 |
38th Street Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“...But Where Are The Nine?” |
  |
I. Introduction.
A. On the borderland between the territories of Galilee and
Samaria, Jesus and His disciples encounter a common – yet
repulsive – sight.1. Lepers! The very word was frightening to anyone
at all familiar with this disease. Leprosy in the
ancient world could be compared with AIDS in our
time. It was thought to be contagious – even by
close contact with one who had the disease; it was
also incurable – a slow, painful, horrendous way to
die.2. Any contact with a leper defiled whoever touched
him or her. These ten men Jesus encountered stood
“. . . afar off.” (verse 12). The law did not permit
them to come close to other people. When going
near a populated area, or when within sight of other
people, they were to make their presence – and
affliction – known by calling out “Unclean.”
Hence, the text says, in verse 14, they were
“cleansed.”3. Among the ten, Luke says, one was a Samaritan.
We know the hatred of Jews for Samaritans, and
vice versa, but, apparently, their common mis-
fortune had brought them together, had broken
down the barriers of culture and religion that
separated them. They were not Jews, or a
Samaritan, but lepers.4. These ten men had a common need as well: “Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us!” These men called out
to Jesus in their common despair, and their common
desire, to live – live a longer life, live a normal life,
live a better quality of life.
B. Like many passages of scripture, can approach this story
from a variety of angles, and learn from it a variety of
lessons.1. It’s a story of faith – that God can do what no
person can. The ten, in calling to Jesus, appealed
to His love and compassion. And, when one
returned to express his gratitude for the cleansing,
Jesus tells him: “. . . Your faith has made you
well.” (verse 19).2. It’s a story about the power of God – to cleanse
everyone spiritually as He cleansed these men,
physically. The “disease” of sin is destructive, too.
Like lepers, we are in need of “cleansing,” not
outwardly, but on inside. We must appeal to power
of God for mercy, and we must obey in faith His
Commands (as these men did – v. 14).3. It’s a story of gratitude and ingratitude, of
thanksgiving. Of one who returned to say “Thank
you,” and of nine who did not. And, the one who
came back was “. . . a foreigner” [or “stranger”],
not even one of God’s “chosen people.” That
didn’t stop Jesus from healing him; he got the same
blessing as the other nine. And, it didn’t stop the
Samaritan from seeking Jesus to say, “Thank you.”C. Let us imagine that we have the opportunity to talk to the
nine men who didn’t come back to say “Thank you.” They
could not help but be just as happy as the Samaritan about
their healing. They’d been given a pardon from a certain
death sentence. They’d been spared the pain and horror of
a slow death by degrees. They could now move freely
among people, re-join family and friends, live free of the
restrictions the disease had placed upon them, and the
isolation it had forced them to endure.1. Who could have had more reason to give thanks?
2. Who, more than these men, should have, first of
all, “glorified God” for His mercy and His power
to heal?3. But, Jesus must ask: “Were there not ten cleansed?
But where are the nine?” (v. 17).4. So, let’s ask these nine: “Why didn’t you go back
and give thanks?” Why didn’t you seek out the One
Who cleansed and healed you?”II. Interview Ingrates.
A. Before they ever got to the priests, they were cleansed.
One moment, they were condemned men; the next free.
What surprise, what shock, this must have caused. They
looked at each other and then looked at themselves –
examined themselves – and saw no evidence of leprosy.
Was it really so? Or was it an illusion? Did they so want
to be healed that they only thought the disease was gone
from them, or was what they saw, in fact, true?1. The initial doubt turns quickly to certainty. We
are cleansed! We are whole again! This man,
Jesus, had worked a miracle!2. They looked, they touched, they laughed, they cried
in joy and relief. But, will it last? Is the leprosy
gone for good?3. One of the ten – the Samaritan – turns back the way
the group had come. His one thought is: “I’ve got
to find that man!” Yes, he wants to share his joy.
But, he also wants to express his gratitude. They
had not gone too far – surely Jesus was still nearby.
And the Samaritan encounters Him and His
disciples, falls down before Jesus, and thanks and
praises Him with many tears.B. The other nine men are still beside the road they’d been
walking. They hadn’t even missed the Samaritan yet, so
caught up were they in their own feelings of joy and
release.1. We come now from the opposite direction, from the
nearby village. We have no idea what’s happened,
nor what has made these men so excited.2. It’s natural for us to stop and ask: “What’s going
on?” Why are you men all so happy? When they
explain what’s happened, we step back
immediately, not sure about our contact with them.
“Are you really cured? But, how?”3. They show no signs of leprosy, so it must be all
right. If what you say is true, and it certainly looks
that way, then why don’t you go and find the One
Who healed you?C. As we begin to walk along the road, one man speaks up for
the group of three he’s with:1. “Well, you know, we have a lot of catching up to do
and we want to go to our homes and families. I
can’t wait to see the look on peoples’ faces when
they realize it’s me! Surely, Jesus will understand
how we feel.”2. Will He? What’s more important than thanking
God for His blessings and mercy? We would have
nothing without Him. We would be nothing
without Him.3. How often do we take time to thank God? Are we
too busy, or too forgetful to do so simple, and basic,
a thing? Do we just assume God knows how we
feel?4. When we face a crisis, or have a need; when we’re
desperate for help, where do we often turn? But,
when the crisis is past, when the need is met, when
routine replaces disruption – we forget and turn
away. (Psalm 103:2: “Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.”).D. Another of the nine offers his answer to our question of
seeming ingratitude: “Well, you know, if Jesus is the
Messiah, He’s just doing what He’s supposed to do.”1. Remember the words of Isaiah 53:4): “Surely,
He has borne our griefs [i.e. sicknesses] and
carried our sorrows [i.e. pains]; . . .”2. But is God obligated to do anything for us? Are
we entitled to His blessings?3. Even these lepers, in their pleas to Jesus,
recognized that He was under no compulsion to
help them (“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”,
verse 13).a. They asked for healing; didn’t demand it.
b. By what right do we claim to demand
anything of God. By what entitlement
should be expect anything from God?c. Reminds one of Paul’s statement in
Romans 9:20: “But indeed, O man, who
are you to reply against God? Will the
thing formed say to him who formed it,
‘Why have you made me like this?’”4. Our gratitude for God’s blessings acknowledges
that He gives to us freely, not out of compulsion;
He gives to us because He loves us, not because
He’s obligated to us; He shows mercy to us because
He desires to, not because He has to.5. Psalm 136 is a great hymn of praise and
thanksgiving to God for His mercy. Time and
again, the Psalmist says: “. . . His mercy endures
forever.” How often do we thank Him for His
mercy?E. That leads us to ask our question of the third group of
three men: “Why don’t you go and find the One Who
healed you?”1. Their spokesman replies: “What’s so important
about giving thanks? Jesus knows our hearts; He
surely knows we are grateful!”2. Does He truly know it if we don’t say it? I believe
in the omniscience of God – of His all-knowing
nature. Jesus said, in regard to prayer: “. . . your
Father knows the things you have need of before
you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8).3. Certainly God knows our minds – but He wants us
to speak to Him, to address our thoughts to Him, to
appeal to Him – and to thank Him.4. Jesus knew full well that the lepers were healed –
but He still asked, “. . . where are the nine?”
(verse 17). To give thanks reminds us that all we
receive is from God (James 1:17: “Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above, and comes
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow of turning.”)III. Conclusion.
A. It’s not difficult to commit the sin of ingratitude. Lest we
be too quick to judge the nine, we should examine our own
lives and ask: “Have I expressed gratitude to God for all
His mercy and blessings?”B. Gratitude is the heaviest of all debts, because there’s no
possible way of repaying God for all He has done for us.1. He’s loaned us our lives.
2. He’s given us the provisions necessary for daily
life.3. He’s redeemed us from sin and adopted us as His
children and heirs.4. He’s provided us eternal life and His Son – and He
waits to receive us into His glory.C. Our gratitude to God should be as habitual as the reception
of His mercies is constant. It should be as heart-felt as the
number of His blessings is great.D. God has given us the way to be “cleansed” – of the
incurable affliction of the soul. His grace saves us from
sin.