Luke 17:11-18 “As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
The event, LoveDenver, occurred this weekend in the small community of Denver, NC. LoveDenver is a joint effort of local churches to minister to those less fortunate around us. This year eight churches participated. There were over 400 volunteers. More than 2000 people were ministered too. In addition to distributing 500 fully loaded backpacks for those returning to school, haircuts were offered along with free dental and medical screening. Each family was allowed to receive a free 8x10 photo. For some this was the only time their family had been photographed. Local churches and agencies that offered assistance distributed information. There were bounce houses, face painting, crafts, and games. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza were supplied. On the stage worship bands played (including True Identity) and a gospel message was shared. At the prayer tent, prayers were lifted up and there were 17 salvations. However, the story that touched me the most was that of a pastor of one of the participating churches.
“As I was standing at the exit gate speaking to people as they were leaving, I was approached by a Latino family. I knew enough Spanish to say ‘Good-bye’ and they responded. But they seemed not to know a great deal of English. It was evident that the two women with five children were very happy. Then the smallest child who looked to be about 5 years old suddenly hugged my leg in the only gesture that he knew to say thank you.”
As we read this scripture about Jesus and the ten lepers there were interesting facts that caught my attention. Jesus is on his way Jerusalem. There He will meet his death on the cross. As He is traveling, He enters a village that sets on the border of Galilee, the home of the Jews, and Samaria, the home of the Samaritans. As history has taught us, the Jews and the Samaritans are enemies. However, they seem to have bonded over a common problem, leprosy.
As He enters the village, He is accosted by the cries of ten lepers; nine are Jews, one is a Samaritan. They were crying out to him because they were not allowed to approach or touch anyone. To do so could be a death sentence.
Jesus hears them and tells them to go show themselves to the priests. Jesus was fulfilling a spiritual mandate that stated if you were healed of leprosy; a priest must pronounce you clean. What’s interesting is the fact that they were not healed. They still had leprosy. Jesus asked them to do something that made no sense but, because of their faith, they obeyed. As they obeyed, they were healed.
Ten men headed for the priest. Ten men were healed. Nine continued onward. One came back to Jesus. One came back to worship at his feet. One came back to thank him. This one was the Samaritan. And it did not go unnoticed by Jesus. He asked “Didn’t I heal ten? Where are the other nine?” If you are a stats person, that means 90% did not thank him. I believe that stat stands today.
A pastor came up with a quiz to assess where you stand when we speak of gratitude.
Question 1: You are in the 10 item; cash only line at Food lion with your 2 cans of green beans and 1 can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup and a fresh $20 bill from an ATM machine in your hand. The person in front of you has 15 items and a checkbook in their back pocket. How do you respond?
A. Gratitude for the Green Bean Bake your family will enjoy.
B. Grit your teeth and wonder if the guy ahead of you failed math or reading.
C. Yell at the cashier, “Checkout Line Violation -- 15 items! 15 items!”
Question 2: You receive a letter from the IRS, stating you will soon be receiving a $1,000 refund on your tax return, how do you respond?
A. With gratitude to live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.
B. Grit your teeth about the other $10,000 you paid in taxes last year.
C. Rip the letter to shreds while demanding more.
Question 3: You receive a letter from the IRS, stating you will be audited. How do you respond?
A. With gratitude to live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.
B. Clench the phone and call your accountant.
C. Write the Charlotte Observer an angry letter about tax oppression in the USA.
Question 4: You are driving your daughter to school, and as you drop her off, the car in front of you decides to just park there, trapping you in the school parking lot. How do you respond?
A. You look out the window and give thanks for this time to stop and smell the roses and car fumes.
B. Grab the steering wheel tighter as steam comes out of your ears.
C. Honk your horn continuously until you sound out “move your car” in Morse code.
Question 5: You are watching your football team play on Sunday, and they win by a touchdown in a close game. How do you respond?
A. Stand up and start singing “Hail to the Panthers”!
B. Wring your hands over the game next week.
C. Call a sports radio station and complain how we should have won by 3 touchdowns.
If you had all B’s for your answers, you need to take a breath, chill out and relax. If you had all C’s for your answers, you may need therapy. If you had all A’s, you need to repent for lying. Reality is we all have mixtures of A’s, B’s, and C’s.
We are very good at complaining but very slow to show gratitude. We are quick to ask “Why do bad things happen to me?” but rarely do ask “Why do good things happen to me?”
In Hebrew, the word for gratitude is the same as the word for confession. When we show our gratitude to God we are confessing our dependence on him. When we show our gratitude to God we are acknowledging that He has the power to benefit us. When we show our gratitude to God we are admitting that our life is better because of him.
For 31 years, my wife Debbie was the homemaker. While I worked at a job that demanded 60 to 70 hours a week of my time, she faithfully was a mom, a cook, a maid, a nurse, and a variety of others roles.
Recently I retired and she entered the work force. She became the bread winner. Now I am the cook and maid. When she comes home and notices that I have scrubbed the grout from the shower stall and shows her gratitude, it feels wonderful. When she comes home and eats one of my “gourmet” meals and tells her friends what a chef I am, I beam.
However, it stunned me one day when I realized that she had been doing this for me for 31 years and I seldom even noticed. I know there was a compliment thrown around here and there. But I never really voiced my gratitude. I never recognized my dependence on her daily, or acknowledge how she was beneficial to me daily, or how much better my life is because of her daily. If I can take for granted the one who is physically before me everyday, it is so much easier to take for granted a God that is unseen.
It would seem to me that often we only acknowledge God when problems have overtaken us. Often we forget God when all is going well.
Notice what Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”
Paul begins by stating the fact that he was never in need. The need he speaks of is a worldly need. He later stated “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) Paul recognized the source of his provision.
Paul stated he had learned how to be content. He stated he had learned the secret of living in every situation. Contentment is a learning experience. We begin by not being content with all that we have. We have a house but we want a bigger house. We have a car but we want a newer car. We have a job but we want a better job. We don’t like the way we look so we spend money trying to improve on what God has done.
Paul states that there were times in his life when he had everything and it was easy to be content. Other times he had almost nothing and he had to learn to be content. Paul states there were times in his life when his stomach was full and it was easy to be content. Other times he was hungry and he had to learn to be content. Paul states there were times when he had plenty and it was easy to be content. Other times he had little and he had to learn to be content.
As Paul set in a Roman prison Paul spoke of himself as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles.” (Eph 3:1) Paul was not a prisoner of Rome. He was a prisoner of Jesus. And in that contentment he reflected gratitude for the joy of his suffering for the cause of Christ. As you read Paul’s letters you will notice his gratitude for being allowed to suffer for our Lord. We seem at times to struggle showing our gratitude. Maybe these numbers will help.
Can you show God gratitude for the taxes you pay?
You should because it means you are employed.
In our nation 11.5 million people are unemployed.
Can you show God gratitude if your clothes fit a little too snug?
You should because it means you have enough to eat.
In our nation 6.7 million households suffer from “food insecurity.”
Can you show God gratitude for those hot August days with nothing but your own shadow around?
You should because it means you are outside and not bed-ridden.
Can you show God gratitude for the parking spot at the far end of the parking lot?
You should because it means you are capable of walking.
In our nation there are 3.5 million people in nursing homes that depend on others to care for them.
Can you show God gratitude for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing?
You should because it means you have a home.
In our nation there are 634,000 people who are homeless.
Can you show God gratitude for your huge electric bill?
You should because it means you are cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
In our nation there are 1.6 million people without electricity.
Can you show God gratitude when I am beside you singing?
You should because it means you can hear.
In our nation there are 28.8 million people who cannot hear.
Can you show God gratitude for the piles of laundry and ironing you have to do?
You should because it means your loved ones are
nearby.
In our nation there are 11.2 million elderly people who live alone.
Can you show God gratitude when your alarm goes off in the early morning hours?
You should because it means that you are alive.
In our nation 6171 people die every day.
Can you show God gratitude for your weary and aching muscles at the end of the day?
You should because it means you have been productive.
In our nation 4.4 million people live strictly on welfare depending on the government for their existence.
Can you show God gratitude for the Obama administration?
You should because you live in a country where you
can freely express your view points without fear of imprisonment or death.
In our world today 5 billion people live under an oppressive government.
There is a song that is sung a lot. Its title is ‘Blessed be you name.” In Hebrew blessed meant to praise, give thanks, speak of the excellence of someone.
I promise not to sing it, although it would remind you of the blessing you have in being able to hear. Instead I will read the lyrics.
“In the land that is plentiful where your streams of abundance flow. When the sun is shining down on me. When the world’s all as it should be. Every blessing you pour out I’ll turn back to praise. Blessed be your name.”
When situations are good it is not difficult to show your gratitude toward God. It is not difficult to express to others his excellence. However, there is a second shadowing to this song.
“When I’m found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, on the road marked with suffering, though there’s pain in the offering, when the darkness closes in, still I will say “Blessed be your name.”
Here is where the rubber meets the road. When you are suffering and hurting can you praise him? When you are alone in the wilderness can you give him thanks? When you feel the darkness closing in on you can you speak of his excellence?
The Apostle Paul did. But remember he said “I have learned how to praise him in every situation.” It is a process to attain this goal of gratitude toward God. Every situation we find ourselves in we must search for God’s excellence and not meditate on the negative.
This week I was a friend’s bedside. A month ago he suffered a stroke. Though he is not fully recovered he went home Friday. I was encouraging him to stay focused on the positive elements. I encouraged him to pray and give God thanks every morning. He picked up a pen and a sheet of paper. Then he asked me “What should I pray?”
I said “Begin with thanking God. Thank him that He spared your life. Thank him for the recovery that you have seen and will continue to see. Thank him for the family and friends that have surrounded you and will care for you.
Ask God for a bit more recovery today. Ask him to filter any negative thoughts or comments from well-meaning loved ones. Let the word of your testimony be a word of complete recovery.
Thank God once again for your salvation and your complete recovery.”
My friend smiled and said “Thank you. I will.”
This is your challenge now. We are a student of Jesus and we are always learning. Ask the Holy Spirit to assist you in learning how to be content in all situations and how to speak of the excellence of God.
