Jump Start # 589

Luke 17:19 “And He said to him, ‘Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.’”

Lately, I have been looking at some mini series for our Jump Starts. This week we will do another series. I want to look at the things that impressed Jesus. In these, we find Jesus complimenting and praising unique things. We do this, not to seek praise, fame or a name for ourselves, but to please our God.

Can you imagine going to an art museum with a famous artist. He would see things that most of us would miss. The same is true of attending a concert with a trained musician, or, as I have had the pleasure more than once, of sitting at a professional baseball game with a former player sitting beside me, sharing with me his insight and play-by-play of the game. It changes how you see things. I noticed the hotdog man, he noticed the shortstop giving signals to the outfielder. I didn’t know shortstops did that. Through his eyes, I saw things I never saw before.

Our passage today comes from the healing of the ten lepers. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified. These ten, nine Jewish and one a Samaritan, stood at a distance and begged Jesus for mercy. Jesus had healed so many. They believed Jesus could heal them, as well. It is interesting to see that Jesus did not refuse them. Even on the way to the cross, He heals, goes to the home of Zaccheus and continues to show, until the very end, that He is God on earth.

Jesus never touched these lepers. He told them to show themselves to the priest. This was necessary to be declared clean and to be able to return to society. Off they go, still lepers. On the way, they are healed. One, the Samaritan, Jesus calls him ‘a foreigner,’ returns. He bows before Jesus, glorifies God and gives thanks.

In teaching this story, we often leave the impression that the other nine, the Jews, were not thankful. That’s not true. They wanted to be healed. They asked Jesus to be healed. They did what Jesus said, go show yourself to the priest. They were not mad that they were healed. They didn’t think, “man, now I have to go back to work.” Not at all. They were all glad, rejoicing and thankful. Yet only one, returned and actually expressed it. That’s the difference. That’s what impressed Jesus.

It’s easy to say, “He knows,” or, he’ll understands how I feel. Say it. Show it. Return. Fall to your feet. Glorify God with a loud voice. All ten owed that to Jesus. He saved their lives and gave them hope.

What impressed Jesus was seeing the faith of this thankful Samaritan. In words, in body language, in thought and in heart, he praised and thanked Jesus. He didn’t seem embarrassed that others might see him. He didn’t take Jesus behind closed doors to say this. Out on the street, in front of who ever may have been there, Jesus was praised and thanked.

Faith will do that. Faith will ignore self to honor God. Faith will make a big deal out of God. I have sat in church services where some folks were singing so loud it nearly parted my hair. At first I was annoyed. Then I thought, why am I not singing that loud? Don’t I love God? Their faith overlooked being embarrassed and it looked only to the Lord who saved them.

I look at this story of the 10 lepers and wonder what I would have done. It’s easy to think that I, too, would have returned with the Samaritan and bowed and praised. But would I? Would I have done had the Samaritan not been there? Would I have just mailed Jesus a thank you card? Would I have thought, the next time I see Him, I’ll remember to tell Him thanks? Would I? How have I thanked the Lord for this new day he has given? How about my health today? How about my family? My opportunities? How about my salvation? That was even more life changing than healing leprosy?

Jesus was impressed with a faith that led a man to come and thank Him. There is an interesting thought at the end of our verse today. Don’t miss it. It’s tucked in there but you can see it. Jesus said, “your faith has made you well?” He was already well at this point. What faith was Jesus talking about? Standing on the street corner and shouting with the nine sick Jewish men? Or, the faith, that led him to return and thank Jesus? It was the latter that Jesus was impressed with. Jesus asked where are the others? He expected them to do the same. They didn’t. So, Jesus tells the healed Samaritan to go and that his faith has made him well. I believe he got an additional blessing that the other nine missed. The Samaritan was cleansed on the outside and the inside. Jesus forgave him. It’s one thing to be sick on the outside, but being sick on the inside, from sin, is a whole lot worse. The Samaritan was healed in and out. Jesus was impressed with his faith. Ten were cleansed of leprosy but only one was forgiven.

Faith, like love, must be more than a feeling. It changes us and has an impact upon us. Jesus noticed. Jesus was impressed.

The size of your house, the newness of your car, the number of college degrees you have doesn’t move the needle in Jesus’ heart. But faith does. He notices faith. He’s interested in faith. Often, it’s the child, or mentally challenged that can outshine the rest of us when it comes to showing how much Jesus means to us.

Oh, how I love Jesus…great song. Greater still when it causes one to turn around, return to Jesus, fall down at His feet and praise Him.

Too proud to do that? Doing that is not cool? Worried what others may say? Want to be religious but not too much? Sounds like we are standing with the nine Jews who failed to tell Jesus. He wants you to tell Him. Tell Him, Thank you. Tell Him, how you feel. Tell Him, how  much you appreciate His blessings.

Tell Him. Did you tell Him? That’s what Jesus noticed.

Roger