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He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:16
We all seek to be healed. In his book ‘Wild at Heart’ John Eldrege talks of ‘the Wound’ that each of us bears. The wound of our heart that comes from a variety of places and hurts in different ways. The question isn’t if we are wounded, because we all are. The question is how can we be healed?
The lepers in our story needed healing, that was obvious to anyone that dare venture near them. As the disease progressed fingers, toes and facial features were eaten away. The smell of rotting flesh was evident in the presence of leprosy.
The fact that one leper returned to thank Jesus isn’t particularly surprising. It’s the other nine neglecting to return that stands out. There could be a plethora of reasons why the others didn’t return. Excitement of returning home; seeing the priests as the source of their healing and not Jesus; simple ingratitude; not being fully aware of the horrific condition they were in. We aren’t told the reason and you may have your own ideas.
The point remains, the lepers needed healing and only one realized the source of their healing and returned to give thanks.
There is another aspect to the story we must remember. Leprosy was not only a disease of the physical body, it was a symbol of sin in a persons life. That’s why the leper and his family were often under suspicion by the church. The leper had the distinct disadvantage of not being able to hide his sin. We, on the other hand can go to great lengths to hide the leprosy of our souls. We use relationships, addictive behavior, anger, religion and a variety of other activities to hide the disease within us. Some of those activities are noble social causes. Some are more personal in scope. None heal the pain that chews away at our hearts.
That’s why I’m thankful this season for Jesus. Like the returning leper, I’ve come to realize that he, and he alone is worth of my praise. I’m not healed yet. There are still vestiges of the disease lurking in the corners of my being. But because of him, the spiritual leprosy will not succeed.
Before the Samaritan leper took one more step towards the priests, home and a life of normalcy, he went back to Jesus to thank him for being healed. The rest of his life he would carry the scars of his leprosy, but along with it, the reminder that through Jesus ‘I AM CLEAN’!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you for your death, burial and resurrection. Because of what you have done for me I have been cleansed from the leprosy that wanted to destroy me. In you I am clean and for that I’m eternally grateful. Amen.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. Luke 17:15
Ten men approached Jesus to receive mercy and gain healing. Ten men realized their hopeless situation. Ten men saw Jesus as the only hope for live even remotely normal. Ten men left Jesus excitedly to present themselves to the priest.
Once they presented themselves to the priest they would be pronounced clean. Once pronounced clean they would be able to return home; to hear the laughter of their children; to feel the warm embrace of their wives; to be able to return to work; to laugh with friends. Once clean on the outside they could return to the temple and get their reputation back.
As they began down the road they nervously talked about the future. Up until this time they had nothing to talk about with each other than their past. We aren’t told how long into the journey it happened. It’s not mentions how they noticed, but they did. One by one they realized they were clean. “Hey, Harry, you look…different.” “Jacob, your spots are gone!” One by one they were healed. No doubt their walks turned into outright sprints…except for one.
Seemingly losing all track of time and forgetting the instructions, this lone man turned back. Was he noticed? Did the other nine ask where he was going? I’m guessing not. I’m guessing all ten were far to excited to notice the others.
He retraced his steps. The teacher couldn’t have gone far. Then, he saw Him! After perhaps years of avoiding people and keeping his distance, he boldly approached Jesus. After yelling nothing but ‘Unclean’ and perhaps a few curse words as he considered his plight.
His praise was loud. Can you imagine the passion and excitement behind his words? Our praise is usually far to quiet, to reserved, to…proper, or it can be focused on entertainment and the ability of the musicians. This choir of one voiced praises loud enough so the angels in heaven may very well have been impressed!
While the other nine were returning home, to the warmth family and friends, the tenth man realized the importance of worship over religious activity, of giving God his due, than of following instructions, of freely and actively expressing praise instead of following a prescribed rituals. Like David dancing before the ARK of the covenant, the tenth man was oblivious to what others may think. He was healed. God did it. That’s all that mattered.
I’m thankful today for a God who heals. He may not heal us they way we’d like. But he is willing to touch us. There are many blessings he has bestowed on me, but I will not worship the things he’s given, I will worship him!
PRAYER: Almighty God. All that I see is yours. All that I’ve been given comes from your hand. I am so blessed because of your great, unending love for me. Keep me, Oh Lord, from worshipping what you’ve given me. Let my worship and praise only be for you. Amen.
Luke 17:11, 14-Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
He didn’t have to go that way. Pure and simple. While the path Jesus took towards Jerusalem was the quickest, it was also the way less traveled by self-respecting Jews. First of all, staying as far away from Samaria was always preferred. They were ‘half-breeds’, arrogant and, well, they not only had a sin problem, they worshiped God in the wrong way. Along with that, the path leading along the border of Samaria and Galilee was a robbery waiting to happen. Thieves and other scoundrels lurked along the way in wait of prey.
Still, he went and scripture implies that he went slowly, visiting each town and village along the way and healing people as usual. Most Jews hurried through the small country of Samaria, not Jesus. As he approached on small village a group of lepers called out to Him. Again, he could have ignored their calls. Lepers were by nature smelly, grotesque looking people and to come near one would make you at best ceremonially unclean. At worst you could ‘catch the disease and be worse off.
He didn’t have to respond. Lepers were outcasts of society. Tradition taught, at that time, that leprosy came upon a person as a punishment for sin. There was nothing physically, emotionally or spiritually appealing the group of ten men that approached Jesus that day. Nothing that would have moved the average person to intervene. But Jesus was no average person!
What was it that moved Him to act? Maybe it was the realization of the emotional trauma these men were in. Maybe it was the prayers their families had offered up on their behalf. Maybe he was looking for some way to show his power over leprosy. Or maybe it was love. It was the compassionate cry of broken people that drove him that day to heal those men.
That’s why I’m expressing gratitude today. I’ve never had leprosy, but I know what it’s like to be rejected. I’ve never been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, but I was born with a birth defect that will eventually kill me, I’m human.
I’m fortunate this Thanksgiving Season to have family and friends that love me and encourage me on the way, some of whom have stood by me through some pretty dark years, as a matter of fact. While I am thankful for those people, the person I’m most thankful for is Jesus Christ. Jesus saw me at my worst, but still believed in me enough to search me out and forgive me. Like the lepers, Jesus sought me out when I was beaten, bruised and rejected.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, may I never weary of praising you for the many blessings you have bestowed on me. Thank you for reaching out to me when I was at my worst and giving me your best. Your love has freed me from the restraints that kept me in bondage and I praise you. Amen.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
The United States of America will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day on November 22. Originally this day was set aside as a day in which our nation would pause to give thanks to the Creator God of the universe, the Great and Mighty Jehovah for the blessings brought to our nation.
Since that proclamation given by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, Thanksgiving day has become less of a religious holiday by many and more a time for feasting and shopping and football.
Over the next couple days ‘Built with Grace’ invites you to reflect on the true reasons for Thanksgiving based on Luke 17:11-19.
Give thanks to the Lord!
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Luke 17:12-13
In Jesus’ day, leprosy was a terrible disease. While it is treatable today, during Biblical times it was a slow moving and eventually fatal disease. Small skin lesions would begin to eat away at fingers, toes and facial features and in later stages destroy the nervous system and lead to death.
While the physical disease was horrific, it may have been the emotional and spiritual part of the disease that was more painful to endure. Since there was no cure for leprosy and it was considered highly contagious. When a person was diagnosed with leprosy they were sent away from society so that the people would be spared. The leper was required to let his hair grow long, wear torn clothes, cover he lower part of his face and call out “Unclean! Unclean!” when a person without leprosy approached.
Often lepers would live alone or in colonies just outside the city wall. Imagine being a spouse or a child and only get to see your father from a distance. Imagine the emotional heartache and the financial burden that would be placed on the family because ‘daddy can’t live at home anymore.’
But it gets worse! Not only did society reject and isolate the leper, the church did too! Leprosy was considered a symbol of sin. Therefore if a person got leprosy it was assumed that the person (and perhaps the family) had sin in their lives. As a result, the family of a leper was under just as much suspicion as the leper when it came to sin.
When the ten lepers in Luke 17 saw Jesus they approached him as far as was appropriate and begged for mercy. They knew their need for healing and they had no doubt heard about this itinerant preacher who healed people everywhere he went.
The lesson each of us can learn from the ten lepers is that we all have a tremendous need for Jesus. We all have sin in our lives that keep us from a relationship with God. We all have a fatal disease called ‘being human’ that will eventually lead to death. The death rate among humans is 100%.
The advantage we have over the lepers is that we can hide most of our sin if we choose. People who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, pornography, anger/abuse and other ‘diseases of the soul’ have done quite well at covering up the secret lives they live. However, God sees through the façade. He isn’t fooled by religious activity or many words of assurance. Like the leper, our private lives are wide open to God.
I’m thankful today that I don’t have to hide behind all sorts of masks and disguises. I’m thankful that Jesus sees my faults as clearly as he saw the leperous sores on the men he came across that day and accepts me as I am with all my faults.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus like the leper, I have a disease. I can hide it from others but I know I can’t hide if from you. Thank you that even though you know my weakness, you love me just the same. Thank you that because of your forgiveness I don’t have to call out “Unclean! Unclean!” Amen
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 