ONE OUT OF TEN – 10%, A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE
TEXT:
Luke 17: 11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (NKJ)
INTRODUCTION:
- We have so much to be thankful for. In spite of this, it’s easy to get wrapped up in becoming a grumbler over a person of gratitude!
- The Bible teaches that gratitude is the obedient response of those whose ruined lives have been restored by the Master.
- Every child of God should be known for having a grateful attitude over a grumbling attitude.
- In Luke 17:11-19, we find three biblical reasons for gratitude in the life of the child of God.
- When one understands more of what God has done for him in the Lord Jesus Christ, he develops an attitude of gratitude.
THE CONDITION OF THE MEN
- Diseased. “…there met Him ten lepers.”
- Leprosy in Biblical times was a terrible thing.
- Once a person caught it, it was considered incurable, and those diagnosed with leprosy were banned from society.
- Leviticus 13:45-46 states, “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his moustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 “He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.(NKJ)
- Think of how embarrassing that must have been to be a leper.
- Disgusted with self
- Perhaps angry at God
- Consumed with your disease
- No hope of healing
- How many of us would have had an attitude of gratitude? Or would we be grumbling and groaning?
- 90% of us gripe when our lights go out, but what about those who have no home?
- We gripe about our common colds, but what about those dying with cancer?
- We get upset when the kids mess up the house, what about those who would love to have children yet are unable?
- We grumble if the sermon goes five minutes over, what about those who have never heard the precious and powerful name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ?
- How are YOU today?
- Disconnected. Notice these lepers, “stood afar off.”
- Lepers would often travel in groups together.
- Unable to be normal member of society, they would team up together – the unclean and the untouchables.
- Because lepers are outsiders, they would be totally dependent on people inside the village to share some basic necessities of life with them and to be merciful to them.
- In this day and age of computers and technology, it’s relatively easy to be “connected” with others.
- Cell phones
- Texting
- Yet with all of these technological advances, the one thing the young people of our generation crave is genuine, caring, committed relationships.
- Aren’t you thankful for loving friendships?
- Have you thanked family and friends for embracing you?
- Who are you going to connect with when this meeting is over?
- C. Doomed
- There was no real way for these lepers to be healed…they were without hope, without strength, without a future.
- They could have denied their real condition and just put their mind on other things, avoiding their real need and issues.
- Instead, when Jesus comes their way, they cry out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
- They understand that without the touch of Jesus upon their lives they are doomed to die and are in desperate need of his mercy and grace!
- This would be Jesus’ last trip through Galilee!
- He was on His way to Jerusalem to take our sins on the cross of Calvary!
- Literally, this was their last opportunity to receive life from the Lord Jesus!
- Do you know what is going to keep many folks out of a real relationship with the Lord Jesus – is that they foolishly believe, they have all the time in the world to get right with God.
- They do not understand that spiritually they are just as doomed to a hopeless future as these 10 lepers were!
- The greatest need in life is not money, wealth, or fame, but a personal relationship with Jesus…going from spiritual disease, disconnection, doom, into a life-transforming relationship with God. Has that happened to you? It can!
THE COMISSION OF THE MASTER
- Duty Initiated: Lev. 14:1-7 & Luke 17:14, “Go, show yourselves to the priest.”
- According to Jewish law, only the priests could announce that one was healed of leprosy, clean, and able to enter into society once more.
- These lepers had to go in faith on what Jesus had said. At first, there is no outside indication they are healed – they do not look, feel any different than before. However, there is the hope that, in Jesus, they have simply been healed through the power of His word.
- Now, in obedience to the law of God, they would go to the priest who was authorized to pronounce the once unclean – now clean!
- In other words, God not only wanted them to “believe” but also “behave.”
- Biblical faith is not something you simply, “believe,” but something you also must “do.”
- James 2.17, “Thus also faith by itself, it if does not have works, is dead.”
- Some folks “profess” faith, but never really “possess” biblical faith.
- They want the name of Christ-follower, but in reality do nothing to prove they are daily following Jesus as Lord…if we “talk the talk,” we must learn to “walk the walk.”
- Depravity Illustrated
- We read in Luke 17:14-15, “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them…”
- Just imagine with me that as they are walking to the temple to tell the priest, suddenly, they begin to see changes in each other.
- Skin once rough is now smooth as a baby
- Deformed body parts are now whole
- Truly, this was the best day of their lives!
- All ten lepers Jesus cleansed, but only one, 10%, of returns – this is depravity!
ILLUS: Imagine Clayton was the fortunate heir of vast amounts of money and material things from his family. His wealthy grandfather passed away and left him $5 million. His mother won lots of money just a few weeks later and deposited $500,000 in his bank account. Clayton’s sister married an extremely wealthy man. For his birthday, they purchased a brand new $75,000 dollar Benz. A week later, Clayton and his best friend were eating lunch. The friend noticed a very depressed, downcast countenance on Clayton’s face. “What’s wrong,” he asked, I’ve never seen anyone go through such a series of incredible fortunes like you.” Clayton responded, “Yes, but no one has given me anything this week.”
THE COMPREHENSION OF THE MIRACLE
- Dedication of the Leper
- Luke. 17:15-16, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.”
- Probably this leper wanted to go and show everyone what had just happened in his life!
- Yet, he takes time to return to the One who alone has made Him whole!
- The fact that Dr. Luke points out that the one who did return was a Samaritan is significant! Samaritans were hated severely by the Jews.
- To the Jews, Samaritans were the outcasts, rejects of the land and had no place in God’s kingdom. (Unwanted, unloved, undesirable)
- How thankful are you that God’s grace is available for ALL people? (Muslims? Murderers? Miserable?)
- Do you truly understand more of what undeserved grace God has freely poured out into your life…and how are you thanking Him for it?
- Declaration of the Lord
- The Lord Jesus said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
- All ten should have been down on their knees before the feet of Jesus, praising God, giving Him glory for the incredible miracle He had done in their lives!
- They had to be happy, full of gratitude for this new life they’d received!
- They are eager to return to life in community!
- They can’t wait to see family and friends!
- They desire to be a person of value in society once more!
- Yet at their heart, they did not give GOD the glory He was so due! They are so caught up in this gift; they failed to recognize the GIVER of those gifts!
- Jesus said, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
- While it is great to have experienced the physical healing, Jesus made sure this man understood not only was he physically healed, but of much more importance, spiritually healed!
- It may seem the physical is much more necessary now…but think of eternity!
- If Jesus has saved you spiritually, you have a FAR GREATER MIRALCE in your life than a physical healing!
- For all eternity you’ll be praising Him for it and your time on earth is simply preparation!
- If people will not glorify God now…why would they want to glorify and honour Him for all eternity?
- Do you comprehend the miracle Jesus brought to you at salvation?
- Do you comprehend that is the most important thing that could ever happen in your short stay on this earth?
- Are you truly known for your grateful heart to God or are you more of a grumbler?
- Grateful hearts are ones that are fixed on Jesus. Grumbling hearts have forgotten the goodness and grace of God in their lives!
- Romans 1:21, “…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
CONCLUSION:
- Would it not be good for Thanksgiving to turn into “Thanks-living” for the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ!
- Hebrews 13:15, “…by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
- A grateful (not grumbling) life defines the child of God.
- Have you returned to the feet of Jesus to thank Him for what He’s done in your life?
- Col 2: 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (NKJ)
Invitation:
WOULD YOU COME NOW IN THAKSGIVING TO GOD?
