The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And 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.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii [3] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Mercy Links

article:
Biblical Guidelines for Mercy Ministry in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)

audio:
Tim Keller

Neighbors	Download
Blessed are the Poor	Download
Blueprint for Revival - Social Concern	Download

Justice	Isaiah 58:1-14	Download

book: When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor... and Yourself by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert

How is the ministry of mercy ordered in Christ's church?

In the structure of the general and special office

a. The office of all believers
b. The office of Deacon

a. The office of all believers
Every Christian is bound to manifest the compassion of Christ in the love that he shows to others in Christ's name. Every Christian is a priest (I Pet 2:9) offering up deeds of mercy and service as a pleasing sacrifice (Heb.13:15-16). All of us will have the reality of our faith judged by our mercy (Matt25:35-36; James 2:12-13). Therefore, the work of benevolence is not primarily a work discharged by special officers on behalf of the church. It is primarily the loving action of the members of the church. This is the more evident when it is recognized that benevolence is a stewardship of grace, not simply of goods. The ministry of mercy is carried out by Christians individually; it is carried out by Christian households, particularly in showing hospitality. It is also carried out by groups of Christians acting corporately. The necessity of parachurch groups being formed for the ministry of mercy is an irregularity that arises from the complications of denominational division rather than from any problem with the association of Christians to discharge the calling of the general office. Christians who are members of different denominations may and do unite in associations to carry out the ministry of mercy. In the unity of an undivided church, groups of Christians formed for ministries of mercy would properly be under the ruling office of the church, and would either cooperate with the deacons of the church or be supervised by them.

Mercy is about God

Deeds of mercy provide a foretaste of God's goodness
Our deeds of mercy have a double implication: they point forward to the promise of the new heavens and earth; they also show the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise in the pouring out of the love of Christ through the Spirit. Visiting the prisoner is an example of this: we minister hope to the prisoner, for we proclaim the liberty to the captives that Christ will bring (Lk. 4:18). While the final day of Christ's jubilee is yet to come, it is already present in the saving power of Christ's Spirit.


The ministry of mercy is an offering of praise
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. In thankful praise, we bring to him the offering of ourselves and all that we have (Rom. 12:1,2). We have the privilege of stewardship, using for his glory our time and possessions. The risen body of Christ is not with us so that we might anoint his feet, but we have the poor with us, to serve in his name (Jn. 12:8). Paul shows how the offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem abounds to the praise of God (2 Cor. 9:12-15). The ministry of the Philippian church to the apostle's needs is "a sweetsmelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). The author of Hebrews describes the sacrifice of praise of the New Covenant: first, the fruit of our lips, then, "to do good and to share" (Heb. 13:15,16).

taken from position paper