“ONLY ONE CAME BACK TO SAY THANKS”
LUKE 17:11-19 11 And it came to pass, as Jesus went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when Jesus saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
INTRO: “Only One Came Back To Say Thanks” (Thanksgivers In Minority) Teach
Happy Thanksgiving. Amnesia Is A Form Of Illness That Involves A Partial Or Total Memory Loss. May occur as the result of: A blow to the head. Psychic trauma. Alzheimer. Too much alcohol or narcotic use. Old age. It may be temporary and the memory slowly returns. Almost all of us have experienced it to some degree, especially when convenient. Example: We forget to pay that debt; to keep that appointment; that commitment; to pick up after ourselves; to take out the garbage, etc. Amnesiac cases when people forget their own face, name, address, family. Example: Young husband forgot he’s married. 3 hours late getting home from office - went to mother’s home. Spiritual Amnesia (Alzheimer, dementia) is a sickness that makes us forget to say “thanks” to God: We Forget God’s Past Mercies; We Allow Present Troubles To Block Out God’s Love; We Forget The Many Promises Made; We Forget Our Calling - Ambassador, Witness, Steward, Soldier, Disciple. 2 Timothy 1:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS (STATISTICS REVEALED).
1. If You Have Food In The Refrigerator, Clothes On Your Back, A Roof Overhead And A Place To Sleep, You Are Richer Than 75% Of The World.
2. If You Have Money In The Bank, In Your Wallet, And Spare Change Some place, You Are Among The Top 8% Of The World’s Wealthy.
3. If You Woke Up This Morning With More Health Than Illness, You Are More Blessed Than The 1.1 Millions Who Will Not Live Through This Week.
4. If You Have Never Experienced The Danger Of Battle, The Loneliness Of Imprisonment, The Agony Of Torture, Or The Pains Of Starvation, You Are Ahead Of 2 Billion People In The World.
5. If You Can Attend Church Meetings Without Fear Of Harassment, Arrest, Torture, Or Death, You Are More Blessed Than Four Billion In The World.
Illustration: Man With Family Of 9 And Goat
SEVEN (7) SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN BENEFITS OF THANKFULNESS
1. Gratitude Opens The Door To More Relationships.
2. Gratitude Improves Physical Health.
3. Gratitude Improves Psychological Health.
4. Gratitude Enhances Empathy & Reduces Aggression. 5. Gratitude Improves Emotional Health
6. Grateful People Sleep Better.
7. Gratitude Improves Self-Esteem.
8. Gratitude Increases Mental Strength
GRATITUDE AND INGRATITUDE IN THE BIBLE
1. Chief Cupbearer: (Genesis 40) Forgot Joseph
2. David: (2 Samuel 9) David’s grateful for Mephibosheth’s father Jonathan.
3. Jesus: (Mark 6:41) Gave thanks for boy’s 5 loaves and 2 fishes to feed the entire crowd.
4. Nebuchadnezzar: (Daniel 4) Refused to acknowledge God for Babylon – turned to animal.
5. David Killed Uriah: (2 Samuel 11) Ingrate for taking Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.
6. Herod Agrippa: (Acts 12:20-23) Tyre & Sidon, Blastus: “Voice of God, no man”.
7. Mary Magdalene: (Matthew 26) Alabaster box of ointment – gratitude acts.
8. Ten Lepers: (Luke 17) Ten Healed. One came back to say thanks.
LEPROSY IN TODAY’S WORLD
65 New Cases Of Leprosy Are Detected Hourly. 11 Of These Affect Children. Leprosy Is Rare In USA - 200 New Cases Every Year. About 6,000 People Are On Record As Having The Disease In The US. Leprosy Thrives In Poor Nations: Personal Hygiene Reduces Immune System’s Ability To Fight. 1997: About 700,000 New Cases Annually & 70% Cases Mainly In India, Indonesia, Myanmar.
LEPROSY HAD THE FOLLOWING RESULTS.
1. A Patch Of Skin Is Discolored. It Might Occur On The Brow, Nose, Ear, Cheek Or Chin.
2. The Patch Turns White Or Pink And Begins To Spread Rapidly In All Directions.
3. The Disease Spreads To Various Internal Organs.
4. The Eyebrows May Disappear And Spongy Tumors Appear On The Body.
5. Tissue Begins To Disintegrate Causing The Hands And Feet To Become Deformed.
6. The Nerve Endings Of The Body Are Destroyed. No Feeling. Cutting Or Fire – No Pain.
7. Bronchial Tubes Are Dry Making Voice Harsh And Squeaky – They Yelled In Unison.
THE CONDITION OF THESE MEN / DANGERS OF LEPROSY
1. Fear & Superstitions Were Associated With Leprosy.
2. There Was No Known Cure For Leprosy.
3. Some Forms Were Highly Contagious (Imagine Impacts Of Aids Or Ebola Virus).
4. Diagnosed With Leprosy Meant You Must Withdraw To A Colony Of Lepers (Lev. 22)
5. Must Have Their Clothes Torn.
6. Must Shave Their Hair.
7. Must Cover Their Lips – Noses, Lips, Ears Fallen Off.
8. Must Yell “Unclean, Unclean” To Keep People Away.
9. Whether A Priest, King Or Poor, It Did Not Matter.
10. Lepers Lost Contact With Families – 16.5 Feet From Population.
11. Lepers Lost Their Jobs.
12. Lepers Were Impoverished With No Means Of Survival.
13. Food Would Be Thrown Out For Them.
14. These Lepers Called Jesus “Master” Indicating They Were Somehow Familiar With Him.
15. Maybe They Heard About His Other Healings Of Leprosy - Luke 5:12-15.
16. They Had Formed A Friendship – Did Everything Together As A Team.
17. Though One Of Them Was A Samaritan And The Other Nine Jews.
LESSONS FROM THE LEPERS
1. We Must Give Thanks Because Our Need Is Great – We Are Diseased, Disconnected, Doomed: (Luke 17:11-13).
The Location Of This Miracle Is Important - on the border of Samaria and Galilee. Jesus’ love extends beyond the Jews. On His Way To Calvary: Rich Man And Lazarus, Lost Coin, Lost Sheep, Lost Son, Unjust Steward, etc. Samaritans and Jews are not friends. One of these lepers was a Samaritan. Because of their desperate need, these lepers cry out for mercy. The Greek word is “el-i-eh-oh” - same word used in Luke 16:24 "And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ This word reflects the desperate situation of the lepers - doomed, diseased, disconnected. They were all in the same condition - whether Jew or Samaritan did not matter. Leprosy, like sin, reduces everyone to the same status. It is reminder that we are all in need of God’s Mercy – white, black, red, yellow, rich, poor, documented or undocumented, etc.
2. Give Thanks Because God’s Mercy Is Greater Than Our Need (Luke 17:14).
Everyone has experienced God’s Grace: Our health. Daily Provision. Beauty of Creation. Life to enjoy! Do you deserve it? No. Glorify God. Jesus Sends The Lepers Away: “Go and show yourself to the priests.” They demonstrated faith because they did what Jesus told them to do. They might not have been excited to go and see a priest again - been disappointed many times. But this time would be different. As they went, they noticed that they were healed! Rabbinic writings included many cures for various diseases, but no cure for leprosy. The rabbi’s said “curing leprosy was like raising the dead.” These lepers experienced God’s Grace which is greater than all our needs.
3. Give Immediate Thanks To Whom It Is Due (Luke 17:15-16).
Ten Lepers experienced Their Deliverance From This Disease, but one returns to thank God. That’s us - we like good things in life, but do not associate them with the kind hand of God. We think we deserve them, or we have earned them - entitlement. When we are ungrateful or worse yet, when we complain and grumble, we reflect the heart of an unregenerate person. People think the 9 lepers were not grateful. No, they were! The story is not about gratitude, but of thanksgiving. It is one thing to feel grateful; it is another thing to express it. Lepers were cut off from everyone. Instant cleansing meant release from exile. Jerusalem 3 days away. The more they moved towards Jerusalem, the more they went away from Jesus. They were ecstatic, rushing home to embrace family and announce healing. Who would not be grateful? But only one postponed his return trip and came back to give thanks.” Why They Didn’t Go Back To Say Thanks? Some Assumptions:
a) One Waited To See If The Cure Was Real.
b) One Waited To See If It Would Last.
c) One Said He Would See Jesus Later – He Was Crucified.
d) One Decided That He Had Never Had Leprosy.
e) One Said He Would Have Gotten Well Anyway.
f) One Gave The Glory To The Priests.
g) One Said, "O, Well, Jesus Didn’t Really Do Anything."
h) One Said, "Any Rabbi Could Have Done It."
i) One Said, "I Was Already Much Improved."
Many Other Things Are The Sources Of Ingratitude:
a) Wealth & Success. Deut. 8:12–14 / Hosea 4:7 "The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful."
b) Forgetfulness. Jeremiah 2:11–13 "Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols… My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own wells, broken wells that cannot hold water."
c) Pride. Deuteronomy 8:11–14 "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.” "Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, " "and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, " "then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
d) Critical Spirit / Constant Complaining. Instead of being grateful, this person will always find something to complain about.
4. Give Thanks When Depravity Says Otherwise (Luke 17:14-15).
Luke 17:14-15 “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them…” Just imagine with me that as they are walking to the temple to tell the priest, suddenly, they begin to see changes in each other. Skin once rough is now smooth as a baby. Deformed body parts are now whole. Truly, this was the best day of their lives! All ten lepers Jesus cleansed, but only one of returns - This Is Depravity Illustrated! The deceitfulness and ungratefulness of human hearts.
Look At The Characteristics Of This Stranger’s Praise.
a) Its Promptness: As Soon As He Saw He Was Healed, He Came Back To Jesus Immediately.
b) Its Intensity: He Glorified God With A Loud Voice. He Wasn’t Ashamed To Praise Jesus!
c) Its Humility: The Man Fell Down At Jesus’ Feet. This Is The Best Place For Us To Be.
d) Its Worship: He Publicly Fell Down At His Feet, Glorifying God And Giving Thanks To Him.
5. People Close To Us Normally Do Not Appreciate Us Much (Luke 17:15-16)
Luke 17:15-16 “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.” Luke points out that the one who returned was Samaritan - significant! Samaritans hated Jews. To the Jews, Samaritans were the outcasts, rejects of the land and had no place in God’s kingdom - Unwanted, unloved, undesirable. How thankful are you that God’s grace is available for all people?
6. We Must Give Thanks For It Makes God Sad To See Us Ungrateful (Luke 17:17-18)
Luke 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. Can you not sense the disappointment in Jesus’ words here? There shouldn’t be any doubt that when we are unthankful, it grieves the Lord. Many times we cry loud for help and low with praise.
7. We Must Give Thanks Because Only Then Can We Be Made Whole (Luke 17:17-
Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. There is a difference between being healed and being whole. 10 were healed, but only 1 was made well. Unless gratitude is a part of our nature, we can’t be whole. The other 9 were merely healed. If ingratitude is more deadly than leprosy, they were in worse shape than before. The 9 received physical healing from a distance. But this one not only received physical healing but he got close to God. His gratitude connected him to the one who could save him.
DANGERS OF INGRATITUDE
Ingratitude Denotes Spiritual Immaturity. Illustration: Infants do not always appreciate what parents do for them. They have short memories – not what you did for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today. The past is meaningless and so is the future. They live for the present.
ROMANS 1:21-32: 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise (being wise in their own eyes), they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles (apostate). 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another (makes God angry, Demotion). 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator (alienation from God) - who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them (evil and demonic influence) (death and judgment).
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OF GRATITUDE
1. Our Hearts Are Enlightened & Gladdened.
2. We Become Spiritual & Godly.
3. We Maintain Right Relationship With God.
4. We Depend On The Wisdom Of God
5. We Receive Promotion From God.
6. We Become Contented With What We Have.
7. We Keep Our Lives In A Balance.
8. We Become Humble And Trusting Of God.
9. We Encourage Others To Do More.
CONCLUSION: SPIRITUAL PARALLEL OF LEPROSY TO SIN
Spiritually, Leprosy Represents Our Sinful Condition. We Are All Lepers! I Should Be Thankful Because Jesus Saves Sinners – From Spiritual Leprosy.
1. Like A Leper, I Was Dead In Trespasses And Sins.
2. Sin Barred Jews From Ceremonial Worship Of God In Temples, So Sin Separated Me From God.
3. I Was Enslaved To Sin.
4. Sin Spread And Took Over My Entire Body.
5. It Killed Everything In Me It Touched.
6. My Mind Was Blinded To The Gospel By The “God Of This World”.
7. There Was No Cure For My Condition.
8. In His Love And Kindness He Does Not Deal With Me According To Justice.
9. He Pitieth Me As A Father Pitieth His Child, And Remembers That I Am Dust.
10. I Didn’t Seek God; God Sought Me.
11. I Didn’t Call Him; He Called Me.
12. He Chose Me Before The Foundation Of The World.
13. He Called Me Out Of My Sin And Sanctified Me For His Service.
14. He Justified Me By His Blood And Made Me An Heir.
15. He Saved Me By His Mercy.
16. He Renewed Me With His Spirit.
17. He Adopted Me As His Child.
18. I Am Thankful That My Leprosy Of The Soul Has Been Cleansed.
19. I Am Thankful That Because Of Jesus I Will Never Be The Same Again.
20. I am grateful that because of Jesus I have spiritual benefits / inheritance.
Illustration: Billy Graham, Police, Judge
INTERCESSORY PRAYER: Being Thankful Is Not An Option, But A Requirement
Psalm 100: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
PRAYER: See Where He Took You From, Repent Of Ingratitude, Commit To Being Thankful.
1. Come And See Ooo
2. He Is The Lifter Of My Head
3. Behold He Comes 4. Children Of The Lord
5. My Helper Ooo
6. The Lord Reigns
