A Thankful Attitude
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TESTING OURSELVES
TESTING OURSELVES
The definition for gratitude: To show that a kindness received is valued. Let’s analyze whether our thankfulness is genuine or out of obligation. Think back to the last time we were at the building in worship. What was going through y our mind as you parked your car, got out, strolled into the building, passed through the lobby, picked up a bulletin and sat down? Truthfully, what was at the center of your heart? Did any of these thought enter your mind?
What am I going to get today?
Am I going to be encouraged?
Will I like the minister’s message?
I wonder who’s sing today.
Will I be glad I came?
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.”
SAY IT IN A SENTENCE
Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces my sinful tendency to complain and thereby release joy and blessing into my life.
This passage teaches powerful lessons,—on how to have needs met and the other on gratitude.
Jesus went toward Jerusalem (v.11).
The lesson on need: ten lepers are healed (v.12-14).
The lesson on gratitude (v.15-19).
Jesus went toward Jerusalem. His face was set to fulfill His purpose on earth: to die for man.
There were some things that led to their healing:
There were some things that led to their healing:
They were desperate.
They were desperate.
The men had leprosy, the most feared disease of that day. They met Jesus as He was entering the city, coming in from a long journey. The lepers had no idea where He was going: He could have been heading for an important meeting, or He could have been tired and exhausted, or He could have had no time for interruptions; but the lepers did not care. They were so desperate they would interrupt Him no matter what.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
They were humble.
They were humble.
They “stood afar off.” They respected the law which demanded they stand at least six feet away from a person. These lepers were, of course, many yards away from Jesus because of the large crowd following Him. They showed a great respect for the law by remaining on the outskirts of the crowd. On other occasions those seeking healing had ignored the law, bursting through crowds and running up to Jesus. Jesus was bound to note their humility and their acknowledgment of being unclean.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
They cried out for mercy.
They cried out for mercy.
They did not ask only for physical healing; they asked for spiritual healing, for the forgiveness of sins as well. They cried out for mercy upon all of their being.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
They believed and obeyed.
They believed and obeyed.
Jesus did not heal the lepers immediately. There were things they had to do, instructions that had to be obeyed to have their needs met.
They were to obey the law, go to the priest and report that they had been cleansed. If they obeyed the law and believed the Lord’s Word (promise of cleansing) they would be cleansed. Now note: they were cleansed “as they went.”
Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
The Lesson
The Lesson
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.”
There are points to note on the lesson of gratitude.
All the lepers were blessed and should have been thankful. This was true of the ten lepers, and it should be true of every man. Every one of the ten should have turned back and given thanks. They had all been blessed by Christ.
Their need had been met: they had all been healed. They now needed to turn back and give thanks and show appreciation.
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
One did give thanks:
· He glorified God immediately. He shouted at the top of his lungs with the loudest voice possible. He witnessed for God. God had cleansed him and he wanted all to know the great mercy and love of God.
· He worshipped Jesus. Note that he fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus. This was both humility and recognition of the power of God in Christ, two essentials for true spiritual cleansing (salvation, Luke 17:19).
· He was a Samaritan, the most despised and rejected of the men.
Most did not give thanks. They kept going about their business at hand. They did not stop what they were doing nor return to the Lord to give thanks. They returned to their former world, the lives they used to live.
There is a lesson in the behavior of the lepers. Christ expects us to return to Him continually, to return, glorify, and worship Him as the Source of our power and strength for life.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
The most rejected was the most thankful. It means that he was a “stranger from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”
remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION
Am I a thankful person? More than 250 years ago Matthew Henry wrote these words in his diary after he was robbed of all the money had in the world. “Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, let me be thankful that although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed not I who robbed.” Am I a thankful person?
Am I seeing the blessing of thankfulness in my life? Do I know the joy that comes with gratitude? Or is my life like a wilderness? What percentage of my though life is focused on good, positive, praiseworthy things? How often do I go out of my way to recognize with gratitude a person that God has used to bless me (a parent, neighbor, friend or church member/leader?)
Am I choosing thankfulness over complaining moment by moment? Gratitude is one moment at a time. Am I choosing thankfulness now at this moment? Remember, attitudes are patterns of thinking formed over a long period of time. But those long periods of time accumulate moment by moment and choice by choice. Let us choose to be thankful—moment by moment!
FIVE THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR
Before going to bed —write down 5 things you are thankful for. Lay your head down with gratitude on your mind. When you get up in the morning, read what you wrote. In doing so, you will be on your way to flying high all day!