Where Are The Thankful?
Luke 17:11-19
11Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
13And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
19And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Introduction:
Thanksgiving Quotes
I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate. - Elbert Hubbard
To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. - Johannes A. Gaertner
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pine
You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. - Cicero
True thanksgiving means that we need to thank God for what He has done for us, and not to tell Him what we have done for Him. - George R. Hendrick
How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative, or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness; they draw people. - Sir John Templeton
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to truthfully say 'thank you?' - William A. Ward
1. God Hears When We Call On Him.
Luke 17:11-13
11Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
13And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
2. God Responds When He Hears Our Call.
Luke 17:12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
Luke 17:14(a) So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”
B. Jesus heard their cry!
Luke 17:14(b) And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
3. God Hears When WE Give Him Thanksgiving!
A. Nine of the Lepers just kept on going…
B. One of the ten returned to give Jesus thanks:
Luke 17:15 & 16 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
4. God Responds When WE Give Him Thanksgiving!
Luke 17:17 & 18
17So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
Luke 17:19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
5. Where Are The Thankful Today?
Let’s be among the few who give Him all the praise and Thanksgiving He deserves!
Preaching Outline Follows!
Where Are The Thankful?
Luke 17:11-19
Luke 17:11-19
11Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
13And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
19And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Introduction:
Isabella Rosselini, daughter of the late Ingrid Bergman and noted Italian film maker Roberto Rosselini, a few years ago, with an annual income exceeding two million dollars, was asked what she was thankful for.
Her response was, “I don’t know what to be thankful for. What is important in life anyway? I have fame, I have money, I’m about to have my third husband, (I’m worse than my mother in that department), I’m not happy – I don’t know if I have anything to be thankful for.”
SAD! There are many people in our world just like her. There are even many who call themselves Christians who are just like Isabella. They don’t know what to be thankful for!
Thanksgiving Quotes
I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate. - Elbert Hubbard
To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. - Johannes A. Gaertner
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pine
You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. - Cicero
True thanksgiving means that we need to thank God for what He has done for us, and not to tell Him what we have done for Him. - George R. Hendrick
How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative, or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness; they draw people. - Sir John Templeton
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to truthfully say 'thank you?' - William A. Ward
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Who’s Thankful?
1. God Hears When We Call On Him.
Luke 17:11-13
11Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
13And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
2. God Responds When He Hears Our Call.
A. They were still under the Levitical Law
1) They had to stay a certain distance away from other people
Luke 17:12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
2) They had to show themselves to the priest before returning to a
normal lifestyle.
Luke 17:14(a) So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”
B. Jesus heard their cry and healing began immediately!
Luke 17:14(b) And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
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C. Can’t you see them and hear them?
1) Their discussion about their healing as they headed toward the
priest… LOOK at my skin! Can you believe it?
2) They discussed their future plans:
…Back to family!, Back home!, Back to job!, Back to normal!
Just like people today – God answers prayer – We are blessed – and we just go on and take our blessings for granted!
3. God Hears When WE Give Him Thanksgiving!
A. Nine of the Lepers just kept on going…
1) They forgot where their blessing came from
2) They wanted to get to enjoying life
B. One of the ten returned to give Jesus thanks:
Luke 17:15 & 16 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
1) He glorified God with a loud voice
2) He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet
3) He gave Jesus Thanksgiving
4) He was an outcast – a Samaritan - a Gentile!
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4. God Responds When WE Give Him Thanksgiving!
A. Jesus wanted to know where the other nine (9) were:
Luke 17:17 & 18
17So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
B. Jesus pronounced blessing on the ONE…
Luke 17:19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
5. Where Are The Thankful Today?
A. We too are outcast – sinners (Gentiles)…
B. Leprosy is a ‘type’ of sin
1) No cure – only healed by the touch of God
2) Alienates us from the family of God
3) Leprosy in the New Testament & Old (Naaman)
C. But Jesus Loves Us…
D. Let’s Not forget what He has done for us.
E. Let’s not be the 90% that forget His blessings
F. Let’s be among the few who give Him all the praise and
Thanksgiving He deserves!
1) Let’s glorify God with a loud voice!
2) Let’s fall on our face before