God is Series

“THE GOD IS” SERIES

“GOD IS WORTHY TO BE THANKED”

Mike Barnett, November 23, 2008

Psalm 100 (pg. 427) says:

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ^[a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

· In numerous Scriptures just like this one throughout the Old and New Testament, Christians are encouraged to praise the Lord and give thanks to Him!

· We are encouraged to give thanks to the Lord because he has been so good to us whether realize it or not.

· Yet this does not always happen.

· We see in Luke 17:11-19, that thanking the Lord for his goodness does not always happen the way it should.

Luke 17:11-19 (pg. 741) says:

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[^a^]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well

· Lepers in that time were culturally isolated.

· The fact that they came near to Jesus says much, since lepers were expected to isolate themselves from people.

· What they know about Jesus tells them that he is approachable.

1. JESUS IS VERY __________________(APPROACHABLE). Vs. 11-13

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[^a^]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Vs. 11-13

· AT THE SAME TIME… they call to Him from a distance, honoring the Old Testament command not to mix with other people.

· A leper was a despised person.

· They had to cover their faces!

· In public, they had to cry out UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN so nobody would touch them.

· Lepers were treated like second class citizens and they were ISOLATED from mainstream society.

· THEY WERE OUTCASTS!

· But…..not only were these men lepers, they were also Samaritans.

· JEWS DESPISED SAMARITANS AND DID NOT INTERACT WITH THEM!

· Samaritans were considered half-breeds and greatly disliked by Jews for their religious defection and for being racial half breeds.

· Samaritans worshiped the God’s of the Assyrians.

· The idea of a Samaritan leper receiving God’s help was undoubtedly (shocking) to many, since they had written off people in either category as being beyond God’s help.

· Both Samaritans and Lepers were a despised people group!

· THESE MEN WERE BOTH SAMARITANS AND LEPERS AND THEREFORE WERE DOUBLY CURSED!

· The lepers asked for mercy – “Have pity on us!”

· Those who come to him receive relief, even from a distance.

2. JESUS LOVES THE _____________(OUTCAST) THE WORLD _______________(DEPISES). Vs. 11-14

· Jesus does not reject them.

· He meets their need.

· In this situation, Jesus told them, “GO SHOW YOURSELVES TO THE PRIEST”!

· He tells them to go show themselves to the priest as the law commands.

· The law at that time commanded a person WHO WAS HEALED TO GO SHOW THEMSELVES TO A PRIEST.

· This was done so that the priest could give them a clean bill of health AFTER THEY WERE HEALED.

· Once a person was determined to be CLEAN by a PRIEST, they were no longer an outcast to society.

· They no longer had to scream, “unclean, unclean” every time they walked by a person.

· One does not go to the priest until he or she has been healed, so Jesus telling them to go indicates that healing will occur IN FAITH – AS THEY GO!

· If they believe Jesus, they will obey and go!

QUESTION: WHY DID JESUS TELL THEM TO GO TO THE PRIEST BEFORE THEY WERE HEALED?

……THAT IS OPPOSITE OF CONVENTIONAL THINKING – USUALLY A PERSON WENT TO THE PRIEST AFTER THEY WERE HEALED!

3. JESUS COMMANDED THE LEPERS TO GO SHOW THEMSELVES TO THE PRIEST IN __________(FAITH) BEFORE THEY WERE HEALED BECAUSE “GOD CALLS THINGS THAT ARE NOT ______(AS) _____(IF) THOUGH THEY WERE.” V.14

14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

Romans 4:16 – 21 (pg. 798) says:

¹⁶Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."^[³^] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. ¹⁸Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."^[⁴^] ¹⁹Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. ²⁰Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Romans 4:16 – 21

TRUTH: JESUS “CALLS THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS IF THOUGH THEY WERE” AND HE EXPECTS THOSE WHO ASK HIM FOR A MIRACLE TO ___________(THINK) THE ______________(SAME) WAY - THE BIBLE CALLS THIS ______________(FAITH)!

Hebrews 11:1-3 (pg. 851) says:

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3

· As the lepers turn and go, they are healed.

“When he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they are cleansed. V. 14

· AS THEY GO THEY ARE CLEANSED!

· AS THE LEPERS ACTED IN FAITH ON WHAT JESUS SAID, THEY WERE HEALED!

NOTE: IT IS THE GOING ABOUT THAT A PERSON IS HEALED BY FAITH!

· In verse 15 we see that one of the men breaks from the group.

· Full of praise for God, he falls at Jesus’ feet and offers thanksgiving for his cleansing.

· The man is a Samaritan, which means he comes from racial roots that represent insensitivity to God.

· The Samaritans worshiped the gods of the Assyrians.

· THE SAMARAITIAN LEPER IS USED TO WORSHIPPING OTHER GOD’S IS NOW FALLING AT JESUS’ FEET AND WORSHIPPING HIM.

· Jesus noticed that all ten were healed, but only one returned to say “thank you”.

4. ONLY THE FEW ARE _______________(HUMBLE) ENOUGH AND _________________(CONSCIOUS) ENOUGH TO ____________________(ACKNOWLEDGE) WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR THEM AND _____________(THANK) HIM FOR HIS GOODNESS! Vs. 15-18

· Jesus himself tells us that “narrow is the way”.

· The Greek word for, “this foreigner” is a word often meaning “pagan” or “heathen”.

· One “pagan/heathen” out of the group of ten took the time to stop and praise God for his blessing the other 90% did not!

· Jesus asks “Where are the other nine?”

· 90% of the people did not thank God for their blessing.

· Only one person did out of the ten which represents 10%.

· WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME HUMBLING OURSELVES OF OUR PRIDE AND EGO?

Luke 18:9-14 (pg. 742)

9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about^[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

TRUTH: A ______________ (THANKFUL) PERSON IS A _____________(HUMBLE) PERSON BECAUSE TO THANK GOD OR A PERSON FOR THEIR HELP IS TO __________(ADMITT) THAT YOU NEEDED THEIR __________(HELP) IN THE FIRST PLACE!

THE SEVEN MOST POWERFUL LITTLE SENTENCES THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND PEOPLE:

1) I __________(LOVE) YOU.

2) I NEED HELP - CAN YOU __________(HELP) ME?

3) ___(I) WAS ___________(WRONG).

4) ___(I) AM ______________(SORRY).

5) PLEASE _____________(FORGIVE) ME.

6) ___(I) FORGIVE _______(YOU) – (only applies to people).

7) ___________(THANK) _______(YOU).

5. FAITH CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THANKSGIVING – _________________(FAITH) AND _________________(THANKSGIVING) GO TOGETHER! Vs. 14-16

14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

· Where there is no faith in God, there is no thanksgiving.

· Conversely where there is faith in God, there is usually praise and thanksgiving even for the small things in life.

· And if a person cannot give God praise for the small things, then they cannot be entrusted with the big miracles.

6. GOD DESERSES LAVISH ____________________(EXPRESSIONS) OF PRAISE AND __________________(THANKSGIVING) AND NO DEMONSTRATION IS TOO DRAMATIC A SPECTACLE TO BE RECIEVED BY GOD IF IT IS GIVEN FROM THE _____________(HEART). Vs. 15-16

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

7. PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING OFTEN _____________________(PRECEDES) MIRACLES. Vs. 19

· The fact that the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus may indicate that he had received salvation in addition to the physical healing all ten received.

· “RISE AND GO” also connotes the leper is healed just not physically but also spiritually.

· In verse 19, Jesus tells the man that his “faith has made him well”.

^LK^17:17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" ¹⁹ Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." vs. 17-19

8. THE SEEKER RECEIVED ___________(MORE) THAN THE PHYSICAL HEALING HE WAS _________________(LOOKING) FOR IN THE SENSE THAT HE BACAME _________________(SPIRITUALLY) WHOLE AS HE PUT HIS COMPLETE___________(TRUST) IN ____________(CHRIST). V. 19

· RISE AND GO” also connotes the leper is healed just not physically but also spiritually.

· The sentence “Rise and go; your faith has made you well." can also be translated: “YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU”.

· It is not within Jesus’ (God’s) nature to send a person away who was physically healed but not also spiritually healed.

· I don’t think Jesus would have ever told him to “RISE AND GO” unless, he was saved first and foremost.

NOTE: Jesus is probably saying that although ten have experienced the blessing of healing, only one has (faith) and has turned to establish ties with me that indicate that salvation of the soul has occurred.

· The deliverance Jesus affirms here is greater than the healing the man has experienced.

· He has learned everything the miracle can teach him.

· Jesus continues to minister to any who first reach out to him.

· None is turned away not even despises Samaritans who formally worshipped other Gods.

· When people cry for pity, Jesus offers it.

· DO NOT CONFUSE GOD’S GRACIOUS INTERVENTION WITH SALVATION.

· GOD MINISTERS TO SINNERS – HE HUNG AROUND PROSTITUTES, TAX COLLECTORS AND OUTCAST AND STILL DOES TODAY!

· God is not an ogre who hoards his compassion and needs persuading to exercise it.

· All he asks is that we approach him humbly and on his terms, recognizing that he is ready to help.

· Also significant in this story is the example of who is helped – a despised Samaritan!

8. A SAVED PERSON IS A ____________________(GRATEFUL) PERSON. Vs. 19

NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT GRATEFUL TO GOD, THEN YOU ARE EITHER NOT SAVED OR YOU DO NOT FULLY ___________________(UNDERSTAND) YOUR SALVATION AND WHAT YOU ARE SAVED FROM.

· Jesus reaches out to those who are regarded as outsiders.

· He touches especially those whom others have often given up on.

· The gratitude the Samaritan showed represents a fundamental response of faith to God’s blessing.

· He appreciated his restoration to life and expressed his appreciation toward God and life through what Jesus did.

NOTE: To understand the isolation that sin produces is to understand the freedom that salvation brings.

· NOTE: The reaction of the nine in not returning thanks to Jesus shows how often we tend to take God’s ________________(grace) for ________________(granted).

· The Samaritan stopped to recognize that God was at work through Jesus.

· In turning back to thank Jesus, he demonstrated how he (personally) appropriated the blessing Jesus had given him.

· In return, the Lord gifted him even more – with the declaration that faith had made him well.

· The leper approached Jesus with a need for physical healing – but left with spiritual healing also.

· Often, we come to God with our “felt needs” whether finances, or conflict resolution, or physical healing, not realizing that we NEED A GREATER HEALING – THAT OF OUR SOULS!

· NOTE: BEING _______________(GRATEFUL) FOR THE SPIRITUAL HEALING AND WHOLENESS WE HAVE IN CHRIST IS AN ACT OF _______________(WORSHIP).

9. A PERSON WHO IS _______________(GRATEFUL) IS ALSO A PERSON WHO _________________(TAKES) ___________________(RESPONSIBILITY) FOR THEIR LIFE – THERE IS A CORRELATION. Vs. 17-19

· WHEREAS PEOPLE WHO ACT LIKE VICTIMS DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LIVES AND ARE NOT THANKFUL - A PERSON WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LIFE IS A GRATEFUL PERSON!

Luke 17:11-19 (pg. 741) says:

Dr. Joseph Murphy said:

“Many of you have heard these expressions frequently” “I’m deeply hurt, I can’t get over it; I’ve been wounded to the quick; this is the last straw; I could forgive anything but this.” The only creative power is our own thought; consequently, we hurt by our own thoughts, by the movement of our own mind. Each individual has the power to react positively or negatively. It is not what the other person says or does that hurts you; it is your reaction to what is said or done. The suggestion and statements of others cannot create circumstances for us unless we accept these suggestions and give them mental consent; this process requires a movement of your own mind, which in the final analysis, is the only creative medium. You can think constructively or negatively, as you wish. You are free to choose how you will think and react”. Dr. Joseph Murphy

· The Bible says to be thankful always in all circumstances whether positive or negative because an attitude of gratitude is a choice.

TRUTH: The circumstances are not always the __________(cause) of my pain – sometimes they are just the ______________(projection) of my own __________(pain). The circumstances can be just the __________(effect). The real cause could be my _______________(attitude). In life it does not matter what happens to me. What really matters is what happens _______________(within) me that determines my joy, happiness and thankfulness towards God, people and life!

2 Corinthians 10:5 says:

5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

· Noble attitudes like gratefulness and joy are only a choice away.

· A spiritually mature person is grateful even when they have no apparent reason to be from the world’s perspective!

· An immature person is not grateful enough when they have adequate reason to be.

· If a person is ungrateful before God gives them a miracle – they will not be happy and thankful after the miracle.

NOTE: Often times God ________________(withholds) his miracles and blessing to us until we have the ____________(right) mental _______________(attitude) towards Him, others and life. And an attitude of __________________(gratitude) pleases God and seems to open up the floodgates of his blessings!

· The right mental attitude for a Christians is joy and gratefulness/thankfulness for what God has done or even for what he has not done for us.

10. FOR THE SPIRIT FILLED, “CHRIST FOLLOWER” __________________(THANKFULNES) TO GOD AND TO PEOPLE IS A ______________(CHOICE) THAT IS NOT CONTINGENT UPON THINGS GOING THEIR WAY. Vs. 17-19

1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (pg. 837) says:

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good.

· God saved us from sin, death and despair by sending his son to die on a cross so we would not have to.

John 10:10 says:

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

· Christians are called to be optimistically thankful in a pessimistic world because the God of hope and all possibilities lives inside of us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:4-8 (pg. 832) says:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

REMEMBER: BE THANKFUL BECAUSE WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

· CHRISTIANS ARE URGED TO GUARD THEIR THOUGHTS BECAUSE WE TEND TO ATTRACT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT AND WHAT WE FEEL.

· IF YOU QUOTE, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME” BUT DO NOT BELIEVE IT FROM YOUR HEART, THEN YOU WILL DOUBT THAT TRUTH!

· VICTORY COMES WHEN YOUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS AGREE THAT YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE IN HIS WORD!

· YOU CAN BE THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL AND JOYFUL IN CHRIST!

· WHEREAS HAPPINESS IS CONTINGENT UPON THE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES, JOY AND GRATEFULNESS ARE ONLY CONTINGENT ON THE INTERNAL DWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Galatians 5:22-25 (pg. 826) says:

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

· BY DEFINITION THE CHRISTIAN CAN BE SAD AND STILL BE GRATEFUL TO GOD.

11. THE CHRISTIAN CAN BE ______________(UNHAPPY) ABOUT THE EXTERNAL__________________(CIRCUMSTANCES) BUT STILL BE_____________(JOYFUL) AND _____________(THANKFUL) IN ___________(CHRIST)!

12. A CHRISTIAN CAN ______________(ALWAYS) BE ________________(THANKFUL) TO GOD NO MATTER THE CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE EVERYTHINGS THAT HAPPENS TO US IN THIS LIFE, MUST GO ________________(THROUGH) GOD FIRST – NOTHING HAPPENS TO US APART FROM GOD’S ___________________(APPROVAL).

ECCLESSIATES 7:13-14 (pg. 476)

13 Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?

14 When times are good, be happy;
       but when times are bad, consider:
       God has made the one
       as well as the other.

· AND IF GOD ALLOWS YOU TO GO THROUGH SOME TOUGH STUFF YOU CAN TRUST HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH AS YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR HIS GOODNESS TO YOU!