The 10 Lepers

Lk. 17:11-19

Say: From the time we are tiny children, our parents are constantly reminding us to have good manners. When you ask for something, what do your parents always tell you to say? Please. And when you receive something, what are you supposed to say? Thank you.

When your parents remind you to say “please” and “thank you” they are helping you to understand thankfulness. Let’s say you receive a gift you really wanted for Christmas. You are probably very happy that you have received the gift. But being thankful takes it a step further: you’re not just happy that you HAVE the gift, you are filled with thankfulness to the giver as well. You think of all the giver had to do to make sure you could get the gift. They took the time to go shopping. They paid for it. They wrapped it in pretty paper. And because you are so amazed by the giver’s generosity and love, you freely show your thankfulness by giving them a big hug, or saying “thank you” over and over, or writing a note and sending it in the mail.

In Luke 17 we have recorded for us a story concerning ten lepers. The Bible says that why Jesus...

Luke 17:11–19 NASB95

While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”

There are many lessons that we can learn for this story.

We can see hear how Jesus values the least, poor, broken. the law of God required these men to live alone outside the city

Leviticus 13:45–46 NASB95

“As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ “He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

so we can understand the reason why the lepers cried for mercy. They were in desperate need & their only hope was Jesus. APPLICATION: When Jesus gave His life for you and me, His blood healed us from a disease much more hideous than leprosy. Like a terrible disease, sin ruins us.

Sin is a great spiritual need that requires healing. We seem to recognize physical needs better than spiritual needs. When we’re hungry, we eat. When we’re sick, we go to the doctor. When we’re tired, we sleep.

In each of our lives, there are sins like hate, anger, greed, lying, and selfishness. Just like leprosy is a physical disease, these sins are spiritual diseases that need to be healed. And Jesus wants to heal them! He wants us to call out to Him for help, just like the ten lepers called out to Him for help. Call out in belief, repentance, baptism, obedience. so he can heal us from our sin sickness.

So Jesus honors their faith by healing them. I say faith because it took faith to return to the priest who they had already seen when they were first struck with this terrible disease.

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

These lepers certainly believe he was able and so they sought him and did what he said and Jesus rewarded their faith. Oh if we too would have such faith where we believed, called out to Jesus and did what he said. Oh for a faith will not shrink.

Then the focus of the story moves to the one leper. Of the ten only one leper when he realizes he is healed comes back to say thank you and the text tells us that fell on his knees and glorified God with a loud voice. Had the others not appreciated what was done? Maybe they had loved ones who they had not seen for some years and they were eager to see them. Maybe they were just determined to do what Jesus had said and were bent on getting there. For whatever reason they did not return. I wonder what is keeping you from giving thanks and glorifying God. You see...

like the one leper who returned, we should worship, praise, and thank God at all times. We can do this when we’re alone, but God also wants us to give thanks to Him publicly and with other believers.

The same question could be asked of us today: “Why aren’t these people giving Me thanks?” Jesus has given us the unbelievable free gift of forgiveness. We didn’t have to do anything to earn it. Even though our sin deserves to be punished, Jesus took that punishment for us when He died on the cross. How many of you think that’s the biggest, best gift we will ever receive?

But the problem is, many people accept the free gift of forgiveness and never do anything to show their THANKFULNESS to Jesus.

How can we live a faithful life 1 Thess. 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB95

in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Keep a daily blessing journal (little things)

Create a habit (rhythm) of thanking God Ps. 92:1-2

Psalm 92:1–2 NASB95

It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night,

a.m. = love p.m. = God’s faithfulness

set an alarm Ps. 119:164

Psalm 119:164 NASB95

Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous ordinances.

imagine if we thanked God 7 times a day like the psalmist

Obedience & faithfulness John 14:23

John 14:23 NASB95

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

not a shallow put a check mark on the list. I'm talking about a genuine obedience that stems from love devotion and thankfulness to God.

1. The question you need to answer is: are you numbered among the nine or

with the one?