Today we are going to study an episode that happened in the life of Jesus and discover some truths about gratitude.
Let’s begin with Luke 17: 11 “As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.”
Jesus had set his sights on Jerusalem. There He knew the cross was waiting for him. His teaching had ramped up the last few weeks. There seemed to be a sense of urgency to educate his followers on spiritual matters. While He was still healing, it was clear that teaching had become a priority. He would enter into Samaria for the last time on his way to Jerusalem. His trip was suddenly interrupted.
Luke 17: 12 - 13 “As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’”
Jesus entered into a village and was immediately confronted with a deadly disease, leprosy. Leprosy itself was not always fatal. Most of the time we picture people with their limbs rotting off. But leprosy was actually any kind of skin rash. We know that psoriasis is not contagious but in the Biblical times those suffering from this type of skin rash would be labeled a leper.
A leper was considered ceremonially unclean. And contact with a leper would make another person ceremonially unclean. Therefore, even if not fatal, it was deadly in the sense that those considered lepers lost all ability to live with loved ones, to feel the touch of another person, and worst of all, the ability to go to the temple for worship and sacrifice. Those who died with leprosy did so with their sins unforgiven and Hades as their destination. So they cry out for help.
Another thing we will discover about these ten men. One is a bitter enemy of the other 9. One is a despised Samaritan, a foreigner. The others are Jews, the chosen ones of God. The Samaritans were people who lived in what had been the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They were a racially mixed society with Jewish and pagan ancestry. Although they worshiped Yahweh as did the Jews, their religion was not mainstream Judaism. They accepted only the Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Bible as being from God, dismissing the historical books and the books of the prophets. They were much more inclined to follow the law of Moses. Their temple was on Mount Gerazim instead of on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
Although these differences drove the Samaritans and the Jews apart, for the ten the common disease of leprosy had united them. So Jesus approached a cure that He knew that both groups would accept.
Luke 17:14 “He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.”
Since both groups were familiar with the Mosaic law they would have known that the final step to being declared healed of leprosy was for a priest to inspect their body and declare them healed. Jesus sent them to be inspected. But as they were leaving they were still suffering from leprosy. It was only when they acted in faith to the command of Jesus and began to walk in that faith that the healing came.
Just imagine that you were one of the ten. You are walking toward the temple. If you arrive there with leprosy you could be stoned to death. But you notice that your companion’s condition is starting to clear up. You notice that they are receiving their healing. But what about you? Then you notice the look of amazement on everyone else’s face and realize that they are wondering the same thing. So you dare to ask. And they confirm it. You are healed.
Suddenly everyone is rushing toward the temple. Everyone is one confirmation away from rejoining their family. One confirmation away to hugging their wives and holding their children. One confirmation away to living a normal life once again. They are all running but for one.
Luke 17:15-16 “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.”
This man was a Samaritan. He wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. He wasn’t even considered a child of God. In fact he was considered to be a dog. But this Samaritan realized one thing that the others did not. His whole life lay before him now, completely restored. And it was Jesus who made it possible. He felt obligated to show his gratitude toward the one who made it so. The priest could wait. The praise could not. So Jesus wanted the crowd to take note of what took place.
Luke 17:17 “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?’”
I imagine Jesus placing his hands over his eyes to shield them from the sunlight as He looked in the direction of the temple. In a mocking tone He asks “Where are the other nine?” Then He points out the fact that only “this foreigner” returned to glorify God. Jesus called him by that name, not because He considered him a foreigner, but because all the Jews in the crowd considered him a foreigner. He did so to shame them. He did so to point out the ingratitude of God’s own people toward him. And the selfishness of answered prayer not being properly acknowledged.
The one whose prayer was answered knew God. He followed the teachings to a certain extent. But he was not one of the chosen ones.
He was like a sinner. They know God. They follow his teachings with the good deeds they do. They just haven’t accepted Jesus as their Lord. But often it seems to be these lost people who appreciate the goodness of God more than most.
10 people making a prayer request. 100% receiving that prayer answered. 90% moving on with life. 10% taking the time to show their gratitude through worship. I believe that this could be a reflection of the church. I had to take a moment and ponder all the times I have asked God for a prayer to be answered. When He answered it have I really praised him? Or has it been a quick “thank you Lord” as I putter on down the road? Do we really worship God for answered prayers?
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, a childcare worker, a chauffer, and a variety of others roles.
When I retired, 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 cleaned a bit more than usual and shows her gratitude, it feels wonderful. When she comes home and eats one of my “gourmet” meals and tells her friends what a great chef I am, I beam.
However, 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 was 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 writes that he was never in need. The need he speaks of is a worldly need. How many times do throw that word “need” around? I need a new TV. I need the latest smart phone, I-pad, or whatever the latest gizmo is. I need a vacation. That’s one we all use. We confuse that word need with desire. We desire so many things. Paul said he never had those desires.
Because he had learned how to be content. He stated he had learned the secret of living in every situation. Contentment is a learning experience. Paul states that there were times in his life when he had everything and it was easy to be content. Paul at one time was a Pharisee. He was a wealthy man. He had a nice home. Great meals. He wanted for nothing. His stomach was full and he was content. He had plenty and he was content.
But God decided to school Paul. So Paul lost his wealth. Paul lost his home, his great meals, his comforts. There were times he had almost nothing and he had to learn to be content. There were times when he was hungry and he had to learn to be content. There were times when he had little and he had to learn to be content.
Discontentment begins by not being content with all that we have. We have a house but we want a bigger house. Maybe we even need a bigger house. We have a car but we want a newer car. Maybe we even need a newer car. We have a job but we want a better job. Maybe we even need a better job. We don’t like the way we look so we spend money trying to improve on what God has done. I am not about to say maybe we even need to improve our looks.
But what if you lost the house you have, would you be content? Or the car, or the job, or your good looks. Could you learn to be content? Because lack of contentment will always lead to lack of gratitude for what you have.
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 it was for the benefit of the foreigner, as Jesus said. Paul was content and in his contentment he reflected gratitude for the joy of his suffering for the cause of Christ.
Colossians 1:24 “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.”
As you read through 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. There is a song that we use to sing a lot. Its title is ‘Blessed be your name.” In Hebrew blessed meant to praise, give thanks, speak of the excellence of someone.
I promise not to sing it but if I did 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.”
You know when situations are good it is not difficult to show your gratitude toward God. It is not difficult to express to others his excellence.
“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 so much on the negative.
