Eternal Gratitude
Luke 17:11-19
“Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Vs. 19
Trick or Treaters
How did you do with the trick or treaters you had come to your door? Did you have a lot? We had probably the least we have ever had but what we noticed is how they came in large groups. It seemed that families got together and they went in large groups. I am always fascinated by the elaborate costumes. Some are so detailed and some so real looking. We had a zombie come in one group and I literally had to do a double take because the blood on this kid looked so real. The little ones get me too. Some are overwhelmed by the whole thing. Some of the little ones dress up like princesses and they look so cute but the ones that dress like animals, those kind of melt your heart. One was hilarious, he was dressed up like a businessman. Claudia said to him, “Are you suppose to be a businessman?” and the kid blurted out, “Finally someone knows what I am!”
One thing that struck me this year too was how courteous the kids were. I heard more “thank you’s” than I think I have ever heard. It was kind of refreshing in some ways. It felt good to hear that. Today we are going to look at the concept of saying thank you. If you are able, please stand as we read Luke 17:11-19.
Read passage: Luke 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
A New Season
You probably realize by now that it’s November. I think of this as my favorite time of year. I am a positive person by nature. I always see the glass as half full. So this time of year is encouraging to me and a time I love because I hear people being grateful, saying thank you a little more often, and expressing good things to people. It really can be an encouraging time of year.
Shut Out
In our story, there are 10 lepers. Leprosy is a terrible disease. It shows up in spots on your skin and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t make your fingers and toes and limbs fall off. That happens because of the disease but it doesn’t cause it. It’s the other things that affect your body that make those things happen. This disease allows other diseases to settle in and it makes the area where the spots are numb and usually that causes those with the disease not feel the pains, aches, and hurt that is happening in that area that one might feel to think that something might be wrong. By the time you figure out you are hurting, it’s usually too late. Now once a spot show up and you realize you have the disease, your world changes. In their day, and in our day too, you are sent to a leper colony. You see, you get shut out. Shut out from their parents, their wives, their kids, their friends, their church, your job, etc. Why, the law said it had to be that way. It was a communicable disease with no cure. The only way to somehow contain it or to stop it from spreading was to quarantine the person. People were not allowed to go near them. You might think that it wouldn’t happen to you or that you wouldn’t do that to someone you love, but you really had no choice because if you didn’t, it meant you would get it too. See it not only meant you were shut out, but you lost physical touch and contact and you were sent to a place where others had it and your were going there for life. There was no cure, no hope of getting better. This was really a death sentence. In fact, you had to announce to others you had this disease by being made to walk away from others. You also had to yell “Unclean!” around others so they would see you and stay away. Now see what is happening in verse 11:
“As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance…” vss. 11
They could not come near Jesus or any of those traveling with him. So they did what they knew to do; yell to him from a distance.
But here is the thing; when we are hurting and you call out to Jesus, your life can change. These men called out to Jesus and it changed their lives. Let’s see how.
Lessons In Learning Gratitude
What I called this is Lessons In Learning Gratitude and I would even add, from a leper.
• They approached Jesus
First, and this is a really important point to start with, they approached Jesus. Verse 12:
They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice…” vs. 12
Now they stand at a distance but they call out to Jesus. They approached him. These men were desperate. They had probably tried every remedy, every potion, everything they had heard of or could get their hands on for healing. They had most likely heard of Jesus, heard about his healings, and now see him and must be thinking that maybe he can do something. So they call out. It’s a lot like us in many ways. We try to handle things and try to take care of ourselves and sometimes we try everything that comes along hoping for help. Sometimes, in desperation, we just need to call out to God.
Ex.
Let’s look at a verse from James 4:
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:8
I want you to understand this as a promise. God promises that when we come near to him, he will come near to us. Not may come near, not can come near, not probably will come near, no, he will come near. Many times we feel we have to have it all together, all headed in the right direction and that we can’t approach him until we have it all going the right way. That’s not God’s promise. Anytime, anytime you come near to God, he will come near to you.
Ex. What keeps you away? Sin, disease, hurt, etc. Many times people won’t come to church because they are hurting, upset, confused, etc. and don’t come near to God. STOP IT!! He doesn’t ask us to get everything right and in place and then come to him. Come to him happy, sad, frustrated, angry, blah, whatever.
• They asked for help
The second thing they did was asked for help.
“Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” vs. 13
They could not do it themselves. We get to the point of realizing that we cannot do it ourselves. At that point; ask for help. See if these men just came near Jesus but never said anything, they only did half of what the needed to do. We should follow this pattern. Draw near to God and speak to him; ask him for help. And…notice their request: Mercy. They didn’t ask for healing, they asked for mercy. What is mercy?
Mercy – compassion for an offender, compassionate treatment of those in distress.
They didn’t ask for healing. They didn’t ask for Jesus to make everything alright again. They asked for mercy. What you and I need many times is God’s mercy but what do we ask for ? We ask for God to fix everything…and to our liking. Here is what they wanted; hope. Hope that somehow this horrible predicament would change. Let me throw another verse at you from Psalm 33:20:
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20
What we need more than a fix is a hope. Hope is a good thing that helps us to see beyond the moment, beyond the predicament, to something more and something ahead.
Justo Gonzalez Christian Theology – “Christian hope not only helps us live today, but allows us to love as those that do not need to fear tomorrow.”
• They Did What Jesus Told Them To Do
Another thing they did was put their words into action. They asked for help and when they were told what to do, they did it. Verse 14a:
“When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” vs. 14a
This is an interesting predicament. When you thought you had a disease the OT tells you to go show the priest and have them inspect it. Not a doctor. So they have been to a priest and they have been judged as “unclean” by the priests. They were they only ones to be able to declare you “clean” as well. So Jesus follows OT teachings here.
Can you imagine what that walk must have been like? They might have questioned something like “Why are we going to the priests?” Or even just the excitement of what might happen when they get there. A key to this story is their obedience. Psalm 119:57 says:
“You are my portion, O Lord. I have promised to obey your word.” Psalm 119:57
A key to our faith is obedience. Naaman had to go wash himself to be cleansed from his leprosy. The Israelites had to step into the water before it parted. Numerous times in scripture we are told to obey, even if we don’t understand or it doesn’t make sense to us. If you are not getting an answer from God or seeing the results in your life and in your relationship with God, it might be that you need to make sure you are being obedient.
• Stepping Out In Faith
So, in stepping out in faith, they were healed. Verse 14b:
“And as they went, they were healed.” vs. 14b
This is the fun part of the story. As they went they were healed. We are not told exactly when. We are not told when they noticed. All we know is somewhere along the way this horrible disease disappears. This must have been amazing to experience. If anything, this tells us that we just need to keep going. We will feel like quitting. We will feel like giving up. We can doubt. We can question. But we must keep going becauser God will work as we go.
Being Thankful vs. Giving ThanksAnd what we see is a miracle; they are all healed. They are freed from this terrible disease and free to go back to their families, their lives, to everything. But…interestingly enough, only one man has the sense to go back to Jesus and thank him. Verse 15::
“One of them, when he was he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.” vs. 15
Here is an important aspect of this story. We can be thankful, and there is nothing to tell us the others weren’t thankful. But only one guy expressed it, actually took the time to go back to Jesus. actually said thanks. Being thankful is the feeling in here (point to head and heart) but giving thanks is speaking it. This guy speaks it in a loud voice. He wasn’t holding anything back.
So, here is what I want you to take away from today; not just being thankful, but actually giving thanks. So I am challenging you to a 24 day challenge to give thanks. On the back side of your outline you have everyday listed starting today Nov. 3 until Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 28. Use this piece of paper and write down something you are thankful for. It can be a person, an item, an experience, anything really. After you write it down, tell someone. Also, tell God. Now if it is another person, go and tell them and tell them that you are thankful for about them. If is is something else, find someone to share your thankfulness with. It can be someone different every day or the same person. The point is that you are not only being thankful but you are giving thanks.
