Title: Jesus Does Not Judge People by Appearance
Scripture: Luke 9:51–56
There is always conflict and disagreement wherever people live. People fight because of religion, race, politics, and many other reasons. They often hate and treat each other badly. It seems to be a natural habit.
Even the Jewish people who believed in God for a long time lived like that. Even Jesus’ disciples, who followed Him and listened to His good teachings, were not different. They also had prejudice and acted unfairly.
In today’s passage, we see that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, but the Samaritan people did not welcome Him. From this one event, we can see many things. There were problems between religions, races, and regions. We can imagine how deep those divisions were.
But Jesus came into that divided world. He didn’t avoid the conflict. Instead, He walked right into it. Through what Jesus did, we can learn about who God is.
First, God accepts all people.
In verse 50, Jesus says, “He who is not against you is for you.” That shows us that even if someone is not clearly with you, they can still be on your side. And in verse 53, we see that even though the Samaritan people rejected Jesus, He did not hate them.
Jesus did not take the side of the Jewish people or act like an enemy to the Samaritans. He went beyond such divisions. He had already decided to go to Jerusalem, which shows His strong purpose. But even with a clear goal, Jesus did not ignore others along the way. His journey was also important.
He was not the kind of person who only cared about the result. He cared about the process and how He treated people along the way.
That’s why He chose to go to a Samaritan village. Even though Samaritans were looked down on because of their race and history, Jesus saw them as part of God’s family. In another Gospel, Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman. That shows again how He welcomed everyone.
Whether people accepted Him or rejected Him, Jesus loved them all.
Second, God is fair.
Jesus treated the Samaritans fairly. He didn’t judge them based on their race, religion, or hometown. Even when they rejected Him, He did not respond with anger or hate.
Jesus loved not only those who followed Him but also those who rejected Him. This is greater than what He said in verse 50. It is a deep, unconditional love. God’s Word also teaches the same.
- Deuteronomy 10:17–19 says that God does not look at appearance or take bribes. He cares for orphans, widows, and foreigners.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7 says that God is fair and does not show favoritism.
- Matthew 5:45 says God gives sun and rain to both good and bad people.
- Colossians 3:25 says that God repays those who do wrong, and He does not judge by appearance.
- 1 Peter 1:17 says that if we call God our Father, we must live with respect, because He judges fairly.
Calling God our Father means He treats all His children equally.
Third, God rebukes discrimination.
In verse 55, Jesus rebuked His disciples. Then He went to a different village. The disciples wanted to call down fire because the people rejected Jesus. But Jesus said no.
Sometimes people think their goal is so right that they can treat others badly. They even think violence is okay. But Jesus showed that this is wrong.
Even today, there are many kinds of discrimination—religious, racial, gender, age, and more. People use these to gain power and benefits. It is human nature to discriminate. People break laws and ignore ethics to get what they want.
Humans can be both victims and wrongdoers. Even Christians may treat animals or creation unfairly. Believing in Jesus doesn’t fix this overnight. That’s why we need to keep checking our hearts and changing our ways.
To do that, we need faith. We must keep trusting God who is just and fair. Let’s believe in Jesus who loves everyone equally, and walk with Him to the end with victory.
Amen.
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