JCSLK #43 Jesus and Giving Thanks Text: Luke17:11

 

JCSLK #43 Jesus and Giving Thanks
Text: Luke17:11

Introduction: Count Your Blessings

While on a short-term mission’s trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.

"It was the most hideous face I had ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman's nose and ears were entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, 'Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?' "

Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, "I guess you'll never be able to sing that song again."

"Oh Yes, I will," he replied, "but I'll never sing it the same way."- The Pastor's Update (5/96).  - Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.

 Far Off Voices - Luke 17:11-12

Unclean Lepers

They were stricken with leprosy, a disease that made them outcasts from society. That had lost everything, their jobs, their families, their friends, their homes, their identities but the worst thing was that they hadn’t lost their lives. They were condemned to a living death, dying a little bit every day, and dying alone except for the other lepers who were dying bit by bit just as they were.

Leprosy is now called Hansen’s disease, named after the Norwegian scientist who discovered the bacterium that causes Leprosy. Before modern antibiotics, leprosy was a feared, terrible, disfiguring disease. It causes the nerves of an infected person to become numb and with repeated, unnoticed injuries to fingers, hands, toes, feet and even faces, infection sets in and then in its latter stages leprosy causes fingers and toes to drop off and the flesh to rot while the person is still living.

In ancient times the victims of leprosy were feared and abhorrent to the healthy. Family, friends and society shunned them and put them away. Lleprosy is spread between people, although today we know that extensive contact is necessary. Leprosy has a low pathogenicity, (now wasn’t it worth coming to church today to learn that word? Pathogenicity) That means that 95% of people who contract or who are exposed to the leprosy bacterium  do not develop the disease.

But Lepers in the Old and New Testament times were desperate, hopeless people. If the priest pronounced you unclean, then it was usually a death sentence, a slow, horrific, lonely death sentence. Here in Luke 17, these dead men walking call out to Jesus for mercy. Luke 17:13 Master, have mercy on us. Truly being healed from leprosy would be a great mercy.

 The word used for master here is not the word that we think of in terms of Lord, teacher or Rabbi. This word, ἐπιστάτης, epistatēs, means commander, one appointed over a task, or people or in this case mastery over the disease.

These lepers believed that Jesus as Messiah could command and even leprosy would obey. They believed that just like Naaman the leper had been cured by Elisha, they could be cured because one greater than Elisha was now here.

Jesus hears their cry for mercy and as the master of all things in heaven and in earth, he acts on their behalf. He shows them mercy, but not in the way we have seen before. Jesus is also the master of the unexpected. This time, He doesn’t touch their necrotizing bodies. He doesn’t anoint them with clay and spittle. He doesn’t ask them if they believe. No, instead just tells them, Luke 17:14 “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”

This was the procedure from the Law of Moses, if a leper believed they were no longer leprous, before they were allowed to return to their families and society, a priest must pronounce them clean.

When they heard Jesus’ command to them, they knew, it was also His command of healing and even before they saw any proof they turned and headed for the Temple. And Luke tells us what happened, Luke 17:14 it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

They went in faith as Jesus commanded and as they obeyed Him, trusting in His mercy, they were healed. Cleaned of the death sentence written in scars and wounds and sores, on their mutilated bodies. Their death sentence was lifted as they set out in faith.

Unclean Sinners

Now listen carefully, In our natural state, we are as unclean inside as the lepers were on the outside. The Bible often uses disease, like leprosy, as a symbol of sin. Though our body may not outwardly show a death sentence, our soul is just as mutilated as the lepers bodies. The lepers had to stand far off, because of their diseased bodies and we, because of our sinful souls, are also far off from the Lord.  

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Yes our souls are like the lepers’ bodies but also like the lepers, we can lift up our voices and call for mercy and the healing of our sinful souls. The Bible says, He will hear and He will heal our soul’s diseases. Just as Isaiah wrote, we are all clothed in filthy rags, our best intentions, our best acts, our greatest goodness is stained, torn and reeks of sin. Sin has marred us, maimed us and marked us as those who are spiritually the walking dead apart from God.

Filthy Garments Changed

Look at this vision that the prophet Zechariah saw in Zechariah 3:1-4 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

In the vision Joshua the High priest of Israel after the return from Captivity, is a symbol for the nation Israel that one day will be cleansed by God’s mercy. And, praise God, that also a picture of us. We stand in our filthy garments stained by sin. Satan stands by to resist the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and the Lord says, “I rebuke thee, Satan. My shed blood has washed them clean and they have been given new garments. Robes, white as snow, washed in the blood of the lamb!”

The only way we can find mercy.

The only way we can be made clean and whole is to do as the lepers did that day cry out, “Master, have mercy on me!”

We must believe that He is able and we must believe that He is willing to forgive and cleanse. That is what His word says, Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Cry out in repentance and step out in faith and find the healing of sin’s scars, and the salvation of your soul.

The lepers outside the gate of OT Samaria, "Why sit we here till we die.

Do you remember the story of the lepers outside the besieged city of Samaria. 2 Kings 7:3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

Many are doing just that, sitting there until they die, both physically and spiritually. Just sitting while the leprosy of sin eats away at their soul, heart and life. Just sitting while the leprosy of sin scars and disfigures their spirit. Just sitting there until they die, both physically and eternally. Don’t wait, don’t let the leprosy of sin claim another day of your life. Call out and step out, Salvation comes after that first call of repentance and step of faith.

Usually, the stories of healings stop right about here. What greater climax of a story could there be? As they walked as Jesus had commanded them, they were healed. Amazing, as all the miracles of Jesus were and are. Yet, this story doesn’t end with us watching the joyous lepers leaping and running toward the Temple. Look at vs. 15

Fallen Face - Luke 17:15-16

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, 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.

One of Ten

Now we come to the real reason Luke tells us this story. Many lepers, blind, deaf, mute, lame have been healed by this, the third year of Jesus earthly ministry. If they came to Jesus and sometimes even if they didn’t come to Him, He had healed them. We never read of a time Jesus couldn’t or didn’t heal, unlike the false miracle workers of today.

Jesus’ healing of disease fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and showed the Jesus was the anointed One of God, He was the Messiah for “no other man ever did miracles like these.”

Matthew 12:22-24 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David.

But Luke’s purpose in telling us of this healing isn’t about another miracle or about the Pharisees’ rejection of the One they knew was the true Messiah. His purpose begins with this one who come back, this one Samaritan, a stranger, a foreigner, who falls at the feet of Jesus and gives glory to God in a loud praising him in thanksgiving. Only one came back, only one fell at Jesus feet and said thank you for cleansing me.

Isn’t it interesting or perhaps, revealing that these 10 lepers had faith enough to be healed but 9 of them lacked the gratitude needed to come back and give thanks to the One who had returned their lives.

One commentator I read said, “Gratitude is even rarer than faith.” – Wycliffe Bible Commentary. That is truly insightful, and it should be truly convicting.

The Tithe of Thanksgiving

So you know how today if you watch certain television programs from years ago, the station will post a warning. This movie contains words, attitudes and events that some viewers may find disturbing. And then Roy Rogers shoots the hat off a bad guy. Truly alarming.

So here it is: Warning! – This message contains a reference to tithing. I hope that doesn’t trigger any modern Christians. I know you just thought we were going to hear about thanksgiving, have a good Thanksgiving leftovers meal and go home but now that I got you in here, its time to get down to the nitty-gritty.

Because you see, these verses in Luke 17 are about a tithe. We often talk of giving a tithe but I doubt most of us have thought about being a tithe yourself, but that is what the healed Samaritan was on this day. He was a tithe of thanksgiving, one out of ten, who came back and gave thanks to the Lord.

If you are a Christian, a child of God, a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, a born again, cleansed from sin saint, then you have called out to Jesus, repented of your sin and received salvation. You have called out for mercy and like these lepers you received mercy, undeserved, unearned, unmerited grace from the Lord. Amen, Hallelujah!

 Yet, as I read God’s word here today, I wonder if my faith stops at salvation and does not continue on to fully giving God the glory and praising Him with thanksgiving.

Would I have been in the 9 that went on or world I have been that tithe of thanksgiving that came back and fell at Jesus feet?  Oh, I know we think we would be the tithe, just like we think we would never have denied Jesus, doubted His resurrection or deserted Him when they came to arrest Him in the Garden.

To really answer the question I need to know what the Bible considers thanksgiving. Look at these scriptures.  

Psalms 69:30  30 I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Praising, singing is giving thanks)

Psalms 107:22 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. (Sacrificial giving is thankgiving.)

Colossians 3:15–17  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body: and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, (because that is) giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Action in His name, in speech and service is giving thanks to God.)

Thanksgiving then is praising Him, it is serving Him, it is sacrificing myself, my time, my possessions and my future for Him. What else is could be considered thanksgivings for all that He has given for me?

Quote: Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road. - John Henry Jowett (1864-1923)

Paul succinctly states the Christian ideal life in Colossians 2:6-7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Paul is saying that thanksgiving is the capstone of the Christian life, we should abound in thanksgiving, I want to be that tithe of thanksgiving and I want my thanksgiving to be modeled after this Samaritan leper. He didn’t care what the rest of his companions were doing, where they were going or what they were thinking, He returned to the One who had given him new life and fell on his face at His feet in thanksgiving that Jesus said glorified God. Lord, help me to be that guy.  

Now go with me to verse 17 and the perspective shifts from the lepers running into Jerusalem as well as the leper at Jesus feet and now we are going to see this event from the eyes and especially from the heart of Jesus.

Forsaken Gratitude - Luke 17:17-19

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

One made whole

Look with me into the heart of our Savior as he acknowledges the Samaritan giving thanks at His feet, He looks down the road toward the Temple and the other nine are not seen coming back. Then Jesus says, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”

We don’t know how long it was after Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests, but somewhere on the road to the Temple, they were healed. When that happened, nine just kept walking, I’m sure they were glad they were healed. I don’t think we should be so harsh as to say they were not grateful as they rushed to the Temple and back to their now renewed lives. But only this Samaritan, this stranger as Jesus puts it, came back to thank the One who had given mercy and healed him.

Can’t we hear the heart of Jesus? “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” Only this one? Only this one who was not even a Jew came back to give thanks.

Then Jesus speaks directly to the Samaritan, listen to his words, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” This Greek word for whole, I had no problem memorizing in college, σώζω sōzō; to save, heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be whole.

Just as I can’t be sure of the attitude of the other nine, I can’t say that they didn’t believe in Jesus as the healer of their souls as well as their bodies, but I can say that Jesus looked down on this one and said, “your faith has made you whole. He came and gave thanks to the Savior of his body and also for his soul.

The newer translations all say, your faith has made you well. Sure that’s right though that was also true of the other nine. They were all made well. No,  I like this translation much better in the good ol’ KJV, your faith has made you whole, your faith, seen and heard in your thanksgiving has made you whole, complete in body and soul.

Will I be The One in Ten?

Well, what can we take with us today from this passage of scripture?

First, determine to be a tithe of thanksgiving. No matter what everyone else is doing you live your life glorifying, praising and thanking the Lord.

Secondly, that thanksgiving should be active, more than mere words.

 The healed Samaritan physically turned around and walked back to find Jesus. Your thanksgiving should be active, it should move you. It should bring you to church, it should motivate acts of kindness and gifts of sacrifice. The old cliché is that Christianity is a not a spectator sport, well that definitely includes giving thanks.

Finally, others should see your thankfulness. Look at us over 2000 years later and we are still taking note of the thankful Samaritan who returned. Our thanksgiving should make others take note. They should see it, So, Pray and give thanks before you eat a meal, anywhere and everywhere. Reach out to others with a kind word and a faithful word about the Lord. Join in our community outreaches, welcome new movers from our new movers lists, invite family, coworkers and friends to know Jesus and come to His house of worship, His house of thanksgiving.

 True thanksgiving requires more than just words, it requires deeds.

Quote:  Our biggest problem in the church today is this vast majority of Sunday morning Christians who claim to have known the Master's cure and who return not [at other times] to thank Him by presence, prayer, testimony and support of His church. In fact, the whole Christian life is one big "Thank You," the living expression of our gratitude to God for His goodness. But we take Him for granted and what we take for granted we never take seriously. - Vance Havner in The Vance Havner Quote Book.  Christianity Today, Vol. 31,  no. 17.

Remember what Jesus said after accepting the Samaritan’s thanksgiving.  Your faith, the faith expressed through and in thanksgiving, has made you whole.  

Conclusion.

As we close our service today, this is the question you must answer today, on Thanksgiving Day and everyday of our life. Am I in the nine walking away or am I the one, that tithe of thanksgiving, who returns and gives thanks?

Some of us today need to simply give thanks to God. Some need to do it by calling out in faith for mercy and trust Jesus to save us. Give Him your heart, life and soul as a thanksgiving offering. Some need to humble themselves before God and commit themselves to leaving a life of thanklessness and live our life so that others can see our thanksgiving to the One who saved us. Or perhaps, we just need to take time this morning to truly glorify God with our thanks. How long since your sincere faith with thanksgiving has made your whole?