January 19, 2014
Morning Service

On Wednesday evening we studied the portion of Scripture where Jesus taught concerning being a servant.  He helped us to understand that when we have done all that we are supposed to do, we should still consider ourselves as unprofitable servants. 

So we need to study to understand what are our expected duties, since we are servants of the Lord.  Then when we have done, or are doing them, we should not tell the world to look at us, for we are special, but to realize we have just done what was expected, and consider ourselves unprofitable servants.

 

This morning we look at one of the most heartfelt parables that the Lord teaches.  The parable of the ten lepers.  By being here this morning, or having a good record of attendance regularly, you can count yourself in the upper 10 % of this parable.

 

Let’s begin:

Luk 17:11-19  And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 

·         Remembering that the Samaritans, and Jews did not get along.  The Jews looked at them as the scum of the earth.  Jesus was a Jew, but He certainly didn’t feel this way.

·         In the last few days I have seen two movies concerning Israel becoming a nation.  We cannot imagine the turmoil that these people live in, constantly.  Enemies on every side, and they still, and will have these problems until Jesus returns.

(12)  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 

·         Leprosy? Chapter 13 of Leviticus tells all about it. Here was their instructions:              Lev 13:45-46  And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.  (46)  All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

·         This was these men’s allotment for life:  A life of rejection, loneliness, and isolation.

·         If you have seen the movie Ben Hur, then you will know what I am talking about.  It was living a life without hope, or any chance of mingling with other people.

·         These men needed a miracle.

(13)  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.  (14)  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 

·         All He did was speak the Word to them.  Gave them words of instruction, and they obeyed what He told them.  Because they obeyed they were healed.

·         We have in the O.T. a story concerning one Naaman.  A mighty soldier for his king.   The story is told in II Kings 5.  Of Elisha, the prophet, and Naaman.

***A description of Naaman = 2Ki 5:1  Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

***You will notice that the Scriptures say “by him (Naaman)the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria.”  This is the same Syria that today has a terrible civil war going on.  The same Syria in which Damascus is located.  Where the Apostle Paul, and Barnabas was sent forth on their missionary work, by the Holy Ghost.  The descendants Ishmael, Hagar’s son by Abraham, the son of the flesh, the Bible calls him.

·         ***TELL THE STORY.  

·         Elisha spoke the Word of healing to Naaman, and at first he wouldn’t receive it, but then he changed his mind, and received it, and was healed.

Notice what happens:

(15)  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,  (16)  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 

·         Can you imagine the elation they felt, when seeing they were healed?

·         They were all healed, but only one gave God the glory, and returned to give Jesus thanks.

·         There would be many adjectives that could have explained how this man felt.  These men have just experienced a miracle from God, and this Samaritan is not going any further until he gives God the praise, and thanks for it.

·         And again Jesus uses the Samaritan people, the people that the Jews thought unworthy to be called children of God, to show how we are supposed to re-act to this kind of event in our lives. 

·         In His parable, showing us how we are to treat people in need, He called the person who re-acted the way we should, a Samaritan.  The parable of the good Samaritan.

(17)  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?  (18)  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.  (19)  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

·         Jesus really cares.  He shows us by asking, where were the other nine?  It’s not that He needs the praise, but He knows the heart that doesn’t give thanks when something like this happens.

·         By Him saying that the Samaritan was the only one that returned to give glory to God, tells me that He is saying some of these lepers were Jews, and even they didn’t return to give God the glory for their healing.

 

My feeling is that this man continued to be faithful to God, in every aspect of his life.

·         There are different lessons that can be learned from this parable, such as:

1.       It doesn’t matter how burdened down with sin you are, come to Jesus for healing.

2.      Come just as you are!  You can’t wait until you get well, or good enough, it will never happen.  Jesus will take you just as you are.

3.      Then, when we realize what He has done for us, we need to be faithful in our giving God the glory.  Not just a one time thank you Jesus, but a faithful life in serving God.

4.      We have just seen in the previous lesson that there are expectations from God in our lives as servants. Such as: 

§  Returning to give God thanks for saving us from our sins.  This is not just a one time event, but the Word encourages us to “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together.”  This should be as often as the leadership of the church opens the doors. 

§  And when we assemble, we should offer up our thanks to God, in song, prayer, and testimony.  We have so much to be thankful for.

§  We should be faithful in our giving to support the Lord’s work.

§  We should be faithful in our study of God’s Word.

§  We should strive to be about being a good Samaritan, good works.

5.      And when we have been faithful in all of these, He wants us to feel that we are still unprofitable servants.  You see, that is a heart condition.  It is who we really are.

OUR LIVES DETERMINE IN WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE HEALED WE ARE!  ARE WE OF THE 10% WHO RETURNED AND GAVE GOD THE GLORY FOR OUR DELIVERANCE, AND ARE SERVING HIM FAITHFULLY, OR ARE WE OF THE 90% WHO NEVER RETURNED AFTER THEIR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN?

 

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY, GRACE, AND LOVE.  HELP US TO BE THAT GOOD, AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, FAITHFULLY RETURNING TO GIVE YOU THE GLORY FOR OUR HEALING, AND SALVATION.