Jump Start # 226

Luke 17:17 “Then Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?’”

  Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. He has an appointment with the cross. As He passes through a village, a group of ten leprous men, from a distance, raise their voices and beg Jesus for mercy. Jesus tells them to present themselves to the priest. He are cured of leprosy. As they go, one stops. One returns and falls at the feet of Jesus and gives thanks. Luke tells us that he was a Samaritan. The rest go on to the priest to get clearance to return to society and to their lives. In a statement of reality Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?”

  The very fact that a Samaritan is among these lepers tells you the serious condition they were in. Jews do not associate with Samaritans. But here, all that is dropped. There is no one that will associate with them expect fellow lepers. A contagious, usually fatal disease that meant isolation from all people, except other lepers. They stood at a distance. Family members would drop food off, ring and bell and leave. The future for lepers was bleak. Toes and fingers lost feelings. Often they would break a bone and not realize it. Infection followed. The numbness spread. Open sores, whitening of the skin were common among lepers.

  It is impressive that the Lord had the most important event on His mind, His death at Calvary. This is the reason why He came. Yet we find Him still helping others, all along the journey to Jerusalem.

  The healed Samaritan is the poster child of thankfulness. He returns. He falls at Jesus’ feet. He thanks and glorifies God. His life has been saved. Death has been pushed back. He can return to his family, his job and his life. He will again be shunned by the Jews, but he is so thankful for a second chance.

  Being thankful is more than just a feeling. It is more than getting what you want or a happy feeling. It is important, as illustrated in this passage, to return and thank the person who helped you. Thankfulness needs to be spoken—you must say it.

  Now, are we to think that the other nine were not thankful? In other words, were they complaining, now I have to go home and have to go back to work. Never. They shouted for Jesus to have mercy on them and He did. They wanted to be healed and they were. How come they didn’t thank Jesus?

  Could it be that they were doing what Jesus said, going to the priest? Could it be that they thought, “He knows. You don’t have to say it”? Could it be that they were so excited, like a child at Christmas, that they failed to stop and thank? There may be many reasons we could come up with, but the fact that nine didn’t return and thank Jesus, caught Jesus’ attention. He noticed. He knew. How does that make a giver feel? You go out of your way to help someone and they don’t even say ‘thank you.’ You feel used and taken advantage of. Think Jesus felt that way?

  All of this tells us that we need to be thankful, and we need to say it, especially to God. Your life may be in a valley right now. You may feel like you have been slapped in the face by hard times and unfairness, but you have life, you have a God who loves you, you have been blessed. There is much to be thankful for.

  At the end of this section, the thankful Samaritan is told by Jesus to “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” Wasn’t that true of all of the ten lepers? Possibly. But, possibly, this one Samaritan received something the others didn’t , forgiveness of his sins. It is one thing to be well in the body and to have the leprosy cured, it is something else to be well in the heart and to have forgiveness extended. He received a cured heart and body.

  There is no price that you can put on forgiveness. There is no where else you can receive it other than in Jesus. What a gift it is. It is not earned, deserved nor something that God has to do. He doesn’t. It is something that changes your present and changes your future.

  Paul said, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor 9:15). Have you told God that? Today, would be a good day to start.

Roger