Bible Study Materials

Luke 17:11-19 (2011)

by Paul Choi   10/02/2011  

Question


JESUS BLESSES A THANKFUL MAN

Luke 17:11-19

Key Verse:17:16

1. Read verses 11-12. Where was Jesus going? Where was he at this time? Who did he meet? What was the common bond between this group of Jews and Samaritans?

2. Read verses 13-14. How did they show respect and trust toward Jesus? How did Jesus respond to their plea? What happened when they obeyed?

3. Why should they show themselves to the priests? What reveals their faith?

4. Read verses 15-16. In what ways was one man different from the rest? What do his actions show about this one man? To whom did he attribute his healing?

5. Read verses 17-19. What did Jesus teach? What blessing did this thankful Samaritan receive? Why?

6. What does this event teach about the importance of being thankful? Why is it so important? Can you think of any other examples of thankfulness in the Bible? What is the result of being thankful?


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Message


JESUS BLESSES THOSE WHO GIVE THANKS

Luke 17:11-19

Key Verse:17:16 “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him-and he was a Samaritan.”

  Last week Jesus taught us three things to be influential Christians and leaders. Christians must not cause others to sin. Christians should forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us. Christians should have the attitude of the unworthy servant. It is not easy for us to practice even one among them because we are weak and sinful. However, it is possible when we remember Jesus Christ who has been faithful to us, forgiven us, and died on the cross for our sins as a servant of God. Yesterday afternoon there was a Korean class at the Bible house. Several CBF children, shepherd Ben West, and Brother Andrew joined the class. The teacher Missionary Abraham Park served them whole-heartedly more than two hours despite his tiredness and busy work schedule. I thanked God for his faithfulness to the Lord Jesus and believed that his labor would be never in vain. God is pleased with those who are faithful and uses them preciously for his kingdom.

  In today’s passage, Jesus teaches us another attitude which his disciples should have: ‘Gratitude’ Here, the word ‘gratitude’ is not only ‘being thankful’, but also ‘giving thanks’. Jesus blesses those who are thankful and blesses more those who give thanks to Him.

First, they cried out in a loud voice. Look at verses 11-13. “Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Galilee was located at north, Judah at south, and Samaria was in the middle. At Jesus’ time, Jews and Samaritans did not associate each other since the Assyrians had invaded Samaria long years ago (Jn 4:9). Jews despised Samaritans thinking that the Samaritans lost their purity and identity as the people of God by mixing their blood with the gentiles. Even though the both were children of Abraham, there was the diving wall and hostility between the two people. Despite such religious and racial conflicts between the two, Jesus was going through Samaria. Jesus did not mind who they were because, to him, all of them were God’s lost sheep. Jesus, who is the Lord of all, came to save not only Jews, but also Samaritans. Ephesians 2:14 says about this, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the diving wall of hostility,…”

  The border between Galilee and Samaria was special to lepers. It was their safe and comfortable zone where they could avoid people.  Lepers are those who suffer from leprosy, known as Hansen’s disease in modern term. Though leprosy is known as a skin disease, it destroys people’s nerve and limbo systems until they die without any pain.  Since leprosy is contagious and infectious disease, lepers must be quarantined in a certain place. They must live alone. In Israel, according to Moses’ law, lepers had to wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ (Lev 13:45,46) Lepers were social outcasts. Even though they wanted to see their family members, they could not. It was because they were lepers. Even though they desired to worship God in the temple, they were forbidden because they were lepers. They were completely isolated from their family, community, and society. However, there was no a racial barrier among the lepers in this passage. Whether they were Jews or Samaritans, they were all the same. They were lepers. There was no difference among them.  They shared sorrow and comfort together around the border.

  When Jesus was met by them, they stood at a distance. They knew that they were not allowed to approach to Jesus. So they stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” They cried out until their throats were wet with blood. They knew who Jesus was. Jesus was the Messiah and the God of compassion. It must be their only chance to see Jesus. They did not want to lose this only chance. Tears of sorrow and grief began to drop from the holes of their eyes and flow down to their deformed noses and cheeks. They cried out for Jesus’ mercy in a loud voice. It was their prayer for the Messiah’s mercy.

Prayer is crying out for God’s mercy. Those who cry out for God’s mercy are humble before God. When we are in need, we must cry out for God’s help. People are quiet and remain in silence in the middle of their desperate situation.  It is time for them to cry out, cry out for God’s help. King David cried out whenever he was in need. In Psalm 130: 1,2 he says, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” Do you have any problems to deal with all by yourself? Cry out to the Lord in a loud voice for mercy. Are you sick with sin which makes you spiritually leprous? Cry out to the Lord in a loud voice for healing. Do you have anyone whom you want to lead into Christ Jesus? Cry out in a loud voice for salvation. I pray that God may help me to hear many crying out prayer from each room in this Bible house. Amen.

  How did Jesus respond to the lepers’ outcry? Look at verse 14. “When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priest.” And as they went, they were cleansed.’ Here we learn that Jesus heard their outcry. Jesus heard their prayer. Jesus never despises those who cry out for his mercy. Jesus saw the lepers with the eyes of mercy. To the eyes of people they were unclean lepers. But, to the eyes of Jesus, they were precious but helpless children of God. Jesus, filled with compassion, ordered the lepers to go and to show themselves to the priest. Why? According to Jewish law, those who are cured from diseases must be examined by the priests so that they could obtain a certificate of recovery in order to enter society as normal men.(Lev 14:2-32) Jesus sent them to the priest for their new life.

Second, the lepers experienced the power of obedience. The lepers could have asked Jesus with questions, “Lord, Jesus, just say a word. And we’ll be healed.”, or “We’ll go after we make sure of being healed.”  But verse 14b says, “And as they went, they were cleansed. The lepers were healed on their way to the priests. When they trusted Jesus and obeyed him, a miracle happened. Even before they stood before the priest, they were cleansed. Here we learn the power of obedience. In John 2 in the wedding banquet at Cana in Galilee, the servants were asked by Jesus to fill water in the water jars which were prepared for ceremonial washing. Jesus also asked them to bring some water to the banquet master for a taste. At that time, Jesus’ request was unacceptable and unreasonable to the servants. Nevertheless, with the help of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the servants obeyed whatever Jesus had commanded. What happened to them when they had obeyed Jesus’ words? A miracle happened. Water was changed into wine. (Jn 2:1-11) Jesus wants each of us to experience the power of obedience in our daily lives. Jesus wants us to trust in him and to live victorious lives when we obey his words. Many fail to experience the power of God simply because they don’t obey Him. Obedience comes from absolute trust and love. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

Third, Give thanks. Look at verses 15,16. “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.” The lepers found that they had been healed. They all jumped and danced with great joy. Among them the nine left home right away to see their families and friends. Then, that’s it. They did not come back. They did not return to Jesus who had healed them. They received marvelous grace of healing from Jesus. But, that’s all. They did not say even a word of “thank you” to Jesus. Unlike them, when the Samaritan leper found that he had been healed, he remembered Jesus. He did not forget Jesus, the one who gave him new life and new body. He came back to Jesus, praising God in a loud voice. “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Thank you, Jesus!” Then, he threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Throwing himself at Jesus’ feet was the expression of his submission and worship. In reality, he worshiped Jesus. He saw God in Jesus. He felt great love and healing power from Jesus. He showed his best gratitude to Jesus in a loud voice, “Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!”

  Here we learn from this Samaritan leper what the true gratitude to God is. Gratitude is not just being thankful, but giving thanks to God. The nine lepers might have been thankful of Jesus, but that’s all. They did not return to Jesus. They did not give thanks to Jesus. This surprised Jesus. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (17,18) Jesus was sad with the nine ungrateful Jewish lepers.  But he was greatly comforted by the grateful Samaritan leper. Here, we learn that Jesus wants us not only to be thankful, but also to give thanks to God. People appreciate God’s blessings, but barely remember God who is the source of the blessings. The Samaritan leper remembered Jesus and praised God who is the source of blessings. ‘Deuteronomy’ the fifth book of Moses in the Old Testament means ‘repetition.’ God repeated his instruction to the Israelites while they were in the desert. What was the instruction? It was ‘to remember the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt…” God repeatedly instructed them to remember God after they entered the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey.

Many people take God’s blessings for granted. They have no idea how to give thanks to God. However, we Christians should be different. We must thank God and praise Him in a loud voice. In a loud voice?  Yes! Particularly those who cry out for God’s help in a loud voice should give thanks to God and praise Him in a loud voice. When we cry out to God in a loud voice, the gate of heaven will open. When we praise God in a loud voice, our hearts will open. All demons and evil spirits will come out from our hearts when we praise God in a loud voice. Then, God will fill our hearts with joy, thanks, and peace of heaven. Let us praise the Lord in a loud voice!

Look at verse 19. “Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Jesus was pleased with the thankful Samaritan leper and blessed him all the more. He said, “Your faith has made you well.” What Jesus meant here was that the leper was saved. His salvation was complete. This is Jesus’ proclamation of salvation for the Samaritan leper. The other nine lepers received only physical healing. They will die without any spiritual blessings. They lost the chance to have their personal relationship with Jesus. On the contrary, the Samaritan leper gained more blessings than his physical healing when he came back to Jesus. He had a personal relationship with Jesus. He had personal faith in Jesus as the Lord and Savior. His personal faith in Jesus made his salvation complete.

Today we learned from the Samaritan leper what true gratitude is and how to show our gratitude toward God. ‘Gratitude’ is not just being thankful. It means more than being thankful. It requires ‘give’ thanks. We know that God loves us. But, God does not just love. He GAVE his One and Only Son Jesus to this world. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he GAVE his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God demonstrated his love for us through Jesus Christ.

Biblically speaking, sin is compared to leprosy. Sin is contagious like leprosy and it spreads out. Sin destroys our soul as leprosy destroys our body. Finally sin leads us to death as leprosy does. As lepers die without any pain, people die in sin without any feeling. Sin makes us numb and senseless. Those who don’t feel any pain after they sin against God are spiritual lepers. They will die without any hope. It means eternal separation from God. There are many spiritual lepers around us. There are many ungrateful people who always complain about small sufferings. Ingratitude is one of spiritual leprosy as well as immorality, impurity, and so on. But, there is hope for those who are in Christ. It is because Jesus died for our sins and healed us from our leprosy. As we have studied today, Jesus has power to heal us from all spiritual leprosy. Those who are in Christ Jesus will be healed.  Amen.

God blesses and use those who give thanks to Him. Recently I received a thank you letter from one of our church members. It was not a fancy thank you card from Walgreen, but a heart-moving thank you letters on a paper. The letter was full of thank and joy for me and for St. Louis UBF co-workers. She knows how to express her gratitude toward God and God’s servant as the Samaritan leper did. Thanksgiving Day is coming up. What is that for? In 1620, the Pilgrims lost the half of their members in their first winter in America. But, the next fall, they celebrated their first thanksgivings with American Indians. The pilgrims knew how to give thanks to God in all circumstances. God has blessed this country America abundantly when she remembered God and gave thanks to Him. Let us pray that God may make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Let us give thanks to God and praise Him in all circumstances. What is God’s will for you? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 God’s will for us in Christ Jesus is giving thanks to God in all circumstances. Amen.


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