Introduction
A. Thanksgiving Day – First held in 1611 after the winter of 1610 had reduced the number of settlers from 406 to 60. They prayed for help and God answered in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England. They thanked Him! In 1621, another band of 46 Puritans and 91 Native Americans held a special day of thanksgiving to praise the Lord for a bountiful harvest. The previous winter had reduced their number from 102 to 46, yet they were thankful.
B. Washington called for a national day of thanksgiving in 1789. Lincoln established that the last Thursday of November would be a day of thanksgiving in America. Congress finally settled the day on the fourth Thursday in November as the official day of thanksgiving here in America.
C. This idea of thankfulness and thanksgiving comes from the Bible.
D. Christianity is the religion of thanksgiving!
E. Notice one such place that the Bible illustrates being thankful in Luke 17:11-19.
Body
I. Retell the story of the ten lepers.
A. On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. (Luk 17:11)
1. It was not uncommon for a Jew, who despised the Samaritans to walk several miles out of their way in order not to go through Samaria. (show map). But it seems Jesus took a different route.
B. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance (Luk 17:12)
1. This is an unnamed village where Jesus comes in contact with ten lepers.
2. Leprosy is a disease of the skin which created decomposed spots on the skin. The disease destroyed the nerves and because of that people could not feeling with they were to close to the fire, or if a rat was nibbling on their foot. This caused a person limbs to fall off or rot off. And if that is not bad enough. If you had this disease you were cast out of your community, you were not to be touched; you could not touch your husband or wife, or your children. You had to yell Leper, Leper when someone did come near. You were cast out of the city and exposed to the elements of nature, wild animals and any enemies your city may have had. To have Leprosy was a death sentence.
C. and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luk 17:13)
1. These men called out to Jesus and asked him to have pity on them.
2. Leviticus 13:46, states that Lepers must live separate from others and cry out, unclean.
D. When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. (Luk 17:14)
1. This was in accordance with a Law of Moses they were to show themselves to the priest (Lev. 14:1-2).
2. They are cleansed as they go.
E. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. (Luk 17:15-16)
1. The ten men had faith that Jesus could help them, and He did. The Samaritan not only believed but thanked the Lord for what he did. He was the only one.
2. The Samaritan was a most unlikely person to say “Thank you.”
a. In the Jews minds Samaritans were a very despised half-breed race.
b. John 4:9, “for the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans”.
3. This is the last person one would think of to say “Thank You.”
a. Oftentimes, the most unlikely people are the ones who obey God and give Him glory. God always accepts their praise and frequently uses them as the examples of a righteous heart.
F. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luk 17:17-19)
1. Sadness seems to have been the dominant emotion as Jesus contemplated the ingratitude of the nine. How could men be so thoughtless and unappreciative of God's favor?
2. These lepers had come to Jesus in the extreme, detestable, and pitiful disease; they pleaded with him to help, and he healed them; but nine of them never even said, "Thank you."
3. Only 1 out of the 10 said, `Thank you’ and he was a Samaritan.
a. People can be ungrateful. Years ago, one stormy night in Lake Michigan, a side-wheeler steamboat was rammed by another boat. The steamboat sank just a mile offshore from the village of Winnetka, Illinois. Out of 393 passengers on board, 279 drowned.
b. A man named Edward Spencer after seeing the situation unfold plunged into the lake and swam to the drowning people. He towed one person to shore and went for another. In all, he brought seventeen people to safety. However, the strain on this young man caused him to collapse. The nerves in his legs were so completely destroyed that he could never walk again. He was an invalid wheel chair victim for his entire life.
c. On his eightieth birthday, someone asked him to relate his most vivid memory of that dreadful day. He replied, "Not one of the seventeen returned to thank me." How awful this man must of felt losing his legs to save 17 people and no one even said thank you.
d. Can you imagine how the Lord felt when these 9 Lepers did not give him gratitude for what He did for them? Can you imagine how the Lord feels after dying on the Cross and people are ungrateful for his sacrifice?
II. The healing of the 10 Lepers is a reminder when God does a great work in our life, we must also have the faith to tell Him, “Thank You.”
A. All these men had faith, but faith is more than God doing a miracle in one’s life; it must come from the heart and be expressed in thanksgiving.
1. The point made here, seems to be, is that unless gratitude is a part of our nature, we can’t be a whole person. The other nine were merely healed. If ingratitude is more deadly than leprosy, they were in worse shape than before. Only one came back and was made whole, spiritually.
2. God teaches us to be grateful and to express thanks to Him through out His word.
B. The Samaritan leper came back praising God and yet he still had enormous problems.
1. His leprosy was healed, but he had been living as an outcast with no family and no job. He had no home and no village. Yet he is praising God even in the midst of his unsolved problems.
2. The Bible teaches us in many places to give thanks and to praise God even if we have problems.
i. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
ii. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 we read, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
iii. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
C. Each of us have problem right now. Nobody is living in a problem-free family, job, school, or world. Let’s think about how we can praise God any way; even in our present problem.
III. Let’s be like the Samaritan.
A. The Samaritan not only brought joy to Christ’s heart but received salvation from His hand: “Your faith has saved you!” When God answers our prayers, be sure to tell Him “thank You!”
1. By contrast, a man who had every reason to stay away from Jesus returned and gave glory to God. As a result, he received what the other nine—and most of the rest of Israel—did not: spiritual healing, and not just physical.
2. Most of us have seen a picture of the pilgrims at the first American Thanksgiving.
a. Over half of their number died the first year they were here. They had a hard time, and it was a very cold winter.
b. Dangers lurked everywhere, but those pilgrims didn't think of the death of their loved ones and the dangers and the cold weather. They didn't let that obscure the blessings of God. They came together, and they thanked the Lord for the blessings they had received anyway. (Charles Allen, "Lessons from the Lepers," Preaching Today, Tape No. 147).
c. The Lord is the source of our Thanksgiving. He is the reason we receive the magnitude of blessing we do.
a. Php 4:6, states, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
b. Alex Haley, the author of "Roots," had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post. When asked, "Why is that there?" Alex Haley answered, "Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words and think that they are wonderful, and begin to feel proud of myself, I look at the turtle on top of the fence post and remember that he didn't get there on his own. He had help."
c. That is the basis of thankfulness - to remember that we got “here” with the help of God, and that He is the provider of every blessing we have.
B. Let’s be the person that says, “Thank you.”
1. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, so we could be forgiven and live with him forever. He has given us salvation. Let’s be the people that says, “Thank you.”
2. God the Father who so loved us and sent his son to us to give us this salvation. Let’s say, “Thank you.”
3. Holy Spirit- who teaches us, convicts us, dwells in us and helps us as Christian. Let’s us say “Thank you.”
4. We have His word- which is powerful, and helps us to change our lives, and shows how to obey the Lord. Let’s be Thankful.
5. For the church- God gave us this gathering of people to help us and encourage and to help us get to heaven; a spiritual family. Let’s be thankful.
6. God gives us food to eat, clothing, drink for our thirst, and places to live. Let’s give Him thanks.
7. God is always doing little things that sometimes we do not see, or realize. Like days off, your favorite food, stroll along the beach, or the view from a mountain, those times you cry silent tears of joy in a world filled with sorrow. Answered prayers. There are so many little things that fill life to the brim! Let’s give God thanksgiving.
8. Then there is the special people in our lives, they encourage us they, sometimes are there for us during difficult times, and, sometimes they drive us nuts. They are family and friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s give thanks for them.
C. If you are like me, I do not give an enough thank you to all the special people that have touch my life. If you are here today and have helped me out and I have not said thank you, then I apologize and want to say thank you!
1. People need to hear they are appreciated for their service and the help they bring to our lives. Let’s be that 1 person out of 10 who says thankful. Let’s be that person who says thank you!
2. We may need to write them a note, call them on the phone and tell them how much we appreciate them, we may need to send them a text, social media message, or maybe we will make it real and personable and go up to them and just say thank you.
3. However we do it let’s be that 1 out of 10, who says, “Thank you.”
Finally,
A. Colossians 3:15 reminds us to keep on becoming thankful (present imperative) means we need to allow this to be our habitual practice. Praise on the lips naturally flows out of peace in one's heart. When we do not have the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts individually or in the local body, we are not likely to offer up sincere thanks to God.
B. This is the source of our thanksgiving, our faith and belief in Almighty God.
C. I pray that this will be a meaningful Thanksgiving week for you and all your family. Take time to read the Bible this week where it talks about “Thanksgiving.” And if you'll listen to those commands and obey them, your heart will overflow with thanksgiving to the Lord.
D. Let’s be the one person that says, “Thank you” each and every day!
E. This morning we offer Christ’s invitation. If you have sin in your life that you would like to repent of we will be glad to pray with you. Or many you need to come forward, confessing your faith, repenting of your sins, be baptized, or whatever your need might be. We extend His invitation as we stand and sing.
