October 14 Sermon:

How One Leper Increased his Faith

Jesus and his followers are interrupted on their journey by ten lepers who cry out repeatedly:

"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Luke 17:13

They ask in faith. They don’t tell the Lord exactly what to do; they simply ask him to be merciful. Yet they must have been surprised when he said:

"Go and show yourselves to the priests." v. 14

Was he just brushing them off? Take your problem to the priests.

No.

These lepers knew the Law of Moses and dutifully followed it. They stayed in a group outside the village and kept their distance from travelers on the road – so they would not spread their contagious disease. At that respectful distance they begged.

The law had one more important point. If their disease went into remission, they were to go to a priest, who could certify that they were clean – and thus they could re-enter ordinary society.

They asked in faith – so Jesus tells them to act in faith. Despite obvious appearances to the contrary, act as if your prayer has been granted and go to the priests for that certificate of good health.

Should we believe Jesus, act as if we’ve been cured, and go to find a priest to certify it? But I can see I’ve still got the disease. And he didn’t tell me I was healed. Should I take a leap of faith?

They trusted Jesus’ word and obeyed it.

And as they went, they were made clean. V. 14

In their act of obedient faith, their prayer is answered and they are healed.

So again, the message is trust and obey

If you ask in faith, then act in faith.

But this week there is more.

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. v. 15,16

One joyfully offered thanks to the Lord. He understood this just didn’t happen, but rather the Lord had shown His love and mercy to him. He recognized the blessing and responds with gratitude.

Jesus asks

"Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? v. 17, 18

He’s disappointed that the other nine didn’t offer thanks to God. But then he says to the one who did,

Your faith has made you well – whole – Your faith has saved you. V. 19

His healing was not just physical, but psychological and spiritual. He may have been an outcast, but God had not deserted him. God loved him and had healed him. His whole outlook on life was changed. He now saw himself as a beloved child of God – abundantly blessed – and thus was filled with joy and hope for the future.

What kind of faith makes you whole? What faith saves you?

A faith that recognizes God’s blessings and responds with thanksgiving.

A faith that appreciates the Lord’s generosity and responds with generosity.

A faith that rejoices in what the Lord has done for me, and thus yields hope for the future.

For if I realize the Lord has blessed me in many ways, I can trust Him to be there for me tomorrow.

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Perhaps like the nine in the gospel, we can fail to see how God is at work in our lives and around us.

The Lord works in subtle ways. And often he acts through other people. Situations are ambiguous. So we have to discern the hand of God.

But does it make any difference how we see it?

If we see ourselves as blessed and are thankful, we’re more likely to be content – satisfied. And it contributes to a more positive attitude toward life and a sense of inner peace.

Gratitude helps us enjoy what we have and gives us confidence and hope.

If God has been good to me, I can trust Him to continue to bless. I can hope in the Lord.

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There’s the story about the woman who wanted to do something nice for a neighbor who lived alone. Since she was baking anyway, she baked an extra apple pie and took it to her neighbor, who was extremely grateful.

That good deed was rewarding – seeing how thankful her neighbor was. So the next week she was baking, she took her another apple pie. Her neighbor thanked her, but suggested the pie crust was a little dry – maybe she should check the recipe.

The third time she baked a pie for her, she mentioned that she’d really prefer cherry pie.

Our heroine was very busy the next week and didn’t do any baking. So her neighbor phoned and asked: “Where is my pie?”

Somehow we forget to be thankful for little favors and acts of kindness – and begin to take them for granted. And finally we begin to complain.

And so pastors complain about the work church volunteers do – or husbands take their wives for granted – children complain about their parents.

Instead of being grateful for the apple pie, we complain because it’s not a cherry pie.

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Thankfulness builds us up as disciples of Christ. Say a word of thanks. Don’t forget to thank those closest to you – the ones you take for granted. Buy some thank-you notes and use them. Develop the habit of passing on a complement that you have heard. A spirit of thankfulness includes a large dose of saying “thank you”.

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To be thankful inspires generosity. We have been abundantly blessed, and so can pass on the blessing to others.

My heart should reflect the heart of Jesus, who encourages us to be generous.

Give and you will receive. The radical promise of Jesus is that we will receive, not just what we give, but more: Your gift will return to you – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38

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A group of farmers years ago decided to eat the biggest potatoes and plant only the small ones. They continued this practice for years, even though they noticed the potatoes they grew were getting smaller and smaller. They blamed the weather and the beetles and the blight.

Finally through experience the farmers learned they could not keep the best for themselves and use the leftovers for seed. The laws of nature and life decree that the harvest would reflect the planting.

If you plant sparingly, then you will reap sparingly. The one who plants bountifully will reap bountifully.

We reflect the heart of Christ in our generosity. We were created in the image of God and given a share of His Spirit. That means that deep within us there is a need to give to others – to give of ourselves. So our generosity can be a source of joy because it taps into something in the human spirit.

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A little 10 year-old boy was looking in a shoe store window – barefoot, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "Why are you looking so earnestly in that window?"

"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes." The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half-a-dozen pairs of socks for the boy. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She asked, “You feel better now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, said, "Are you God's wife?"

No, but she was God’s instrument – an instrument of His abundant love. That is what we are called to be – instruments of divine love, as our hearts begin to reflect the heart of Christ.

Brother Keith taught me a different metaphor to communicate this. We are each God’s tools. If you’re undertaking a home improvement task, you have to have tools – many different kinds. Sometimes this results in trip to Home Depot, the men’s toy store, for one more tool.

God’s work requires lots of different tools. So the Lord gathers many different kinds of people into his church, so all the tools He needs will be here. He brought you to this church because He has something for you to do.

And remember, tools that are never used get rusty. So let God use you in service to your church, your family, your friends. Give of yourself – of your time – of your abilities – and be an instrument of God’s love.

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Increase our faith

Ask in faith and act in faith, trusting the Lord.

But read God’s word for you in the Bible, that your asking and acting might be in accord with His will.

Recognize your blessings and be thankful, for thanksgiving produces hope.

Be generous as God is generous – give of yourself in service to others – and you will find joy.