A Thankful Heart | Pastor Chris | 11.19.23

A Thankful Heart

Lessons from the Ten Lepers

What does biblical gratitude look like?

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

Luke 17:11-19

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

1. The Ten:

In Luke 17:12-13, we see ten lepers who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 

These men, afflicted with a devastating and isolating disease, recognized their desperate need for healing.

There are multiple ways we identify with the Lepers, but first and foremost is the doctrine of original sin.

Ephesians 2:1,2

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked.

Ephesians 2:4-6

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 

We have been saved and healed from things that have ailed us, like the ten lepers.

2. Will you obey:

Jesus responds to the lepers' cry with simple instructions:

Luke 17:14.

“Go and show yourselves to the priests.”

They all obeyed Jesus. 

They did what it took to get the blessing/healing.

3. Answered prayer:

As the lepers went on their way, they were cleansed, 

Luke 17:15-16,

"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."

4. Where did you go?:

Jesus, noting the absence of the other nine, asks, 

(Luke 17:17)

"Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?”.

5. The real gift:

Jesus concludes the encounter with the healed man, saying, 

(Luke 17:19) 

"Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well”.

The Greek, σέσωκέν, sesōken, can mean saved or made well. 

The Greek keyword for saved in Luke 7:50 and Mark 5:34 is σέσωκέν, which comes from σῴζω, sōzō described as:

• to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

• to save a suffering one (from perishing)

• to save in the technical biblical sense

• to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment

• to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance.

Syriac:

 ‘aḥyaṯeḵ(y) - saved, it also suggests “given to life” or “restored to life”.

This is the same root used in Genesis 2:7 “and the man became a living being,”

The Leper came looking for healing and got heaven.

He came for a remedy and got righteousness. 

He came looking to be clean and got Christ in him the hope of glory.

There are a lot of people who will do what It takes to be blessed by God but as soon as they get it they run. 

Are you after the healing or the healer?!?!?!?

Im not just thankful because I have nice clothes

Im not just thankful because I have a house

Im not just thankful because I have a beautiful family 

Im not just thankful because my finances are ok

Im not just thankful because of my good looks

I am thankful because 

Colosians 2:13 

When I was dead in my sin Chris made me alive with him, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us.

Colosians 2:13 

13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.c