Ungrateful Series

Ungrateful

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."

EOLS:

Gratitude towards your Savior is an act of holy worship; the natural response of a regenerate heart.

“Thank You” is an interesting phrase. It’s the standard of decorum in our society; a benchmark of civilized, polite people. We repeat over and over to our children: “what do you say?” in our attempts to instill in them a sense of gratitude. It’s a good thing! I taught my kids and to this day I expect to hear them say that magic phrase when someone does something nice for them. I think they’ve got it because I watch and listen still.

I always love it at Chick-Fila when the employees respond to a “thank you.” You know it by now-what’s the phrase they return? “My pleasure!” Someone had a brainstorm in a boardroom one day at corporate when they figured out how you could thank someone for saying thank you! In place of the tired “you’re welcome” or the “no problem” coming from the lips of a surly youth, they train their employees to smile brightly and to return a thank you with “MY PLEASURE!” It almost makes you want to say thanks, and it sure enough makes you want to go back to Chick-Fila.

Let me ask you this: have you ever been really hacked off because someone did NOT say thank you? Come on now, every one here knows what I’m talking about! You send someone a wedding gift, a graduation gift, a birthday gift etc. and you realize three months later-I never got a thank you note! It leaves a little something in your gut, doesn’t it? You certainly could have found something to do with that twenty bucks, not to mention the time it took to buy a gift, a card, to get some stamps, find the address and mail it. The recipient then never responds.

Worse yet, you’ve gone out of your way to do something really special for someone. This is something that’s out of the blue, totally unexpected. You see something that reminds you of them, or you see an opportunity to bless them in some unique way. You can’t wait to give them the gift, the opportunity, the bonus, whatever form it may take. You lay it on them, and then…nothing. No response. You wonder if they just forgot. Did the present even make it there?

What is the first phrase that comes to mind? You know it, and you’ve said it just like I have! SEE if I ever give you anything (or do anything ) for YOU again!

Humor: Remember when Andy saved Gomer’s life at Wally’s Gas Station when he discovered the grease fire? Gomer’s reaction was hilarious, and Andy’s response to Gomer’s gratitude still makes us laugh every time we see it. Gomer’s response to Andy’s act of service may have been a bit over the top, but it really is a great picture of true gratitude! His whole concept was that true gratitude implied sacrifice and service, not just a repetitious “thank you.”

As we approach the Thanksgiving Season, there is a certain pitfall or even a danger that is before us. We believe in “thanks” so much that we devote basically an entire month to it as we approach the Day. I look forward to Thanksgiving every year! The memories, the food, the fun, the relationships, the very opportunity to devote time to thankfulness are all a very special treat.

This Thanksgiving will mark the forty-ninth time I’ve made this trip. I can remember well at least 45 of them; we always do pretty much the same thing. I believe with all my heart that we all will not just enjoy the trappings of Thanksgiving, but that we will take time to be truly thankful for all of our blessings. I was taught thankfulness from birth, and I have instilled it in my children as well. Did we give thanks? CHECK. Next question.