Luke 17:15-19

Scripture:Luke 17:15-19 “Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ ¹⁹And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’”

Observation: The ten people healed were lepers. Because of the contagious nature of leprosy its victims were required to remain apart from healthy people and public places. Lepers were also required to announce their condition by shouting out “unclean, unclean” to anyone who came close to the infected person. Lepers, very often, were forced to rely on the generosity of others to survive since, as the disease progressed, they were generally unable to make a living. As Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he encountered the 10 lepers who shouted at him saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Hearing the lepers and seeing their condition Jesus had compassion on them and he healed them. Luke also tell us that Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law by telling the healed former lepers to go and show the priests so they could be officially declared clean. It is at this point that one of those healed came to Jesus and after falling at the feet of Jesus gave thanks to Jesus for the

miracle of his healing. We also notice two very important elements in this account. First, only one of the ten people cleansed returned to give thanks to God for this life saving miracle. Second, the person who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan. Clearly, when Jesus said, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” it was a reasonable expectation that all ten of the healed lepers would have returned and given thanks for their miraculous healing. Finally, we read in Luke 17:19 Jesus said it was the Samaritan’s faith that made him well. As a Samaritan, the healed man most likely practiced a form of Judaism that was considered by the people of Judah to be incomplete and false. But, we hear Jesus saying that this man’s faith saved him! 

Application:We learn from this story that we are to give thanks to God for the miraculous. But, is it only for the miraculous that we are to give thanks? Or are we to give thanks also for the non-miraculous? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us to, “Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Ephesians 5:18-21 adds this, “Be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Philippians 4:4-9 makes our response to God’s provision clear, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” 

Prayer: Lord help me to see that everything you give to me is a miracle because truly I deserve nothing. But you, in your great mercy, gave to me everything I need. You healed me of my sin. Lord, forgive me for not returning to you. Forgive me for not falling at your feet. Lord, forgive me for not thanking you. Lord lead me to thank you for everything you give me, Amen.

Dwight Enfield