“THANKING IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY”
Mike Barnett,
Luke
17:11-19 says:
11Now on his way to Jerusalem,
Jesus traveled along the border between
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Lepers in
that time were culturally isolated.
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The fact that
they came near to Jesus says much, since lepers were expected to isolate
themselves from people.
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What they
know about Jesus tells them that he is approachable.
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AT THE SAME
TIME… they call to Him from a distance, honoring the Old Testament command not
to mix with other people.
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· A leper was a despised person.
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· They had to cover their faces!
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· In public, they had to cry out
UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN so nobody would touch them.
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Lepers were
treated like second class citizens and they were ISOLATED from mainstream
society.
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THEY WERE OUTCASTS!
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But…..not
only were these men lepers, they were also Samaritans.
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JEWS DESPISED
SAMARITANS AND DID NOT INTERACT WITH THEM!
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Samaritans
were considered half-breeds and greatly disliked by Jews for their religious
defection and for being racial half breeds.
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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.
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Both
Samaritans and Lepers were a despised people group!
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THESE MEN WERE
BOTH AND THEREFORE WERE DOUBLY CURSED!
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The lepers
asked for mercy – “Have pity on us!”
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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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Can grace be
manifested in the midst of opposition?
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Those who
come to him receive relief, even from a distance.
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In many cases
Jesus touched a person before they were healed, and sometimes he did not.
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In this
situation, Jesus told them, “GO SHOW YOURSELVES TO THE
PRIEST”!
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He tells them
to go show themselves to the priest as the law commands.
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The law at
that time commanded a person WHO WAS HEALED TO GO SHOW THEMSELVES TO A PRIEST.
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This was done
so that the priest could give them a clean bill of health AFTER THEY WERE HEALED.
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Once a person
was determined to be CLEAN by a PRIEST, they were no longer an outcast to
society.
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They no
longer had to scream, “unclean, unclean” every time
they walked by a person.
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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!
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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!
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JESUS COMMANDED
THE LEPERS TO GO SHOW THEMSELVES TO THE PRIEST BEFORE THEY WERE HEALED BECAUSE
GOD CALLS THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS IF THOUGH THEY WERE.
Romans
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
NOTE:
JESUS CALLS THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS IF THOUGH THEY WERE AND HE EXPECTS THOSE WHO
WANT A HEALING TO THINK THE SAME WAY - THE BIBLE CALLS THIS FAITH!
Hebrews
11:1-2 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. Hebrews 11:1-2
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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
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AS THEY GO THEY
ARE CLEANSED!
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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!
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One of the
men breaks from the group.
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Full of
praise for God, he falls at Jesus’ feet and offers thanksgiving for his
cleansing.
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The man is a
Samaritan, which means he comes from racial roots that represent insensitivity
to God.
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The
Samaritans worshiped the gods of the Assyrians.
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Jesus noticed
that all ten were healed, but only one returned to say “thank you”.
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The Greek
word for, “this foreigner” is a word often meaning “pagan” or “heathen”.
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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!
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Jesus asks “Where
are the other nine?”
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90% of the
people did not thank God for their blessing.
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Only one person did out of the ten which represents
10%.
LK
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.
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The
deliverance Jesus affirms here is greater than the healing the man has
experienced.
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He has
learned everything the miracle can teach him.
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Jesus
continues to minister to any who first reach out to him.
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None is
turned away.
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When people
cry for pity, Jesus offers it.
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DO NOT CONFUSE
GOD’S GRACIOUS INTERVENTION WITH SALVATION.
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GOD MINISTERS
TO SINNERS.
NOTE: A TESTIMONY
OF HOW GOD HAS BLESSED YOU IS NOT AN INDICATOR OF SALVATION.
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GOD EVEN
LOVES AND BLESSED THE UNSAVED SINNER!
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God is not an
ogre who hoards his compassion and needs persuading to exercise it.
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All he asks
is that we approach him humbly and on his terms, recognizing that he is ready
to help.
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Also
significant in this story is the example of who is helped.
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Jesus reaches
out to those who are regarded as outsiders.
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He touches
especially those whom others have often given up on.
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The gratitude
the Samaritan showed represents a fundamental response of faith to God’s
blessing.
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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.
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NOTE: The
reaction of the nine in not returning thanks to Jesus shows how often we tend to
take God’s grace for granted.
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The Samaritan
stopped to recognize that God was at work through Jesus.
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In turning
back to thank Jesus, he demonstrated how he (personally)
appropriated the blessing Jesus had given him.
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In return,
the Lord gifted him even more – with the declaration that faith had made
him well.
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The leper
approached Jesus with a need for physical healing – but left with spiritual
healing also.
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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!
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NOTE: BEING
GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRITUAL HEALING WE HAVE IN CHRIST IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP.
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A PERSON WHO
IS GRATEFUL IS ALSO A PERSON WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LIFE – THERE IS
A CORRELATION.
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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!
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 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
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The Bible
says to be thankful always in all circumstances whether positive or negative
because an attitude of gratitude is a choice.
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The
circumstances are not the cause of our pain – often times they are just the
projection of our pain.
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The circumstances
are just the effect. The cause is our attitude – How we think and feel about
life!
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It does not
matter what happens to us on the outside - what is most important is what
happens inside of us that determines our 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.
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Noble
attitudes like gratefulness and joy are only a choice away.
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A spiritually
mature person is grateful even when they have no apparent reason to be from the
world’s perspective!
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An immature
person is not grateful enough when they have adequate reason to be.
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If a person
is ungrateful before God gives them a miracle – they will not be happy and thankful
after the miracle.
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Often times
God withholds his miracles and blessing to us until we have the right
mental attitude towards Him, others and life.
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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.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-21
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.
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God saved us
from sin, death and despair by sending his son to die on a cross so we would
not have to.
John
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
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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 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!
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CHRISTIANS
ARE URGED TO GUARD THEIR THOUGHTS BECAUSE WE TEND TO ATTRACT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT AND WHAT WE FEEL.
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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!
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VICTORY COMES
WHEN YOUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS AGREE THAT YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU
ARE IN HIS WORD!
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YOU CAN BE
THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL AND JOYFUL IN CHRIST!
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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 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.
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BY DEFINITION
THE CHRISTIAN CAN BE SAD AND STILL BE GRATEFUL TO GOD.
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THE CHRISTIAN CAN BE UNHAPPY IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES BUT JOYFUL IN CHRIST!