Today we officially begin a journey into congregational vitality, health, and faith. We have honestly been looking at all of these areas for many years. And we have looked at how these avenues lead us deeper into being the people of God in and with our community. And yet, I believe it is important to continue these conversations in an even more intentional way. Going deeper in what it means to truly be a vital congregation moves us into a more authentic faith, not just a going through the motions type of faith. Our denomination has created 7 marks for vital congregations. The 7 marks are: 

Lifelong Discipleship Formation vs. complacent “Christian” piety; simply teaching good morals; offering the latest programs.  

Intentional Authentic Evangelism vs. “Jesus freaks;” “Christian” hypocrisy; a committee responsibility 

Outward Incarnational Focus vs. inward institutional survival; closed communities of assimilation/exclusion 

Empowering Servant Leadership vs. the pastor’s job; monopolized leadership; hiring the young, energetic pastor 

Spirit-Inspired Worship vs. self-gratifying worship; stale ritual divorced of meaning; consumer entertainment worship 

Caring Relationships vs. any other social club; facades, hypocrisy and judgments of the “church” and “religion” 

Ecclesial Health vs. unhealthy dysfunction; toxic environments; obsolete and irrelevant buildings

We are going to go through these concepts throughout the year and think through practical ways to implement vitality into our lives individually and corporately within congregation and community at large. And yet, in order to get to a deeper place in our relationships with one another and God, I believe we need to think through what will allow us to embrace change in life giving ways. Getting to a place where we are willingly able to welcome change involves some work. Sometimes change happens by chance and sometimes change happens by choice. As long as we are living, change happens. And we have the opportunity to be excited about change or fearful about change. One of the problems for the church in general is that change is happening outside the walls of the church so much faster than change is happening on the inside of the church. For many “church-goers”, this is a place of comfort. We can walk into a church building and for the most part, know what to expect. But for people who aren’t church people, who aren’t use to church stuff, it is like WHOA, what century did I just walk into! When change isn’t happening within the walls of a church, then the church becoming more and more irrelevant is inevitable. And I don’t know about you, but someone who is deeply part of the body of the church, of the people of God, I don’t want to become irrelevant…I want the body to grow and be relevant for ages to come.  

Many of us have taken many different chances in our lives. Some of those have been positive, some neutral, and some negative. When we look at the definition of chance, chance is described in these ways:  

(Noun) a possibility of something happening. The occurrence and development of events in the absence of any obvious design. 
(Verb) do something by accident or without design. 
(Informal) do (something) despite its being dangerous or of uncertain outcome 

Using those understandings of chance, can you think back to chances you have taken or not taken? Where something pushed you to take the chance or something pushed you to not take that chance? Where you heard that little voice inside saying…go for it…or run away! I have experienced many time where I was pushed to take a chance on something or someone. There have been many that have worked out and many that have not. Some chances have financially cost more while others have had more of an emotional cost. Taking chances in life can challenge you in ways many of us never can imagine.  

Our passage for today is about not taking chances and about taking chances. It is about following the rules and not following the rules. It is about meeting cultural expectations and pushing cultural expectations. This passage is familiar to many, challenging for some, and obsolete for others. This passage from the gospel of Luke is in the section that chronicles Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus instructs his disciples, engages the crowd, and encounters opposition. As Jesus is on his journey, he is the change maker and creates waves in society and culture that push people to take chances, make choices, and decide to change or not change. Jesus was the one standing outside the temple pushing and challenging the culture inside the temple. This passage looks at what does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus, a follower of the way. And that the message wasn’t just for the Jews anymore. The message was for everyone. Luke challenges us in the gospel to remember that true faith is expressed in word and deed in a kingdom that values the poor, the oppressed, and the outcast. Listen to these words from Luke 10:25-42 

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” 

I want you to look closer at verse 31. So we have a man, we don’t know anything about the man who was beaten and left for dead on the side of the road, and “by chance” a priest comes by. The priest also decided not to take the chance to check on the man, see what he needed, or break the requirements of the law. Then in verse 32, it says “likewise” also known as “by chance,” a Levite walks by. The Levite also decided to not take the chance to check on the man, see what he needed, or break the expectations of his group. Both the priest and Levite chose to not take the chance to break societal norms, cultural expectations, and religious law. Instead, they left a man to die on the side of the road. The priest and the Levite didn’t take a chance and therefore, their choices led them to not embracing change and what was to come.  

Now in verse 33, we meet the Samaritan. Do we know what it means to be a Samaritan? Samaritan’s were looked down upon by the Jews because they didn’t fully follow the Law. They somewhat created their own religion as a mixture between Judaism and Paganism. They didn’t worship like the Jewish people. Their rituals were different. Their cultures were different. In their day, upright standing citizens didn’t mingle with “those people” and they were considered outcasts of society. Yet, this Samaritan, saw the beat up and dying man on the side of the road. He took pity on the man. He cared for him. Fed him. Put him on his own animal. And paid for his care and for his stay at the inn. This outcast, according the priest and Levites and other people, took a chance to do something different. A chance to change the societal expectations, the cultural norms, and the religious rules. By one outcast taking a chance, we learn the importance of the gospel. We learn that taking chances do go against the “rule of thumb,” “the societal norms,” “to show mercy and compassion,” and allow ourselves to be moved to compassion has greater meaning to Jesus than making sure everything follows the rules. When we get to verse 36 and Jesus says, “who was the neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers, ” the lawyer said, “the one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” 

Did you notice the flip in word and action? In verse 32, the Levite did likewise…he walked by. But in verse 37, doing likewise is showing the other mercy.  

I want to encourage us to take chances. But let these chances show mercy, compassion, love, and welcome. If you think about taking a chance, then make sure it is something that Jesus would be able to say “go and do likewise” to others by your example. Taking chances for the kingdom of God can strengthen our faith and challenge us in ways that we need to be challenged in our phase of life. As I have thought through this passage, I realized that the priest and Levite where the same people when they met the dying man on the side of the road as they would have been when they arrived in their home. They didn’t change. Yet, the Samaritan man, through his acts of mercy and compassion, wasn’t the same person when he arrived where he was going. He was changed.  

As you walk through this week, I pray you take a few chances that will build the body of Christ in ways that surprise you. Take the chance and talk to a new person, to invite someone for coffee, to listen to someone’s story. Take the chance to be kind to a stranger, caring to a new mom, engaged in the life of someone who is struggling. Take the chance to listen for God’s direction for you and act. Stop sitting around. Friends, it is time to be the church of Jesus Christ. It involves taking chances in ways that you haven’t done before. It involves being risk takers…but risk takers for God’s kingdom here on earth.   

Share with your neighbor what prevents you from taking chances that will further God’s kingdom here on earth.