The Bad Samaritan
July 1, 2010 by WebPastor
Filed under Weekly Words
Dear friends,
Have you heard the Old Testament story about the “bad Samaritan”? It is less familiar, of course, than it’s New Testament counterpart, “the good Samaritan.”
In 2 Kings 17, we read about the king of Assyria resettling Samaria with people from other nations. These new inhabitants of Israel’s former territory soon took up worshiping the Lord! This would have been great, but there was one big problem:
“They feared the Lord, but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away” (2 Kings 17:33).
This is the lesson of the “bad Samaritan.” It is not uncommon for people to become excited about God, Jesus, the Bible, church, and the idea of eternal salvation. However, these same people are often unwilling to let go of their past. They want the benefits of a relationship with God, plus the sin of which they have grown so fond. They hope to serve the Lord AND their “own gods.” This simply does not work. God does not want to share space with anything else in your life. Thus, the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods besides me” (Ex. 20:3) and the words of Jesus, “You cannot serve two masters” (Mt. 6:24).
Friends, let’s ask God to help us clear out those things of the world that clutter up our relationship with Him so that He alone sits enthroned in our hearts!
Your servant,
Stephen
Rev. Stephen St. John
Pastor/Elder