During the past 6 months we have asked many questions, one of which may have been, “Will we ever be the same?” During the past 6 months you have probably learned many lessons too… about the Lord, about yourselves, maybe even new truth from God’s Word. Never, for me, has the Bible been more exciting, relevant or realistic…He has spoken to us about – and into - every conceivable situation or question we could face in life. Here is one such story of a wonderful encounter between the Lord Jesus Christ and 10 lepers…and one in particular.
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
Jesus could have gone another way once he reached the border. Most would have done so…but not Jesus. He goes to meet them…
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
The lepers are standing at a distance – and they cry out to Jesus Christ…they all know who to ask – when the chips are down…and they certainly were. Leprosy was (and is) a devastating disease, physically. It caused terror. It was the diagnosis no-one wanted. But leprosy did more than damage bodies. It scarred its sufferers socially and spiritually. Lepers (indeed any with skin conditions) were left outside in the cold and isolated from the commonwealth of God’s people…thought of as beyond God’s love or reach…shunned. But Jesus did not shun them…instead He gave an order:
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, and show your selves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
To see the priest was to get the ticket (certificate) back to normal life, an end to quarantine – back to family and work and worship…back to their “old life” (business as usual) or (possibly) on to a new one…
The lepers all have faith – as they went (they obeyed, we see) they were cleansed…
And I dare say they were all happy (ecstatically) when they looked at their limbs and their skin, noticing strength and suppleness had come back to them…
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice…
But one of them (a Samaritan) was healed. Do you see that? Nine men were cleansed and one is healed. How ironic, then, that the one person deemed a pagan, godless foreigner (a Samaritan) is the one who is healed, who turns, who stops, who shouts out his praise, who threw himself at Jesus feet, who thanked Jesus. The healed man is a picture of the church, a picture of the people of God. God’s people were to be a people of praise. Judah means “to praise”, Judah the tribe from which Jesus hails! God’s people were always and forever to be a thankful people…to praise God…to count their blessings, yes…but even more… to simply thank God for being God!
When he saw what Jesus had done for him he didn’t (like the majority) run away from God. Instead he ran to God. He stopped. He turned and saw God. He worshipped God. He gave glory to God.
This man is more than cleansed or even healed – he is made well/whole. He is a whole person. Jesus did miracles…he still does – but those mighty acts were always more than just about bodies. They were signs pointing to the One who gives and forgives and restores – He deals with whole people. (Which is the greater miracle?)
We are more than our bodies. Our lives are more than food, shelter, possessions. What good is it if people get the world (of health, wealth, happiness) and yet give up the most important thing, their souls?
Plenty of people call on the name of the Lord in their day of trouble. (Psalm 50)
O God, help me! O God, save me! Help me out of this one and I’ll remember you forever! Heal my child, Jesus, and I’ll come to church every Sunday – I promise! (A pattern repeated in Scripture!)
One little girl in Sunday school when asked about this story said, “Jesus must have been so happy that somebody thanked him…” That’s a rather positive spin. Jesus is angry and his words are a stinging rebuke to the ungrateful majority.
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?”
The other nine got what they wanted, all they wanted. They could have thanked him for the providence of God that brought Jesus to their little colony in the middle of nowhere; they could have thanked God for the mercy that caused him to pay attention to their plight; they could have thanked God for the grace and power that brought about their healing; they could have stopped. Many, many have left the church having been healed by God…to sadly return to business as usual.
They forget to thank God. They had many reasons to…and so it is with us.
How quick we are to pray! How slow we are to praise! In bitter need we pray intensely; as time passes we forget God! How frequently we who have the most to be thankful for are the least thankful people?
The other 9 might well have been happy…for a while. They enjoy the benefits. But they don’t have time to thank the Giver of the gifts, or the healer. They get the clean bill of health (great!) but they don’t get what’s really important: they don’t get Jesus! They think they’re safe now… going back to business as usual… but they don’t get Jesus… so all they’ve (really) done is buy themselves some time.
19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.
The 1 man receives something deeper than the physical healing (the sign); he may have new skin and bones; he may go into the world and have a new home or family but he gets something deep down. The other 9 men/women got the healing. The one man got the Physician himself…through faith! That word, rise is from the same family of words as the word resurrection. Praise God for that coming last day when your healing will be complete!
Maybe the healed Samaritan leper did go. But I bet he went with God. I bet he remained a truly thankful follower. I am convinced he never forgot the day he met the Great Physician. “Will he ever be the same?” (No, I don’t think so!) I bet he never stopped giving thanks for the healing he received, inside and out. Jesus said, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well…”
“What I want instead is your true thanks to God: I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High. Trust in me in your time of trouble, and I will rescue you and you will give me the glory!” (Ps. 50: 14-15)
God wants our thanks. But more than that he wants us… he wants more of us. The more of us he gets, the more of him we get, too. We should be the most thankful people in the world! We should have an attitude of gratitude!
So let us give thanks and be grateful (like 1 Samaritan leper) that we get a king and a kingdom that cannot be shaken! Alleluia! (Praise God)
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Prayer:
We Pray: In Your mercy…hear our prayer
LORD GOD, OUR FATHER… You have commanded Your people to be a people of praise, to give You thanks in all circumstances...to rest...assured...of Your faithfulness and love…to let go of self...of worries and fears...to let go (even) of sight...and to walk in faith. When, in the absence of certainty or knowledge, to simply trust in You; in all life’s seasons and, in times of darkness, to walk a different path... with You...knowing that...though we often find ourselves in the midst of trouble, You preserve us from us from our foes...that You deliver us and spare us...times without number.
LORD, You have told Your people that sometimes You send or allow these seasons...for this too, we thank You...
LORD JESUS CHRIST...In Your Wisdom You too chose to walk a hard path...You were tested for us...You suffered for us. We acknowledge how hard it is for us to accept suffering in the world...our own pain...we want to run from it. But we also acknowledge we need Your help to walk as You did...In our testing times help us to join You in saying, “Not my will, but Your will be done...”
LORD WHO IS HOLY SPIRIT...In the absence of all other supports and comforts, befriend us in our troubles...and bring us back...close...to You, LORD…
In our trials...help us bring comfort and encouragement to others...to be a blessing to them...
GOD who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit...who watches over this world...especially those who are lost and lonely and grieving and fearful…watch over us, Your people. We feel troubled, too...but we worship You with thanksgiving as the GOD who heals and saves...and so we declare…
1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me…
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. (Psalm 23)
We ask You, LORD, to show Your mercy and power in these difficult days. God...You who are truly a Shepherd for your people help us proclaim with thankful lives the good news of the Good Shepherd. Lead us Lord…
In your mercy…hear our prayer! (Amen)
Blessing:
MFR 21-09-20