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"Neighborly Love," a sermon by guest preacher, Rev. Michael Anderson II, at Foundry UMC on July 14, 2019
A sermon delivered by guest preacher, Rev. Michael Anthony Parker, II
at Foundry United Methodist Church, on Sunday, July 14, 2019.
Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and the reasons I loved this show were vast. For one, Mr. Rogers wore some great sweaters. Mr. Rogers was also willing to address, head-on, deep issues that society grappled with at that time. Unfortunately, society is still grappling with some of those issues today. And I’m sure you’ll agree with me that Mr. Rogers has one heck of a fish tank! But one of the reasons at the top of my list is because of the theme song. “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood; a beautiful day for a neighbor; would you be mine; could you be mine..” Well, if you’ve checked your Twitter feed or any news or social media outlet recently, then you know we aren’t necessarily living in Mr. Rogers’ “beautiful day.” Statistics say that 2.5 million children went to sleep last night without a place to call home. NABD. Already this year, 85 families in DC have had to hear a homicide detective tell them that their loved one isn’t coming home anymore. NABD. Senior citizens, some of our nations most vulnerable individuals, still have to decide between overpriced groceries or overpriced medicine. NABD. Even the church, in 2019, finds ways to discriminate and accommodate for less than Christ-like behavior that’s coupled with a large check. NABD. This, Beloved, is the world in which we live, the world in which God expects us to confront with radical, condition-less, somewhat reckless love. This, people of God, is our mission field. And yes, it’s very similar to that road between Jerusalem and Jericho, but we have been granted the grace and gifts to always and at all times, regardless of the situation, to extend neighborly love.
In today’s text, Jesus employs a morbid that has become a norm in his practice of ministry. He’s teaching a spiritually-grounded life principle by using a parable. This particular use of this form of teaching was brought on because Jesus has found himself in a position where he is being tested. In other words, yet again, somebody is trying Jesus. A lawyer, the Bible says, stands to test him, asking Jesus to share the requirements for entry into God’s Kingdom. As hospitable as Jesus is, he is certainly no fool, and he throws the question back on the lawyer, stating to him, “You can read. In fact you’ve read the Law. How do you interpret it?” Bro. Attorney provides a correct response, and Jesus makes every attempt to let him out of the conversation. He affirms his correctness, and leaves it there. But the lawyer wasn’t satisfied yet. He even takes it a step further and asks Jesus well just who is this neighbor I am supposed to love? It’s here that Jesus walks into this parable. Jesus tells a story of When hospitality and ministry collide. Unfortunately, what started out as a probably normal trip for a man, a man who’s position and station in life is unknown, a man who’s political affiliation is u known, a man who’s race is unknown, a man who’s social connections and musings are unknown, in fact we don’t even know this brother’s name, but we do know this tip wasn’t good to or for him. Somewhere along the 15.9 mile journey down to Jericho from Jerusalem, which actually sits above Jerusalem on a map, a life-threatening situation arose. This man, again whom we don’t know much about, somehow ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and the wrong things happen to him. He’s beaten. He’s stripped of his clothes, and dare I say his dignity, and as if that’s not enough, he’s left all by himself to die. Luckily, it must be peak travel time because another sojourner comes along the road. Not just anybody, but this traveler we know a little about. Jesus identifies him as a priest, a preacher, one whom has had the out-of-this-earth experience of hearing his name called by God to care for God’s people. Great, one would think. Certainly, this devout, public figure would be able to assist this man who’s in need and within death’s final grip. But the Bible says, the man of God doesn’t just ignore him, he has the sanctified audacity to cross the street, never even getting close enough to the pain and affliction of this brother for his own heart to be pricked long enough for him to care. NABD. A little later, another brother passes by, this one just as socially honored as the last, as this brother is a Levite, one who’s life has been dedicated to assisting those who serve God’s people. Well, he must have been late for ministry staff meeting because he didn’t stop either. He, too, allows this brother, who at this point may even be unable to articulate his own needs, to lay there and continue to die. NABD. A third man comes along, this man a Samaritan. And you’re good church people, so you know that Jews and Samaritans didn’t get along. But this man can’t allow what his eyes sees and his heart feels to go unaddressed. We don’t know if these brothers know each other or not, and it really doesn’t matter. The Samaritan stops to help. He becomes his own Patient First on-site and provides medical care and treatment to this brother. He puts him on his donkey, and takes him to a local hotel where he might appropriately and in a safe environment heal from his attack. He even pays the bill, telling the innkeeper that if there’s a bill, he’s got it. Jesus then asks the lawyer who’s the neighbor in this story, for which the lawyer responds correctly. Jesus tells him, “You do the same thing!”
Mr. Rogers said, “would you be my, could you be my, won’t you be my neighbor!” The reality Beloved, there’s a neighbor is each of us, a willingness and a yearning to help the least, the lost, the left, and the left out. Jesus, the perfect model for exhibiting neighborly love, shows us, not just through his teaching but through his footprint, how to love other folk, even folk that don’t look like us, don’t think like us, don’t love like us, don’t vote like us, don’t live near us, even those that don’t understand nor life us. Yes, being a Christ-like neighbor means there are no conditions to your love. When you’re exercising neighborly love, you will...
Stop long enough to see the needs of those around them.
Use what God has blessed you with to bless others.
Even when those that should do right and know better than to continue to practice wrong, you do what is right!
Keep the faith,
Reverend Michael Anthony Parker II, M.Div.
Pastor
Bells United Methodist Church
6016 Allentown Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
Office: 301-899-7521
Mobile: 410-900-3535
Join us Sundays @ 8:30am!
United Methodist Church of the Redeemer
1901 Iverson Street
Temple Hills, Maryland 20748
Office: 301-894-8622
Mobile: 410-900-3535
Join us Sundays @ 11:00am!
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By Foundry UMC DC
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A sermon delivered by guest preacher, Rev. Michael Anthony Parker, II
at Foundry United Methodist Church, on Sunday, July 14, 2019.
Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and the reasons I loved this show were vast. For one, Mr. Rogers wore some great sweaters. Mr. Rogers was also willing to address, head-on, deep issues that society grappled with at that time. Unfortunately, society is still grappling with some of those issues today. And I’m sure you’ll agree with me that Mr. Rogers has one heck of a fish tank! But one of the reasons at the top of my list is because of the theme song. “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood; a beautiful day for a neighbor; would you be mine; could you be mine..” Well, if you’ve checked your Twitter feed or any news or social media outlet recently, then you know we aren’t necessarily living in Mr. Rogers’ “beautiful day.” Statistics say that 2.5 million children went to sleep last night without a place to call home. NABD. Already this year, 85 families in DC have had to hear a homicide detective tell them that their loved one isn’t coming home anymore. NABD. Senior citizens, some of our nations most vulnerable individuals, still have to decide between overpriced groceries or overpriced medicine. NABD. Even the church, in 2019, finds ways to discriminate and accommodate for less than Christ-like behavior that’s coupled with a large check. NABD. This, Beloved, is the world in which we live, the world in which God expects us to confront with radical, condition-less, somewhat reckless love. This, people of God, is our mission field. And yes, it’s very similar to that road between Jerusalem and Jericho, but we have been granted the grace and gifts to always and at all times, regardless of the situation, to extend neighborly love.
In today’s text, Jesus employs a morbid that has become a norm in his practice of ministry. He’s teaching a spiritually-grounded life principle by using a parable. This particular use of this form of teaching was brought on because Jesus has found himself in a position where he is being tested. In other words, yet again, somebody is trying Jesus. A lawyer, the Bible says, stands to test him, asking Jesus to share the requirements for entry into God’s Kingdom. As hospitable as Jesus is, he is certainly no fool, and he throws the question back on the lawyer, stating to him, “You can read. In fact you’ve read the Law. How do you interpret it?” Bro. Attorney provides a correct response, and Jesus makes every attempt to let him out of the conversation. He affirms his correctness, and leaves it there. But the lawyer wasn’t satisfied yet. He even takes it a step further and asks Jesus well just who is this neighbor I am supposed to love? It’s here that Jesus walks into this parable. Jesus tells a story of When hospitality and ministry collide. Unfortunately, what started out as a probably normal trip for a man, a man who’s position and station in life is unknown, a man who’s political affiliation is u known, a man who’s race is unknown, a man who’s social connections and musings are unknown, in fact we don’t even know this brother’s name, but we do know this tip wasn’t good to or for him. Somewhere along the 15.9 mile journey down to Jericho from Jerusalem, which actually sits above Jerusalem on a map, a life-threatening situation arose. This man, again whom we don’t know much about, somehow ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and the wrong things happen to him. He’s beaten. He’s stripped of his clothes, and dare I say his dignity, and as if that’s not enough, he’s left all by himself to die. Luckily, it must be peak travel time because another sojourner comes along the road. Not just anybody, but this traveler we know a little about. Jesus identifies him as a priest, a preacher, one whom has had the out-of-this-earth experience of hearing his name called by God to care for God’s people. Great, one would think. Certainly, this devout, public figure would be able to assist this man who’s in need and within death’s final grip. But the Bible says, the man of God doesn’t just ignore him, he has the sanctified audacity to cross the street, never even getting close enough to the pain and affliction of this brother for his own heart to be pricked long enough for him to care. NABD. A little later, another brother passes by, this one just as socially honored as the last, as this brother is a Levite, one who’s life has been dedicated to assisting those who serve God’s people. Well, he must have been late for ministry staff meeting because he didn’t stop either. He, too, allows this brother, who at this point may even be unable to articulate his own needs, to lay there and continue to die. NABD. A third man comes along, this man a Samaritan. And you’re good church people, so you know that Jews and Samaritans didn’t get along. But this man can’t allow what his eyes sees and his heart feels to go unaddressed. We don’t know if these brothers know each other or not, and it really doesn’t matter. The Samaritan stops to help. He becomes his own Patient First on-site and provides medical care and treatment to this brother. He puts him on his donkey, and takes him to a local hotel where he might appropriately and in a safe environment heal from his attack. He even pays the bill, telling the innkeeper that if there’s a bill, he’s got it. Jesus then asks the lawyer who’s the neighbor in this story, for which the lawyer responds correctly. Jesus tells him, “You do the same thing!”
Mr. Rogers said, “would you be my, could you be my, won’t you be my neighbor!” The reality Beloved, there’s a neighbor is each of us, a willingness and a yearning to help the least, the lost, the left, and the left out. Jesus, the perfect model for exhibiting neighborly love, shows us, not just through his teaching but through his footprint, how to love other folk, even folk that don’t look like us, don’t think like us, don’t love like us, don’t vote like us, don’t live near us, even those that don’t understand nor life us. Yes, being a Christ-like neighbor means there are no conditions to your love. When you’re exercising neighborly love, you will...
Stop long enough to see the needs of those around them.
Use what God has blessed you with to bless others.
Even when those that should do right and know better than to continue to practice wrong, you do what is right!
Keep the faith,
Reverend Michael Anthony Parker II, M.Div.
Pastor
Bells United Methodist Church
6016 Allentown Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
Office: 301-899-7521
Mobile: 410-900-3535
Join us Sundays @ 8:30am!
United Methodist Church of the Redeemer
1901 Iverson Street
Temple Hills, Maryland 20748
Office: 301-894-8622
Mobile: 410-900-3535
Join us Sundays @ 11:00am!