Cultivating a life of care
Luke 17:11-19.
Here we see Jesus traveling along the border of Galilee and Samaria, where he would enter a village and minister to 10 lepers and the remarkable would take place they would be healed of their leprosy. Here we see the aftercare of Jesus ministering to those in need of His mercy. Here Jesus literally fullfiling the Gospel that the Son of Man came to seek and to find those who were lost.
As Christians we need to be like Jesus here in that we need to be cultivating a life of care towards others.
1. He cares for you.
First thing to note is that Jesus cares for you whoever you are. He travels right across the border of Samaria and Galilee and meets with 10 lepers one of which was a Samaritan. Here we see a double whammy a Samaritan and 10 men with leprosy both a definate No No one of those avoid situations at all possible cost.
The stigma upon such people would have been immense “they would have considered that person to be cursed by God. Not only have they leprosey but they are also Samaritans. Having Leprosy is like aids today a terrifying disease because there was no known cure
In those day’s these lepors would have been banished to a community of lepors. Could it be that this village was actually a community of lepors? Although it does’nt say it could well be on the boarder of Galilee and Samaria. Whatever it is Jesus enters into an area with serious disease prevails, into a community of lepors.
Whatever the situation Jesus has time for these lepors he stopped and spoke with them, granted their request for pity in this act He demonstrates real care for these men.
Look we must be those like Jesus caring for others who are rejected by society, being prepared to go to places and into communities that are ostriszed and rejected by others and show real care in Jesus name.
Many people face rejection today in our world abandoned due to their culture, creed or condition. These children in Uganda have been left alone due to their parents lost due to AIDS. Yet the good news here is that Christians like LINDA are stepping in and demonstrating the compassion of Jesus. And we too can be part of the care for others by supporting Linda today.
People might not have leprosy today in our own society, but there are still those that people often consider the untouchables people with aids, the disabled, the elderly, certain ethnic groups the growing yob culture but rather than keeping our distance shouldn’t we be moving into these areas and demonstrating the care of Jesus to those who by society at large are rejected?
I think Jesus resonates so much with these people, because Jesus Himself knows all about rejection. Jhn1v12. He came to his own. But his own received Him not. As Isaiah says He was despised and rejected as a man familiar like with grief.
There are countless men women and children in this world who have been rejected but have come to experience the care and love of Jesus and as a result of that have gone out to demonstrate the love and care of Jesus to others, will you be doing the same? Jesus cares; do you care for others whoever they are?
2. He cares in the depth of suffering (By his actions)
In the story before us: Jesus leaves Galilee for the last time heading to Jerusalem he passes through Samaria He meets 10 men with leprosy these men would have been the outcasts of society. They had to stay away from other people even live in a separate community dependant on the form of leprosy they had everywhere they travelled they announced their presence by ringing a bell and crying out “unclean.” We see the men crying to Jesus to take pity on them although deadened to their own physical pain the mental suffering and scars must have been immense on these men.
• Why doesn’t God stop the suffering? Why doesn’t God do something? He has, he has made you to do something about it.... Linda is going to Uganda to do something for those who have suffered at a very young age. It reminds me this month I ordered a new..... Dell laptop last month and with it I got a three year aftercare package any problems call out and will fix it. AS Christians we need to be those with a real aftercare package towards others and of course Jesus is our great example of aftercare to those who have broken down in life.
Jesus is concerned about your suffering. When you read the 4 Gospels? You can’t help to be moved by the care of Jesus for those who in particular in the depth of suffering: A bleeding woman, people with disease, a dying child, mental anguish, demon possessed, the blind, the paralysed and even the outcasts of society these lepers. Jesus demonstrated real aftercare package when others wouldn’t give a 2nd thought.
Are we really concerned about those who suffer, are we really moved with compassion (SUFFERING ON TV) are we moved for those who suffer or those around us, even those amongst us who are suffering at this moment in time? Are we going to be a people moved like Linda to act out our faith in practical ways when people are in the midst of suffering and give some aftercare service? Rather than sitting back, are we going to act? We can all take part even by supporting Linda today financially we can demonstrate the aftercare of Jesus.
• Mother Teresa said “Good works are links that form a chain of love.”
3. He cares for you to the extent to bring healing
Leprosy was infectious disease. Leprosy is a disease, which deforms the body eating away at the flesh. Leaving people with stubby fingers, ulcerous wounds, missing legs and distorted facial features. It’s the oldest recorded disease and the most feared. Unlike other diseases that cause great pain, Leprosy works like an anaesthetic, it takes away all sense of feeling pain and much of the ongoing deformity is due to the fact they can no longer feel pain. So when walking on a broken ankle or putting their hand in fire this is how the tissue damage is caused not by the leprosy, but because the warning system of pain has fallen silent. And so ongoing damaging is done.
• We might not have leprosy/ disease called sin / anaesthetic.Eph.2v1 Dead
They are aware of their condition. Re those people around us are we? V12These lepers cry out in faith to Jesus. V13 Jesus Master have pity on us!”
Often it is when we are suffering that we cry out to God! CS Lewis “God whispers t us in our pleasures, he speaks to us in our conscience and He shouts to us in our suffering. It’s God’s megaphone to a dying world."
It is when we cry out recognising our need in dependence upon God, that He will answer us! What is the reply? V14 “Go show yourselves to the priests” Why did Jesus say this statement? Surely they needed healing. A leper could only show himself to a priest if he was in remission of his disease. The ball was now firmly in the lepers ball court to respond.
• If people want real healing they may need to respond in faith.
5. They responded by Faith
We see that by them standing at a distance from Jesus. It wasn’t when Jesus spoke that they were healed but when they responded to his instruction
V14 and as they went, they were cleansed. They believed and obeyed and their disease was cured. It’s the same with our own faith today.
There is a common misconception today that everybody is forgiven because Jesus died on a Cross for our sins. His death makes it possible for anybody to respond and be forgiven but like these 10 lepers we firstly have to respond to his instruction which is to repent and believe the
Good News. “Christ died for our sins!” and we can respond and let us all be thankful for not all are, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus.
