Will We Turn Back?

7/9/25 Nursing Home/Home Groups

INTRODUCTION/ABOUT ME

OPENING PRAYER

SONGS:

Glory to His Name (p. 3)

Are You Washed? (p. 22)

Tis So Sweet (p. 8)

Message:

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Introduction: Wanting Machines

· Human beings are wanting machines…

THINGS

BETTER HEALTH

ANOTHER STAGE of LIFE

Conclusion: CONTENTMENT/GRATITUDE = ELUSIVE.

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Engagement:

I LIKE STUFF...

ANYONE ELSE LIKE STUFF?

Testimony: GET CONSUMED W/ RESEARCH—LEARNING INS & OUTS of SOMETHING NEW

PRESENT—LOOKING @ ELECTRIC GUITAR

Result: WE GET THINGS— & MOVE ON

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WE CAN LOOK for HAPPINESS OUT THERE...

…RATHER THAN BEING THANKFUL for WHAT WE DO HAVE

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Focus: WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING to BE THANKFUL FOR...

TEXAS FLOOD—REALITY HITS HOME—I’VE GOT MY FAMILY

CAN’T TAKE ANYTHING for GRANTED

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WE’RE WANTING MACHINES—

—BUT WE’RE SELDOM- THANKING MACHINES

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Transition: This PHENOMENON is SEEN NO CLEARER than in a STORY from the GOSPEL of LUKE CH. 17....

I’D LIKE to READ to YOU

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Text: Luke 17:11-19

Setting: Lepers Come to Jesus (v11-13)

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

JESUS ENTERS UNNAMED VILLAGE

LEPERS MEET HIM

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Background: Leprosy

LEPERS = SOCIAL OUTCASTS… DISEASE = CONTAGIOUS

Lev. Ch. 13: 45-46 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”

CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN—COULDN’T PARTICIPATE in RELIGIOUS LIFE of ANCIENT ISRAEL

IMAGINE: LEAVING YOURSELF a PHYSICAL WRECK

YELLING: ‘UNCLEAN’!!

Relate: CAN YOU IMAGINE— A LONELIER LIFE?

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UNCLEAN,, LONELY GUYS— COME to JESUS.

**KEEPING THEIR DISTANCE**

=> => DON’T CRY “UNCLEAN” —BUT FOR MERCY! <= <=

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Transition: WHAT WILL JESUS DO?

AVERAGE RABBI—PROBABLY SHUN THEM!

SCRIPTURE SAYS...

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Rising Action: Jesus Responds (v14)

“14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.

JESUS COMMANDS—SHOW THEMSELVES to PRIESTS...

**BACKWARDS...THIS WHAT YOU DO AFTER CLEANSED!**

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Takeaway: COMMAND REQUIRED FAITH

WILL THEY BE CLEANSED as THEY GO?

SHOW UP UNCLEAN & IN TROUBLE?

JESUS FREQUENTLY GAVE BACKWARDS COMMANDS…

Ex. PARALYTIC—STAND UP

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Conclusion: ALL LEPERS OBEYED— ALL HEALED!

AMAZING MIRACLE — JESUS DIDN’T TOUCH, ETC.

LIFE-CHANGING!

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Transition: But then the STORY TAKES a TURN...

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Climax & Resolution: One Leper Returns (v15-19)

15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

10 LEPERS CLEANSED— ONE RETURNS…

Background: THEY WEREN’T ALLOWED AROUND PEOPLE

ONE LEPER—FIRST PERSON HE GOES to SEE is JESUS.

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10 LEPERS CRIED for MERCY

-> ONLY 1 LEPER CRIED OUT in PRAISE

Irony: SAMARITAN— HATED/REJECTED by JEWS

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JESUS CONCLUDES: WHAT ABOUT the OTHER GUYS??

-> WEREN’T 10 CLEANSED?!

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9 LEPERS WANTED WHAT JESUS COULD DO

1 LEPER WANTED JESUS

Common Phenomenon:

Ref: 5,000 CROWD FED— WANTED FOOD, NOT “BREAD of LIFE”

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Engagement:

WE LOOK @ STORY & FEEL RIGHTFULLY INDIGNANT

“HOW COULD THEY GO ALONG LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED???”

Challenge: THIS REALITY HAPPENS ALL the TIME...

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Transition: I’ve HEARD TEACHERS describe the BIBLE as a MIRROR.

SHOWS US WHO WE TRULY ARE…REVEALS to US WHO WE ARE...

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Bringing it Home

WE’RE CRITICAL of 9 LEPERS… & RIGHTFULLY SO.

Challenge: HOW OFTEN ARE WE QUICK to CRY OUT for MERCY

& SLOW to CRY OUT in PRAISE?

GOING to JESUS for PROBLEM SOLVING—BUT NOT GOING to HIS FEET to THANK HIM…??

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ALL of US HAVE SOMETHING to BE THANKFUL FOR!

LIFE = GIFT— ALL HAVE BREATH TODAY...

Greater: HOW MUCH GREATER THOSE W/ ETERNAL LIFE?

REDEEMED

TRANSFERRED from DOMAIN of DARKNESS...

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THOSE WHO BELIEVE HAVE GREATER CLEANSING

LEPROSY = HORRIBLE DISEASE —SOCIAL OUTCASTS...

BELIEVER CLEANSED from SIN

FAR MORE DEADLY

SEPARATES US NOT from SOCIETY but FROM GOD!

WE SHOULD NEVER TIRE of THANKING HIM!

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BEYOND SALVATION— GOD = INCREDIBLY GENEROUS

James 1:17 (ESV)

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

EVERY GOOD THING in OUR LIVES = GIFT from HIS HAND...

DO WE TAKE for GRANTED?

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Challenge: DO WE WANT JESUS for WHAT HE OFFERS…

… OR DO WE ACTUALLY WANT JESUS?

DO WE WANT the GIVER…

… OR JUST HIS GIFTS?

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NOT CAREFUL: GOD BECOMES COSMIC-VENDING MACHINE

PRAYER = DUMPING of NEEDS

RATHER THAN DUMPING of THANKS

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Conclusion:

WE ALL HAVE REASONS to BE GRATEFUL...

WE KNOW THIS...

BUT DO WE VERBALIZE IT?

I WANT to BE the ONE WHO GOES to JESUS…KNEELS @ HIS FEET… AND CRIES OUT NOT ONLY in NEED, BUT in PRAISE.

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4. Closing Prayer

5. Closing Song:

“I Need Thee” (p. 55)

6. Prayer Requests/Closing Prayer