The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Faith is a unique thing. It’s like nothing else in the world. With most things, we either have control or we don’t. Faith, however, is purely a gift of God, and yet, we can mess it up. Now, we know that there is nothing we can do to work faith in our own hearts. “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him” (Small Catechism). It is the Holy Spirit’s work alone to call us to faith and to sustain us in that faith. But at the same time, faith can be lost. And if someone loses their faith, it is not the Holy Spirit’s fault for failing to keep them in the faith. It is always the fault of the person. If you are faithful unto death and so receive the crown of life, praise be to God. It is all His work which has accomplished this in you. But if you fall away from the faith and are eternally damned, the fault lies with you.

It’s not that your actions keep you in the faith, per se. But your actions can create a conduit through which the Holy Spirit works. Let’s illustrate this with an example or two. If you read your Bible every day, all else being equal, your faith will grow. Now, your faith will not grow in such a case because you read the Bible. Your faith will grow from reading the Bible because the Bible is God’s Word, and His Holy Spirit is working to increase your faith by that Word. Similarly, if you go to church every week, all else being equal, your faith will grow. The reason is the same. It’s not your act of going to church which increases your faith. It is Christ’s gifts of Word and Sacrament in the Divine Service and the fellowship with fellow believers which the Holy Spirit uses to strengthen you in the faith.

So it is that there are aspects of the Christian faith which are necessary. There are things that if someone does not do them, they simply are not a Christian. It’s not that these things cause us to merit grace or salvation. But there are means through which the Holy Spirit predictably works. And when we avail ourselves of these things, He will work in us. So it is that our Gospel text for this day invites us to consider one such necessity—namely, that: Thankfulness is a necessary part of the Christian faith.

Our Lord is journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem. And as He passed along the border between Galilee and Samaria, He encountered a colony of lepers. Now, these lepers had found community together because they had all become social outcasts. They were no longer able to live in their homes because their leprous disease was contagious. And so, the Law of Moses compelled them to live on the outskirts of society, calling to anyone who approached that they were “unclean”, which was a sign to stay away. And so, it is natural that these social outcasts would find community together. They could not be with their loved ones, so at least they could find community and support together. And such was their need for community and support in this borderland between Galilee and Samaria that Jews and Samaritans mingled together in this colony of lepers.

But when Jesus approached, something unusual happened. Rather than crying out “unclean—stay away!”, these lepers sought the mercy and compassion of Christ. Clearly, they has heard of Jesus, as news of His teachings and miracles had spread throughout the land. And they recognized Christ for who He was—the anointed one of God, who had power and authority to cleanse them. And so, they cried out:

“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13).

But the trust of these lepers in Christ is shown most clearly in what immediately follows. While they were probably hoping and expecting that Christ would heal them with a word or a touch, He instead instructs them to go and show themselves to the priests, wherein they would then offer the necessary sacrifices for their purification and be able to return to their families. But notice what this does to the lepers—it draws faith out of them. They must trust in Christ’s word. They must believe that by their action of going to the priests they will be healed. It is a leap of faith. And that leap of faith is rewarded. On the way, they began to notice that they were healed. Nine of the now former-lepers continued on their way to see the priests. But one, a Samaritan, stopped dead in his tracks. He could not continue on without returning to give thanks to his healer and Lord. And so he did. And the Lord praised his great faith:

“Arise, go your way. Your faith has saved you” (Luke 17:19).

But where were the other nine? What happened to them? They continued on their way, living under the old covenant, with the veil of Moses upon them. Their faith, it would seem, was extinguished because they did not return to their Lord. This is illustrative of what happens to any Christian who does not live in thankfulness. It’s natural to turn to God in times of difficulty. When we are in great need and no one in our lives is able to help us, where else can we turn but to God? And so, in desperation, people often do so. But what about when things are good? What about when our needs are met? Do we turn to God in such times? Many do not. Many treat the Lord like a genie in a bottle who only has a place in their lives when He can meet a need. But when things are good and life is under control, what need do I have of God? Those who walk away from Him in such cases will see their faith extinguished.

Thankfulness is both a guard against this and a means to increase our faith. Notice what the Samaritan man didn’t do. He didn’t go to see the priest. And why would he? The greater Priest of the order of Melchizedek stood in front of him! This Priest had come to fulfill the Law of Moses, rendering it obsolete by His obedient life, His atoning death, and His justifying resurrection. And since this Priest had declared the Samaritan clean, there was nothing more to be done. The Law stands completed in Christ. The only thing that remains to be done is to give thanks to Him who has accomplished all things needful for our salvation.

Dear friends in Christ, the Christian life must be characterized by thanksgiving. It is necessary to our faith. For one who does not thank the Lord for His gracious gifts to us will naturally become conceited, trusting in his own ability to provide for himself. But the one who gives thanks to God for all His provision has heart and mind set on the Redeemer and Sustainer of all things. And when our heart looks to God in Christ, His Spirit is always at work to strengthen our faith. For He who has given us His own Son into death graciously desires to give all things to those of us who are in Christ (cf. Romans 8:32).

And so, let us give thanks in the good times. For by these means the Holy Spirit turns our hearts to Christ to increase our awareness of His provision and to grant us humility to recognize that we are not the ultimate provider—only God is. And let us also give thanks in the difficult times. For by these means, the Holy Spirit is at work to grow our trust in Him, knowing that the one who has provided for us in the past will continue to do so.

God grant it.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.