Good News Week 42. Good News For Those Far Away

Samaria - A region of Israel inhabited by an ethnically and religiously group distinct from the Jews. They were descendants of Jews who had married outside of ethnic and religious Jews. Jews considered them dogs. They was racial and religious superiority and bigotry. The Samaritans claimed to worship the God of Abraham, but they had there own temple, and their own religious observances. The Jews and Samaritans didn’t interact. Jews would go out of their way to avoid Samaria.

But Jesus had plans in Jerusalem.

And Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee to get there.

Jesus often went thru Samaria.

Jesus did not avoid Samaria like other Jews.

He was actually first revealed himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well.

He came not just for the Jew, but for the Samaritan, the Greek, and for you and me.

So Samaria is part of Jesus redemptive story.

He also goes thru Gallilee.

Galilee is a Jewish village. Very religious. Many of Jesus disciples where Galilean.

And so on Jesus way to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, where He would ultimately be arrested, judged to die, be crucified, and on the third day be raised from the dead, On his way to his death, burial, and resurrection, he passed between Samaria and Galilee.

Between Samaria and Galilee.

Between the religiously unclean and the children of Abraham.

Between those considered on the outside and those considered on the inside.

Jesus passes between them.

And between the two regions is an area where a group Samaritans and Galileans live in community together.

This group of folks wasn’t welcome in either community.

These Samaritans and Galileans found community together.

Why?

Because they were lepers.

Let’s talk about leperosy for a minute.

Leprosy was a catch-all term for a variety of skin diseases.

Leprosy made one unclean.

What does unclean mean?

Well, clean or unclean was about ceremonial worship.

If something was designated unclean it could take part in the worship ceremony.

There were multiple things that made something unclean.

And it wasn’t always about sin or breaking God’s law.

Sometimes it was sickness, or bleeding, or contact with a dead animal.

And if you were unclean you had to be declared clean.

But until you could be declared clean you had to separate from the community

A leper is fully aware of 2 things

His own uncleanliness

His communty is a community of the unclean

And it’s to this type of community Jesus passed thru.

Lets’ look together.

Luke 17:11–19 CSB

While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

The Stood At A Distance

Hear this this morning.

Your uncleaness seperates you from God.

God is holy.

Sin consumed by holiness.

Darkness is extinguished by light.

And the lepers stood at a distance because they recognized that their sickness was contagious and incurable.

They weren’t welcome to come around the others.

New we know Jesus wasn’t concerned about them making Him unclean. He had already earlier touched a leper and healed him.

Remeber that leper?

And what is Jesus response to that leper?

This one who is unclean.

This one who by his touch can make others unclean?

Jesu response is to reach out and touch him!

The only song says, “I was lost and undone without God or His Son, ‘till He reached down His hand for me. He had to reach way down for me!”

Hear this!

Jesus has power to make the unclean things clean.

His light drives out darkness.

His life overcomes death.

His holiness makes the unclean clean.

His holiness makes the unholy holy.

His righteousness makes the unrighteous righteous.

His blood covers our impurity.

Jesus does it.

Jesus touches us in our uncleanlness, our sin, our unrighteouness and changes our nature.

Jesus makes the unclean clean.

We can’t do it.

We can’t.

Be Jesus does it.

And everyone who recognizes their sickness and uncleaness seeks out Jesus to hear Jesus teach and be healed and made clean.

But these lepers stood at a distance.

Maybe they were embarrassed?

Maybe they were ashamed?

Maybe they were being respectful?

Maybe they were afraid?

But whatever the reason, their distance mattered little to Jesus.

Jesus is God spanning a great distance to make us clean.

And the cried out to Jesus...

Luke 17:13 CSB

and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

Have Mercy

These lepers understood their need.

They understood their condition.

What is mercy?

Mercy is not getting what you deserve or what is coming to you.

You ever play mercy?

I hate that game.

But what do you say when what is coming to you is beyond your power or strength to stop it?

MERCY.

Mercy is crying out, saying I’m powerless to stop this that is coming to me, help me.

Mercy.

These lepers understood their powerlessness to change their condition.

They understood that they couldn’t change what was coming to them.

But that MERCY could.

Mercy triumphs over judgement. James 2:13

James 2:13 CSB

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Do you hear that?

Mercy triumphs over judgement.

This morning, have you recognized your need?

Maybe you’re facing a situation that has reminded you of your humanity.

Maybe a health issue has reminded you of your weakness.

Maybe a situation of work or at home or school has reminded you of your frailty.

Cry out for mercy.

Maybe its a temptation that you haven’t been able to overcome.

Maybe a sin that has ensnared you.

Maybe a weight that has entangled you.

And you recognize that you can;t overcome that temptation on your own.

That you can’t free yourself from the bondage of sin.

That you can’t stand up under the weight on your own.

Cry out for mercy.

Maybe it’s shame or guilt that holds you in chains.

Maybe it’s fear.

Maybe it’s anxiety.

And you realize that you can breathe without Mercy.

Cry out from Mercy.

Even at a great distance.

Even if it feels like God is a million miles away.

Evenn if it feels like Jesus is a long way off.

Cry out for Mercy.

Jesus is not too far that He can’t come near you.

Jesus is not too deaf that He can’t hear you.

Jesus is not too powerless that He can’t save you.

Cry out for mercy.

Jesus is the mercy of God come near.

And Jesus speaks.

Jesus answers.

Luke 17:14 CSB

When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.

Jesus Says Go

You see this?

Jesus says go show yourself to the priest.

The priest had to confirm their cleanness.

Now the guys were unclean.

But Jesus says go.

Here’s what Jesus knew, Jesus knew that when they got their they would be whole.

They weren’t clean when he told them to go.

They weren’t clean when he sent them on their way.

They weren’t yet whole.

But Jesus said go.

And while they were going, they were cleansed.

Bro. Do you hear that this morning?!?!

While they were going they were cleansed.

Some of you need to keep going so you can be cleansed.

You recognize your need.

But will you obey before you see your answer?

Jesus knew that healing was in their obedience.

Jesus knew healing was coming.

He sending them on ahead of their miracle becuase they would find their miracle on the way.

You’ve heard the song “Praise before my breakthrough”, I think an even better lyric would be “Obey before my breakthrough” Because thats the better truth.

Did the walls of Jericho fall because they praised or because the obeyed?

They fell because the obeyed.

Praising before they fell was obedience.

Praising is an act of obedience, but so is going to church, so is giving of your time, talent, and treasure, so is loving your neighbor, so is turning from sin.

You’ve got to obey before your breakthrough.

We like “praise before my breakthrough” cause that’s easy… sing a song, raise my hands, but “obedience before my breakthought” that’s hard.

That requires trust.

That requires something from us.

That requires faith over fear.

That requires us to see the reality of the situation but live according to a higher reality.

Living as if the miracle has already happened while youre still in need requires obedience.

But we’ve got to obey before our breakthrough if we’re going to get to recieve our breakthrough.

You can’t walk in disobedience and expect the favor of God on your life.

You can’t walk in disobedience and expect blessing of God over your life.

To obey is better than sacrifice.

Trust and obey, there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.

Even in your weakness and brokenness and need, Jesus says GO, because sees the miracle is in the making.

The miracle is in the obeying.

GO!

There is mercy in the journey!

And while they were going they were healed.

Stop living in disobedience expecting miracles, signs, and wonders.

Stop living in disobedience crying for mercy.

Start obeying and see the mercies of God.

His mercies are new every morning.

Great is His faithfulness.

There is mercy in the journey. Start walking in it!

Give God Glory

All ten where healed.

But one, who realized his healing, couldn’t continue to the preist without first going back to Jesus and giving glory to God.

Luke 17:15-16 (CSB)

Luke 17:15–16 CSB

But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

Maybe you’ve heard the old song, Give God the Glory and He Will Give You the Victory.

That’s good.

But we also need to learn to give God the glory because he’s given us the victory.

It’s ok, even good and proper, to shout, to use a loud voice, to fall on your knees, to leap, to rejoice, to weep, to dance, to celebrate When giving Glory To God.

Listen, when we get used to victory sometimes we take it for granted.

We don’t cheer as loud when our team scores.

I think sometimes we’ve taken the victory we’ve been given for granted.

We aren’t as excited about what God is doing.

We need to have the posture of the fan whose team hasn’t won a game in years and has finally won.

It’s joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Celebrate.

Rejoice.

Maybe you’ve forgotten the joy that comes in celebrating.

We often celebrate merely as a response to our joy, but there's also a supernatural joy that comes from celebrating.

i think some of us need to celebrate again so we can find our joy again.

You haven’t worship with abandon or praise without restraint because you’ve been going thru a trial or a storm, or life has just made you numb… HEAR ME THIS MORNING - Celebrate before you feel it because there is JOY FOR YOU IN THE CELEBRATION.

The JOY of the LORD if your strength.

It’s time get your joy back.

It’s Party Time in JESUS.

Sing, shout, dance, lift your hands, clap your hands, celebrate, for the LORD has given you the city, He has Redeemed you.

When I was a youth pastor, I would rap some and have some fun when we would open our service.

We’d often chant in that good ole Hip Hop style “Ain't No Party Like a Holy Ghost Party Cause A Holy Ghost Party Don’t… Stop”

Let’s do it.

Let’s GO!

There’s a joy there.

Stop waiting for the Spirit to lift you up out of your seat and make you sing or move.

There’s a MIRACLE in the JOURNEY but there’s a JOY in the CELEBRATION.

This Samaritan couldn’t wait.

He had to go back and give Jesus praise.

I don’t know what youre waiting for this moring.

You can be like the other 9 or you can be like the Samaritan.

He recognized his need, he recognized the mercy given to him, he realized his miracle, and he responded in worship.

Be The One

Again church i don’t know what you’re waiting for this moring.

Luke 17:17–19 CSB

Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

Not only did this man’s obedience bring the realization of his healing, his return to worship was a demonstration of a faith that saved him.

Two miracles.

Healing and salvation.

The other nine received their healing.

But this man had a faith that saved him.

This one.

This one went back to worship.

This moring i want to encourage you to be the one that goes back to worship.

You may be the only one.

You may have to turn from the crowd to worship.

You may have to let the others going on without you, because you’ve just got to get back to Jesus.

Be the one.

Worship.

We need more ONES.

We need more worshippers.

We need more who don’t care about the nine.

We need more who don’t care about laws and ritual but who care about Spirit and Truth worship.

Give me those.

Give me those people.

Give me worshippers.

Then get up and go on your way.

Go from a place of healing and worship.

Live from a place of healing and worship.

Because your obedience and faith has healed and saved you.

Get Up And Go

Get up and go!

In obedience.

In faith.

in worship.

In healing.

In newness of life.

In salvation.

In celebration.

In mercy.

in deliverance.

In joy.

In hope.

In freedom.

Get Up And Go!

Let’s GO!

The Glory of God has not been revealed to this generation of men. The God of contemporary Christianity is only slightly superior to the gods of Greece and Rome, if indeed He is not actually inferior to them in that He is weak and helpless while they at least had power.4

A. W. Tozer

Maybe the church should be more like this leper colony

Finding Community Together

Recognizing Our Weakness / Need

Seeking Jesus Together

Finding Healing Together

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