Lenten Lesson -- Parable drives home message of 'Amazing Grace'

It is only because God is holy and compassionate that we can sing "Amazing Grace," according to the Rev. Allan Jackson, pastor at First Baptist Church and inaugural speaker at this year's first in a series of six Lenten lessons Friday at Memorial United Methodist Church.

The normally soft-spoken pastor reached a thundering crescendo as he drove home the points of Friday's message taken from Luke's Gospel, chapter 10, verses 25-37.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a familiar story, answering the question "Who is my neighbor?" asked of Jesus by an expert of the law.

The parable tells the tale of four men on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The first man fell into the hands of robbers who stripped him of his clothing and all of his possessions, leaving him half-dead on the road.

Three men, two of them holy, either by profession or lineage, later encountered the man. The first, described as a priest in Scripture, upon seeing the man, passed to the other side of the road and continued on his way.

Similarly, the second man, a Levite, also passed by, leaving the man with wounds still untended.

The third man, a Samaritan, traveled the same road. When he came to the place where the man lay bleeding, he stopped. He cleansed the man's wounds, bound them and put the man on his own donkey to take him to an inn. There he took care of him through the night, leaving funds with the innkeeper for his continued care before he departed the following day.

Who, Jesus asked, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?

"The one who had mercy on him," was the reply. And Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."

It is not an accident that Jesus uses the examples of holy men and a Samaritan in his illustration, explained Jackson.

These holy men, who we would equate today with pastors, deacons and elders, represented the holiness of God. In this instance, however, they were disconnected from the compassion of God, which was found in the acts of the Samaritan, who by nationality and tradition was nothing more than a half-breed, despised by the Jews.

Jesus often blended the holiness of God with the compassion of God throughout his ministry, Jackson explained. Jesus demonstrated that holiness is not so much the things that "we do not do," but is found in the things that "we do."

We are all familiar with the many admonitions from Scripture for believers to seek holiness, Jackson said. "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 2:5) was just one of many examples he offered.

Nevertheless, Jackson asserted with mounting passion, "holiness must ultimately be defined by compassion."

Listen to the hymn writers, Jackson said, and see our Holy God acting with deep compassion.

"I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Refrain

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!"

(Words by James Rowe, Music by Howard E. Smith)

"It is because God has joined compassion with holiness in Jesus that sinners like us can sing 'Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see.'" Jackson thundered.

The profound silence that followed Jackson's homily was quickly broken by "Amens" from among the 117 in attendance.

The Rev. Dr. Jeff Thurman, pastor at Memorial United Methodist Church, served as worship leader. Evie Caldwell was the organist and special music was provided by the Master Ringers Bell Choir from MUMC.

Thurman, when welcoming the group, explained that there will be offering plates at the entrance of the sanctuary for each of the Lenten lessons to support the work of the Red Willow County Ministerial Association. Additionally, a free will offering is accepted in the Fellowship Hall to help offset the cost of the foods prepared by the preaching minister's church. Thurman explained that this year, any extra money collected above and beyond the cost of the food will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

The Lenten series will close on Good Friday, March 21, with the traditional cross walk and the reading of the Passion narrative.

The Lenten lessons on the parables of Christ continue Friday, 12:05 p.m., at MUMC with the Rev. Mike Larson, pastor at the Seventh Day Adventist Church addressing the "Dinner Guests."