Over the next several weeks we are going to think about giving thanks to God. It is good for us to consider this at this time of the year as we will soon celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. But our focus on thanksgiving will help us remember that we are to give thanks to God all of the time, on every day of the year.
Our scripture for today is from Luke 17.1-19. “Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The following are some lesson points that I presented to the Church Board last night. Now we are all on the same page.
- This story described ten lepers, nine Jews and one Samaritan. Leprosy was a term used for a variety of skin diseases, some more threatening than others. Lesson: We all have problems and challenges with some being more severe than others.
- All ten of them called on Jesus for pity and healing. His reputation of having the power to heal preceded him. Lesson: We all need to recognize the power of God to heal and call on him in prayer.
- When he told them to go to the priests, the went in faith even though they had not yet been healed. Lesson: When we pray we must have believing faith that he will answer our prayer. James 1.6-7, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;”
- All ten were healed but only one returned to give thanks to Jesus. Lesson: We must give thanks to God for all the blessings we have received, known and unknown. We should give thanks even before we receive the answer.
- Nine of them received only the physical healing of leprosy. The tenth person, a Samaritan received complete physical and spiritual saving. Lesson: When we ask for help, healing, rescue and deliverance physically and emotionally, let us ask also for God to make us whole spiritually as well.
In Christ Alone
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