Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. We gather here today in the warm embrace of our shared faith. A faith that is our beacon in the storm, our comfort in sorrow, and our joy in celebration. We come together to share, to learn, to grow. Our hearts are open. Our spirits are eager. We are ready to receive the Word.

Today, we turn our attention to a familiar passage from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 17:11-19. It's a story we've heard before. It's a story that has touched our hearts and stirred our souls. It's a story that speaks to us about gratitude and transformation.

The Encounter with Jesus

The story begins with Jesus traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. This is a significant detail. It tells us that Jesus was in a place where Jews and Samaritans lived side by side. These were two groups of people who didn't get along. They had different beliefs, different customs. But Jesus was there, in the middle of it all. He wasn't avoiding the conflict or the tension. He was right there, in the thick of it. This tells us something about the kind of person Jesus was. He wasn't afraid to go to the difficult places. He wasn't afraid to engage with people who were different from him.

Outcasts had heard of Him: As Jesus was entering a village, he was met by ten men who had leprosy. These men were outcasts. They were considered unclean, both physically and spiritually. They were not allowed to live with their families or participate in community life. They were isolated, alone, and desperate. But they had heard about Jesus. They had heard about the miracles he had performed. They had heard about the hope he was offering. So, they came to him, calling out for mercy.

Jesus' response to these men is remarkable: He doesn't avoid them or shun them. He doesn't judge them or condemn them. Instead, he speaks to them. He acknowledges their presence. He acknowledges their humanity. This is a powerful demonstration of Jesus' compassion and love. It's a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God's love. No one is too unclean, too sinful, too broken. Jesus is willing to meet us where we are, in our mess and our brokenness.

When the men call out to Jesus, they call him "Master:" This is significant. It shows that they recognized Jesus' authority. They believed that he had the power to heal them. They believed that he could change their lives. This is a powerful demonstration of faith. Despite their circumstances, despite their suffering, they had faith in Jesus. They believed in his power and his goodness.

Jesus tells the men to go and show themselves to the priests: This was a requirement of the law for anyone who had been healed of leprosy. The priests had to confirm the healing before the person could be reintegrated into the community. By telling the men to go to the priests, Jesus was affirming their healing even before it happened. He was declaring their restoration, their wholeness, their freedom. This is a powerful demonstration of Jesus' authority. He didn't need to touch the men or pray over them. He simply spoke, and it was done.

As the men went, they were cleansed: This is a powerful demonstration of Jesus' power. He didn't just heal the men's physical condition. He restored their lives. He gave them back their dignity, their community, their future. This is what Jesus does. He doesn't just fix our problems. He transforms our lives. He gives us a new identity, a new purpose, a new future.

The Expression of Gratitude

One of the men: When he saw that he was healed, he came back to Jesus ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO