In Bible times, leprosy was a loathsome disease that ostracized its victims from family and friends.
The Mosaic Law actually required those with this terrible disease to continually cry out “unclean, unclean” to keep anyone in close proximity from coming down with the dreaded disease. Leviticus 13:45 –
“Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
Dr. Luke (17:11-19) tells how on one occasion Jesus met ten lepers. They stood a respectable distance from Him and cried out “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Christ’s response was, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” (The priests were the ones who could legally declare that a leper had been cleansed of the disease.”
We read that as these men went, they were cleansed.
(Think of that for a moment. These diseased outcasts are now made whole and can now enter back into society. All by the powerful word of Christ.)
Then an interesting thing happened — one of the men, realizing he had been healed, returned to Jesus, praising God and thanking Jesus for his miracle. Notice Jesus’ reaction — “Weren’t there ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except for this foreigner? (A Samaritan)
??? What is your reaction to this account???
· This is more than a story. As I read the account, Jesus healed these ten men of certain death and only one returned to give thanks to God. How is that possible!?
· You and I have been forgiven and healed of a far greater problem than leprosy — we have been forgiven of our sin – given eternal life.
Paul / Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
· We were spiritually dead.
· We were slaves to sin, the world, Satan, and the desires of our sinful nature.
· We were by nature objects of God’s wrath.
· But God in His great mercy and love reached out … spiritual life.
Ephesians 2:1-5
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
· He forgave us our sins by means of the death of His Son and clothed us with the absolutely pure righteousness of His Son.
Acts 17:24-25
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
Paul’s Instruction —
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6)Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
What does our failure to give thanks to God indicate?
Romans 1:21 “Because although they know God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Note: It seems to me from everything I read about the giving of thanks to God — that the failure to do so is sin.
· I believe each of us has much to thank God for.
· I believe that Jubilee has much to praise God for.
· Let’s give thanks to God.
Blessings, Pastor Leonard
