The Innkeeper

This is the English-translated outline of the sermon delivered by Rev. Musubi Tabuchi to the congregations of Ashiya Christian Church and Unfinished Community on Sunday, July 13, 2025, drawing from Luke 10:25-37.

I am sure that the story of the Good Samaritan is something you have heard and thought about many, many times. I myself am at something of a loss in trying to figure outn what more can be said here, but perhaps it is enough to say that we, like the Good Samaritan, should help out our neighbors who are in need of help, without worrying about their, or our, position.

In considering the characters of this story, I find myself thinking of someone I never paid much attention to before; the innkeeper,. This person, who was probably a Jew, took of a person who was seriously injured at the request of a Samaritan; someone it would not be out of place for him to turn away entirely,. But he did not say, "We don't serve Samaritans here, please go elsewhere."

Probably because he was a shrewd businessman, at the very least.

In the book "Homo Sapiens," written by Mr. Hatari, he describes how in medieval Italy, Italian merchants would gladly accept gold coins issued by Islam, because a true business relationship is one in which both parties see each other as being on an equal footing in terms of profit, without discrimination based on personality, ethnicity, culture, or other factors. This equity is one good reason why business does have a place in the building of a better society. I am reminded in this of the words of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, who said, "Earn as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can.

Let us pray,

Loving God, make us people who are truly capable of loving our neighbors beyond their station. Give us the wisdom to always strive for this this, even if we never quite accomplish it. \

We pray this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ,

Amen.