Luke 17:11-19
The Importance Of Giving Thanks

Read v.11-19

Intro: The event we are looking at today is one of many that is recorded ONLY in Luke's Gospel.

  1. I felt the Lord's leading to jump ahead to this portion of Ch. 17 & consider this important story - / THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
  2. Approach today will be to go through this passage giving some commentary & pointing out 3 important points the Lord would have us to see
  1. The IMPORTANCE OF CRYING OUT TO THE LORD
  2. THE IMPORTANCE OF STEPPING OUT IN FAITH
  3. THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING THANKS

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.

And they lifted up their voices & said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

  1. So Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem / where the Cross awaits him / when he is passing through the area of Galilee & is met by 10 LEPERS

Recall from our Previous study in Luke 5 The Cleansing of the Leper

A) LEPORSY WAS A VERY RADICAL DISEASE !!!!

In Jesus day it was one of the most feared diseases of all.

  1. Leprosy starts below the surface of the skin & spreads throughout the body
  1. Eventually the effects of the disease are clearly seen as spongy tumor like swellings begin to appear on the skin.

C) The persons skin turns white & flesh begins to deteriorate - & visibly

Rot creating a horrible stench !

  1. Parts of the body literally begin to fall off - or rot away -

D) Among the 61 defilements of ancient Judaism, leprosy was second only to touching a dead body in seriousness. Cover face / UNCLEAN

  1. The Talmud forbade a Jew from coming closer than 6 ft. of a leper, & if the wind was blowing, the limit was 150 ft. - extremely contagious
  1. One of the most brutal aspects of the disease is that there was a break down in the nervous system - which causes a Leper to not feel pain.

F) Nothing warns them when water is too hot or a hammer handle is

splintered.

  1. It was a horrible way to Live !!!!

Now in v.16 we are told in that one of these Lepers was a Samaritan. This is interesting to me BECAUSE:

  1. the Samaritans & Jews hated one another - Jews considered Samaritans half breeds / Lesser which infuriated the Samaritans
  2. So there was this mutual DISLIKE for each other but here they are seen together / in the mist of Calamity their differences are put aside
  1. So often the case - CALAMITIES bring People together
  1. Those who normally wouldn't speak to one another are brought together in the mist of Hardships
  2. We so often want to AVOID HARDSHIPS & STRUGGLES - yet sometimes there is an incredible unity that is developed in the MIST of it
  1. That Hardship or Difficulty can end up being a WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY for the Lord to work in Hearts that are hard
  1. Question is not WHY / BUT WHAT - What doing ? What teaching ?

So These ten men are brought together in the mist of their Calamity & when they hear that Jesus was coming in their area

  1. They DECIDED to place themselves where they would have access to Him.
  2. No doubt the Story recorded in Luke 5 of Jesus TOUCHING the man w/ Leprosy had spread throughout the Leper Colonies
  1. WORD SPREAD - That Jesus was able to Cleanse people of this incurable Disease
  1. So these men - were EAGER TO SEE JESUS - When He was in view - They began to Cry out for MERCY -

Notice what it says in v.14 HE SAW THEM -

  1. 1ST point - Note :Importance of Crying out to the Lord - Especially for MERCY - the Lord SEE'S & HEARS those who cry out !!!

Psa 34: 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.

  1. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psa.121: I will lift up my eyes to the hills; From whence comes my help?

2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

  1. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
  1. Sometimes the Lord - sits waiting & watching for us to come to that Place of Brokeness / come to the END OF OURSELVES
  1. Come to that Place where we are no longer leaning on our own Strength - we have no strength Left & SO WE CRY OUT TO HIM

(J. Hudson Taylor- Miss. To China ) "The power of prayer has never been tried to its fullest capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'"

Notice also in v. 14 that Jesus doesn't touch them like he did the Leper in Luke 5 - but instead says to them Go show yourselves to the Priest

  1. I wonder if they weren't DISSAPOINTED AT FIRST - thinking Go show ourselves to the Priest - why didn't he touch us too.

B) Why did Jesus send them to the Priest? / Testimony to the Priest

  1. It was Recorded in Lev. 14 that the Priest were the ones who would confirm if a healing of Leprosy had really taken place
  1. So Their going to the Priest would be a testimony to the Priest that Jesus ALONE COULD HEAL LEPORSY.
  1. For 1500 yrs after the Law was written we don't read of One Single

Israelite ever being Healed of LEPORSY

  1. Now Prior to the Law - Miriam Moses sister / after the Law - Namman the Syrian / but no Israelites after this instruction was given in Lev.14
  1. The Priest must have wondered why the 14th Ch. Of Lev. Was in the Bible
  1. Perhaps they thought I have read that Ch. Over & over again but have never had to apply it !!!

BUT WHEN JESUS CAME THINGS WERE DIFFERENT

  1. One Leper after another was sent to the temple in Jerusalem to be inspected & pronounced clean when He appeared before the Priest
  2. It is a WONDER - why this fact alone didn't cause those Priest to ACCEPT JESUS AS THE MESSIAH.

C) So he told them to go & Show themselves to the Priest/ UNDERLINE what it says next v. 14 And so it was that as they went , they were cleansed.

D) As they went / they stepped out & as they did the Cleansing took place

HERE MAKE NOTE OF 2ND POINT - note The IMPORTANCE OF STEPPING OUT IN FAITH!!!!

  1. They had to begin to walk to Jerusalem Which is a long journey & somewhere along that road - they were made clean.
  2. Picture the Scene - these 10 walking along perhaps even discussing their disappointment - because He didn't just touch them
  1. Yet believing that something was going to happen - because why else would Jesus send them to the Priest
  1. Somewhere along the Journey - one looks at the other - YOUR FACE HAS CLEARED UP " SO HAS YOURS
  1. One by one - the Leprosy DISAPPEARED - (I can see them sprinting toward the Priest

AS THEY WENT : SO often we have the TENDENCY TO SAY Lord if you heal me then I will start walking

  1. He answers that is not how I am going to work this time in your life - You start walking & then you will see the Healing
  2. NEED A MIRACLE IN YOUR MARRIAGE :Husband You start Loving Your wife -- and watch what happens -

  3. 1) Start serving her like Jesus serves His Church - watch a miracle unfold

  4. Wives Start - giving your Husband the LEADERSHIP in the home that the Lord wants him to have - Watch what happens
  1. Watch how he RISES TO THE OCCASION
  1. CHRISTIAN YOU STEP OUT IN FAITH & SHARE W/ THAT PERSON THE LORD HAS PLACED ON YOUR HEART
  1. Invite them to Church & watch what the Lord does !!!!

Now here is an important thing that I have Learned about the Christian life. The Lord will often lead us to step out in faith. We need to obey

  1. Then leave the HOW / the WHAT / the WHEN / to HIM !!! - What mean by that ?
  2. LISTEN: So often our problem is THIS/ when we sense God's leading we think He is going to work in such & such a way

  3. 1) He has led me in this way because HE wants to do this: - We think we know the goal & the Purpose of what He is doing.

  4. So We step out in faith - believing that we Know what God is going to do & why - but often times that is not the Case.
  1. He is doing something Else - He is fashioning our Hearts in a greater way / for a Different Purpose - a perfect purpose
  1. That we so often don't know or find out what that is until - we are in the mist of it / or until it is passed !!!!

EXAMPLES: KRY OUTREACH - I thought the Purpose was to Evangelize this College / Began to grow -/ And I thought - Grow our Church / Revival

  1. Here is what happened - planned for 300 people - 1500 showed up / maybe 50 were from the College
  2. 150 people made Decisions to follow the Lord - How many plugged into our Church? 2 people - very neat young Lady / great young man.
  3. But it had an Awesome impact on the People in our Church to see the Lord move in that way /
  1. Neat impact on our Community & on the other churches in our Community - because we sent them Design cards / FAVOR
  1. Many things I have learned that - the impact the Benefit is seen in the lives of the People who take part IN IT- Crusades / outreaches / Missions
  1. I have learned the importance - whether dealing w/ ministry or my life personally the importance of hearing clearly from the Lord
  1. Getting CONFIRMATION - & then stepping out in faith - & Leaving the Results to Him -
  1. I am always surprised - LORD I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THAT !!!!

So they acted in Obedience to the Word of the Lord in stepping out in faith & the Cleansing Came

  1. It is just as true today when men & women act upon the Word of the Lord & put feet to their faith that the Lord delivers them.
  2. These men - showed up full of Excitement before the Priest - but notice what it says next v. 15,16

  3. 15 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.

  4. Now whether or Not this Samaritan - went to the Priest & then came back or just immediately turned around & raced back to Jesus is uncertain

  5. 1) Personally think the latter is more - likely - came back immediately

  6. But NOTE : He comes back & w/ a LOUD VOICE HE GLORIFIED GOD - & FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET GIVING THANKS

NOTE THE WORDING -He glorified God, and fell down on his face at HIS feet, giving HIM thanks. (very interesting wording)

  1. Now Whether he recognized or not that JESUS WAS indeed GOD IN THE FLESH - the wording is interesting
  2. Also note that Jesus Received his Worship - Note worthy for those who say that Jesus was GOOD but not God

  3. 1) Here He is seen accepting Worship / Scriptures Clear Worship only

    God

  4. 10 WERE HEALED - One came Back - 9 Went to the Priest -
  1. but one became a Priest - He came back offering Praise the fruit of his lips giving thanks to His name. Heb. 13:15

D) 1 Pet.2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

NINE WENT TO THE PRIEST - ONE BECAME A PRIEST BY GLORIFYING GOD & GIVING THANKS /

A) And Jesus was touched & impressed

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?"

  1. And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."
  1. Note this : Nine did what Jesus asked of them
  1. but this Samaritan recognized that there was a Higher Responsibility than just walking in Obedience & stepping out in FAITH
  1. So one Returned to WORSHIP / TO GIVE PRAISE & THANKS

Here I think the Lord would have us make note of the IMPORTANCE OF GIVING THANKS - NOTE 3 THINGS

  1. 1ST - V.19 HE WAS MADE WHOLE !!!!!
  2. The others were cleansed but this man was saved - that is the idea in the phrase made whole / Complete TOUCH
  1. He didn't just find a NEW LIFE - no more LEPORSY - He found a SAVIOUR -
  1. Now I am not suggesting that He was SAVED -Because He gave thanks

But his Giving of Thanks & Coming back to Glorify God

  1. was an indication that something had taken Place in his heart that hadn't in the others
  1. NEW LIFESTYLE - living for Jesus - the one who made Him Clean on the INSIDE & the OUT !!!!
  1. We don't know what happened to this man - but I think we will find out when we see him in heaven.

E) I wonder if all of the others will even be there !!!

2ND NOTE Importance of Giving thanks - JESUS NOTICES THOSE WHO GIVE THANKS In fact we are told in Mal. Ch. 3:16

  1. that those who talk about the Lord - the Lord hears (His ears perk up) And He writes it down in a book of Remembrance
  2. The Lord hears & takes notice of those who talk about Him & give thanks to Him!!!! Those who give Testimony
  3. CREATIVE MEMORIES -Photo Album for Recording those special family events / Pictures sayings

  4. 1) Well the Lord is doing a similar thing - w/ us in Heaven - when we give thanks / when we talk about the Lord - BOOK of REMEMBRANCE

  5. Question How big is your Creative Memories Book going to be in Heaven? Some will have Volumes -
  1. Lives marked by Giving of thanks / WORSHIPPERS

Ironside : Do we REALIZE that God is seeking WORSHIPPERS ? I AM afraid too many have the idea that God is seeking WORKERS, but there is something that must come before work & that is WORSHIP - To be in the Presence of God w/ a heart filled w/ ADORATION - means more to Him than to Busy ourselves in His Service.

3RD NOTE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING THANKS - THE LORD NOTICES THOSE WHO DON'T

  1. He asks Were their not 10 ? Where are the other NINE

B) It is interesting that no language has as many words for joy and rejoicing

as does Hebrew

  1. In the Old Testament 13 Hebrew roots, found in 27 different words, are used primarily for some aspect of joy or joyful participation worship.
  1. In contrast to the rituals of other faiths of the East, Israelite worship was essentially a joyous proclamation and celebration.
  1. The good Israelite regarded the act of thanking God as the supreme joy of his life.
  1. Although this was supposed to be such an important part of Jewish Life - it is the SAMARITAN - WHO CAME BACK.
  1. So often it is those who should be the most thankful that are the Least.

Scriptures Declare it is good to give thanks to the Lord !! Why?

  1. An Unthankful heart is the soil in which all kinds of Sin takes root

B) Turn Romans 1

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

21 because, 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.

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts,

Goes on to mention how they became wrapped up in different forms of IDOLARTY & PERVERSITY - including HOMOSEXUALITY

  1. The root of which is all found in v.21 They would not GLORIFY GOD OR GIVE - THANKS TO GOD.
  2. Could that be the Result of some of the Problems that we face in our NATION TODAY? I think So. (So Did Abe Lincoln)

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, the many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us;

and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self- sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Jesus at the Home of Simon the Pharisee - Harlot - / washed feet -

  1. Jesus took note that Simon didn't -
  2. He who has been forgiven much loves much!!!
  3. John the Baptist - so often we focus on what we don't have instead of what we do!!
  1. Children of Israel did the Same - always complaining instead of thanking !!!!