The Thanksgiving of Grace
Text: Lk. 17:11-19
Introduction
1. Illustration: It’s Thanksgiving Day & the aroma of roast turkey fills Charlie Brown’s house. Snoopy, outside, lying on top of his doghouse, smells that aroma, & he is thinking, “It’s Thanksgiving Day. Everybody eats turkey on Thanksgiving Day.” So he lies there, watching the back door, eagerly awaiting his Thanksgiving dinner.
Finally, the door opens & here comes Charlie Brown with a bowl of dog food, & he puts it on the ground. Snoopy gets off his house & stares at the dog food with a forlorn look on his face. And he thinks, “Just because I’m a dog, I have to eat dog food on Thanksgiving Day.”
Then the next square shows him looking at the dog food more intently, & he is thinking, “It could be worse. I could be the turkey.”
2. What do we have to be thankful for?
a. A roof over our heads.
b. Food on our tables.
c. Clothes on our backs.
d. Grace!
3. In fact, that last one, grace, ought to be at the top of our list. Why?
a. Because it is by grace that we have all of those other things.
b. Because it is by grace that we are saved.
4. Read Luke 17:11-19
Proposition: Even if we think we have nothing else to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, we can be thankful for God’s grace.
Transition: We see very clearly in the story of the Ten Lepers...
I. The Undeservedness of Grace (11-14)
A. Master Have Mercy On Us
1. This text opens with Jesus entering "a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off."
2. Leprosy is a horrible disease."
a. One form of it begins with brownish-red spots on the face, ears, forearms, thighs, and/or buttocks that later become thickened nodules and, losing their skin covering, become ulcers ("sores") with subsequent loss of tissue and then contraction and deformity. - New International Bible Dictionary, Pradis CD-ROM:
b. Another form of it is characterized by numbness of an affected area of skin and deformity such as fingers like claws resulting from paralysis and consequent muscle wasting (atrophy). - New International Bible Dictionary, Pradis CD-ROM
3. The lepers of ancient society were rejected.
a. They were treated as outcasts.
b. They were required to live outside the city in leper camps (Num 5:2-3) and were to cry out to warn others to keep away from then as they walked the streets (Lev 13:45-46).
4. Even though the text tells us that "they stood afar off," it was unlawful for them to even get that close to Jesus.
a. It was presumptuous of them to even come within shouting distance of Jesus.
b. However, they had heard of Jesus, about not only His power to heal but of His compassion.
c. Their faith told them, that even though they were not worthy to be in His presence, He would not reject or turn them away.
5. So in faith "they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
a. The word "mercy" means to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need —Louw & Nida: NT Greek-English Lexicon
b. Two things are essential in order to have mercy: seeing a need and being able to meet that need. —Practical Word Studies in the New Testament
c. Jesus saw their need and did something about it.
6. In verse 14 it says "So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed."
a. When Jesus tells the men to go to the priest to prove that they have been cleansed, it is clear that Jesus has acted to heal them.
b. One does not go to the priest until he or she has been healed, so Jesus’ telling them to go indicates healing will occur. If they believe Jesus, they will obey.
c. As the lepers turn, they are healed. (Bock, NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Luke,445).
B. Undeserved Gift
1. Illustration: Although out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, He nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of His law and His righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, One who took upon Himself all the punishment we deserve. He fulfilled the law for us. He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God’s wrath. Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but is cost Another much to get it for us. Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God Himself." Martin Luther
2. The story of the Ten Lepers is a clear description of God’s grace.
a. They were unworthy to come to Jesus, but he received them anyway.
b. They were unworthy of His mercy, but He gave it freely.
c. They were unworthy to be healed, but He healed them completely.
3. None of us deserve God’s grace. We can’t be:
a. Good enough
b. Kind enough
c. Generous enough
4. Isaiah 64:6 And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags
5. Even though we are not worthy of God’s grace, through the blood of Jesus, we have been made worthy.
a. The bad news is we will never be worthy on our own.
b. The good news is that we don’t have to be worthy, because Christ has become our righteousness.
c. That is the definition of grace!
Transition: The story of the Ten Lepers also clealy illustrates for us...
II. The Thankfulness of Grace (15-16)
A. One of Them
1. As they went to show themselves to the priests, "one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God."
2. He glorified God immediately.
a. He shouted at the top of his lungs with the loudest voice possible.
b. He witnessed for God. God had cleansed him and he wanted all to know the great mercy and love of God.
3. Then, he "fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks."
a. He worshipped Jesus.
b. Note that he fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus.
c. This was both humility and recognition of the power of God in Christ, two essentials for true spiritual cleansing.
4. He didn’t care:
a. Who saw him
b. What they thought of him, or
c. What they said about him
5. All he cared about was that he once was a prisoner to a crippling disease, and now, through the power of Jesus, he was set free.
a. Before he had no life, but now he had new life.
b. 2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
6. Now pay close attention to what it says at the end of verse 16: "And he was a Samaritan."
a. Luke notes that the man is a Samaritan, which means he comes from racial roots that represent insensitivity to God. ( Bock, 445).
b. As far as the Jews were concerned, the Samaritans were no good, half-breed, heathens.
c. Kind of like being from Texas (just kidding)!
B. Joy of Salvation
1. Illustration: This guy was like a lot of new Christians.
a. Big grin spread all over his face.
b. The walk around and sing from the top of their lungs "Oh, how I love Jesus!"
c. God help the first sinner that crosses their path.
2. These kind of people are great to be around because they understand the joy of salvation.
3. They are so grateful to have their names written in the Lambs Book of Life.
4. They knew that before they were headed straight to hell, but now they are living on the "Hallelujah Side."
5. They once were lost, but now their found. They once were blind, but now they can see.
6. These people are great to have around because they understand grace!
Transition: However, on the other side of this is...
III. The Forgetfulness of Grace (17-19)
A. Where are the Nine?
1. Jesus then asks the question "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?"
2. Jesus had instructed the men to go to the priest. All of them had turned to do so, apparently.
a. Only one has taken the trouble to return and thank Jesus.
b. God’s graciousness is often ignored and unappreciated.
c. In addition, often those who have been blessed forget to take time to thank those God uses.
3. All the lepers were blessed and should have been thankful.
a. This was true of the ten lepers, and it should be true of every one.
b. Every one of the ten should have turned back and given thanks.
4. Notice what Jesus says, " Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"
a. A word often meaning "pagan" or "heathen" (Bock, 445).
b. Jesus had been distressed many times with his own people’s lack of acceptance and faith. This time was no different.
c. Ten men had been healed, but only one, the foreigner, came back to give glory to God.
5. So he tells the one who came back, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."
a. This one man was freed, so Jesus sent him on his way with the knowledge that his faith had made him well.
b. He not only had a restored body, his soul had been restored as well.
6. But what about the other nine? They forgot about grace!
B. Sour Puss
1. Illustration: Do you remember the "Oh, how I love Jesus" guy? Unfortunately, some of those people, after time goes by, became "Sam Sour Puss."
a. They sit in the pew at church and say "I wish this guy would hurry up. By the time we get out of here and get to the restaurant, the Baptists will have eaten all the chicken!"
b. "What another special offering? Does this guy think money grows on trees?"
c. "Oh for goodness sake, are we going to sing #66 again?"
2. Where is the grace in that?
3. How did he go from "How I love Jesus," to "Sam Sour Puss?"
4. He forgot about grace!
5. They have forgotten about the joy of their salvation.
6. They have forgotten that their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
7. Instead of being on the Hallelujah Side, they’re on the wrong side of the tracks.
8. They have forgotten that they once were lost, but now they’re found. They once were blind, but now they see.
9. They’ve forgotten about grace!
Transition: It’s time to remember again!
Conclusion
1. Who are you?
a. Are you "How I love Jesus"
b. Are you "Sour Puss Sam"
2. Have you forgotten:
a. The joy of your salvation
b. That your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life
c. Once you were lost, but now you’re found.
3. This Thanksgiving, let’s remember about grace!
