Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (September 3, 2026)
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.
In this Thursday evening’s message, we revisit the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We consider what lessons Jesus is teaching us with this parable.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Douglas E. Wagner’s Prelude on "Kingsfold."
Silence
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth
stand in awe of him. Psalm 96:9
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and
just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
Silence
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s “Light of Gladness, Lord of Glory.”
1 Light of gladness, Lord of glory,
Jesus Christ our king most holy,
shine among us in your mercy:
earth and heaven join their hymn.
2 Let us sing at sun's descending
as we see the lights of evening,
Father, Son, and Spirit praising
with the holy seraphim.
3 Son of God, through all the ages
worthy of our holiest praises,
yours the life that never ceases,
light which never shall grow dim.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Noel Rawsthorne’s arrangement of “I Will Lift up Mine Eyes unto the Hills” (Psalm 121).
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh even from the LORD,
who hath made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD himself is thy keeper:
The Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;
6 So that the sun shall not burn thee by day,
neither the moon by night
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
Yea, it is even He that shall keep thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in
from this time forth for evermore.
Silence
Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defence
and we lift our hearts to know your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Leviticus.
Leviticus 19:13-18, 33-34
‘“Do not defraud or rob your neighbour.
‘“Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.
‘“Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling-block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.
‘“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.
‘“Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
‘“Do not do anything that endangers your neighbour’s life. I am the Lord.
‘“Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbour frankly so that you will not share in their guilt.
‘“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.
‘“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not ill-treat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence
Opens this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul” (Magnificat).
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his Word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his Word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and forevermore!
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 10:23-37
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.’
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’
He answered, ‘“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, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”’
‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’
The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’
Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s "Faithful Vigil Ended" (Nunc dimittis).
1 Faithful vigil ended,
watching, waiting cease
Master, grant your servant
his discharge in peace.
2 All the Spirit promised,
all the Father willed
now these eyes behold it
perfectly fulfilled.
3 This your great deliverance
sets your people free
Christ their light uplifted
all the nations see.
4 Christ, your people's glory!
Watching, doubting cease
grant to us your servants
our discharge in peace.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
On a number of occasions, the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law tested Jesus with difficult questions. Their apparent motive was to discredit him or to catch him in some remark that they could construe as a blasphemy and therefore use as a pretext to rid themselves of Jesus. Blasphemy was punishable by death, according to their religious law. Jesus was attracting a lot of attention with his teaching and his miracles, attention which they regarded as theirs in what they viewed as the order of things. They saw him as a threat to their position in Judean society, something in which they set great store and which they guarded jealously.
Jesus’ response to the religious law expert’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” was to tell a parable, the parable which we have come to know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The question on the surface appeared to be straightforward one. But the narrative tells us that it was not as straightforward as it appeared. The religious law expert had a hidden motive for asking it.
Jesus’ choice of the “good guy” in the parable, a Samaritan, must have surprised and appalled the religious law expert and anyone else listening to their conversation. The Judaeans harbored strong prejudices against the Samaritans whom they viewed as a mongrel race, the result of intermarriage between the remaining Israelite population of Samaria, the northern kingdom of Israel, and the foreign peoples that the Assyrians had settled in the kingdom after they conquered it. The Assyrians had deported the upper classes to another part of their empire but left the lower classes to work the soil.
The Samaritans, on the other hand, viewed the Judaeans as heretics whose religious beliefs and practices had been corrupted during their captivity in Babylon.
The Samaritans and the Judaeans worshiped the same God. They both had their own versions of the Hebrew Bible. Absent from the Samaritan version was the Prophets. It did, however, include the Book of Leviticus from which this Thursday evening’s Old Testament reading is taken. As well as the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself, they both had the same prohibitions about touching corpses.
One of the major differences between the Samaritans and the Judeans and source of conflict between them is where God had commanded the Israelites to build a temple and offer sacrifices to him. The Samaritans claimed that it was Mount Gerizim while the Judaeans claimed that it was Mount Zion, at Jerusalem, the capitol of the southern kingdom of Judah.
In recent times, DNA studies have shown that the Samaritans and the Judaeans were closely related, and the Samaritans were not of mixed blood as the Judaeans falsely maintained. The Samaritans have been classified as a sect within Judaism.
In recent times, DNA studies have shown that the Samaritans and the Judaeans were closely related, and the Samaritans were not of mixed blood as the Judaeans falsely maintained. The Samaritans have been classified as a sect within Judaism.
The ongoing tensions between the Samaritans and the Judeans may be compared to those between the different branches of Christianity and the various divisions within each branch. While some of these tensions may be attributed to reasonable and acceptable differences in belief and practice, others are traceable to prejudice.
For someone to be waylaid by robbers, beaten, stripped his valuables, and left for dead was not an uncommon occurrence at that time. In areas where bands of robbers were known to operate, travelers would form a caravan and journey together. They also would hire armed guards to protect them. Unfortunate was the traveler who chose as his companions on a journey robbers masquerading as travelers.
For someone to be waylaid by robbers, beaten, stripped his valuables, and left for dead was not an uncommon occurrence at that time. In areas where bands of robbers were known to operate, travelers would form a caravan and journey together. They also would hire armed guards to protect them. Unfortunate was the traveler who chose as his companions on a journey robbers masquerading as travelers.
From the fact the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan were traveling alone we may reasonably conclude that they considered the road safe enough to travel unaccompanied and without an escort. The sight of what they took to be a corpse lying on the side of the may have caught them by surprise. On the other hand, it may not have been an uncommon sight due to disease and poverty that afflicted a sizeable part of the population.
The priest crossed to the other side of the road and hurried past what he assumed was a corpse. Contact with a corpse would render him ritually unclean and unable to perform his religious duties. The Levite did the same thing most likely for the same thing. Those listening to the parable would have considered their actions perfectly reasonable. In their minds performing one’s religious duties was of paramount importance.
The Samaritan faced the same risk as the priest and Levite. He would become ritually unclean if the man lying on the roadside was dead and he accidently touched his corpse. He choses to take that risk and to examine what proved to be an injured man and not a corpse. He does more than examine the injured man. He cleans and binds his wounds, puts him on the back of his donkey, takes him to what was in all probability a caravansary, takes care of him, pays for his further care, and promises to check on the man and settle any additional expenses on his return trip. The willingness of the owner of this roadside inn to agree to what he proposes suggest that the two men knew each other.
How did the Samaritan differ from the priest and the Levite other than he was not a Judaean? He took seriously the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself. While he was in a position to ignore the man lying on the roadside, he chose to show him kindness. He did not let the fact that the man was a Judaean influence what he did. He treated the man as he might treat a fellow Samaritan, as he himself might wish to be treated in similar circumstances. Let that sink in. He did not divide people into categories and then show kindness to others according the category in which he had pigeonholed them.
Jesus concludes the parable with a question, “‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’” Hearing the religious law expert’s response, “‘The one who had mercy on him,’” Jesus instructs him, “‘Go and do likewise.’”
We do not learn how the religious law expert reacted. We do not learn if he took Jesus’ words to heart.
What Jesus emphasizes with this parable is the importance of showing mercy, that is, kindness and forgiveness to others regardless of who they are. The religious law expert appears to have wanted to sort people in two categories—those who could be regarded as neighbors and therefore merited being well-treated and those who could be disregarded as neighbors and therefore did not merit being treated well.
The Samaritan faced the same risk as the priest and Levite. He would become ritually unclean if the man lying on the roadside was dead and he accidently touched his corpse. He choses to take that risk and to examine what proved to be an injured man and not a corpse. He does more than examine the injured man. He cleans and binds his wounds, puts him on the back of his donkey, takes him to what was in all probability a caravansary, takes care of him, pays for his further care, and promises to check on the man and settle any additional expenses on his return trip. The willingness of the owner of this roadside inn to agree to what he proposes suggest that the two men knew each other.
How did the Samaritan differ from the priest and the Levite other than he was not a Judaean? He took seriously the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself. While he was in a position to ignore the man lying on the roadside, he chose to show him kindness. He did not let the fact that the man was a Judaean influence what he did. He treated the man as he might treat a fellow Samaritan, as he himself might wish to be treated in similar circumstances. Let that sink in. He did not divide people into categories and then show kindness to others according the category in which he had pigeonholed them.
Jesus concludes the parable with a question, “‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’” Hearing the religious law expert’s response, “‘The one who had mercy on him,’” Jesus instructs him, “‘Go and do likewise.’”
We do not learn how the religious law expert reacted. We do not learn if he took Jesus’ words to heart.
What Jesus emphasizes with this parable is the importance of showing mercy, that is, kindness and forgiveness to others regardless of who they are. The religious law expert appears to have wanted to sort people in two categories—those who could be regarded as neighbors and therefore merited being well-treated and those who could be disregarded as neighbors and therefore did not merit being treated well.
The priest and the Levite did this kind of sorting. They saw the man lying on the roadside, classified him as a corpse, and went on their way.
The Samaritan saw the man differently. He saw the man as someone who might need his help. It entailed risk. The man might be dead. The robbers might be nearby. Someone might see him and mistake his intentions. These thoughts may have gone through his mind, but they did not keep him from helping someone in need.
The instruction which Jesus gave to religious law expert is also the instruction which he gives to us, “Go and do likewise.” Go and be the merciful one, the one who is a good neighbor to all, the one who demonstrates by their loving word and actions that they are a true disciple of Jesus Christ..
Silence
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Merciful God, it is by your gift alone that your faithful people offer
you true and acceptable service; grant that we may so faithfully
serve you in this life that we fail not finally to obtain your heavenly
The instruction which Jesus gave to religious law expert is also the instruction which he gives to us, “Go and do likewise.” Go and be the merciful one, the one who is a good neighbor to all, the one who demonstrates by their loving word and actions that they are a true disciple of Jesus Christ..
Silence
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Merciful God, it is by your gift alone that your faithful people offer
you true and acceptable service; grant that we may so faithfully
serve you in this life that we fail not finally to obtain your heavenly
promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great
mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Sydney Carter’s “When I Needed a Neighbour.”
1 When I needed a neighbour
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a neighbour
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
2 I was hungry and thirsty
Were you there, were you there?
I was hungry and thirsty
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great
mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Sydney Carter’s “When I Needed a Neighbour.”
1 When I needed a neighbour
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a neighbour
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
2 I was hungry and thirsty
Were you there, were you there?
I was hungry and thirsty
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
3 I was cold, I was naked
Were you there, were you there?
I was cold, I was naked
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
4 When I needed a shelter
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a shelter
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
5 Wherever you travel
I'll be there, I'll be there.
Wherever you travel
I'll be there.
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
I'll be there.
Silence is kept.
Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear J. R. Peacey and the editors of New English Hymnal (1986)’s “Go Forth for God.”
1 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in peace;
be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace,
in God's good Spirit, daily to increase,
till in his kingdom we behold his face.
2 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in strength;
hold fast the good, be urgent for the right;
render to no one evil; Christ at length
shall overcome all darkness with his light.
3 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in love;
strengthen the faint, give courage to the weak;
help the afflicted; richly from above
his love supplies the grace and power we seek.
4 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in joy,
to serve God's people every day and hour,
and serving Christ, his every gift employ,
rejoicing in the Holy Spirit's power.
5 Sing praise to him who brought us on our way,
sing praise to him who bought us with his blood,
sing praise to him who sanctifies each day,
sing praise to him who reigns one Lord and God.
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John A. Behnke’s “Benediction.”
The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Were you there, were you there?
I was cold, I was naked
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
4 When I needed a shelter
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a shelter
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
Were you there?
5 Wherever you travel
I'll be there, I'll be there.
Wherever you travel
I'll be there.
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter
I'll be there.
Silence is kept.
Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear J. R. Peacey and the editors of New English Hymnal (1986)’s “Go Forth for God.”
1 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in peace;
be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace,
in God's good Spirit, daily to increase,
till in his kingdom we behold his face.
2 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in strength;
hold fast the good, be urgent for the right;
render to no one evil; Christ at length
shall overcome all darkness with his light.
3 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in love;
strengthen the faint, give courage to the weak;
help the afflicted; richly from above
his love supplies the grace and power we seek.
4 Go forth for God, go forth to the world in joy,
to serve God's people every day and hour,
and serving Christ, his every gift employ,
rejoicing in the Holy Spirit's power.
5 Sing praise to him who brought us on our way,
sing praise to him who bought us with his blood,
sing praise to him who sanctifies each day,
sing praise to him who reigns one Lord and God.
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear John A. Behnke’s “Benediction.”
The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment