A Special Thanksgiving Message Where Are the Nine? A Special Thanksgiving Message Luke 17:11-19 November 21, 2010 2

TEN LEPERS HEALED— BUT ONLY ONE RETURNS TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD The historical background of lepers in biblical times   45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.' 46He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp . . . 2This shall be the law of the leprous person. He shall be brought to the priest, 3and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look.” Leviticus 13:45-46; 14:2-3  

TEN LEPERS HEALED— BUT ONLY ONE RETURNS TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD The historical background of lepers in biblical times They were the outcasts from the rest of the society (including their families). They had no hope, no cure, and no real life—just slow death in despair. They had to live outside the villages, and when traveling, keep a distance from people and warn them about their cursed disease (shouting, “Unclean! Unclean!”). The only way back to the normal life was to go to the priests to be examined so that the priests to him/her as “clean.”  

TEN LEPERS HEALED— BUT ONLY ONE RETURNS TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD The Importance of giving thanks Giving thanks is a first sign of a “believing/trusting” heart. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High. Psalm 92:1

TEN LEPERS HEALED— BUT ONLY ONE RETURNS TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD The Importance of giving thanks Giving thanks is a first sign of a “believing/trusting” heart. Ungratefulness is a first sign of an “unbelieving/distrusting” heart (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-3). For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

TEN LEPERS HEALED— BUT ONLY ONE RETURNS TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD The Importance of giving thanks Giving thanks is a first sign of a “believing/trusting” heart. Ungratefulness is a first sign of an “unbelieving/distrusting” heart (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-3). Gratefulness multiplies in a trusting heart (Col. 2:6-7) while ungratefulness multiplies in a grumbling heart (Numbers 21). “There is no sin more common than unthankfulness.” – Henry Scudder (a puritan writer).

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 1) OBSTACLES: Why didn’t the nine come back and thank Jesus?   11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. (vs.11-14)  

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 1) OBSTACLES: Why didn’t the nine come back and thank Jesus? “Foxhole Prayers”: Desperate prayers without fully submitting to the sovereignty God do NOT last long; often it is a “smoke” of trust/faith. Blessings/Happiness: To enjoy blessings of God is good but preoccupation by them leads us to spiritual amnesia of their Source—God who gives blessings. The great difficulty spiritually is to concentrate on God, and it is His blessings that make it difficult. Troubles nearly always make us look to God; His blessings are apt to make us look elsewhere. Oswald Chambers

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 1) OBSTACLES: Why didn’t the nine come back and thank Jesus? “Foxhole Prayers”: Desperate prayers without fully submitting to the sovereignty God do NOT last long; often it is a “smoke” of trust/faith. Blessings/Happiness: To enjoy blessings of God is good but preoccupation by them leads us to spiritual amnesia of their Source—God who gives blessings. Secondary Sources: Giving thanks to the secondary sources (people, book, nature, weather, etc.) takes our attention away from God—the PRIMARY & REAL source. Procrastination: To give thanks to God after taking care of the URGENT things distract us from praising God.

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 2) PREREQUISITES: What caused the one to come back and thank Jesus? . . . Now he was a Samaritan.  17Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (vs.16b-18)

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 2) PREREQUISITES: What caused the one to come back and thank Jesus? * Who were Samaritans? They were a mixed-blood ethnic group that was utterly despised by the Jews. So, could it be his lowly state of being a Samaritan that made him so broken and humble?

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 2) PREREQUISITES: What caused the one to come back and thank Jesus? Brokenness: Unless one realizes the spiritual poverty, he cannot not truly grateful for the grace of God (Matt 5:3). Faith: True faith sees our lowly state and receives God’s grace and mercy (v.19). Humility: Humility is a pathway to be grateful in God (1 Peter 5:6). Thankfulness is a flower which will never bloom well excepting upon a root of deep humility! J.C. Ryle

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 3) LESSONS: What can we learn from the one who gave thanks? 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,  praising God with a loud voice;  16and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 19And he said to him,  "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." (vs.15-17,19)

THE NINE VS. THE ONE: THREE THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIVING THANKS 3) LESSONS: What can we learn from the one who gave thanks? Four Key Lessons: [1] Acknowledgement [“saw”]: We must first see what God has done for us to be grateful. [2] Prompt Decision [“turned back”]: We must promptly decide to thank JESUS first. [3] Passionate Praise [“praising God with a loud voice”]: We must passionately praise God for whom we are thankful! [4] Surrender/Humility [“fell on his face at Jesus’ feet”]: We must humbly surrender ourselves to Jesus in giving him thanks. Benefits [“you faith has made you well”]: The nine received physical healing but the one received the whole salvation—spiritual healing as well as physical healing.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE OBSTACLE: What obstacle must I overcome in giving thanks to GOD? Prerequisite: What prerequisite of giving thanks is most applicable to me? Key Lesson: What key lesson must I learn from the one thankful leper? Counting Blessings: What blessing must I never forget and bless the LORD for?