Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15
Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria. (2 Chronicles 28:15)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Here are the original Good Samaritans. They were from Samaria and helped these poor captives by taking care of them after their captors abandoned them. You were born abandoned. The Devil likes to fool your sinful flesh into believing that he's got all the answers, but then he slips away and leaves you on your own. Just so, all the false gods we make for ourselves leave us right when we need help the most. The things of this world don't take care of us. They give us up for dead.
Then the Lord finds you. He sends His Son, who dies for your sins, takes you and clothes you in righteousness and makes you His own. Where the devil, the world, and even our own sinful flesh would leave us for dead and abandon us, it is the Lord who rescues us and takes care of us like nothing and no one else.
Think of all the things that happened to these poor captives to help them, just as Jesus has done for you. They were clothed and anointed. You were clothed with Christ and anointed in your baptism. They were given sandals; you have been given the Gospel which is the “sandals of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). They were given food and drink. You eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus. They were brought to their brethren at that city. You have been brought into the holy Christian church.
It is the Lord who comes and takes care of us—takes care of you. He will not abandon or forsake you. He will never leave you. And He will not let the enemies of this world destroy you. No, your Lord saves you. Rescues you. His death and resurrection and the forgiveness He won, delivered in His holy gifts, mean that you who were once abandoned captives in this world are now citizens of His everlasting kingdom. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
I walk with Jesus all the way, His guidance never fails me; Within His wounds I find a stay When Satan's pow'r assails me; And by His footsteps led, My path I safely tread. No evil leads my soul astray; I walk with Jesus all the way. (LSB 716:5)