TITLE: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS TEXT: LUKE 17:11-19
INTRODUCTION: "One little, two little, three little Indians...Ten little Indian boys." I am not a very good counter. I learned to count in prison. God keeps count. THE HAIR ON YOUR HEAD. THE SHEEP IN HIS FLOCK. THE CATTLE ON A THOUSAND HILLS. THE STARS OF HEAVEN. HE NUMBERS THE KINGDOMS PUTTING AN END TO THEM. HE KNOWS THE NUMBER OF THE MULTITUDE OF THE REDEEMED THAT NO MAN CAN COUNT. OUR GOD IS A COUNTING GOD. We sing an old hymn "Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings and it will surprise you what the Lord has done..."
PROP: WE ALL NEED TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS.
TRAN: LET US CONSIDER LUKE 17:11-19.
I. THE CONCERN OF JESUS. VSS. 11-14A
-“And when He saw them….”
The challenge to exercise the compassion of Jesus to those who are different. Ethnic and religious differences. We need to have compassion on the homeless, the helpless, and the hopeless. Those that are separated from God by their sin. There is a compassion crisis in our world. We need to be concerned….we need to care. The story of two brothers in Germany in World War 2. The pig farmer. He didn’t care. “I didn’t know my brother’s name.” Hardy Hoffman
Isaiah. 59:2
II. THE COMMAND OF JESUS. VS. 14B
-Here is the power of Jesus. He can help...when the way is dark...when the way is doubtful...when the way is discouraging...He can help! He has helped this church and you in the past! Let Him help you now! Acts 20:35…little girl in Haitian refugee camp
III. THE CONFESSION OF JESUS. VSS. 15-16
-This leper upon learning of his cure comes back to confess "Jesus". The privilege of giving the glory to God for His bountiful benefits. John 9:35-38 Have you confessed Jesus? Francois Rivest in Winnipeg – “I want what you have.”
IV. THE COUNTING OF JESUS. VSS. 17-18
-I trust this is not the rule of those who experience the grace of God. But I suspect it is. We who are recipients of God's mercy do not make a public acknowledgment of Him. ADMIT YOUR GUILT. ACKNOWLEDGE HIS GRACE. ACCEPT HIS GIFT. Count us faithful. 2Thessalonians 1:11-12 The leper man in Mbingo. “You preach plenty good sermon Jesus.”
V. THE COMMISSION OF JESUS. VS. 19
-This man has been made whole. "I was dead and now I am alive...I was lost but now I am found...I was blind but now I see." My family are working and praying that Terry and Donny will come to know Jesus. They live across the street. Erin in South Korea. “Teacher, do you love Jesus?” “Why do you ask?” “Because I love Jesus and I want you to love Jesus too.”
CONCLUSION: As I visited Rev. Hardy Hoffmann of Leduc, Alberta he told me of the touching story of his son David who died of a rare spinal condition at the age of ten. The boy looked tired one day and he said to his mother, "I love you mom. Good-bye." They asked him where he was going. He said he was going away to be with Jesus and that he would be away for a long time maybe even forever. Anne, his mother said that they would come to be with him someday. "You count the days until we meet again, mom. Good-bye." He slipped into a comma and soon after passed away. March 1994
"One little, two little, three little lepers, eight little, nine little lepers...Ten?" No. Nine went their own way...one returned to Jesus and if you listen carefully you can hear him singing…
"I LOVE YOU LORD, AND I LIFT MY VOICE TO WORSHIP YOU O MY SOUL REJOICE. TAKE JOY MY KING IN WHAT YOU HEAR, MAY IT BE A SWEET, SWEET SOUND IN YOUR EAR."
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21
