The One Who Came Back
The Upside Down Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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ENGAGE
Photo
1972 - Photographer Nick Ut - Vietnam
9 year old girl, Kim, naked, napalm screaming and torn off her clothing to get themoff her skin .
Nick took photo, then helped her to the hospital and stood by her side
He gave her the gift of a future in a time of despair
There has been some debate about who actually took the photo, but the relationship is real.
Photo of modern day
She had 17 surgeries over the years to repair the damage
She kept in touch with UNCLE UT as she affectionately called him
Spent the rest of her life coming back to thank the one who saved her life
TRANSITION:
That life long bond is beautiful, but its rare.
In our modern lives, we are often more likely to receive something we need and then move on with our lives, not even giving a thought to those who helped us on the way.
TENSION
We as a people are transactional.… we have a problem, we search for a quick fix.
We are content with that.
We are caught up in the blessing that we forget the source, the one who rescued us, or solved the problem.
Once the problem is solved, we simply go on our way and never look back.
TRANSITION:
This transactional mindset keeps us from experiencing a deeper, more meaningful life.
title
It’s a problem that Jesus exposes in a powerful encounter on the road to Jerusalem when he met THE ONE WHO CAME BACK.
TRUTH
Alright church, turn with me to Luke chapter 17 verse 11.
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
Jesus is in no man’s land between two very different areas, with very different people groups.
Extreme cultural and religious differences.
Violent and hate filled history between the Jewish people and the Samaritans.
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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.”
a. the desperate plea
These were the ultimate outcasts
in a no man’s land
at a distance
longing for mercy and connection
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14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
b. the healing on the way
All 10 received the gift and had the faith to believe it.
Started with obedience
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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.
c. the one who returned
All 10 were healed, but 9 of them focused on the destination, the restoration of the life they left behind....things were NORMAL NOW.
One of them comes back when he realizes he is healed, instead of going to the temple to see the priest.
I am going to call this guy Leonard since the Bible doesn't tell us his name.
Now Leonard interrupted his journey to return to the source of the healing.
This wasn't just a polite thank you, this was a loud voice of praise.
He was used to shouting IM UNCLEAN BECAUSE OF MY DISEASE, but now he’s shouting, IM CLEAN BECAUSE OF JESUS.
Leonard also took a posture of praise, flat on his face at Jesus’ feet.
We also find out that Leonard was a Samaritan.
Remember the Jewish people and the Samaritans did not get along at all.
a good Jew wouldn’t even hang out near a Samaritan.
Not only was he unclean because of the lepracy, but he was also unclean because he was an outsider.
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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.”
the piercing question
Jesus’ questions reveal that he desires more than to heal.
It was way more than just a transaction.
He desires a relationship with the healed.
Leonard’s faith had made him “WELL”.
The Greek word for “WELL” is SOZO which can also be translated “SAVED”.
The 9 were CURED by obeying and going to see the priest in the temple......
but Leonard was made “WELL” by returning to the Highest Priest, the creator, the sustainer, the life given.
He was both physically healed, just like the 9 others, but he was also spiritually made whole because of his faith in the healer and the gratitude he showed.
TRANSITION:
This encounter between Leonard and Jesus is the UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM in action.
The 9 insiders received a miracle and missed the point.
The 1 outsider received the miracle AND met the messiah.
APPLICATION
What made the difference? What separates the one from the 9?
He moved from entitlement to gratitude.
He remembered that he was a foreigner, healed by a Jew.
He turned his gratitude into worship.
He didn't just get the gift, he got the giver.
TRANSITION:
When a church is filled with people who understand these things, it is not a group of PASSIVE CONSUMERS, but it is an ACTIVE, VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF WORSHIPPERS, who know the GIVER OF ALL GIFTS.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Acceptable Worship:
A life defined NOT by what you can get, but what you can give back.
A loud, joyful public gratitude for what Jesus has done for you.
Authentic worship
Contagious gratitude and praise of the one who left the 99 to save the ONE.
When he rescues us, we have to be one of the ones who comes back to him.
TRANSITION:
That's the vision, it has to start with a personal decision to turn around and come back to the HEALER.
INSPIRATION/REFLECTION
the quote
Kim, the Napalm girl showed gratitude for the man who helped save her life
How do we get to that point?
NEXT STEPS
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
next steps
We need to identify our benefits that we have taken for granted.
And we cannot forget them.
The fact that we have been saved.
The things of the earth that we have been saved from because we were saved and called to a holiness lifestyle.
We have hope in ETERNAL LIFE.
We need to turn back to him.
We need to take a specific intentional time daily to turn back in prayer and worship.
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We need to give thanks to our Savior, our healer, our Lord.
Just like Kim developed the relationship with Uncle Ut,
and Leonard developed a relationship with Jesus,
we need to complete the circle of gratitude and come back to our healer.
This week, I would like for each of us to spend time with Jesus, but I also want to do something else.
I want to challenge each of us to reach out to a person who has been a channel of God’s blessing to you as you have walked with Christ.
Express your gratitude to them for being there for you.
