Good morning to everyone. And it is, it is wonderful to be
with you. It's wonderful to worship and
it's just good to be together. Even though nowadays, it's just
one time a week. It just makes these moments even
more special to be able to gather as God's children and
give him praise, and give him glory and honor.
And what a blessed time we have right now to be able to do that,
we're in the month of November. The month of November, of
course, coming up this week is Thanksgiving that we celebrate
some people. Celebrate the entire month of
November as a month of Thanksgiving.
Sometimes, some people have taken a day of each month and
they focus on something that they're thankful for for that
particular day. Maybe it's maybe it's a family
one day and then you go on to the next day maybe you're
thankful for your income. And and so on with each day, Day
of the month of November. And in here, where we have
generally thought things to be bad or we have generally thought
things to be very unpleasant. It gives us even more reasons to
focus on things, which we really are thankful for.
And my goal in this study this morning is to stir up our minds
in a way where we consider the blessings that we really have in
our lives and show our thanks for those things.
And for those people that we have in our lives, and as we
begin, I want to use an occasion where Jesus encounters tinman as
a springboard for our study this morning, and that's found here
in Luke chapter 17 with these ten lepers, It says, beginning
in verse number 11, now it happened.
As he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of
Samaria and Galilee, then as he entered a certain Village there.
Met him, ten men who were lepers who stood afar off and they
lifted up their voices and said Jesus Master have mercy on us.
So 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. And one of them when he saw that
he was healed returned. And with the loud voice
glorified, God and fell down on his face at his feet giving him
thanks. And he was a Samaritan. so,
Jesus answered and said, were there not ten cleansed where are
the nine? Were there not any found?
Who returned to give glory to God except this Foreigner and he
said to him arise go your way your faith has made you.
Well, So we have here on this occasion, where Jesus, he's
setting, he's heading south now to Jerusalem.
And he makes the decision to pass through Samaria and Galilee
and as he is in the one of those Villages there in that region
these Ten Men approached him. In fact loose, Luke says if as
you see here they kind of standoff at a distance from
Jesus. Yes, they even practice social
distancing back then. But that was because of the
condition that these men had that they were doing such a
thing. Luke says these men had leprosy.
They had leprosy. Biblical leprosy can include a
wide variety of skin diseases, but whatever specific skin
disease that these men had. They knew it was contagious and
because of that they knew to keep their distance from other
people. In fact, that's why they kept
their distance from Jesus on this occasion yet.
Even though at a distance, they still were able to get his
attention by calling him out a master and Getting him to have
mercy upon them. Will these men, these leopards?
They've been outcasts because of the disease that they had.
They were deemed as unclean among the people.
Their lives had changed for the worse because of this.
Perhaps they were feeling hopeless because of their
condition, but you know what? Jesus.
Oh, he always took the time to show compassion upon the people,
especially, when they reached out for his help, it didn't
matter who they were, it didn't matter what the background of
people were it in a matter of their sickness, it didn't matter
their, about their disease or or their race of their status,
these men knew That they could not get the kind of help from
their family or their friends or for a professionals like Jesus
would be able to show them regarding their leprosy. and so
Jesus, he told them simply you go to the priests, and as they
when they did a miracle happened, That which had altered
their lives for the worse. It's now gone.
And this was huge for these men. This was life changing.
Where once they were unable to hug their loved ones now, they
could embrace them in their arms.
We're once they had to be mindful of their surroundings
and Proclaim to others that they were unclean.
Now, they're able to walk among the crowds shoulder-to-shoulder
with a peace of mind. Knowing the others were not at
risk of getting this disease through touch anymore.
And so they went on their way. Maybe they went straight away to
their loved ones to show them the and to tell them of the
wonderful news that they they didn't, they didn't have leprosy
anymore. so they went on their way all but one as we see here
on this account, And that man that one man he came back to
Jesus and man this guy had a spirit of Joy.
He had a spirit of gratitude and he had a spirit of worship from
the one who was able to cleanse him or to heal him of this
leprosy and he fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus and he
began to thank him and he began to praise him for healing him of
his leprosy. Now, one thing that Luke points
out here and you'll see here at the end of verse number 16,
notice that phrase this man was a Samaritan.
What do you think? Luke points that out?
Is it important? Is there anything in that
detail? Well, I think there is Because
historically, Samaritans were not, welcome among the Jews.
They suffered from racial Injustice and Prejudice among
the Jews. But that man, but that did it
mean. That they deserve to be treated
that way. It was not a reflection on their
character. To be a Samaritan.
In fact, this Samaritan. This Gentile was the only one
who came back to show his gratitude to Jesus and the other
nine you don't see anymore. Luke seems to imply that the
others were not Gentiles or they were not Samaritans because
Jesus referred to them. At the end of verse number 18,
He referred to this one man as a foreigner.
And so this Outcast, he outshine the others with a heart full of,
thanks to Jesus and Jesus simply put, he was quite disappointed
in those other nine who didn't come back to give his, their
thanks unto him because of the huge change that had happened in
their life. What About Us?
I can tell you that there have been times in my life, where
I've been, one of those nine who didn't come back to think.
Thank the one who should receive the, thanks.
Not being mindful the, thank the Lord for showing his goodness
upon me. But it's an occasion.
Like the one here in Luke, that helps me remember helps remind
me to always be thankful for the Lord's.
Goodness always. Perhaps, there's been something
great. Maybe something that's been
life-changing. That's happened in your life,
maybe, maybe it's a relief from stress.
Maybe it's a change for the better regarding your health,
but whatever it is. We are shown to have the faith
that this Samaritan had when he was before Jesus.
And when he had come back and we thank the Lord.
For the Lord's, goodness upon each and every one of us in
whatever way and whatever circumstance that we face.
There's something that David wrote regarding thankfulness and
he wrote this back in the 107th song.
And it says, in the first two verses he says, oh give thanks
to the Lord for he is good for his Mercy endures forever, let
the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he has redeemed from the
hand of the enemy. And so just in these two verses
alone, we see that David gives a couple reasons for us to be
thankful to God. And that's because number one as
you see at here in verse number 1, One.
God is good. God is good, don't forget that.
God is full of goodness, and he shows that in many ways and in
various circumstances Among Us, you could think of very you
could just see the things maybe that has happened in your life.
One. For example, is the this covid
virus. It's still with us, it's still
here. And we, hopefully this vaccine
will help everything, but even though this virus is with us,
God is good, he is still good. and because of this pandemic, I
don't know about you but at least were I were we're at their
dope till it has brought us closer as a congregation because
we're reaching out to one. Another were talking to each
other more were checking in with each other even though we only
see each other one time a week. Now, we have become stronger and
closer together because of this pandemic.
That's a blessing and that's something to be thankful for God
is good in that regard, God is good.
And because of this David said, in verse number two, Let the
redeemed. Say so, Let us Proclaim.
Yes, God is good. He is David mentioned the second
thing to be thankful for and that's because of the Lord's
Mercy. It's because of his, because
without God's mercy, we would all be lost without his Mercy.
We would still be in our sins and there be no cure.
So because of this reason, we should be so thankful and again,
let us who are the redeemed of the Lord say.
So, David Goes On, Let's skip on down to verse number 15 here
against here. Saw 1070 that man would give
thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful
Works to the children of men. So we see more things for his
goodness but also for the great works that God has done for the
people and for us too. And you could probably count
many things that the Lord has done for you as he worked in.
Your life and has blessed you in so many different ways.
But going on, down to verse number 22, he says, let them
sacrifice the sacrifices of Thanksgiving.
And declare his works with rejoicing.
I think that's a key word here. You joined thankfulness with
rejoicing, he's saying and I love this phrase but he did.
He say don't just be thankful Proclaim.
It be joyous about it. And show your gratitude that
way. Give him praise because of it,
because of your things. It's a great sense of emotion
and this gratitude that's involved.
And when that kind of excitement and when that kind of Joy builds
up inside of you, it is going to bring forth.
Great praise to his one, a wonderful name.
And when that happens, I want you to do something.
Bring it here. Bring it to worship.
Because when you do that, you're not just coming to church,
you're not just coming to Services.
What you're doing is you're coming to worship.
You're coming to praise because you're thankful for what God has
done for you. And he deserves it.
And your worship will change for the better when you bring that
excitement with you and that type of gratitude with you as we
assemble together. And that's a wonderful
experience. It is I want to move to another
passage regarding more reasons to be thankful and that's found
in Colossians. Chapter 1.
Specifically verses 12 through 14 here.
Paul writes he says giving thanks to the father who has
qualified US to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints.
In the light he says, he has delivered us from the power of
darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his
love in whom we have Redemption through his blood, the
Forgiveness of sins, within these three verses, Versus here
in Colossians chapter 1, Paul gives for reasons to be
thankful. And the first reason is this, he
says he has qualified US to be to be partakers of the
inheritance of Heaven. That's reason number one.
And so God has allowed us a way to be where he is.
He wants us with their he wants us there with him when this race
is over. Now understand this, there is
nothing that we did to deserve it.
All the more reason to be thankful that God wants us with
us and he provides us a way for that to happen.
And that leads to the second thing that he said that he
mentions forced to be thankful for because God has delivered us
or rescued us from the power of darkness and he's talking about
the world, he's delivered us from that.
And the Christian Life, it's the best life and it's the easiest
path in regards to not having to suffer Earthly consequences as
much as if we were to make poor choices or sinful choices that
lead to those consequences, but God has called us out of that
and God has provided a way of escape and so were thankful for
that and it leads us to the next thing.
That Paul says that we should be thankful for and that's number
three were brought from the world into The church added to
the church, the kingdom of God. Because within the church, all
we find so many blessings, don't we?
We find a support group to help us grow.
We find others to encourage us and help us.
We find close Bonds in the church.
We find great love for one another in the church and I
could go on and on about how great the churches, but Paul
reminds us be thankful for your brethren.
Be thankful for the congregation that you have be thankful for
the strength that you can find within one another.
And build upon that. Our brothers and sisters are
blessings to everyone of us. The fourth thing, which Paul
mentions, we should be thankful for is the Forgiveness that we
receive. Again, we're guilty of our sins
but because of Jesus our savior. He's allowed his blood to be
applied to our souls so that we could be deemed forgiven of our
sins and for God to allow that or even want that.
That's amazing to me. Because why, why me?
Why you why? Any one of us?
We don't deserve it. But God said, I want you in and
I'm going to forgive you. Even when we don't deserve it.
We give him, thanks and gratitude because of that.
Because we need it. We need forgiveness.
That's what Paul said. Give thanks and that.
As we move on, I want to take a look at one final passage this
morning and gave written by Paul.
And that's in 1st Thessalonians, chapter 5.
He says, in verse number 16 Rejoice, always pray, without
ceasing in everything. Give thanks for.
This is, the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Whenever you can list, whatever you can think of with blessings
and things in your life, he says be thankful for that.
And what's striking to me is that this is God's will is what
he says. This is God's will, this is what
he wants for us to do. It's not just voluntary or
optional, his will is for us to be thankful and all things in
everything. Give thanks.
Sometimes that's difficult. Sometimes it might be hard to be
thankful when things aren't going your way.
So maybe, something, there, there are tragic, things that
happen. There's death that happens and
sometimes it's hard to be thankful in moments like that.
But one thing we can be thankful for when we're going through a
tough time is thankful for friends and family that are
there for us and to comfort us and to give us strength.
And that's just one thing. That we are thankful for even
though circumstances might not just be right?
So he said in everything, give thanks.
I want to end this morning with the poem written by George
Herbert. He says, Thou that has given me
so much, give one more thing, a give give one thing more, a
grateful heart, not thankful when it pleases me as If thy
blessings had spare days. But such a heart, whose pulse
may be thy praise. And that's our goal.
In everything that we do, remember in whatever
circumstances good or bad. Remember how good God is?
Remember how good he's been to you and let the redeemed of the
Lord say? So and give him the praise.
And give him the things for which he deserves.
And in turn, be thankful for one another.
Because God has blessed us and that way too.
And so these are the things that that help to remind me to stay
focused on and I get ba not get sidetracked with with negativity
or things out there. Stay focused on what really is
important be thankful that you're a child of God, be
thankful that God has allowed you to be his child.
Be thankful that you have an inheritance of heaven when all,
this is over, be thankful. And remember His goodness.
If you haven't become a child of God, we've talked about how he
wants you to be his child. Take advantage of that.
Today if you've never done that to believe in Jesus Christ and
what he did for you, he came to this world and died for you, so
that you can have a newness of life that you could be in the
church. You could have your sins
forgiven. And he died was buried, and was
resurrected on the third day. You must change your life.
Repent of your life confess. That Jesus Christ is the Son of
God as well, and be baptized for the remission of your sins.
And when those people did that in Acts chapter 2, the
scriptures say that, the Lord had of those people to his
church, and the Lord will add you to his church.
Today if you obey that gospel. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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