Luke 17:11-19 - Ten Lepers Cleansed
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
Everyone wants something. Talk about a vague generalization. That is definitely one! But it is also a true statement if there ever was one.
We all want something. Some of us want a lot of somethings! As the old Veggietales movie parody showed - everyone can struggle with mewantium.
The real question is what is the desire of our heart? What is it that we really want?
Take a moment and consider what it is that you really want. Is there something that seems to consume your thoughts and energy at times.
Now fast forward and let’s assume that you got what you want. Are you now closer to God or further from Him?
The late theologian and missionary physician Albert Schweizer once stated that healing can lead away from salvation when we only want something from God and not God in the something.
In other words, sometimes getting what we want - even a seemingly good desire like healing - can be the worst thing for us. If our response is not to glorify and worship Christ, then our blessing is quickly turned into curse. If our blessing causes us to forget about our God or not go to Him as often in prayer, then it has not been much of a blessing after all.
Today we are going to be introduced to 10 lepers who wanted healing more than anything in the world. These men were social outcasts and were suffering from the dreaded disease of leprosy. Yet, once they finally got what they had always wanted, only one was truly better for it.
Let’s get into our Scripture for today and see what important teaching the Lord has for us today…
Read Full Scripture:
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance
and lifted up 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 went they were cleansed.
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Prayer
Today we will see three things necessary for salvation and following Christ. The first is…
I. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Cry Out for Mercy (11-13)
I. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Cry Out for Mercy (11-13)
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
If you recall from Luke 9:51, Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem. Interestingly, we were actually told during that account that the Samaritans rejected Him because He had set His face toward Jerusalem. Yet here He is still ministering right next to Samaria.
We are currently in His ministry in Perea as we mentioned before as well. Jesus is in the final months of His ministry before He will go to the cross.
As He continued to Jerusalem, He ended up passing between Samaria and Galilee. This sets up an amazing event that is about to happen. You see, Jesus performed five miracles during His journey through Perea that were recorded in the book of Luke. There were likely many others, but Luke recounts 5 of these. This is the fourth of Luke’s recorded miracles. The first of His miracles in Perea is found in Luke 11:14 where we see that He cast out a mute demon. The second was in Luke 13:10-13 where we saw Jesus heal a woman with a disabling spirit that had been causing her to be hunched over. And the third was in Luke 14:1-4 where a man with dropsy - which is severe edema or swelling - was healed on the Sabbath.
These first three miracles involved one person each time. However, today’s miracle involves 10!
Obviously, it seems that Jesus’s reputation had proceeded Him because as He entered a village listen to what happens…
And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
We are not told what village He enters, but we are told that as He enters the village - meaning as He nears the gates or entrance of the village - He is met by 10 lepers. We have discussed leprosy in the past, but it would be helpful to remind you all about how terrible this dreaded disease is. Leprosy, or Hanson’s Disease as it is also called, is a disease that is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It was one of the most dreadful skin conditions one could get in ancient times. Although we have antibiotics to treat it today, it was incurable during Biblical times. It is a contagious condition that attacks the skin, the peripheral nerves, and mucous membranes. It leads to significant disfigurement of faces and often leads to amputations from to lack of feeling due to sensory nerve destruction.
Because of the severity of this disease, those with it were forced out of the city and had to reside outside of the city walls. They were unable to get within 6 feet of those unaffected by the disease and were required to yell ‘unclean’ when someone was getting fairly close to them.
There were strict laws regarding this in Leviticus 13-14.
As if the physical suffering wasn’t bad enough, much of the Jewish society considered leprosy a judgement for sin.
Can you imagine how difficult their lives must have been. They had to live outside of the city. They were unable to be near any of their family. They were unable to be a part of any social events.
These 10 leper outcasts, gathered together and formed their own functional commune. They had formed their own little community outside of the village. It is likely that they stayed near the village for handouts and alms that might come their way. But this particular day was one that they would never forget. This was the day that Jesus was coming through.
Jesus had become very widely known by this time, and they recognize Him. They lift up their voices to Him and ask Him to have mercy on them. Note their recognition of the power of Jesus. They know that He can heal them. And they ask for His mercy to be placed upon them.
Oh, how wonderful the mercy of God is! Have you ever been to that point of despair where you cried out for mercy from Jesus? Our Savior is so merciful. Listen to a few verses describing the mercy of God…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
These 10 lepers know where to turn. They turn to Jesus for mercy.
My friends, this is the first step in a saving faith. If we want to be saved and if we want to walk with Christ - we must understand that He is the only One we can turn to for mercy. He is the only One who can save us.
All 10 of these men recognize the mercy of Christ. We will see later than only one truly recognizes who Christ is, however.
May we each know where true mercy and grace can be found - in Christ alone...
Next we see that…
Scripture References: Luke 9:51, Luke 11:14, Luke 13:10-13, Luke 14:1-4, Leviticus 13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:3, Titus 3:5, Luke 1:50
II. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Faithfully Obey the Mandate (14)
II. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Faithfully Obey the Mandate (14)
When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
Jesus responds in an interesting way. He doesn't pronounce an immediate healing. He doesn't lay hands on them. There's nothing outward for them to see Him do. He just tells them to go and show them themselves to the priests.
I find it ironic that the ones who are seeking to kill Christ are the ones who are going to have to pronounce these men clean! The Old Testament Law required a process in Leviticus 14:1-32 that involved eight days of examinations, sacrifices, and rituals before they could be declared clean. These priests would have to declare Jesus’s supernatural work as legitimate!
This reminds me of Haman - the king’s right-hand man in the book of Esther. He had plotted to annihilate all of the Jews because of Mordecai not bowing down to him. By God’s providence, the king was unable to sleep one night and had the chronicles of his reign read to him. It became apparent that he had not honored Mordecai for saving his life some time before. The following day, as recorded in Esther 6:1-13, we see Haman forced to parade Mordecai around the city and proclaim his honor! How humiliating this must have been for Haman, and how similarly humiliating this was going to be for the priests that would have to confirm Jesus’s healing of these lepers!
After Jesus’s response to the men, they obeyed. They passed the first test of their faith. We aren’t told that they asked any questions or argued with Jesus. These men understood the Levitical law and the need for them to go through the inspection and evaluation of the priests, and so they obeyed and went.
These lepers had certainly heard about Naaman the Assyrian with leprosy in the book of 2 Kings 5:1-14. He had been sent from the king of Syria for healing. He eventually was sent to the prophet Elisha who refused to come out and meet him and told him through a messenger to go to the Jordan River and wash seven times. Although angry at first because of the lack of respect or hospitality shown to him, he eventually goes and washes seven times and is healed. His response to this healing was to give thanks to Elisha and His God - remember that as we get to our next point in a few moments.
These 10 lepers obey the mandate from Christ. They head toward the priests, and we are told that they are cleansed as they went.
Can you imagine the joy that they experienced? Can you imagine the men looking at their hands and seeing normal flesh for the first time in perhaps years? Can you imagine them being able to feel again?
These men who were disfigured outcasts were now cleansed and made whole. Ears grew back. Eyebrows returned. Noses formed back normally. Fingers and toes were restored.
Brothers and sisters, Christ offers us restoration today as well.
He can take your life of sin - the disfigurement of your soul - and He can restore you into His image!
We were all made in the image of God as we see in Genesis 1:27. Yet, sin has disfigured that image immensely. Unsaved people are like souls with leprosy.
However, Christ can restore us. He can heal us and save us. Yet, we must obey His mandate and repent of our sins. We must respond to the Gospel and seek mercy from Him alone for salvation.
Some may seek mercy and even obey at times and not find themselves saved due to pride.
There is a faith that saves and faith that doesn’t save. Pastor Kenny Stidham, my mentor and friend, preached a very convicting sermon on Acts 8:9-40. This lengthy passage details two men. One is named Simon the Sorcerer and the other is an unnamed Ethiopian eunuch. They both seem to respond to the Gospel as shared by Philip the evangelist. They both are even baptized! Yet only the Ethiopian eunuch is truly saved. It becomes apparent that Simon was interested in himself only. In Acts 8:19 Simon offers money to the Apostles and asks for the power to impart the Holy Spirit. This man who had practiced magic and told others that he was somebody great - as seen in Acts 8:9 - had not truly humbled himself before Christ.
Although this man had appeared to check all the right boxes off and appeared as a true convert, he was far from Christ.
My friends, be sure that you are truly in Christ. Be sure that you are not a false convert.
Just because you have given a head nod to Christ and even been baptized does not mean that you are truly in Christ.
Be sure to take heed from Simon the Sorcerer as well as 9 of the 10 lepers seen in our account today.
Which brings us to our final point…
Scripture References: Leviticus 14:1-32, Esther 6:1-13, 2 Kings 5:1-14, Genesis 1:27, Acts 8:9-40
III. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Humbly Worship the Master (15-19)
III. If You Want to be Saved… You Must Humbly Worship the Master (15-19)
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
We are told that one of the 10 gets it. He understands the power of Jesus Christ.
The returning leper has a four-fold response to the revelation that Christ is the Messiah. These are important for any of us to be saved.
1. He Turned Back
2. He Praised God
3. He Humbly Worshiped Jesus
4. He Gave Thanks
1. He Turned Back
Remember Naaman the Syrian that we mentioned earlier. After his healing recorded in 2 Kings 5:1-14, we see him return to offer thanks. Even this man from a pagan and evil nation repented and offered thanks (2 Kings 5:15-19)! Sadly, only one of the lepers turned back and went to Christ. The other 9 did not turn back. They continued on their way and failed to glorify Jesus.
But there is much to learn from this one leper who returned.
We see that he turned back and went to see Jesus. This is a sign of repentance which means to turn away from sin and pride and turn toward Christ. This is a sign of recognizing that Jesus is God. He recognizes that the power of God is in Christ because Christ is God! He has encountered the Messiah.
If we want to be saved, we must acknowledge the Savior. We must acknowledge and believe in Jesus Christ. We must turn back from our own ways and turn in obedience toward Christ.
2. He Praised God
We are told that this man praises God with a loud voice. The Greek words used for loud voice are actually the two words from which we get our English compound word megaphone! He was lifting up some excitedly loud praises to God!
True believers are God-glorifying believers. They understand the majesty of their Savior, and they praise Him. They do not seek glory of their own, but instead seek to lift up the Glorious One.
3. He Humbly Worshiped Jesus
He falls on his face at the feet of Jesus. This is the response of a repentant sinner in the presence of the perfect Savior. This is the respect that Jesus deserved after such a wonderful miracle.
Humility is a requirement for salvation. If one is not teachable and one does not humble one’s self before Christ - then salvation is not possible.
And finally, we see that…
4. He Gave Thanks
There is no greater gift than salvation. This man has not only experienced the healing of his body, but he is experiencing the true salvation of his soul. One cannot help but be thankful for such an amazing blessing. An unthankful Christian is an oxymoron. It should never be so.
A quick search of the ESV Bible for the words thanks, thanksgiving, thankful, and thankfulness yields 298 results in 159 verses. Clearly thankfulness is an important concept in the Bible!
May we respond like this man. He approached Christ with reverence and respect and with thankfulness and appreciation. May we be thankful and appreciative of what Jesus has done in our lives. We were unclean, and we were sinners doomed for destruction. And yet Jesus reached down and saved our souls. Are we thankful, my friends?
Luke 17:16b (ESV)
… Now he was a Samaritan.
We are told something else very interesting at the end of verse 16. We are told this man was a Samaritan.
We have discussed the Samaritans in the past. They were hated by the Jews, and they hated the Jews in return.
Yet, it is the Samaritan that comes back and thanks Jesus. The man who had the most obstacles preventing him from coming back to thank and worship a Jewish Rabbi is the one who is saved!
Isn’t that like God? He saves the least likely to be saved!
Maybe you are one of those who have been saved that no one thought would ever come to Christ. Yet, Christ saved your soul and you are forever thankful for His wonderful mercy.
Maybe you are not saved at this point, and you feel that you are too far off to be saved. Know that Christ can save anyone!
Believe in Him - the sinless Messiah who was crucified, died, was buried, and rose three days later. Repent of your sins and turn to Christ. Place your faith in Him alone. He can save anyone!
Don’t be like the 9 that didn’t return as we see in verses 17-18…
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
We can infer from the text that the other nine were Jewish descendants. Yet, they are nowhere to be found.
They are focused on their healing but not focused on the Healer. They are focused on the deliverance but not focused on the Deliverer.
They have just encountered God made flesh, and they completely missed it. They were so concerned with themselves that they missed something much bigger.
Many today suffer from the side effects of blessing. Many wealthy people forget Who their Provider is. Many persons cured of cancer or other devastating diseases quit praying once they are healed. Many people in happy marriages quit praying once the arguments have subsided. Many parents quit praying once their kids are behaving better. Many children quit praying once they get what they wanted.
Brothers and sisters, may we not lose sight of our Savior. May we worship Him and pray to Him in both the good times and the bad.
God calls us to be a thankful people. Thanksgiving helps us remember how great that our God is. When we remember and recall His mighty works in our lives, we should be driven to our knees in prayer.
Unfortunately, Jesus’s response to many is like His response to the 9 who didn’t return. Namely He is saying - where are you?
I made you. I died for you. I desire a relationship with you. But you are nowhere to be found. Don’t be like these 9 who receive the common grace of God but refuse to accept the most wonderful gift of salvation. Don’t be like the 9 who miss the better thing.
Instead, be likes this humble foreigner - be like this Samaritan who hears a wonderful proclamation from His Savior…
And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Verse 19 is very interesting. We know that all 10 lepers were healed as we saw in verses 14 and 17. Yet we are told here that this man's faith had made him well. Friends, there is a type of being made well that is far more important than physical healing. This man was not only healed of his leprous disease, but he was saved.
The Greek word used and translated made you well is not the same Greek word used for cleansed or healed from verses 14 and 15. This Greek word is sōzō (so-zo) which means to save or deliver. This word is used some 193 times in the New Testament. And many of these times it is used to refer to one who is saved from sin unto salvation - which is likely the correct interpretation given the context.
This man has responded in repentance and with faith and thanksgiving. He has recognized the Messiah.
Although all ten were cleansed, only one was saved.
Like Simon the Sorcerer that we mentioned earlier, the 9 lepers responded to the wonderful power of God with a superficial response. It was a faith that didn’t save. Simon was not a born-again believer (John 3). He was not made new. The old had not gone and new had not come as 2 Corinthians 5:17 asserts.
But not the humble and thankful Samaritan. He responds with humility and worships His Creator and Savior. He leaves saved and justified. He leaves healed from the inside out.
Scripture References: 2 Kings 5:1-14, 2 Kings 5:15-19, John 3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 6:8
Conclusion:
This is such a beautiful account, my friends. It reminds us of what is most important. Well beyond any healing or blessing on earth, salvation is the greatest blessing that we can ever have.
Are you satisfied with Christ alone? Have you humbled yourself before Him and repented of your sins? I pray that you have. If not, may today be the day of salvation for you. Jesus is asking - Where are you? Like the prophet Isaiah, may your response be ‘Here I am’ (Isaiah 6:8)!
For us who have been saved, are you still humbly worshiping your Master and Lord? Are you still faithfully obeying the Savior? Do you still rest in His mercy and grace that is never-ending for His children?
Rest in the peace of the Lord all you who are saved children of God.
As we close for today, spend some time in thanksgiving for the salvation offered through Christ. Be sure that when the Lord blesses you and answers your prayer and meets your need that you don’t forget Him. Don’t accept the good but miss the best - namely Jesus Christ Himself.
