Thankfulness in receiving

Title: Thankfulness in receiving

Text: Luke 17:11-19

D.T we cannot truly be thankful if we are not willing to receive kindness!

Introduction: Thanksgiving dinner was always a big occasion at Vine Street Baptist Church in Jefferson Heights Alabama. In 1996 the Huntsville Times published an article in their paper claiming that Vine Street Baptist Church has the best Pecan pie in Alabama. In 2024 the article was now old enough to vote, but that didn’t stop the good people referring to the article as if it were written yesterday. Speaking of being able to vote, if the 1996 article in the Huntsville times was able to vote, it would definitely vote for Chester Callahan as state representative. Callahan was a member of the Vine Street Baptist church. Every year he would hold a turkey pardoning ceremony during the Vine Street Baptist Church Thanksgiving dinner. Vine Street was very proud of their Thanksgiving. At the center of this pride was an elderly woman named Evelyn Moss. Evelyn ruled the roost in the Vine Street Baptist Church kitchen, and she had ever since the great coup d'etat of 1989. Every Thanksgiving Evelyn would arrive at the church at 4:00 A.M. turn on the lights, and begin cooking the turkey. The pride associated with Thanksgiving may have begun to affect Ms. Moss. She more less believed that upon her death, Thanksgiving should be canceled, because it would never be done as well again. In late September of 2024 Evelyn would fall and break her hip. Heading into thanksgiving, she clearly hadn’t completely healed. Everyone knew she needed help, especially with putting the turkey in the oven. However everyone KNEW that Evelyn would never ask for help. On the morning of the Vine Street Baptist Church Thanksgiving Dinner Eveyln would arrive at the church at 4:00 AM as normal. However, to her shock, there were already cars in the parking lot. Eveylns shock would begin to shift into percolating anger when she saw lights on in the building. The pressure of the anger would mount as she noticed shadows moving in the building. Eveyln would enter the building and immediately be greeted by Valarie Fletcher, a 41 year old wife of a church deacon. Valarie would explain to Eveyln that many in the church felt as if she needed help in light of her injuries. As Valarie was speaking Eveyln would look towards one of the church ovens. It was at this point Eveylns anger would erupt. Why? Because the turkey was already in the oven. It was at this point the great Coup d’etat of 2024 was born. Eveyln would march through the building claiming that Thanksgiving was ruined! The turkey would be dry! The mashed potatoes would be to thin, the gravy would be properly salted, and the pecan pie would be rich enough. However, as everyone knew, Eveyln didn’t really believe this. Instead it was all related to pride. Eveyln realized the tradition of Thanksgiving would continue long after she was gone. Everlyn had become the face of being Thankful at Vine Street Baptist church. However she was far better at giving thanks than receiving thanks.

How many people are like Eveyln Moss? How many people are really good at giving thanks, or being the reason why people are thankful. However when it comes to being the recipient of thankfulness, they are far less enthusiastic.

Why? What makes it difficult for people to be the recipients of acts which they should be thankful for? Pride. It’s easy for us to be too proud to receive the thankful acts of others. Today we are going to examine a biblical story about the importance of being thankful for acts of kindness shown to us, and pride may be heavily influential in this story.

Read Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11–19 ESV

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.”

The passage mentions that Jesus was traveling along the border of Samaria and Galilee. This is notable because when people would travel from Galilee to Judea, you would have to pass through Samaria. Except most people wouldn’t do that, most people would cross the Jordan river into the gentile controlled region known as the decapolis to avoid passing through Samaria. This shows the extent as to how the Jews hated the Samaritans. However Jesus decides to pass through the region of Samaria.

Jesus entered a village, and outside of this village was a camp of leprosy. When you were diagnosed with leprosy, you had to live outside of society, so most lepors would live in camps outside cities. Year after year, day after day these lepors would not only be ignored, but people would act as if they didn’t exist. However Jesus is different.

When Jesus entered the village a Samaritan lepers pleaded with Jesus to help them. Jesus agrees, and proclaims them as he pronounces them as healed. He then tells them to visit a priest (Priests were the only ones who could diagnose leprosy or announce its healing.) To the joy of the lepors they are indeed healed! Nine of the lepors would immediately go home. However, one of the lepors, a Samaritan, would return to thank Jesus.

Jesus' response is very telling. He asks “were not 10 cleansed?” has no one returned to thank me other than this foreigner?

Why would Jesus make this distinction? He was drawing a parallel between the Jews and the Samaritas.

The Jews were chosen by God, they were his covenant people. This would sometimes make things like salvation and healing seem like a divine right.

The nine other lepors were Jews, and they struggled with expressing thanks because of pride. They proudly believed this healing was a right.

However the Samaritan knew that Jesus could easily hate him for who he is, the Samaritan realized that Jesus showing him mercy has an incredible honor.

The one Samaritan gave thanks because he was humble.

Invitation: This message is all about expressing thankfulness in receiving. However we cannot truly be thankful if we are not willing to receive kindness! We aren’t going to be able to properly accept the kindness of others unless we are humble enough to be thankful. The greatest act of Kindness shown to humanity is Christ on the cross, if you have not accepted the death of Jesus as the sacrificial atonement for your sins, then today, by all means, express thankfulness in receiving the blood of Jesus. Be humble enough to receive the greatest act of kindness ever given. In humility let us be thankful.