When He Returns: Living Between the Rescue and the Return

In Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan—a story most of us think is about doing good works. But what if the deeper truth is that Jesus Himself is the Good Samaritan? He is the One who crossed the road when we were left for dead in sin, lifted us out of the ditch, and carried us to safety. He entrusted us to His Church—the inn—with the promise: “Take care of him, and when I return, I will repay you” (Luke 10:35).

This message calls us to live faithfully in that in-between space: between Christ’s rescue at the cross and His return in glory.

Key Points

1. Jesus is the True Samaritan
   • Compassion is the heartbeat of His ministry (Mark 6:34).
   • He crossed the road for us when religion and good works could not save (Luke 10:33–34).
2. The Church is the Inn
   • We are entrusted to care for the wounded and broken until His return (Luke 10:35).
   • This is not optional—it’s our mission and calling (Acts 2:42–47).
3. The Call to Compassion
   • Compassion moves us beyond agreement, convenience, or theology into action (Colossians 3:12).
   • Every believer can “cross the road” for someone else.
4. Generosity as Eternal Investment
   • Earthly wealth will fail, but generosity “sends it ahead” into eternity (Luke 16:9).
   • Our giving fuels the mission of the Gospel, planting churches and reaching the lost (Matthew 6:19–21).
5. The Promise of His Return
   • Scripture mentions the Second Coming over 1,500 times; Jesus tells us to be ready (Matthew 24:42; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
   • He comes both to judge (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10) and to reward (2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 2:10).
6. Living in Readiness
   • We are called to store up treasures in heaven through lives changed by the Gospel (Matthew 6:20).
   • Our mission is to live missional, relational, and compassionate lives until He comes (Luke 21:27–28).

Summary

Living between the rescue and the return means carrying out the mission Jesus has given us with urgency, generosity, and compassion. We are to be the inn that cares for the broken, the neighbor who crosses the road, and the Church that keeps watch, knowing that one day He will come again—bringing both judgment and reward.