I've certainly used it. My sense is that most in the congregation hear it as a "good thing" without really grasping its meaning in their own lives. For that reason, I try to tell the story in today's context. I remember using a local church with a huge sign that said "support our troops".  My feeling was it had completely missed the point of the good samartian story, and of most of the New Testament.

If the congregation does not hear it in a new way, does not connect with its own lives, the reading is wasted.

It comes around in the lectionary every three years so I've probably preached on it every so often if I'm called to lead a service at that time.  Sometimes though I might use another of the readings for my main focus.  A few years ago I was probably focusing the sermon elsewhere when I used the Good Samaritan as a children's story.

I used a local setting, modern day situation.  A child is riding her bike to school, going down a walking path.  Suddenly two bullies attack, knocking her down, hurting her leg, damaging her bike, and stealing her lunch money.  She lies there crying as a group of teenagers, including the girl who sometimes babysits, come down the path - chatting about the weekend.   She calls to them, but just then somebody shouts that their bus is coming.  They continue on their way.  A man comes out of a nearby house.  She calls to him, he pauses, then throws his briefcase into the car, gets in and drives away to a meeting.  Then along comes Derick.  She knows Derick.  He's in her class.  He is always getting into trouble, he doesn't sit still and listen, he gets his work wrong, he annoys people at recess - he is such a pest.  Everybody is glad when his TA takes him out of the class for awhile.  But he stops, he helps her up, offers to push her bike with its broken spokes, and he offers to share his money with her so that she can buy a hot dog at lunch.  Who is the neighbour? 

I've also told the story with a woman victim, or a woman in the good samaritan role.  I try to find something new and different in it each time I tell it.  Jesus' parables had many layers.

Ah, good one Crazyheart. Nice twist to the story.

The other thing is, if charity were anonymous, we wouldn't have to know who was what would we? The focus would only be that we should help.

I think it is important to remember that the Samaritans and the Jews shared much the same heritage.  They weren't hating strangers, but their own cousins.  

And yes, I think it is always important to remember that this story is about relationships between peoples, rather than just a nice story about being kind and loving. 

hmmm - a cyberstalker eh??

Let me try to expand a little later today. Sorry, I'm still trying to limit my "screen-staring time"

Hi crazyheart,

A few times I think.  I try to wander outside of the selected Gospel readings that the lectionary assigns.  I mean, if one only preaches the lectionary readings one is repeating the readings every three years.  Rotating the preaching among the four texts assigned to each day means that it would take 12 years to preach to every text in the lectionary.

That should keep things fresh.

How can you not?  What an amazing parable!  I love that ending, "Go and do likewise!"

Why do you need new and different?  Folk get it read to them once every three years.  If one sermon in that time was all that was needed to transform lives then the Kingdom would have been realized generations ago.

If not then there may be some that it is just sinking in for the first time.

Grace and peace to you.

John