Forward in Faith Series

Mike Barnett, November 25, 2007

Luke 17:11-19 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.

· 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.

· 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 AND THEREFORE WERE DOUBLY CURSED!

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

· The lepers want to be healed, but given all the conflict that has attended Jesus’ ministry, the reader wonders if Jesus’ healing will continue.

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