Title: Healed Samaritan Leprosy / Luke 17:11-19
The Samaritan leper healed / Luke 17:11-19
Key Verse: “Has no one returned to glorify God except this Gentile?” He said to him, “Rise and go, for your faith has made you well” (verses 18-19).
In today's verse, we see leprosy, who were considered the most pitiful people at that time, being healed. They were marginalized from society, even abandoned by their families, and considered to be cursed by God. And they also had to avoid 'normal people'.
But what they knew was that Jesus was a helper and no one refused. So they humbly but mournfully asked to be healed, saying, “Stand from afar and lift up your voice, have mercy on us, Jesus Teacher” (verses 12-13). Jesus did not disappoint their expectations. If today's sermon ends with this, it can be regarded as teaching about Jesus' healing and the attitude we need to receive such healing. There will be.
The core of today's message lies in the attitudes of those who were healed after death. First of all, we can find that all of them received the words of Jesus by faith. In verse 14, Jesus said to them that they were healed, so go ahead. He didn't tell the priest to show him that he was healed, but instead made him heal on the way to see the priest. He made the moment of obedience to Jesus' words turn into a moment of healing for them.
It is said that 10 leprosy patients without exception experienced healing through obedience. Up to this point, all 10 people have something in common, but then there is a crucial difference in their attitude. The importance of gratitude is further emphasized by the very shocking fact that only one in ten people teach gratitude, and that he was a Samaritan.
In all human societies, there is some kind of upper and lower consciousness among them, or the elite and the non-established. It is conceivable that such a consciousness existed among ten lepers. If so, among ten lepers, leprosy, who is considered the most lowly, is today. He must have been the only Samaritan leper who expressed gratitude in the Word. This is the part that teaches the importance of gratitude to all of us through the thankfulness of the lowest.
It is said that many people are living unhappily by focusing on what they lack. Through today's text, we must realize the importance of living with gratitude. When we count what we have already received and give thanks, experiences of greater gratitude will overflow. We must become all of us who live a life of faith expressed through gratitude.
Prayer: God, if there was a way in which we took God's grace for granted, please enlighten us and forgive us. From now on, let us live a life of faith that makes gratitude a habit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Lord's Prayer