Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-19 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!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 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. 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?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Leviticus 14:3-9 If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields. “The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

After cleansing from a physical disease, a Jewish person had to go through many ceremonial steps before he or she could be declared clean and assimilated back into society. Jewish people afflicted with a disease were considered physically and spiritually unclean. The nine who did not return to Jesus might quickly have been going through these ceremonial procedures. Regardless, considering his response to the man who came back, Jesus expected all ten to return to him and to thank him, for He was the one who healed them.

This passage clearly reveals that faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior, as THE MESSIAH, brought salvation in the form of healing to these men. The nine who stayed in the temple or at least did not return to offer their thanks did not realize that. If they had, they would have returned. They were still under the yoke of Judaism, under the confines of their religion and unable to give thanks to the source of their healing. Jesus came to set men free from the traditions of men and the confines of religion. He came to make people whole, pleasing to God, without a mediator between man and God other than himself. He brought a new testament to the world: in addition to healing physical ailments, the Lamb of God could cleanse men of their sins, making them perfect before God. The nine did not understand who Jesus was, but the Samarian understood that he was healed by Jesus and not by what he did or could do. He alone understood the magnificence of Jesus; therefore, after he showed the priest he was clean, he returned to Jesus to give thanks.

We also need to know that Jesus alone is our salvation. He is the one who heard our cries on the side of the road. He alone looked at our imperfection and took pity upon us. He alone offered a solution of wholeness and health to our desperate lives. Jesus heals! Jesus restores! Jesus sets people free! We who are Christians are not followers of men; we are followers of Jesus. I often hear people express their thanks and gratitude to men. They worship the messenger and not the giver of life. They admire the Billy Grahams of life and not the source of peace and hope. They can talk longer and more passionately about a religious leader, an important figure, or the author of a new book than about God. A cultish spirit is one that places a man in front of or on an equal basis with Jesus Christ. As New Testament believers, we do not go back to the temple and tarry there. No, we go to Jesus, sit at his feet, and praise him for his goodness to us. He alone deserves our praise and gratitude. He alone is worthy of honor and service.

This is the day after the academy awards, a day when people admire and worship fleshly people for their accomplishments. How much more ready are we to honor finite people than we are to honor Jesus, the infinite Almighty God? How quickly we exalt the athlete who pushes a ball around on some field or court rather than honor God. Jesus had only one of the ten he healed return to give him thanks; the others tarried some place else. Jesus went to the cross abandoned by almost everyone, except for a few loved ones. He was not honored that day for healing the people; He was not blessed for ministering love; He was not extolled for bringing truth and life to the world: He was crucified. We Christians have One to honor, bless, and extol with all that is within us, and that is Jesus Christ. We have One to thank for giving his all and setting us free from sin and death. He alone deserves our praises. Today as you recall what marvelous things Christ has done in your life, go to him with thanksgiving and heartfelt praise.