The Secrets of Thanks Living
Luke 17:11-19
November 21, 2004
Thanksgiving Message
Is anyone here familiar with the writings of Rudyard Kipling? He is best known for writing Riki Tiki Tavi and the Jungle Book. At one time Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the world. In fact, his writings were so popular that he was getting ten shillings per word. If you translate into our money and our time that would be well over $100 a word.
There was a group of college students who heard about Kipling’s earning per word and for some reason they were put off by it. So as a joke they gathered ten shillings and sent it to Kipling. Sarcastically, they stated that they knew how much he earned per word and asked for his best word. Kipling politely answered their request with just one word: thanks.
That important word is seldom heard in our society. Why is that? I believe that we are so blessed here in the United States that we take most of our blessings for granted. There almost seems to be an attitude that those blessings are merely rights that we have or that everyone owes us something. It is a sad reality that we live in a thankless society. People forget the common courtesy of thanking those who bless them.
How often do the people who you let into traffic wave “thanks”?
How often do the simple things like holding doors go without even a word of thanks?
How often do you feel like you are being taken for granted?
There are times when we expect everything and are thankful for nothing. I wonder if we really closely examine our lives are we genuinely thankful for all of the blessings that Jesus has bestowed to our lives. Have the blessings of God changed the character of our lives enough that we have become thankful people?
How has the reality of God’s grace changed your life? Are you living out a life of thankfulness to Christ? How often do you take the blessings of Christ for granted?
This morning I want to look at ten lives that were changed by Christ and the issue of gratitude. Open your bibles with me to the book of Luke chapter 17, verse 11.
I. The Depth of brokenness (11-13)
The backdrop for this passage is set in verse 11 because Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. We read right over it and never give it a second thought. I firmly believe that the event with the lepers and the trip to Jerusalem are connected. Why was Jesus going to Jerusalem? Jesus was headed for the cross and I believe this lesson in thankfulness must start there.
Jesus was going to Jerusalem to heal the brokenness of humanity caused by sin. He was going to the cross so we might become whole. It was no accident that Jesus chooses to stop here. It was not by chance that Jesus heals these ten men. It is a vivid illustration of what He was about to accomplish.
The truth of life is this: Every human being has some form of personal need
These 10 men who meet Jesus that day have lost the ability to truly live.
Without a doubt leprosy would have been the most dreaded and feared disease in the days of Jesus and with good reason. There were only two kinds of people with leprosy; the dead and the dying.
Leprosy was a disease that attacked both the skin and the nervous system at the same time. Literally, the flesh of those with leprosy would rot away, starting with the skin, causing deep sores. This in turn would be made worse by the effects on the nerves. Those with leprosy would experience numbness and feel no pain. At first glance, this would seem like a benefit but it only made matters worse. The person would no longer feel it when they hurt themselves. Every cut, wound, burn and injury would never be felt and thus give way to massive infections. Leprosy was a death sentence.
Imagine the depth of the brokenness of these ten men
Never again would you ever be able to give you children or grandchildren a hug
Never again would you be able to sleep in your own home
Never again would you be able to shake hands with your friends
Never again would you be able to touch your wife
Never again would you be able to hold a job of any kind Never again would you be able to attend worship services Never again would you be welcome in anyone’s home
You have felt the sting of brokenness:
· The day the doctor told you the words I have some bad news
· The day when your spouse walked out the door and out of your life
· The day when you looked in the mirror and hated everything you had become
· The day when you came face to face with your own sin and realized it wasn’t a pretty picture
Think about it: can you understand these men? Can you relate to them? Yes we can understand and yes we can relate because we too were once broken just as they were.
II. The dynamic blessing (14-16)
Jesus blesses these ten men beyond their wildest dreams, He not only heals them but he gives them back their lives. These men can show themselves to the priests and go back home. They can return to their families. They can return to working. They can return and be a part of society again. In essence, Jesus gave them a second chance by giving them a new life.
Think about that for a moment and let those words sink in. Jesus gave them a second chance by giving them a new life. Don’t you see it? You are just like the lepers. Jesus does this exact same thing for you. The moment He forgave you of your sins, you were given a second chance by gaining a new life.
You are just like the lepers. Are you like the nine or are you like the one?
How often do you thank Jesus for the second chance He gave you? How often do you thank Jesus for the cleansing you have received? How often do you thank Jesus for the new life you were given?
Out of all these men who were cleansed that day, only one came back. What was the problem? Sometimes when Jesus blesses us amazing ways, we can get so focused on the blessing that we forget the one who gave the blessing. This is what happened here the nine saw they were cleansed and went on their way; walking in the light of a blessing they were never thankful for.
What really happened here was that all ten men were cleansed but only one was healed. I can see by the looks on your faces you doubt what I just said. Let me explain what I mean. All ten men had the leprosy removed and it solved their physical problems. Only one man realized it and returned to find wholeness. These men needed more than just physical healing, they needed what only Jesus could give them.
The nine found the relief they were searching for but only one found a relationship. Don’t you see the difference? Some of you are in the same position, you have found relief in Jesus but never established a relationship with Jesus. Jesus wants to do far more than just solve your sin problem, He wants to make you whole.
Have you settled for cleansing when Jesus wants to give you wholeness?
III. The divine benefit (17-19)
Jesus starts asking questions when the one man comes back and starts praising God and thanking Him for the healing. It seems that these questions are what some people might call no brainers because Jesus already knows the answers.
· Were not all ten cleansed? Jesus knew they were all cleansed. He was there, He did it and of all the people there that day He should be the one to know
· Where are the other nine? Again Jesus knows this answer too. They were nowhere to be found. They got their blessing and headed for greener pastures.
· None but this foreigner? Jesus did not see any of the others and He had to have known that this was the only one coming back
What was the point of all this? Jesus is doing this to benefit the one who had come back. Jesus was saying all ten of those guys were cleansed but you are the only one to come back. Jesus was saying that even those guys were Jews you have made yourself one of my people.
What happens when you praise Jesus for what He does for you? You bless Him back. When Jesus blesses you make it a habit of blessing Him back. When you praise Jesus for all He has done in your life, He gives you another blessing.
Let me ask you a serious question, do you give more praise to God than the unbeliever you work with? Do you thank God more than the unbeliever living next door?
Conclusion
Edward Spenser was a student at Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois. Edward had the desire to study and become a minister to share the Word of God with other people. Edward also had the desire to serve his community and so he joined the life saving squad that served the local area on Lake Michigan. On one evening a passenger boat was out on the lake and was in serious trouble. Edward was one of the young men who answered their call for help. Again and again he went out to the boat, wading through the frigid waters of Lake Michigan.
Edward saved 17 people that night but the cost was high. Due to the temperature of the water and the effort required, Edward’s health was damaged. He became so ill that he was forced to drop out of school. Within a few years, Edward died. At his funeral, it was noted that not one of the seventeen people he rescued that cold night in Evanston ever returned to thank him.
Are you living a life of gratitude for the blessings of Jesus? How do we develop a lifestyle of thankfulness? How do we live in the “extra” blessing of Jesus?
·Remember to count your blessings often
o Always start with the small things because if you aren’t thankful for the small things than the big things lose their meaning as well
When was the last time that you thanked Jesus for the air that you breathe? When was the last time that you thanked God for the clean water you get to use everyday? When was the last time you thanked God for the sunlight we have?
When was the last time that you thanked Jesus for having a car, being able to buy gas (even if it is nearly two dollars a gallon) and the freedom to go where you want when you want to?
oConsider just how blessed your life really is and be thankful
The truth is that we have taken the blessings of God for granted. What would happen in your life if God chose to remove His blessing from your life today because you failed to thank Him yesterday?
·Remember who has blessed you
o Every good and precious gift is from above
·Remember to live to bless others
o We have been blessed so that we can be a blessing to others
o We bless Jesus again when we offer Him praise
