Sermon Manuscript
Title: Will You Give Him Thanks?
Text: Luke 17:11-19 (Focus verses: 16-18)
Theme: Trusting God Fully and Being Thankful in All Seasons
Introduction
Good morning, church! It is Thanksgiving season, a time when families gather, communities share, and we reflect on what we are grateful for. This year, our church has been able to bless families with 175 turkeys! That’s 175 households touched by God’s provision. But I’ve come to tell you something this morning: God isn’t just looking for people to receive blessings—He’s looking for people who will return to give Him thanks!
Here is the question God placed in my spirit today: What will it take for you to give God thanks? Will you only thank Him when everything is good? Can you trust Him and give Him thanks when life feels uncertain?
Luke 17 gives us a powerful example of the heart God desires—one that not only receives His blessings but also returns in gratitude. Let’s dig into this Word today and see what the Lord is saying to us!
I. The Journey of Faith: The Leper’s Cry (Verses 11-13)
The text tells us that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, passing between Samaria and Galilee. There, He met ten men with leprosy. These men were outcasts, physically unclean, socially rejected, and spiritually distant from the community. They stood at a distance but cried out with one voice: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
They recognized their need, and they recognized the One who could meet it. Church, how often do we cry out in desperation when life gets hard? When the marriage is struggling, when the bills are overdue, when the doctor gives us bad news, we cry out, “Lord, have mercy!” But here’s my question: when the storm is over, do you return to give Him thanks?
Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” God hears your cry, but are you willing to give Him glory for the deliverance?
II. The Act of Obedience: The Leper’s Healing (Verse 14)
Jesus responded to their cry with a simple instruction: “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Now watch this—they weren’t healed yet. The healing came as they went! It was their faith and obedience to Jesus’ Word that unlocked their miracle.
Child of God, I need you to hear this today: sometimes, your breakthrough requires you to step out in faith before you see the evidence. God is saying, “Trust Me! Move forward even when you don’t have all the answers. Obey My Word even when it doesn’t make sense!”
2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Gratitude begins when you trust God, even when you can’t see the full picture.
III. The Return of Gratitude: The Samaritan’s Thanks (Verses 15-16)
Out of the ten men who were healed, only one returned to give thanks. And let me remind you, this man was a Samaritan—an outsider, someone the Jewish people would have despised. Yet he is the one who came back, fell at Jesus’ feet, and gave glory to God!
Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” This man didn’t forget. He recognized that it wasn’t just the gift that mattered—it was the Giver! He fell at Jesus’ feet in worship.
Church, how many of us have received blessings from God but failed to return in gratitude? How often do we take His goodness for granted? And here’s the convicting part: If someone who doesn’t “know” God like we do can give Him glory, how much more should we, His children, return with praise?
IV. The Question of Thanks: Jesus’ Response (Verses 17-18)
Jesus asked a piercing question: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” The other nine received the same blessing, but they didn’t come back to say thank You. And don’t we see the same thing today? God wakes us up every morning. He provides food on the table, clothes on our backs, and breath in our lungs. Yet so many walk around complaining instead of giving thanks!
James 1:17 reminds us: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” God is the source of every blessing. But when we fail to give thanks, we’re robbing Him of the glory He deserves.
V. The Power of Gratitude: Faith Made Whole (Verse 19)
When the Samaritan returned, Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you whole.” The other nine were healed, but this man received something greater—wholeness! Gratitude didn’t just change his circumstance; it changed his soul.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Church, gratitude unlocks God’s best for you. Complaining keeps you bound, but thankfulness sets you free!
VI. The Call to Trust and Thank God Fully
So I ask you again: What will it take for you to give God thanks? Can you thank Him in the good times and the bad? Can you trust Him when life is uncertain? Can you worship Him, not just for what He’s done, but for who He is?
Closing: Pointing to Jesus and the Cross
Let me take you to the Cross. Because the greatest reason we have to give thanks is not the turkey on the table or the gifts under the tree. It’s the gift of Jesus Christ!
On the Cross, Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins. He was bruised for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by His stripes, we are healed! And three days later, He rose again, securing our victory. Church, if He never does another thing for us, He’s already done enough!
So will you give Him thanks today? Will you return to the foot of the Cross and say, “Lord, I thank You for saving me, for keeping me, for loving me when I didn’t deserve it!”
Heartfelt Close
Church, don’t let this moment pass you by. Right now, lift your hands and begin to thank Him! Thank Him for the breath in your body, for the healing in your soul, for the roof over your head. Thank Him for His faithfulness, His mercy, and His grace!
Let this Thanksgiving be the start of a lifestyle of gratitude. And remember this: the same God who blessed you yesterday is the same God who will carry you into tomorrow. Trust Him fully. Thank Him completely. Worship Him wholeheartedly.
Prayer: Lord, we thank You for all You’ve done, for who You are, and for the ultimate gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. May we never forget to return to You in gratitude. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
