The Thankful Leper

Intro:

“The Thankful Leper”

Luke 17:11–21 CSB

11 While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with leprosyI, met him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed. 15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.” 20 When he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; 21 no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Now

-One of the hardest qualities for children to grasp is gratitude.

-From the time of their birth, pretty much everything is provided for them

-Children come to expect certain things from their parents without regard to the sacrifices that their parents have made for them.

-My Children Trips out of town attitude….

-We teach our children to say thank you, but often they give thanks out of obligation; not because they really are appreciative of what has been done for them.

-This is because children have an entitlement attitude---The fact of having a right to something.

-My parents had a saying for us when we were children “Boy Money don’t grow on trees!”

-They said this because as a child you believe your parents have a limitless supply of money given just to fulfill all of your desires.

-It was not till I got older that I realize the sacrifices that my parents made for me, which caused me to have an attitude of gratefulness towards them.

Then

-The Life of a Leper---

-Leprosy is a grouping of skin disease that could be as trivial as psoriasis or as bad Hansen’s disease(which is a disease that causes your nerve to deaden in your fingers and toes, which eventually causes them to fall off

-The Leper experienced emotional pain, because of the separation from society…the only relational stimulation would have come from other Lepers and castaways.

-The Lepers had to remain outside of the city walls, which means they could not go to the market to get food, thereby making them beggars.

-The Jews were not allowed to be within 6ft of them, and when it was windy, they had to be approximately 150 ft away from them.  That means when people gave them food, they did not touch them, they just threw the food at them.

-The Lepers were not allowed to participate in the religious system in Israel.  They could not worship at the temple or any local synagogue

-The Leper had to wear torn clothes, and he had to cover his mouth with clothes and yell “UNCLEAN” whenever someone came near them.

Always

-The Spirit of entitlement will rob you of your ability to appreciative and can cause you to miss one of the greatest blessing in your life.

I.  The Lepers Corporate need

Luke 17:12–13 CSB

12 As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

(EXP)(12) As Jesus approaches the city he encounters a group of lepers.  The lepers knew as people approached them, that they were required to yell “unclean” as people walked by so that they would not be guilty of spreading the disease.

(12) These Lepers were all on one accord as they shouted “Jesus, Master have mercy on us!” all the lepers called Jesus by his right title.  They called him “Master” that terms means, one set over another, a king, a commander of a ship, or a military officer.

(13) All ten of Lepers ask for the same thing.  “Have mercy on us” It was assumed during this time that Leprosy was a divine judgment from God, so these men were all asking Jesus to stop the judgment, and relieve them of all their pain concerning this disease.  They wanted to return to society, they did not want to be outcast any longer. There is interesting story in:

Numbers 12:1–11 CSB

1 Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he married (for he had married a Cushite woman). 2 They said, “Does the Lord speak only through Moses? Does he not also speak through us?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Moses was a very humble man, more so than anyone on the face of the earth. 4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, 6 he said: “Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my household. 8 I speak with him directly, openly, and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 The Lord’s anger burned against them, and he left. 10 As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam’s skin suddenly became diseased, resembling snow. When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased 11 and said to Moses, “My lord, please don’t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.

In this case Miriam was judged with temporary leprosy because of disrespect of Moses.

Jesus tests the faith of the Lepers

Luke 17:14 CSB

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

Why did Jesus do this?

Leviticus 13:9–17 CSB

9 “When a case of serious skin disease may have developed on a person, he is to be brought to the priest. 10 The priest will examine him. If there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic serious disease on the skin of his body, and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not quarantine him, for he is unclean. 12 But if the skin disease breaks out all over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the stricken person from his head to his feet so far as the priest can see, 13 the priest will look, and if the skin disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the stricken person clean. Since he has turned totally white, he is clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. 15 When the priest examines the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; this is a serious skin disease. 16 But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he is to go to the priest. 17 The priest will examine him, and if the sore has turned white, the priest must pronounce the stricken person clean; he is clean.

The priest was responsible for determining if the person was clean!!! Keep a pin in this point.

(14) Jesus responds to the request of “have mercy” with a challenge Get up enter the city gates, pass the people on the wayside, walk to the local temple, and present yourself to the priest as clean.  Now Jesus calls them to do this before the actual healing took place.

(14) “And as they were going, they were cleansed” Imagine the scene they get up start walking towards the temple, and then suddenly their skin stops flaking, their scabs disappear, limbs are healed and their appearance returns to normal.

Each of these Lepers displayed some faith in what Jesus asked them to do, but there was one leper who who’s faith far exceeded the other nine.

II. The Leper’s personal decision

Luke 17:15–16 CSB

15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

(15) Something happen to the Leper after his physical healing came he stopped in his tracks. In the midst of celebrating his new life and return to a sense of normalcy he remembered Jesus. Not only did he remember Jesus he took an action that they other 9 did not do. This Leper had his priorities right. By his action he was saying thanking and worshipping Jesus which was more important than a return to society. In his spirit he was saying I can’t go any further without giving honor, and praise to the Master.

-The Leper did four things

a. He turned back-Interestingly this Leper instead of following the other lepers to the temple to present himself to the priest stop dead in his tracks and return to Jesus.  Instead of going to the local temple priest, he came to the Great High Priest to present himself.

b. He glorified God with a loud voice-With the same voice that shouted “Unclean” he was not shouting “Clean” and all praises be to “the Master Jesus”

c. He fell on his face at his Feet-This was an outward sign of a repentant and humble heart.  This was an act of worship.  While the other Lepers were presenting themselves to the priest, and preparing to return to normal society, this Leper was caught up in the majesty of God.

d. He gave “Thanks”-This leper could not stop giving thanks to the Master. This wasn’t a temporary surface level thank you, but a truly sincere act of gratitude by this Leper.

-Now comes the Key part of this text—“And he was a Samaritan”

-Luke’s mention of this is intentional because it brings to light the proper interpretation of this text

a. The Samaritans were a mixed breed they were part Jew and part Syrian.  The Jews did not consider them to be clean. Interestingly when they all had Leprosy they were together, but when the healing came they separated again.  It was as if the other Jewish Leper’s were saying alright we can go back to our life, and you can go back to your life.  We are no longer friends, we are no longer the same.

Jesus grades the Test

Luke 17:17–18 CSB

17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

Jesus began to preach by asking three practical questions meant to cause a person do some self-examination.

-Luke did not write the response of the Samaritan Leper, so that lets me know there probably wasn’t one.  I believe this based on v.19 Jesus ask the Leper to “stand up and go”, that means this brother was still on his face praising the Master. These questions I believe were primarily for the crowd.

Question #1-Were there not ten cleansed?  Jesus knew that he healed them all, this question was used to exposed the heart condition of the other Leper’s

Question #2-But the nine-where are they?  Jesus is not interested in their physical location This is the same question asked to Adam in the garden “where are you” this is a question to determine your spiritual condition.

Question #3-Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” This was always Jesus intent from the start of this faith challenge.  Jesus could have healed them on the spot, but he told them to go and present themselves, and he healed them on the way.

a. Except this foreigner---This is Jesus way of saying my own children did not even come to give me glory….I have chosen them, provided for them, came to them as a nation first and they could not offer me praise. Therefore I am going to adopt some children outside of my own family.

b. The other Lepers were entitled (they felt owed as God’s chosen, they got used to God’s best) it was like the other Lepers were saying “that’s the least he could do, we are the children of Israel” What took you so long!!!???

In v.19 Jesus gives the Leper far more than Physical Healing. He says your faith has made you well. This could also read that your faith has saved you. This was more than just about healing from Leprosy. This day the Leper got a physical healing and more importantly he got a spiritual healing, Jesus Saved Him.

Saints The First point is “The Lepers Corporate Need” This is a picture of humanity. We all have the same problem “SIN” then Jesus gave every one of the Lepers salvific revelation. He revealed himself to them. Saints everyday God reigns his blessing and miraculous power on us for us to see. Yet we ignore, dismiss or disregard it like the 9 Lepers and go on our way!!!!

Let us be like the 1 Samaritan who came back!!!! Lord we need you!!!

Application

1.  Have you gotten used to Jesus?

2.  Have you come to just expect him to wake you up in the morning?

3.  Have you forgotten that it is him who provides all your needs?

4.  Did you praise him this morning for getting you to church safely?

5.  And most importantly have you gotten so used to being saved that you have forgotten what he has saved you from?

6.  As Christian it should not take a certain day of the year for us to reflect back and give thanks for all he has done.

As individuals, as families, and as a church let us have an attitude of Thanksgiving all year.

Let’s us enter his courts with Praise with Thanksgiving on our hearts.

Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersby illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship was capsized on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

Our Daily Bread, February 20, 1994.

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