I felt old this week. When I turned 40, I didn't feel old. This is the happiest time of life. When hair turns grey or hair falls out, that doesn't bother me. I look like my dad.

This week, I felt old. My eyes were hurting, so I went to the eye doctor. He broke the news to me…"You need bifocals." THAT made me feel old. That worse part about getting these new bifocals is that I can't see out of them. They're supposed to help. And I can't see. When I look out at you guys, the whole building is moving up and down, side to side. I'm seasick. When I go near stairs, I hold on for dear life.

So, I'm giving a blanket apology. What was supposed to help, has made things worse. Maybe they'll get better.

I have another story where someone said "you're supposed to help." A couple of months ago, a received a phone call in the middle of the night. I answered the phone and the man said, "I need you to drive me to Perryville." Huh? "Do I know you?" "No, you've never met me. But I need a ride to Perryville, you're a preacher, you have to do it." Huh?

"Why do you need to go to Perryville? You don’t have a place to stay?"

The response, "I said I need to go to Perryville." No, I am not going to come out and do this. There are organizations that may be able to help tomorrow."

"What kind of preacher are you? You're in the wrong profession. You're supposed to help."

Odd. I don't believe that my job is to do it all. Possibly, the job is to refer people to those who can help. I never claimed to be able to help everyone, to always say Yes. Yet, the story of the Good Samaritan came to mind with this phone call. The people who were supposed to help, didn't.

You know the story. (It is probably the most familiar parable of Jesus. Even non-believers understand the concept of the "good Samaritan.") A lawyer stands up and speaks to Jesus. In Jesus' day, a lawyer was someone who knew the Old Testament, was trained in theology, and was gifted in public debate. We don't know if this lawyer was sent to try and trap Jesus.

When the lawyer stands up, he and says, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" (That's already a red flag, since we know there is NOTHING that we do to earn or deserve eternal life. Christ did it all.) Jesus says, "What does the law say?"

The lawyer responds, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength…and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus says, "Correct. Do this and you will live." I can almost see Jesus' eyes sparkling. God demands perfection. If we would try to earn salvation, we would have to be 100% perfect in every area of our life. That means loving God and neighbor, never sinning. But no one can do that. We are sinner. God doesn't grade on a curve. That's why the word of the Gospel is so precious to us.

And we are told that the lawyer wanted to justify himself, so he asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

And Jesus tells the story. It 's a masterpiece. A man is going down to Jericho from Jerusalem and is robbed. The people hearing that story would understand. This was truly a treacherous road. They called it "The Bloody Way" because people were robbed, beat-up, or killed along this Jericho Road that Jesus is talking about.

A priest comes along, on his way home from the temple, probably in hurry to see his family, he passes by on the other side. A Levite (which is a lay-leader at the temple) and he too passes by on the other side.

The irony of this is that these are the religious people. Like my bifocals, they're supposed to help. And they didn't.

What Jesus is addressing here are our sins of Omission. We each have a list of times when we chose NOT to do the things we ought to do.

And I think the Law works on all of our hearts through this Bible Story. We have been at that point where we ignored a tear, or walked away when another person was talking, or didn't find time to visit someone in need, or refused to help. Caring is inconvenient. Caring does take time. Caring can also be costly.

This Jericho Road can be seen as a symbol of any suffering in our world. The Jericho Road runs through the Lutheran Home, through the corridors of either hospital in town. The Jericho Road runs through the neighbor's house who has no one in town to look in on her. The Jericho Road curves through the classroom where some kids are challenged to juggle more issues that we ever dream. The Jericho Road is traveled by military personnel who risk their lives for freedom around the world, and by their families back home who look forward to the reunion. And no matter how we read this parable, there is no getting around the conviction of non-involvement.

Out at Harvard Divinity school, the professor gave a very clever final exam. It was for the class "Christians in Society. The test was 3 hours long. Essay upon essay question needed to be answered. Halfway through the test, a break was given where the students could stretch, go outside, get some fresh air. At break time, the students went outside and were confronted with another part of the test, but they didn't know it. This was the real test. When the students arrived outside, they found a man all beaten up, outside the door of the building. The students looked at him, "What should we do? We have a test to take?" After a little discussion, every last student went back into the classroom and finished the test without doing anything to help the man who was outside. They all flunked the class.

And we are uncomfortable with the story, because we're not totally sure what we would have done in the situation. Like the Priest and the Levite, the sinful human nature tells us to look out for ourselves.

So Jesus continues with His story. A Samaritan comes long the path. Even though there was a risk to his own personal safety (after all the robbers could still be nearby)….Even though it would require befriending a racial enemy… Even though there was the cost of time in stopping to help… Even though there was the cost of oil and wine (which was the Middle Eastern equivalent of a first aid kit.)… Even though there was the expense of the hotel and the follow up care (2 denarii were equal to 2 days wages)…. He stopped. He became involved.

His help was prompt, thorough, generous, prudent, self-denying and costly.

The Samaritan was the neighbor. In reference to the Samaritan, Jesus said, Go and do likewise! I'm convicted. How about you?

The joy of this story is found in the fact that Jesus is the Good Samaritan. Even since the Garden Eden, human beings have been walking on the Jericho Road of suffering. We were attacked by Satan and left for dead. Along came Jesus. He bound our wounds, He carried us to safety, He paid our debt, He guaranteed our future. He has shown mercy to us when we were left for dead by the side of the road. Through the cross, Jesus paid in full the price for our sin. He picks up all believers and grants us spiritual healing. And He did so, at great personal cost. He died and rose for us.

And so as we read this story, and as we see Jesus the Good Samaritan, we rejoice in the healing balm of forgiveness and life and salvation.

And as we respond in faith, as we praise and worship Him for His compassion, He says "Go and do likewise." The response of faith is found in deeds of love and compassion.

This means seeing the needs of people around you. Kindness always begins with the eyes.

Sympathize with people's pain. Paul wrote in Colossians 1: Jesus comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others…"

Seize the moment. It is very possible that God has placed you in a situation for such a time and opportunity.

Jesus Christ is all compassion. We have experienced His love through the cross. Now, in response, according to the words of Jesus, we "go and do likewise."