Attitude of Ingratitude (Luke 17:11-19)

Ingratitude = forgetfulness of or poor return for kindness received; the lack of proper appreciation or thanks for something, the state of being ungrateful.

The Condition of the Lepers (vs.12)

They Were Sick (vs.12) (Lepers)

Leprosy is an infectious disease causing the flesh to decay. It generally began with pain in certain areas of the body with numbness soon to follow. Soon the skin in such spots loses its original color and would become think, glossy, and scaly. As the sickness progresses, the thickened spots become dirty sores and ulcers due to poor blood supply. The skin around the eyes and ears would begin to bunch and fingers and toes would fall off or be absorbed. Nothing evoked more fear or more dread than lepers. They were called the “walking dead.” The smell of decaying flesh would announce a lepers coming before the tattered leprous rags would be seen, or the hoarse raspy exclamation of “Unclean, Unclean” could be heard. The leper would stumble with toeless feet, wander about with blind eyes and moan with a cheekless mouth. Large number of deformities happen from loss of pain sensation due to extensive nerve damage. One could pick up a cup of boiling water without flinching. With no sense of touch or pain, they tend to injure themselves or be unaware of injury caused by something outside themselves. Some had their fingers eaten by rats in their sleep because they were totally unaware of it happening; the lack of pain receptors could not warn them of danger. (Romans 1:21 Foreshadowing)

Leviticus 13:42-46 “And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead. Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head. And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”

Although you could see the effects of the leprosy on the outside, the sickness was on the inside.

Leprosy is a picture of sin.

Sin corrupts.

Sin makes you unclean.

Sin can injure you or others around you.

Sin can effect you without you even knowing it.

Sin can blind you from danger.

Sin makes you a dead man walking.

Sin is a heart problem (on the inside). You get the heart right, the plague will be gone and the side effects of sin.

(Rag example)

Our righteousness is as filthy rags

The Were Separated (vs.12) (stood afar off)

Leviticus 13:42-46 “And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead. Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head. And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”

Those that are unclean are separated from those that are clean; those that are clean are separated from those that are unclean.

Sin is Contagious

Leprosy is spread by multiple skin contacts, as well as by droplets from the upper respiratory tract, such as nasal secretions that are transmitted FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

Adam’s Fall (personally)

Contagious to the saved

2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

Psalms 1:1 “Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

Sin Corrupts

Those that have a garment filled with the leprosy must have that garment burned.

Leviticus 13:49-52 “And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days: And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean. He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.”

Sin Casts Out

Leviticus 13:46 “All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”

Being unclean puts you out of the camp where the clean people are.

They Were Searching (vs.13)

They knew their condition and wanted help!

Those that were clean couldn’t help them and the sick couldn’t heal the sick cause they’d probably get sick again. How could they get cleansed?!?!

The Coming of the Lord

Mark 2:17 “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:12-13 “And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.”

The Concern of the Lord (he saw them)

The Command of the Lord (go shew yourselves)

lepers responded to the word of Christ in faith, trusting that He would heal them.

The Cleansing of the Lepers (vs.14)

Cleansed - (of a leper) to purify by curing

Ephesians 2:11-13 “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions!

Mark 5:29 “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.”

(White rag!) We got knew garments!

Adam and Eve’s animal covering.

Robe of righteousness (We might be made the righteousness of God in him!)

Revelation 19:11-14 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”

The Comprehension of the Leper (vs.15) (saw he was healed)

When you get cleansed, you’ll know it!!!!

1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

2 Timothy 1:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

The Commending of the Leper (vs.15) (turned back, glorified God, fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks)

Psalms 100 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.”

Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

The Contemplating of the Lepers (vs.17) (those that are saved)

All ten lepers got cleansed, yet only one come back to thank Christ for what he had done.

Why in the world didn’t the other 9 come and thank Christ?

Why wouldn’t you thank God for everything that you have? We deserve nothing but hell, yet he’s giving us everything but that!

The Concern for the Lost

Romans 1:18–32 KJV 1900

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The leper, when cleansed, turned to Christ, glorified God, and gave him thanks.

God has put into the heart of every man that he is real.

Those that are sin sick know deep down that God is their only hope of cleansing.

By not glorifying God and thanking Him, their heart gets more and more wicked. (Man loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.)

Psalms 150:6 “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.”