only for the good in them, while forgetting He is in those who suffer too, isn’t He?  We’ve kind of missed the mark on that part at times, haven’t we?

To review:

Being a Good Samaritan –

Step 1 – COMPASSION – recognizing someone is in pain, seeking the Lord for direction to assist

Step 2 – APPROACH THE ONE WHO IS SUFFERING

Step 3 – BIND UP THEIR WOUNDS (How?  By assessing what is hurting them)

Step 4 – OFFER HEALING COMFORT

Step 5 – PICK THEM UP AND CARRY THEM IF THEY CANNOT WALK TO WHERE THEY ARE SAFE

Step 6 – TAKE CARE OF THEM

Step 7 – BE PROVISIONAL – not just financially, but whatever another has need of in their broken state

You know over the course of our lives we have been so very blessed at times when we needed it most and we’ve also been a blessing to others in their time of need.  Sometimes we are that Good Samaritan the Lord sends to come to the aid of another, while other times we are that one who has been wounded and left for dead, but this Bible story gives us hope and encouragement that the Lord sees and knows of our sufferings and never leaves us or forsakes by moving kind people infused with compassion to come along beside us until we are strengthened once again.  Many of you have been just that one in my life over and over and I cannot thank you enough for saying Yes Lord when His call went out in my time of need, so it is with a grateful heart I honor you and dedicate today’s teaching to you personally.

I pray this study inspires us all to go above and beyond for those in need without counting the cost first.  May we not grow weary in doing good to one another as an example of Jesus here on Earth.

Thank you all for joining me today, may the Lord continue to watch over and keep each of you in the upcoming week.  I am always here to assist you however possible, so please email me at Markedbyheaven7@gamailcom should you have prayer requests or questions or concerns and I will do my best to assist you. Love and God Bless each of you!