Luke 17:11-19
When it comes to thank you notes are you: (a) Miss Manners (b) Sir Sometimes? (c) Father Forgetful? Why?
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Have you noticed things in Luke that signal his gentile perspective? Cite a few examples.
- What is it like to be a leper? What would healing mean for them? What are we to learn from the story of the ten lepers?
- As one of the nine, how would you rationalize not going back to Jesus to say "thank you"?
- What is significant about the one being a Samaritan?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- Where have you observed Christ's power to unite people who are typically kept separate in society?
- How do you express your gratitude to Jesus?
- Explain Jesus' disappointment in the failure of the other nine lepers who had been healed. Do you ever take things for granted with God? With family? With friends?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
============
THE LORD OF GRATITUDE by Bob Russell (August 26-27, 2000)
A few years ago, I invited my two sons and their wives to go with us on vacation. I said, "I'll pay for it all, if you'll go." They said, "We'd love to go!" We got a van and drove to Niagara Falls. We had a great time. It was expensive, but it created a memory. I'll never forget when we turned into our driveway, both of my daughters-in-law said, "Thanks for spoiling us this week." They didn't have to say anything else. That made every dime worth it.
Hebrews 12:28 - "Since we have a Kingdom nothing can destroy, let us please God by serving him with thankful hearts and with holy fear and awe."
Isaac Walton said, "God dwells in two places: heaven, and humble, thankful heart." In Luke 17:11-19 there's a familiar biblical example of gratitude. As we study this story, let's allow Christ to transform us into grateful people.
- I. The Bible Story- Exposition
- A. Here were ten guys in about the worst possible circumstances.
- 1. Leprosy was a terminal, incurable disease that slowly ate away at the nerve endings.
- 2. Jesus Christ, the healer, represented their only hope of a return to normalcy. When He drew near, they called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, have pity on us!"
- 3. Jesus saw them and commanded, "Go show yourselves to the priest."
- B. Notice the reaction of these men when they were cured.
- 1. One of them was a Samaritan. He was of a despised race.
- 2. But this Samaritan did the right things. He came to Jesus to express thanks. He was the only one who returned to give thanks.
- 3. Jesus was pleased with this man's expression, but He was disappointed in the others.
- II. A question - Why are some people more grateful than others?
- A. Unrealistic expectations.
- 1. Some of you had a privileged upbringing. Your parents and grandparents gave you almost everything you ever wanted.
- 2. Anytime life is less than perfect; you focus on the negative and miss the positive.
- B. Affluent experience.
- 1. Generally speaking, the more we have the less grateful we are.
- 2. If you have eaten at Ruth's Chris Steak House, you're not as likely to enjoy a meal at Ponderosa. If you've driven a Jaguar, it's hard not to complain about your used Malibu.
- C. Negative companions.
- 1. If your closest associates are grateful, positive people, you are likely to be thankful for what you have.
- 2. If you closest friends are negative, critical, complaining, ungrateful people, you will soon emulate them.
- D. Frequent comparisons.
- 1. If you compare your job, your family, your house, your health, your physique to others, it can make you a very thankless person.
- 2. No matter how much you have, there's always someone who has it better.
- III. An Application
- A. Acknowledge that everything you have is God's.
- 1. Nothing you and I have is ours; it all belongs to the Lord. He loans it to us.
- 2. When we really grasp this concept, it makes us appreciate what we have.
- 3. God gives us the privilege of living in His world, but He doesn't guarantee for how long.
- B. Give yourself exposure to those who have less.
- 1. One of the reasons we're not thankful is that we compare ourselves with those we think have it better.
- 2. One of the ways we can increase our sense of appreciation is to be around those that have it tougher. (That's one of the reasons we encourage short term missions trips.)
- C. Avoid grumbling and complaining.
- 1. The Bible makes it clear that God is honored by praise and thanksgiving.
- 2. But the Bible is also clear that grumbling and griping incur God's wrath.
- D. Express thanks frequently to God for His generosity.
- 1. When we mature as Christians we quit griping, regardless of circumstances.
- 2. Our personality is transformed to praise, joy, worship, and thanksgiving.
- 3. When you praise God for his blessings, He changes your attitude.
- E. Live a joyful life.
Conclusion
Warren Wiersbe points out the literal translation of Luke 17:19 is "Rise and go, your faith has saved you." The Samaritan's nine friends were declared clean by the priest, but this leper was declared saved by the Son of God! While it is wonderful to experience the miracle of physical healing, it is even more wonderful to experience the miracle of eternal salvation.
==============
No comments:
Post a Comment