Sermon: Give thanks, Part 3 11-21-10 the ten lepers Lk 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The consummate thanksgiving story
Three stories here
Story one- Jesus
Is healing people. Would you like to be jesus
We are supposed to be like Christ
Cant heal people of leprosy- can heal them of fear
There is a disease in our land. Worry. Fear. Anger.
We can buy in, or we can stand for the gospel
Every thing is ok
One of my favorite thanksgiving stories - Now thank we all our God
"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children: 'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms,/Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today.'"Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward circumstances.
The apostle paul said in Philippians 4: 11-13
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.,
When Job lost everything
His wife said, curse God and die 2:9
Job said, tho he slay me, yet will I trust in him 13:15
It was never about our comfort
It is always about trusting in God
We can be the voice of Jesus in a difficult time.
We can do all things thru Christ
Story 2- the nine
Why would they not stop and go back to say thanks?
Did not realize- they had to know
They let it rush by- more important thoughts
nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return:
1. One waited to see if the cure was real.
2. One said, "Any rabbi could have done it."
3. One said, "I was already much improved."
4. One said, Jews shouldn’t have leprosy anyway
5. One said he couldn’t explain it, but since he was an atheist, who was there to thank?
6. One gave the glory to natural healing process of the body
7. One said, saying thanks didn’t cross my mind, all I could think about was getting out and doing some Christmas shopping
8. One said, why give thanks for the health that should have been mine anyway
9. One said he didn’t have time, he wanted to get back to his family
Jesus asks a question in the scripture – where are the other 9?
Does jesus ask us, where are the other 90? 300?
Has god done something for you, but you don’t take notice
I think we do this more than we think
Do you see the colors of the trees
5 million cones, 90 million rods, 12 million colors
Do you hear the sound of the birds
Do you taste and smell the food
10,000 taste buds
Do you touch a loved one
Do you remember the story of the woman who washes Jesus feet w her tears?
Jesus is invited to the Pharisees house
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The woman loved much
Story 3
The one turns back
This Thursday is thanksgiving. One day that we can set aside to thank God
If we can do it on Thursday, maybe we can do it on Friday.
Will we stop in on this one day?
For the sake of Christ and family will we stop it for one day
And if we can stop it for one day, then maybe we can stop it for another.
And another
And so, let every day, in spite of circumstances, be a day of thanks giving
Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment