(Luke 17:11-19 NASB) "And it came about while He was on the way to Jerusalem, that He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. {12} And as He entered a certain village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; {13} and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, HAVE MERCY ON US!" {14} And when He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And it came about that AS THEY WERE GOING, they were cleansed. {15} Now ONE OF THEM, when he saw that he had been HEALED, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, {16} and he fell on his face at His feet, GIVING THANKS to Him. And he was a Samaritan. {17} And Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-- where are they? {18} "Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?" {19} And He said to him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
The word Leprosy, means to strike, to be smitten, or to receive a blow. The Hebrews believed that Leprosy was God striking or punishing the afflicted person. It was a God given disease and, therefore, could only be cured by the Lord.
The disease, as you well know is awful. It begins with specks on the eyelids and the palms, gradually spreading over the whole body, bleaching the hair white, crusting the affected parts with white scales causing terrible sores and swelling. From the skin the disease eats inward to the bones, rotting the whole body piece by piece. In the later stages one's limbs can actually fall off. Leprosy was a fatal disease. Leprosy is often used as a picture of sin. Just as Leprosy invades every part of ones body, and is finally fatal, so sin has invaded every aspect of our being and has killed us spiritually. There is not human cure for either the physical or spiritual disease.
A good description of our Spiritual Leprosy is found in Isaiah 1:1-6 NASB. "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. {2} Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. {3} "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand." {4} Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. {5} Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick, And the whole heart is faint. {6} From the sole of the foot even to the head There is NOTHING SOUND IN IT, Only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil."
>From the top of the head to the soles of our feet, sin has done its work. Our bodies and souls are overwhelmed with the effects and consequences of sin. Every part of us, both spiritually and physically, is damaged. The theological phrase that describes our condition is Total Depravity. This phrase does not mean that we are as bad in behavior as we could be. For God graciously restrains us. Rather, the phrase, Total Depravity, tells us that there is no part of us that is not fallen and in rebellion against God. From the top of our head to the sole of our feet and every where in between we are sinners. We sin with our minds, mouth, hands, hearts and feet. The bible teaches that there is no human cure for this disease, we are beyond all self-help. We are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins without hope and without God in this world.
One of the things this Spiritual Leprosy does is render us incapable of understanding God's truth. This aspect of our fallen condition is described in I Corinthians. 2:14. "But a natural man ( a man born only once, i.e., unsaved) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot (is unable to) understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." In other words the Gospel can only be understood by those who have been born twice or born again and have the Spirit of God living in them. Till this is true the Gospel cannot be comprehended. The truth is, man has fallen and he can't get up.
When a person understands what sin has done to mankind he will also understand why a "Sovereign Salvation" is the sinners only hope. We have been infected to the center of our being with sin and we cannot cure ourselves. Anyone who believes there is some goodness in them that might merit the favor of God does not understand his own condition as a sinner. To say, "Sure I've sinned but I'm not all bad," is to seal your fate and prove that the Spirit of God has not been your teacher. You must recognize that you are dead in sin, separate from God and without hope unless God intervenes in your life. When God causes you to see the extent of your sin and inability you will, with Paul, declare that in you there is no good thing. This awareness is essential to one's salvation.
Looking back for a moment at the physical disease of Leprosy we discover a most interesting and instructive bit of information as concerns the diagnosis of the disease. Look with me at Leviticus 13:9-13 NASB. "When the infection of leprosy is on a man, then he shall be brought to the priest. {10} "The priest shall then look, and if there is a white swelling in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, {11} it is a chronic leprosy on the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not isolate him, for he is unclean. {12} "And if the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of him who has the infection from his head even to his feet, as far as the priest can see, {13} then the priest shall look, and behold, IF THE LEPROSY HAS COVERED ALL HIS BODY, HE SHALL PRONOUNCE CLEAN him who has the infection; it has all turned white and he is clean."
Isn't that amazing! If a man is just partially corrupt with this disease he is unclean and infectious. If he is covered all over from head to toe he is clean and safe to be around. There is a spiritual correlation to each of these individuals.
The first man is a picture of the sinner who boldly admits there is some unsoundness, some corruption in him but, on the whole, he is a good man with a good heart who does good deeds. There are only a few sores on his body in other words. There is only a minor problem of Spiritual Leprosy, therefore, he comes boldly before the throne of God to make his case. I have sinned, he declares, but all in all, I have been more good than bad. This man will not be saved from the wrath to come. He will remain unclean and unacceptable to God. For he is one who trust in his own good works.
Then there is the sinner who sees himself as he really is, corrupt from head to toe. He is full of sin and he knows it. This man also comes before the throne of grace but not to make his case. Rather, he comes to acknowledge his total corruption as well as his inability to do anything about it. This man comes to ask for mercy. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican illustrates this truth very well. Luke 18:10-14 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. 11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. 12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' (This man came before God measuring himself against other men and looking pretty good) 13 "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be me!
rciful to me, the sinner!' (This man came before God convinced that he was a sinner through and through. He knows he has nothing to offer God. He stands, as it were, far off and cries out for mercy.) 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself, ( or expects to be saved because of some goodness in him), shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself, (by speaking the truth about his condition) shall be exalted." Do you see it? The one with only a few sores remains unclean before God, the other acknowledges his total corruption and goes down to his house a clean and forgiven man.
The ten lepers in Luke seventeen knew that their physical condition was hopeless. No doctor, no priest, no pastor, could help them, only God could cure their Leprosy. Therefore, when they saw Jesus they cried out, "Have mercy on us." Look with me at some other instances in the New Testament where people petitioned Christ for mercy.
Luke 18:38 tells us of a blind man sitting by the side of the road as Jesus was passing by. "And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 And those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" . . . 42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." {43} And immediately he regained his sight, and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.
In the next passage a father brings his son to Christ. (Mark 9:17-27 NASB) And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; . . . {22} "And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" {23} And Jesus said to him, "'If You can!' All things are possible to him who believes." {24} Immediately the boy's father cried out and began saying, "I do believe; help my unbelief." {25} And when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again." {26} And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, "He is dead!" {27} But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up."
We could look at other instances of people crying out for mercy as concerns physical ailments. But let's consider the corresponding spiritual side of the issue. Look with me at Matthew 23:15-26 NASB. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. . . . {24} "You BLIND guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! {25} "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. {26} "You BLIND Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also." These Pharisees were not blind in the physical sense but in the spiritual. They did not understand spiritual truth although they thought they did. They were unable to see or understand that Christ was the Messiah, the Savior. Al!
l humans are like this prior to a work of grace in their hearts.
That fallen, sinful man, is possessed by or enslaved to the Devil is seen in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 NASB. "And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, {25} with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, {26} and they may come to their senses and escape from the SNARE of the devil, having been HELD CAPTIVE by him to do his will." Let's though in John 8:43-45 NASB. "Why do you not understand (you do not see) what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. (Here is spiritual deafness.) {44} "YOU ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, and YOU WANT TO DO THE DESIRES of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. {45} "But because I speak the truth, you do not be!
lieve Me." Jesus says that the reason the Jewish leaders did not believe Him was that they COULD NOT HEAR OR SEE THE TRUTH. Here then are the spiritual counterparts of the physical infirmities of blindness and deafness. Further we have proof that sinners are possessed by the Devil as slaves and sons! Surely you can see that the spiritual infirmities that afflict men are far worse than the physical one. Physical Leprosy will take your temporal life from you. Spiritual Leprosy will take eternal life from you. You tell me which one should be crying out for mercy more than the other.
Return with me to our text and notice how our lepers were finally cured. First they cried out for mercy and then they obeyed the command of Jesus. (Luke 17:13-14 NASB) ". . and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" {14} And when He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And it came about that AS THEY WERE GOING, they were cleansed." If he is to be saved the sinner must follow the example set by these ten lepers. When the Spirit of God has revealed the sinner's spiritual leprosy he cries out to God for mercy. He is then told what he must do. The instruction comes in many forms. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." "Look to Christ and live." "Flee from the wrath to come." "Come, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." "Repent and believe the Gospel." "Come, bring no money, and buy from Me." "Incline your ear and come to Me, listen that you may live." "If any m!
an is thirsty let him come to me and drink." When the sinner sees his hopeless condition he cries out for mercy and is given the above instructions. He will be saved when he complies.
How many times have you heard this command with a promise, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." Why have you not been saved? Simply because you continue to disobey. You refuse to believe in Jesus. That is why you are not, at this moment, a Christian. These Lepers would not have been healed if they had not obeyed the command of Christ to go and show themselves to the priest. Here is the statement from out text, "And it came about that AS THEY WERE GOING they were cleansed." They were not healed as they discussed the matter. We do not see them in a Leper's huddle saying, "We've been to the priest before and he always declared us unclean. There is no need to go again." Rather, they put themselves in the way of God's blessing by obeying the words of Christ. There is a principle here that has something to say about every aspect of lives.
It says to the couple having marriage trouble, "Hear the word of God from the Bible and obey it." See what God says a husband should be. See what God says a wife should be and apply His truth to you life. This is the only way to have God's blessing on your marriage. This text says to the parent having trouble with a wayward child, "Hear the word of the Lord as concerns child rearing and obey it." This is the only way to find wisdom and strength for the difficult job of rearing children. Obedience to God's truth is the only way to God's blessing on your family. This text tells every Christian to "Make use of the means of grace." We must read the scriptures daily. We must attend the assembly of God's people at the stated times. We must pray at all times without ceasing. We must walk in the way of unhesitating obedience. For it is in that way that we will find the blessings of God and the peace of heart we so covet. Friend, there is unending blessing in the way of ob!
edience. Likewise, there is unending misery in the way of disobedience. The same is true for the unbeliever. There is no other way to the blessing of salvation but to obey the Savior who says come to Him by faith and you will be saved.
Before we leave this text let us notice that not all these Lepers had the same exact experience. They were all healed of their physical Leprosy but there was something different about one of them. (Luke 17:15-19 NASB) "Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, GLORIFYING GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE, {16} and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. {17} And Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-- where are they? {18} "Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?" (non Jew) {19} And He said to him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
A thankful heart is a very rare thing. The unbeliever takes the blessings of God in stride and refers to them as luck or good fortune. He does not return thanks to God. But then there are many in the visible church who say they have been healed of sins disease but they are not thankful people. These have not returned to the feet of Jesus with devotion and tears to praise and serve Him as Lord. Rather, with their conscience satisfied, they return to their former lives to enjoy the blessings of God without thanking and worshiping the Giver. Thanksgiving is a rare thing. However thanksgiving flows naturally from the hearts and lips of those who understand the blackness of their sin and the mercy that God has shown to them in Christ. Those who know they have no goodness, no hope without Jesus, no strength without Jesus, no chance of living for God without His daily and hourly provision, these are thankful people. Ladies and gentlemen, praise and thanksgiving is always on !
the lips of God's real people! If you have been cured of Spiritual Leprosy shouldn't you be the most thankful person on earth?
If thanksgiving is not coming forth from us like water from a spring we are either not saved or we are ungrateful children and ought to be ashamed. We need to remind ourselves of what a blessing it is to be forgiven. Hear the word of the Lord.
(Psalms 103 NASB) (A Psalm of David.) "Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. {2} Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; {3} Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; {4} Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; {5} Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. . . {8} The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. {9} He will not always strive with us; (We will not always be experiencing His reprimand and discipline.) Nor will He keep His anger forever. (In spite of the disciplines and hardships our wise Father has brought upon us we must remember that . . . ) {10} HE HAS NOT DEALT WITH US ACCORDING TO OUR SINS, NOR REWARDED US ACCORDING TO OUR INIQUITIES. (If He had we would be in hell at this very moment!) {11} For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is !
His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. {12} As far as the east is from the west, So far has HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US. {13} Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. . . . But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, {18} To those who keep His covenant, And who remember His precepts to do them. (Here is that connection between blessing and obedience. Obedience is the proof of one's faith.) {19} The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all. {20} Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! {21} Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. {22} Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!"
If you are among those who identify with and understand the passage just read you will be the one, out of nine, who will return to fall at Jesus feet to thank and worship God through Him. If you understand the depth of your own depravity and sin you will, with your last breath, be praising and thanking God for His mercy to you in Christ. Thanksgiving comes naturally from the real people of God. For they were once slaves of sin, self, and Satan but now they are free. Now they are willing bondslaves of Christ and they overflow with thanksgiving. Christians are a thankful people. For God has been merciful to them.
