A Thankful Leper
Gospel of Luke • Sermon • Submitted
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And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
Here we are given a true miserable condition in which they were cut off from family, friends and temple worship. They were utter outcast and unclean people who generally were left to die from the complications of their disease. Yet when the possibility relief came they willingly cried out for the mercy.
The Gospel of Luke 5.6.1. Gratitude from a Foreign Leper (17:11-19)
“Leprosy” was a term used to designate a number of skin diseases, so the fundamental problem of these ten was, in all likelihood, not a malady that was physically life-threatening. Instead, they were faced with a debilitating social disorder. Regarded as living under a divine curse and as ritually unclean (whether they were Jew or Samaritan, it does not matter), they were relegated to the margins of society.
Apply: oh that more might avail themselves of the mercy of God through crying out in daily desperation of their condition. That lost souls might be awakened to their sinful and condemned condition and receive the mercy of God through Christ to be saved. That God’s own children might daily cry out for God’s daily mercies to forgive, sustain, protect, provide and empower them for the day ahead. They hymn writer was right when he said,
“O, what needless pain we bare all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
O, God awaken us to our own sin sickness that we might cry out for your mercies anew each day and find relief from the corrupting influence of our flesh.
Here we have a perfect example of how that suffering or the threatening of life can take people diametrically opposed to one another and bring them together in a common misfortune. Through the tragedy of leprosy both Jews and Samaritans had forgotten the great national barriers that distinguished them. This is seen universally in the world. If you have a flood surge over a piece of country you will find wild animals congregating for safety on some small portion of higher ground. There you will see peacefully together animals that are natural enemies and who would at other times have killed each other. But because of their common plight they find a common ground.
Apply: how much more so this is for humanity who find themselves separated from God and under a common need of Him to save and restore them to Himself. Yet while all humanity has the same common need, not all will respond in grateful faith to God’s gracious provision. This is powerfully illustrated in the context of even when they have been given a miraculous sign of Christ’s power.
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:
Argu:
How fervently man can plead with God for relief from his suffering condition and yet not return to him one ounce of gratitude when granted his undeserved request.
Notice here how we are taught that help comes in the path of obedience. Jesus didn’t touch them, give them a procedure to follow or prescribe medicine. No he gave them a command to obey. Cleansing came to them in the pathway of obeying him. Their request for mercy granted as they responded to Christ’s command.
What is adventured in faith on Jesus word is never resultless.
The Gospel of Luke 5.6.1. Gratitude from a Foreign Leper (17:11-19)
When used elsewhere in the Third Gospel, “Master” denotes one who has authority consistent with miraculous power, and this is its meaning here.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke i. The Grateful Samaritan 17:11–19
‘foreign’, is used of non-Jews in the LXX and on the well-known ‘keep out’ signs on the inner barrier in the temple. The non-Jew with no religious privileges has shown a better understanding of the situation than the Jews.
We also notice in this text the true rarity of gratitude. 1 out of 10 returned to give thanks for the mercy shown to them all. How much we find ourselves more like the nine than the one. We are more ready to pray for our needs than to praise God. We are more ready to ask for things than to give time to giving thanks.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Apply: Ingratitude is certainly a trait often seen in our culture. It is manifest most clearly in the lives of unbelievers and is a description of people in the last days (; ). It is ingratitude that is at the cores of so much of the entitlement mentality that is so pervasive in the culture. Gratitude does not assume that something is owed them, but thankful for what they have graciously received. Unfortunately, ingratitude is not limited to unbelievers. We are all guilty on various occasions of an unthankful heart.
Now this can be displayed in a multitude of ways. One particularly way we commonly see it is in family life, where mom or dad are expected to do this or that or pay for this or that without even offering a reciprocal thank you. But when they don’t there is no regard for all that has been done, but a lashing out for how horribly they are treating you.
We can do the same thing in the life of the church, right? We often forget what has been done, what did go right, how we have been ministered to and instead when we don’t receive what we think we should we in ingratitude start a collection of things we are disgrudled with or we just up and leave the ministry.
Whenever we are grumbling and complaining we are not expressing gratitude but dissatisfaction with our conditions, circumstances, relationships, but ultimately we are ungrateful to God! There should be no more thankful or grateful people in all the world than believers. Believer it is simply not enough to say grace before you consume a meal and believe that you are a thankful person. The gratitude that is pleasing to God is that which does not forget all his benefits ().
The Samaritan who returned is commend not for his response in that moment, but his faith, which lead him not only to respond with obedience but also to return with thanksgiving.
Apply: How many have we seen who like the other nine who have responded to some degree with an initial obedience of faith, but fail to return to the Lord again. No doubt the nine had gone to the priest, the priest had declared them cleansed and straight way they returned to their homes, family and the former routine of their lives. But when faith is mixed with obedience that continues in thankfulness for God’s mercy, that is the faith that Jesus declares is saving faith. “Faith” that can neglect the benevolence of God’s mercy in Christ, that can with ease be restrained from rending praise, gratitude and honor to the giver of mercy cannot know the mercy of saving grace in Christ.
A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Luke Homiletical and Practical
He that honors grace received is worthy of greater grace!—What is the faith that has any true saving power? A faith which is: 1. Humble in entreaty; 2. courageous in approaching; 3. joyful in thanksgiving.