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A popular commercial in Ghana some years back was captioned “The Lotto Doctor”.

In the said commercial, a man confidently dished out numbers he claimed he had computed as the sure winning numbers for the national lottery, with a lot of drama and antics. When someone asked why the lotto doctor is not rich himself, another replied,

“He is just a Good Samaritan!”

The parable of “The Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:30-37) is a story popularly used to illustrate kind and thoughtful behavior, and neighbourlines; but it has not always been popular with everyone because of how the Jews perceived the Samaritans.

READ John 4:7-9

“`”A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”“` (John 4:7-9)

The woman of Samaria in the text above was rightly surprised that a Jewish man, and moreso a Rabbi, would ask her for water. It was unheard of, and considered abominable.

The Samaritans claimed they were the true Israelites; and had their own version of the laws of Moses in which one of the ten commandments stated that the Lord is to be worshipped on Mount Gerizim(instead of Jerusalem); and that the Jews had falsified text produced by Ezra during the Babylonian exile. On the other side, Jews simply considered Samaritans to be imposting Gentiles, and barred any contact with them; including entering their territory or talking to them.

So it was unheard of for any Jewish man, moreso Jesus, who was considered a Rabbi, to talk to, or say anything good about Samaritans. But Jesus would defy this on many occasions(Luke 10:33-34, John 4:7, Luke 17:15-18).

Jesus did not come to conform to, or obey human traditions and barriers.

He simply came to seek and to save the lost.

He broke all the barriers.

MEMORY VERSE
"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

QUESTIONS

1. Have your past, lineage, class, education, wealth, needs, people’s expectations and other societal metrics, become barriers between you and our Lord Jesus Christ?
2. Why not step over and beyond those barriers today? He has broken all barriers.

PRAYER TIP
Pray and ask God to break all barriers that prevent you from having a fruitful relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Written by:
BENNY MALM
For:
TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL

Credits: “Introduction to the New Testament” by Mark Allan Powell.