Thursday, November 15, 2012
A Story from Luke 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
I love this story because it has so many good lessons for us.
Lesson #1 - It's always a good thing to call out to Jesus and ask Him for mercy.
Lesson #2 - Always obey Jesus. For these ten men, healing happened as they obeyed Christ. When Jesus told these guys to go show themselves to the priest, he was actually telling them, "You are already cleansed." Faith believes. Faith obeys. And as they went (or obeyed) they were cleansed. Faith that moves mountains is faith that moves me.
Lesson #3 - Thankfulness should not be a rare thing. Ten cried out. Ten went in obedience. Ten were miraculously healed. Only one came back to give thanks. Jesus takes notice of this and asks, "Where are the other nine?" What if I were only thankful ten percent of the time? That would not be enough.
Lesson #4 - I can learn to cultivate a thankful heart from this story. First, by realizing that Jesus has worked a miracle in my life. Jesus has done something for me that no one else could do. Jesus has performed the miracle of salvation in my life. In Christ, I have a new life. He made me alive while I was dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2). With this new life comes forgiveness of all my sins. I love the way the writers in the Old Testament strained to give us images of this great miracle by using pictures from nature. In Psalm 103: 11-12, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Isaiah does the same thing. "Come now, let us reason together says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool" (1:18). "I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist" (44:22). When I continually remember the miracle that Jesus has performed in my life it stirs up gratefulness to Him in me. Second, by returning to Jesus gratefully and often. Daily thankfulness to Jesus glorifies God and it rejoices my spirit. This one leper returned humbly and he returned joyfully. Third, by remembering that thanksgiving is a choice I make. It's not a feeling I feel, it's a decision I act on. I've read a lot of commentators who share reasons as to why the other nine lepers did not return to Jesus. Basically, it's speculation. But there is one thing we know, the one leper that came back made a decision to return and acted on that decision. Ungratefulness is like leprosy. It eats away at my soul. It withers my compassion. It paralyzes my praise to God. It makes me numb to the goodness of God in my life.
I want to be like the guy who came back to Jesus. I will choose to thank Jesus everyday for the miracle He has performed to in my life, will you? Just praise the Lord it will make you feel better, I know it will!
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