The Seeker (Glorious day!)

Teenagers

A few weeks back, I took Ben to get a smart phone. His grades were finally passing and he had kept his nose clean. When we got to the store, I began to look around for the bargain. I wanted to get him a decent phone that had plenty of functionality while keeping the price manageable.

My intention was not the same as my son’s. Has anyone here ever experienced that?

When Ben walked into the store, he zeroed in on his target. the Iphone 6s. He wanted the Iphone X but with a price point of $1,000 he was willing to compromise with the Iphone priced at $250.

Needless to say, when I found a phone that seemed like a good all around deal, my son was not exactly thrilled with the prospect. He had his heart set on other things and, because of those things, he was not thankful or grateful. In fact, he showed much the opposite. A touch of apathy and what appeared to be a bit of resentment.

The Lepers ()

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Luke 17:11–19 CSB

While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

Historical context

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Let me see if I can set the stage a bit here. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for crucifixion. He and the disciples are passing through a village when he is approached by a group of lepers at a distance.

Lepers were considered ceremonially unclean and due to the nature of their disease, they would never be clean. Leprosy is also contagious so leper colonies were typically outside villages and towns, kept at a distance.

Beyond that, we find that one of these lepers is a Samaritan in verse 16. There was a huge rift between Samaritans and Jews going back at least 400 years before this. Samaritans believed that their place of worship was the true place of worship. That was Mt. Gerizim. This was where it was believed Joseph was buried, where Abel made his first altar, where Noah made the sacrifice after the flood, where Isaac was to be sacrifices, and where Abraham met Melchizedek. They believed so thoroughly in this that in 6 A.D. they deposited human skulls in the temple in Jerusalem to desecrate it.

On the flip side, Jews believed that Samaritans were a mixed breed of Israelites and repopulated groups from Assyria when Israel feel to Assyria during the time of Kings and Chronicles. So these weren’t true Jews. They were considered Gentiles with no ties to the true God or true worship. Obviously, the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans was strained.

Given that the Samaritan leper was ostracized by society for being a Samaritan and a leper, I can only imagine how lonely his existence may have been. Even the other lepers could look down on this one.

In verse 14 Jesus tells the lepers to go show themselves to the priests as having been healed. So, there is this initial move of faith in all the lepers. This is where the lepers would have parted company. The Jewish lepers would head to the temple in Jerusalem and the Samaritan leper would head to Mt. Gerizim. This is also something that was prescribed by Levitical law in Leviticus chapter 14. We won’t go into that today but suffice it to say that if someone was healed of a skin disease they were to bring two doves and some hyssop to the priest. He would pronounce them clean, release one bird symbolizing the freedom of the healed, and kill the other and sprinkle the blood on the individual to symbolize the death that they were rescued from. This was for physical healing.

Interestingly, as the men were walking they received healing. Yet the only one that returned was the Samaritan. This man did a few things. First, he returned to the source. He wasn’t satisfied with the gift, he wanted to meet the giver. Secondly, he raised his voice in praise to the Lord, giving glory to God. Lastly, he worshiped with thanksgiving in his heart.

This man had been restored to society. He would be able to go back to his village and his family. He could freely worship at the temple on Mt. Gerizim. This was important as the Passover was approaching. He was physically healed.

After asking after the other lepers, Jesus tells this man to get up. He tells him his faith has saved him. Now, we can miss something here if we don’t read these passages carefully. He was already healed of his skin disease and we could easily dismiss what Jesus is telling him as just that. I have heard people use this passage as justification that if we just have enough faith, God will give us the healing that we are after. But, that seems off as this man was already healed.

Leviticus chapter 14 has one more set of requirements. The recently healed person was to bring two male lambs to the temple on the eight day after they were healed. These lambs were to be sacrifices as a guilt and sin offering. They were atoning sacrifices.

So, here we have a picture of a man healed of his leprosy and Jesus heading to Jerusalem to be the atoning sacrifice for mankind. This man had met his salvation. His spiritual healer as well as his physical healer.

Tells of the ceremonial law that must take place when someone is found healed of their skin affliction.

I think it’s crucial that we acknowledge that we can experience God’s work of grace and still miss salvation. And it blows me away that, not only did the 9 not return to Jesus, they didn’t even send their appreciation. Not sure about you but if someone had healed me of a cold, and did it for free, I might feel inclined to thank that person. Then again, how often do we take the blessings of the Lord for granted?

Psalm 107:8 CSB

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love and his wondrous works for all humanity.

Ps 107:

Are we quick to pray and slow to praise? Are we content to enjoy the gift while forgetting the Giver?

We’ve talked about the Levitical law and I think it is important to point out that the other men, I’m sure, continued to the temple to follow the letter of the Law and yet this is not what pleased Jesus. We can play on a band, lead a prayer, join a life group, help a community and still miss the point.

Psalm 51:15–17 CSB

Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.

For the redeemed, there really is only one option. If we have been saved then our desire, our craving, should be for the one who has saved us. If we have a true grasp on what God has done for us then there is no other response that is appropriate than that of gratitude, thankfulness, repentance, and the glorification of our redeemer.

Regardless, for the redeemed, there really is only one option. If we have been saved then our desire, our craving, should be for the one who has saved us. If we have a true grasp on what God has done for us then there is no other response that is appropriate than that of gratitude, thankfulness, repentance, and the glorification of our redeemer.

So, today, let us bring our gratefulness to worship. Let’s individually open our hearts and our talents to Him who has given all to us. Let’s pray.