Video Illustration: Nick Viciuvik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOzsjEmjjHs
Series: The Art of Thank You – 10 Lepers
Thesis: We must cultivate a grateful heart with the Lord and learn the art of “Thank You” to the Lord and to others. Thank You has the power to change our heart and others hearts! It can even transform our daily life and environment.
Summary of Series:
So why do we need to learn the art of “Thank You” today in the world we live in?
Answer: Because it is important for us to recognize the time and sacrifice it took for that prayer to be answered, for that nice act to be done for us, especially when we live in a time deprived and selfish society. When we do the art of thank you, we acknowledge our relationship with the person and appreciate their kind act. It's a simple sign of respect. If we do not express gratitude, our relationship will change because in the inaction we show we don't care about the other person’s gift, sacrifice or act of love.
It’s about our attitude toward God and others and it’s about a communication form of artistic expression to God and others. Yes, saying “Thank You” is an art form that people will admire and be impacted from!
Highlight the visuals on the floor – The Thank You Board, the thank you note basket, the thankyou painting.
T.S. - Let’s look at the Art of “Thank You” from scripture one last time when Jesus heals 10 lepers but only 1 comes back and thanks Jesus for the healing!
Scripture Text: Luke 17:11-19 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Introduction: Picture the scene just highlighted to us:
Jesus and his disciples are on the move in a multiracial area made up of Jews and Samaritans. He is passing through on his way to Jerusalem, where He will die, when He sees over in the distance a leper colony of 10 men waving at him emphatically, they have stumps which use to be hands, they have crippled deformed arms and legs, they have boils on their bodies and faces, and some of them are helping the others stand up as they are yelling from the distance. They are isolated from everyone else --- yet they are crying out “Jesus have mercy on us!” there are 9 Jews and 1 Samaritan an odd mix considering Samaritans were despised by the Jews as ½ breeds. But these 10 men are all huddled together in their small group for survival, they live in filth, they live in extreme poverty, they have abandoned by their society. Yes, they most likely live by the dumps of this village scrounging for food, they are outcasts because of their disease, their disease fell on them because of their sin so say the Jewish religious leaders of Israel. The horrific result of this disease is isolation from their families, rejection by society, abandoned by loved ones, they are people with no hope of a future. All they had to expect in life was to watch their bodies decay and deform and rot away. But they had heard about this man Jesus – maybe they had heard about the man with leprosy that Jesus had healed earlier? Maybe they knew Him? They see Jesus coming with his gathering and they cry out to Him!
Can you imagine the scene? Can you imagine their pain and suffering? Can you imagine their loneliness and depression? Can you empathize with their hopeless outlook on life? Can you imagine their desperation?
I suspect that living in the worst conditions imaginable in poverty was torture but seeing your body rot, decay and deform was worst but we could imagine! You need to think what they had lost in their lives? Imagine their grief? They no longer felt the touch of their loved ones, no hugs, no kisses, no warm embrace. No, I love you! They were isolated from their kids or grandkids and spouses - families – cast away to the outskirts of the society to die an agonizing lonely death. Could you imagine being banned and isolated from your family like this?
All they have of love and family is ancient distant memories! These memories are of the past but they don’t see this love for the future! They see loneliness and isolation!
I once prayed for a few lepers in India at a Jesus festival near Bona Gona Pali - I was ministering at this event with Dr. Nichols. We had just prayed for over 5,000 people a piece personally. I had just sat down in the Land Rover exhausted when the crusade director came and said, “Pastor Mike these three have traveled a long way and they want you to pray for them! Please come and pray for them.” I got out of the vehicle it was dark, but as I walked over to them --- You could not imagine how they smelled and even in the dark how deformed they looked! But I laid my hands on them all three of them and I prayed for them to be healed by the power of Jesus! Recalling how Jesus healed the lepers!
One author noted this about this horrible disease:
“Leprosy is a terrible condition where a person’s skin begins to rot and fall off. Many lepers lose all of their fingers and toes because of the disease. It is very painful and smelly. You could tell if a person had leprosy because their body would be covered with sores. Leprosy was a common skin disease a long time ago, and there are still people in some parts of the world today who have leprosy….Leprosy is very contagious. It is very easy to “catch” leprosy. Even just touching a person who has leprosy or touching something that they touched could make you get the disease. So whenever a person caught leprosy in Bible times, they had to live outside the community. In fact, one of the laws that God gave the Israelites in the Old Testament says, “As long as he has the infection [of leprosy] he remains unclean. He must live alone. He must live outside the camp.” - Leviticus 13:46. From https://bible.org/seriespage/5-jesus-heals-ten-lepers-luke-1711-19
So here I am laying hands and praying for three Indian lepers in India at about 1 am in the morning. I can honestly say you could feel and see their desperation, you could hear their cry for healing and mercy from Jesus. I prayed, I had faith but I don’t know what happened to those three men – they never showed back up at the Jesus festival again.
As I have read and studied about the disease of leprosy in the Bible I have discovered that the disease of leprosy was always symbolically associated with the disease of sin and its consequences in Bible times. The Jewish religious leaders were blunt (merciless) to tell anyone who came down with the disease that they were the way they were because of their sins. The spiritual comparison goes like this: Sin rots the flesh away slowly one part of the body at a time, without you knowing it, it causes us to maim ourselves and injure ourselves like leprosy does without realizing that we are doing this to ourselves, this disease causes the nerves to be deadened so they don’t feel pain or injury – they become totally unaware of the damage they are doing to their own body, soul and or spirit until it’s too late. Until it’s infected so bad that a finger is lost or toes are lost.
T.S. - So our Bible story of Jesus and lepers reveals 10 desperate lepers crying out to Jesus from a distance for mercy – for healing - for a second chance at life! They want mercy, forgiveness of sin, healing for the restoration of their body, and for a miracle like they heard Jesus do with others.
I pray this morning you see this scenario clearly in your mind and your heart:
I. The miracle healing by Jesus for the 10 lepers.
a. Story of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
i. This passage at first appears to be just a simple scenario of Jesus healing more people in His traveling ministry. When we read the Gospel’s you can become desensitized by the miracles of Jesus because you read one after the other in these historical books.
1. But this healing, this miracle is not like most other miracle stories of Jesus and healing. You might ask Why is it not, “The healing itself is not emphasized as much as the reaction to it by Jesus and the lepers.
a. Did you notice that from our story – Jesus reaction to the leper and lepers?
i. The healing is not what amazed Jesus! It was how 9 out of the 10 seemed ungrateful for their healing from leprosy!
1. Jesus was more concerned about the 9’s lack of gratitude!
ii. They did not even take the time to go say “Thank You” to the one who healed them, the one who gave their life back, and who gave their families back.
1. They seemed indifferent – not grateful for what they had just received – which was a divine miracle!
a. They had received Mercy – like they asked!
b. They had received a miracle like they asked!
c. They had received their lives back like they asked!
2. I have wondered about these 9 leper mindsets and hearts – they were the Jewish ones who were God’s chosen people. Of all people should they not be the first to thank Jesus and praise God?
a. But maybe they felt entitled to their healing by God?
b. But maybe they thought Jesus had to do this because they were Jewish?
c. But maybe they thought it was long over due?
d. There is no more jumping and waving at Him, no crying out to Him. No Thank You?
i. Illustration: Their reaction is like a Cubs baseball fan who jumps up and down, yells and screams for their team, they root on their team and then they win! And the fan leaves Wrigley field without praise for the team, no excitement for the win, to them now it’s no big deal they won the world series! So what! They appear apathetic and ungrateful!
ii. Let’s recall the scene again with the lepers: They see Jesus coming with the crowd following – they stand, they try to jump, they wave to get His attention, they cry out in desperation, “Jesus have mercy on us!” They are using all their strength to get Jesus attention so He grants their request and they do nothing to thank Him in the end. Can you picture this – can you see this through the eyes of Jesus!
1. Back to our scene again after the lepers are crying, no screaming at the top of their lungs for Mercy: Jesus stops – He parts the crowd – He looks at the lepers from the distance and says loudly, “Go show yourself to the priest!”
a. Odd for Jesus to say that – why the priest? Well in those days the priests declared you unfit to live in society when you had this disease. But it was also the priest who could testify that you were healed of this deadly disease and give a good report so you could re-enter society – so you could re-enter your life.
b. But notice there is an act of faith in Jesus command for their healing to the lepers “Go” – in other words believe you are healed – but wait their mind is saying “We are still standing in front of Jesus and the crowd, we are still deformed, smelly and inflicted with the disease from what we can see.” They look at each other and say “Did he say Go to the priest?” they are acknowledge “yes” that is what Jesus said.
i. But they had to decide, at this point in time, if they would do what He told them to do!
1. These chose to go on the journey to the priest and things start popping! They start feeling the healing – their fingers are being restored, the sores start to disappear- they are looking at each other in amazement and with jubilation- they are being healed as they follow Jesus direction - the closer they get to the priest the more whole they become and when they get to the priest he looks at them in disbelief and says, “You are healed?”
a. The hats come off, the wrapping are flung off, they are jumping around with each other, screaming and rejoicing for their miracle.
b. I am sure it was an amazing sight to see!
2. Quote to remember about this scenario: The request calls for faith, since the men must turn and go to the priests without having experienced the healing first. In that sense the miracle is like Elisha's telling Naaman to go wash himself in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10-15). As they depart, they are cleansed. Jesus does not touch them as he had the leper of 5:12-14. The messianic times are present as Jesus heals from a distance (7:1-10, 22). https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ivp-nt/Ten-Lepers-Samaritans-Faith
a. In our faith journey there are times when we just have to listen to the direction of Jesus and do what He says even if it seems crazy.
b. But as we do it we too will experience a miracle, a healing in obedience to His Word.
3. Now back to the 10 lepers - Imagine their rejoicing – they are jumping up and down on freshly healed limbs, there are tears of joy and praise! They are dancing – singing in disbelief in their new found miracle.
4. Then it hit them! The 10 lepers stop, smile and run off to their families to share the good news, they have been longing for their loved ones embrace – their hugs- their kisses their presence. So they run for home at a full sprint– forgetting to say “Thank You” to Jesus for the miracle – for the answered prayer!
5. But 1 stops dead in his track in his dash to his family – he says, “I have to go back to Jesus and thank Him for this great miracle of healing and for His mercy before I go home!”
a. I have to say, “Thank You!”
b. I know I don’t deserve this miracle and mercy!
c. So, he runs to Jesus and when he sees hi he gets on his knees to praise Jesus and to thank Him.
d. Jesus asks where are the other 9?
i. No answer to his question is given?
ii. Maybe he shrugged his shoulders?
e. Jesus congratulates the 1 leper, applauds his faith and sends him off with His blessings.
f. I have often wondered what happened to other 9?
i. Have you asked this same question?
ii. What do you think happened to them?
iii. This is a question I think I would like to ask Jesus in heaven!
T.S. – As I have read and re-read this story over the past few weeks I keep asking myself the question, “Why would someone who received a miracle healing not want to thank Jesus for the miracle? Is it arrogance, an entitlement mindset, or just having a hardened heart, or maybe they just forgot?” But I read our story and several lessons surface for us here today to apply to our life from this story:
II. What lessons are woven in this miracle story of healing and mercy by Jesus?
a. The obvious one lesson is that we should always take the time to thank the Lord for His mercy (His forgiveness of sin) and for any healing in our body, soul and spirits!
i. We should always be grateful for what He has done for us!
1. This stories spiritual lesson of leprosy is used as a symbol for sin and its ramifications on a person’s life!
a. Sin will slowly eat our body away and eventually kill us.
b. Sin will kill us slowly!
c. Sin will kill us silently and we will not notice the effect of sin until we lose a limb or a foot.
d. Sin will cause us to be isolated and alone.
e. Sin will make people look at us in disgust.
2. We should thank the Lord for his mercy on us and his willingness to forgive and heal our sins!
ii. We should make sure we take the time to thank the Lord for our salvation and for our miracles in life!
1. We need to thank God every day for our life – for our salvation!
iii. We should show Him our gratitude and never think He owes us anything – really we should never have an entitlement mindset with Jesus and the Lord!
1. The truth is God owes us nothing!
2. We owe Him everything!
iv. Healing can happen at a distance – Jesus does not have to touch you physically – all He has to do is to speak it into existence.
1. The truth is the one who seems far away from Jesus can be healed by Him without Him touching them physically.
a. Jesus words are the ones that have power to heal!
b. This is why we are encouraged to read about Him and learn His famous words of life and healing!
c. They still have the power today to heal and deliver!
d. They still have the power to bring mercy to our life!
2. The power of intercessory prayer to God is revealed in this miracle.
a. They cried out to Jesus – he heard their prayer and cry from the heart.
b. The power of our prayers and requests to God for mercy are shown to be the means for receiving a miracle.
c. We all need to ask for miracles!
v. The foreigner or the Samaritan leper – the one who seemed further from God than the others is the only one who comes to say thanks – I find that interesting – do you?
1. We should all be grateful for Jesus! Especially the Ones who have received the most from God!
2. He came to save and deliver all of us!
vi. Jesus applauds the ones who have grateful and humble hearts!
1. We can appreciate God’s blessings or not appreciate them it’s our choice but God does take note of our response to His blessings.
a. It is this last point that Jesus highlights when he asks, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?"
b. Only the foreigner has returned to give thanks. Now what Jesus praises here is the Samaritan's initiative to say “Thank You!”
i. His willingness to go out of his way to come back and say “Thank You!”
ii. Jesus had instructed the men to go to the priest. All of them had turned to do so, apparently. But only one has taken the trouble and time to return and thank Jesus.
c. God's graciousness is often ignored and unappreciated in our day.
i. In addition, often those who have been blessed forget to take time to thank those God uses in the blessing process.
ii. Do you want to be commended by Jesus learn to “Thank” Him for His blessings!
2. Recall again what Jesus asks, "Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Yes, he was the only one who gave thanks who was willing to bow to Jesus – to praise Jesus.
a. How good are you at praising Jesus for what He has done for you?
i. Do you bow to Him?
ii. Sing praises to Him?
iii. Acknowledge His goodness to others?
b. Note: “Those who do not take blessings for granted make up an exclusive club of surprising people. In our small group at church we recently studied joy. In the materials we used (for this study) there was a discussion of how some Americans had gained fortunes in the early 1980s: "The average salary for Fortune 1000 CEO's is over $500,000/year. The actor Marlon Brando is said to have collected a fee of $3.7 million plus $15 million in profit percentages for a mere 12 days work in the 1978 film Superman—a rate of $1.5 million a day." Many people in Western nations are showered with material blessing. Yet an article in U.S. News & World Report on the wealthy of the same period reported, "Half of those considered successful by their peers are unhappy." Why is this so? Maybe it is because success and meaning are being defined in the wrong places by the wrong things. Life's real blessings are not valued and appreciated, while things that cannot really bless are assigned value and worth they do not really possess. Often our families and friends and, more important, the God of life are underappreciated, taken advantage of or ignored—not necessarily to their detriment, but always to ours. The above from https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ivp-nt/Ten-Lepers-Samaritans-Faith
Conclusion:
We have come to the conclusion of the message – Have you learned the art of “Thank You” this month?
Share Tony Simons story of thanksgiving to his supporters!
A short story of ungrateful from https://stevenbourque.com/2011/07/23/the-girl-named-ungrateful-a-short-story/: So there was this girl, her name was Ungrateful. Her mom would wake her in the morning with a sweet kiss and give her her favorite breakfast of blueberry pancakes with whipped cream on top. But she would push her away, snarl, snatch the food and sulk in her bed jamming her finger into the eyes of her plush Angry Birds pillow. Her dad would patiently teach her how to fish, but when she would catch a fish this (<–>) big, she would exaggerate and brag to all her friends that she caught a fish THIS (<———>) BIG all by herself without anyone teaching her or helping her. Her camp counsellor would joke with her, take her to all her crafts, teach her about Jesus, help her clean up the cabin, but not once would she say thank you, in fact, she would even sweep dirt into her counsellor’s sleeping bag. Her grandma would give her $100 for her birthday, but she would complain that it wasn’t $200 and that she wished she had a grandma that actually loved her (I know, how evil!). At school, she would pull off the best cheer ever full of leg kicks, flips and great rhymes, but not ever give credit to the God who made her legs. Then one day, her dad passed on to her the family restaurant business. Grumbling, she took on the manager role. But she never really appreciated the value of a job and so she wouldn’t check her supplies very well, she treated her customers poorly, she would complain when their tips were bad and soon, people weren’t coming to the restaurant anymore. Her workers began showing up late and putting in a terrible effort. Until finally, she had to close down her restaurant. And now she lives in a van down by the river selling “fresh” fish out of the back. How will you respond to the Creator of the universe who has generously given you so very much to be grateful for? How will you steward his resources?
What do we need to know?
Answer: We need to make sure we thank the Lord for His miracles, for our salvation and for His intervention in our lives and for answered prayers.
Why do we need to know this?
Answer: We need to know that this is how a grateful Christian acts – it shows a humble and thankful heart!
What do they need to do?
Answer: We need to be thankful because God is taking notice of How you react to his miracles and blessings in life! So we need to practice the art of Thank You because it has the power to change our lives, our hearts, our minds and change our environment around us!
Why do they need to do this?
Answer: When they do this things will change in their hearts, in their perception of life and in turn this will impact everyone around them!
Creative element to recall sermon!
