Praising God

Luke 17:11-19

Key verse 15 

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.”

1. Read verses 11 - 13. Where is Jesus traveling on the way to Jerusalem?  (11) Who comes to Jesus? (12) What do they do? (13) What do you think we can learn from them?

2. Read verses 14 - 16. What does Jesus say to them? (14a) What happens to them as they obey his instructions? (14b) How many of them come back to Jesus? (15a) What does he do? (15b-16)  What do you think we can learn from him?

3. Read verses 17 - 19. What does Jesus say? (17-18) Why do you think Jesus talks about “giving praise to God”? What do you think it means when he says “your faith has made you well”? (19)  How do you think we can show thanks to God?

Where are the other nine?

Luke 17:11-19

Key verse 17

“Jesus asked, “Where not all then cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

Introduction:

The author, Luke was a Gentile by birth. But by God’s grace, he became a coworker for Paul in world mission. At the bottom of his heart, he must have been thankful to Jesus who called him as a spiritual doctor to rescue many souls for God’s glory. This passage shows a Samaritan man who had privileged to know who Jesus is. Whoever loves God and puts faith in Him is truly blessed. The name of the game is to give thanks to Jesus so that we may be healed completely. May the Lord help us to learn praise and thanks of a Samaritan man.

1. Read verses 11 - 13. Where is Jesus traveling on the way to Jerusalem?  (11) Who comes to Jesus? (12) What do they do? (13) What do you think we can learn from them?

1-1) Read verses 11 - 13.

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 met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

1-2) Where is Jesus traveling on the way to Jerusalem?  (11)

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

• Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem. Border was close to Perea.

• Luke 13:22 “Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.”

1-3) Who comes to Jesus? (12)

12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance. Ten lepers came to Jesus.

• They gathered together and lived at a distance from the healthy people.

1-4) What do they do? (13)

13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

• They called Jesus and asked mercy from him.

1-5) What do you think we can learn from them?

• They had faith in Jesus with the hope that they may be healed.

• It could be a great danger for them to appear because they could be stoned to death. But their faith made them come to Jesus.

2. Read verses 14 - 16. What does Jesus say to them? (14a) What happens to them as they obey his instructions? (14b) How many of them come back to Jesus? (15a) What does he do? (15b-16)  What do you think we can learn from him?

2-1) Read verses 14 - 16.

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.

2-2) What does Jesus say to them? (14a)

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

• This command appears to be nonsense because it means they were already healed and therefore go to the priests and get a health certificate.

  • At least they could have expected something tangible remedy from Jesus.

  • But Jesus only gave command which can be taken only by faith. Baiscally Jesus was saying to them, “I tell you. You are already healed even though you see your leprosy with your own eyes. Therefore I tell you, go, show yourselves to the priests.”

• It reminds me of John 4:50.

  • “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. The man later realized that his son was healed when he took Jesus’ word by faith and departed.

  • Jesus challenges those who come to him to increase their faith in the right way. Usually it is to help them to believe in the power of His words.

  • Hebrews 11:3a “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command”

2-3) What happens to them as they obey his instructions? (14b)

And as they went, they were cleansed.

• They followed what Jesus said to them, and they were cleansed. “Being cleansed” means ‘being healed of their leprosy.’

2-4) How many of them come back to Jesus? (15a)

15 One of them,

• One of them who were healed came back to Jesus.

2-5) What does he do? (15b-16)  

When he saw he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

He could not control himself when he saw he was healed. So he praise God in a loud voice. But he also thanked Jesus because the healing came through Jesus’.

2-6) What do you think we can learn from him?

• Being a Samaritan could mean he could be hostile toward Jesus. But when he saw he was healed, he came back.

• It reminds me of Peter (Luke 5:1-11) who saw a large fish caught thanks to Jesus’ words and paid attention to who Jesus is instead of large number of fish.

• Likewise this Samaritan man might see who Jesus is through healing.

• There are several steps.

  • He saw the important thing, in other words, he might experience the Almighty power through Jesus’ command.

  • He came back regardless of other’s response, in other words, he had a personal faith.  

  • He praise God in a loud voice - he probably praise God louder than the first time (when he shout in a loud voice to call Jesus as Messiah).  His voice is loud thanks to his overflowing thanks.

  • He threw himself at Jesus’ feet. It shows his holy and absolute fear to Jesus who is the Lord, the master, and the Messiah. He thanked him.

3. Read verses 17 - 19. What does Jesus say? (17-18) Why do you think Jesus talks about “giving praise to God”? What do you think it means when he says “your faith has made you well”? (19)  How do you think we can show thanks to God?

3-1) Read verses 17 - 19.

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  

3-2) What does Jesus say? (17-18)

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?”

3-3) Why do you think Jesus talks about “giving praise to God”?

• To praise God is the chief purpose for all things and all men.

  • Nine patients were healed from their incurable disease.

  • When they have what they wanted, they do not see any other reason to come back to Jesus.

  • Many people are making the same choice. When they began their believing life, they are humbly asking God’s help. But they procure God’s blessings such as job, graduation, marriage, or richness, they do not give praise to God but leave God gradually.

• This is a great discrepancy between God centered faith and others.

  • A God centered man magnifies the Giver of every blessing while a self centered person focus on blessing such as recipient’s possession or enjoyment.

  • A God centered man sees the clear purpose of all blessings and creation to please God.

  • A God centered man is humbly thankful for God’s sovereignty while others congratulated themselves.

  • A God centered man surrender himself to the Lord while others justify themselves and honor themselves..

3-4) What do you think it means when he says “your faith has made you well”? (19)  

19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

• “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

• You faith indicates personal faith.

• Because of his faith and thanks he was made well not only physically but also spiritually. He was truly made well.

• Ezekiel 18:30, 31 shows the importance of a personal faith in God. (today’s daily bread-10-19-2013)

“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

3-5) How do you think we can show thanks to God?

• We need to remember what we have received from Jesus and we can give thanks to God

• We should not take what we have received from Jesus granted.

• We must remember who we were before we receive blessings from Jesus.

The end.

Where Are the Other Nine?

Luke 17:11-19

Key Verse 17:17

“Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

Good morning! Happy thanksgiving! How are you this morning? I know all of you are very happy because Thanksgiving day is coming and Thanksgiving day means holiday. I know you are very happy. And Christmas is coming also. I heard that most people use 1/3 of their money in this holiday season. Today we want to listen to Thanksgiving Sunday message. The title is “Where are the other nine?” It comes from verse 17. May we read this verse together? Let’s go. “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Let’s pray.

There was a man in the East Coast. Once a year he comes to a beach with a bucket of shrimps and he feeds seagulls. What happened here is many years ago he had a shipwrecked. He and, I think, his two companions were floating over the sea to survive. They had one small raft. They found that some sharks were bigger than their whole raft. But the greatest danger was not shark attack but hunger. Food was very scar, and they were starving to death. One day this man felt something dropped on his head. He didn’t know what it was. But when he looked at the eyes of his two companions their eyes were widely opened with hope. To make a story stort, it was a one seagull. The seagull did not know how man is wicked. So to make the story short, they caught the seagull and eat its flesh and used its intestines to catch fish. And this is how they survived and eventually was rescued. This man remembered one naïve seagull who gave its life to save his life. So each year on the day when he was rescued he goes to a beach with a bucket of shrimps and feed seagulls. I was very moved because he remembered one naïve seagull and did this each year. 

In today’s passage Jesus was sorrowful because of the other nine lepers who did not remember what he has done for them. So today we want to think about his question. Jesus’ question was ‘Where are the other nine?” Jesus’ question for us is ‘Where are you?” ‘Where are you?” “Where are we?”

Part I. Go, show yourselves to the priests (v.11-14)

Let’s read verses 11-14 responsively. I will go first. 

^“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 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.”

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem and according to Luke’s gospel it was his last visit. So when he reached Jerusalem there he would be arrested and tortured and crucified. And he would hung on the cross for several hours. It was to pay the full price of man’s sin. It was to cleanse all of men’s physical and spiritual sickness. And Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

And he was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Why along the border? This road, along the border between Samaria and Galilee, doesn’t belong to Samaria and doesn’t belong to Galilee. Basically it is no man’s land. Why did Jesus travel along the border between Samaria and Galilee. I think, he was trying to reach out isolated people who live in no man’s land because it was his last visit on earth. He wanted to reach lost people who live in the no man’s land. So he traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 

And as he was going into a village ten men who had leprosy met. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” These lepers, leprosy in those times in incurable, terrible disease. It starts with skin but it attacks nerves. So usually they lose their fingers, toes, noses, and ears. It deforms their bodies. In  addition to that they were separated from their family members, friends, and society. They were even kicked out of God. They were not allowed to go to temple and meet God. Complete separation. They were isolated to live in a certain place and there they were left to die. Because of this separation leprosy has a very similar character with sin because sin makes separation between God and men. 

The misery is beyond human understanding. So I will just show you one picture. I hope it is too disturbing. I don’t show long time. I am afraid that you would remember only picture. But I showed it to you to let you know how miserable these lepers were. And how much the Lord has done to save them. Since they were not allowed to go near to normal people they stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” They knew they had a serious problem and they knew they cannot help them. They knew they need help from someone desperately. And they heard about Jesus and they came to him. You know it is not easy to know and accept we have serious problems. But when we know we have serious problems that is the beginning of healing.

One day I watched TV show. It was about healing of an alcoholic. There was one alcoholic, and they tried to help him. But the problem was this guy did not think he was an alcoholic. So what they did was they video taped what he was doing when he was drunk. And they showed it to him. And then he realized he was an alcoholic. So healing started. 

There were many lepers in Jesus’ times. Some of lepers could think, “Well, I am not happy like normal people. But to a certain degree I am okay because I lost only two fingers but the guy lost ten fingers.” But these ten lepers accepted they had a serious problem and they needed help from others. And they came out to Jesus and called out in a loud voice. “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.”

When Jesus saw them he said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Priests worked as medical doctors in those times. So if some is healed of leprosy he needs to go the priest and show himself. And the priest offer some sacrifice and give him health certificate. And he can go back to his family, society and worship God. 

So when Jesus said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests” he was saying, “I tell you, you have been healed. Therefore go, show your healthy body and get health certificate.” But in reality, the fact was, they were still leprous. So some of them could have asked, “Jesus, Master, what do you mean ‘go, show yourselves to the priests’? You’ve got to heal us first.” But none of them said anything. Probably because they were too desperate and they were humble. They didn’t have anything to lose. Why not? And as they went they were cleansed. Miracle happened. 

When they believed Jesus’ word and obeyed it they were cleansed of their incurable disease leprosy. Why didn’t Jesus say, “Be healed!” When they called out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” Why didn’t Jesus ask them to come and touch him and be healed right there. Why did Jesus challenge them to “go, show yourselves to the priests.” I believe it’s because Jesus wanted to bless them more. By helping them to believe his word and obey his command Jesus establishes relationship. These guys may learn how to believe and obey his words. Then they could believe Jesus’ other words and be saved. 

In the bible this is how Jesus helped many people. In John 4:49-53 we see one royal official’s son was dying. This guy came to Jesus and said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” His child was dying. Jesus said to him, “Go. Your son will live.” Amazingly the man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was going on his way he met his servants and they told him the fever left him. And he investigated the time and it was exactly the same time when Jesus said, “Go, your son will live.” So his whole family believed. Jesus challenged him to believe and obey his word because he was worthy to do so. 

It was the same thing with the born blind man. After putting mud in this eyes with saliva Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam”. The man believed and obeyed and his eyes were opened. 

When we look at ourselves we are full of spiritual leprosy, sin, sinful habits, and desire. But we have the word of Jesus’ promise. “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” “This is my new covenant in my blood.” Jesus wants us to believe and obey his word more than what we see, more than our visible reality. The true reality is what Jesus says. 

Jesus said in John 5:24. Let’s read this verse together. Let’s go. 

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you. Whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
Jesus wants us to hear his word and believe and obey it because that is how he saves people.  

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.”

What does it mean by ‘believing in him’? ‘Believing in Jesus’ means ‘believing in his words.”

Part II. Rise and go; your faith has made you well (v.15-19)

Let’s read verses 15-19 responsively. I will go first. 

^“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.”

Out of ten men, one man, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He was so thankful that he could not control his body. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was trembling with thanks. And he was a Samaritan. The other nine could be Jews. Jews were supposed to have more biblical knowledge and were supposed to be more spiritually mature compared to Samaritans. Jesus called him a ‘foreigner”, meaning ‘Gentile.’ But he came back and praised God in a loud voice and he threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.

And Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Where are the other nine? Some of them might have doubted they were really healed. Some of them might have wanted to have this chance as quickly as possible before something changes. Some of them think that Jesus didn’t do much. He said just one sentence, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” What’s the big deal? Some oft them might have thought “I can go back to him later.” But whatever the reason was they did not come back. They did not return. They did not make time. 

And this one man came praising God and threw himself at Jesus’ feet. And Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” The word ‘well’ here comes from the word ‘sozo’ and this ‘sozo’ was used in the same word in the book of Acts 16:30 when a jalor said to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved.” So when Jesus said, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well” Jesus was saying, “Your faith has saved you.” This man was cleansed not only from his physical leprosy but also from spiritual leprosy of sin. He was saved. From that time on he will be with Jesus in paradise, enjoying eternal life with him. He did not ask this blessing. It was given to him because he was so thankful. And it was bonus. 

What about the other nine lepers? Will they be happy? Probably not. Why not? Let’s read Romans 1:21-22 together. Let’s go.

 “²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools”.

Why not? Because their thinking will become futile and their foolish hearts will be darkened. They think they are wise. The guy who was returning to Jesus was fool, they thought. He was wasting his time. They claimed to be wise but in fact they become fools.

Since they don’t remember what the Lord has done for them with their healthy body using their freedom they were going to use such as money probably for themselves. For themselves! I don’t think they will make generous offerings! I don’t think they will use tons of time to serve God. As soon as they were cleansed they took it for granted as if they were normal people from the beginning. They were busy to meet their friends and family members and have parties and get a job and make money. They did not remember what the Lord has done for them. 

Does anyone know this person, Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008)? I don’t know how to pronounce his last name. Have you heard about him? Okay. He was a Russian writer and thinker. He lived under the time of Joseph Stalin, the dictator of Russia. He was agonized because he found by reading hundreds of books and testimonies he found that his Mother country Russia lost 60 million live during Russian Revolution and probably the First and Second World War. And he was agonized to find the reason. Why was his county so devastated and destroyed? What was the reason? So he read hundred of books and testimonies things like that. His final conclusion is, “People have forgotten God.” Russian people have forgotten God and they lost 60 million population. That is the entire population of South and North Korea, the entire population of France. People have forgotten God. That was the cause of their destruction. They did not remember God. 

But when we remember God and how the Lord has done for us, there is abundant blessings. The thankful leper was saved. His soul was saved and he was enjoying eternal life with Christ. 

Not only personally the Lord blesses us when we are thankful but also nationally. There is a story of king Jehoshaphat, one of Judah’s kings. He was enjoying the blessing of thanksgiving in his national crisis. A vast army of Ammon and. Let’s read 2 Chronicles 20:21-25 responsively. I will go first.

 “²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” ²² As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. ²⁴ When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. ²⁵ So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.”

When these people fasted and prayed and praised God in front of the army. It is like a choir members in front of military armies when they are marching to the battle ground. Can you imagine? “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” That’s what they did. And when they went to the battle field they did not need to shoot even one arrow. God finished them off. A vast army killed each other and it was done. 

There is another man who enjoyed thanksgiving. This man is Daniel. Do you know Daniel prayed 3 times a day? Can you raise your hands if you know it? Okay. But I was very surprised and impressed. The major prayer topic for his three times of prayer was ‘thanks.’ Let’s read Daniel 6:6. “¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

The decree had been published. If anyone bows down to somebody other than idol set up by the king he would be persecuted. Daniel’s enemies set up such trap because they could not find anything against Daniel. But he still went his room and prayed 3 times a day. 3 times a day giving thank to his God. What thanks? His country was destroyed by Babylonian Empire and he was carried off as one of prisoners of war. And he lived there. What thanks? But his major prayer topic was thanks. Because of this thankful prayer he was so prominent in his business. No one could find any fault in his job. So perfect and God gave him the knowledge of interpretation of dreams and visions. He was so blessed.

In conclusion, Jesus’ question was ‘Where are the other nine?” Jesus’ question for us is “Where are you?” ‘Where are we?” Are we at Jesus’ feet trembling with thanks? Or somewhere else. Where are we? Where are we? Where are you? Where have you been? Where have we been? 

One word: Where are you?

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