Jesus and ten leapers
Luke 17:1-19 (New Living Translation)
1One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to
sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2It would be better
to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause
one of these little ones to fall into sin. 3So watch yourselves!
“If another believer sins,
rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. 4Even if that person
wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness,
you must forgive.”
5The apostles said to the Lord, “Show
us how to increase our faith.”
6The Lord answered, “If you had faith
even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you
be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!
7“When a servant comes in from plowing
or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8No, he says,
‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat
later.’ 9And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do?
Of course not.10In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy
servants who have simply done our duty.’”
11As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between
Galilee and Samaria. 12As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at
a distance, 13crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves
to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
15One of them, when he saw that he was
healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16He fell to the
ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a
Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten
men? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give glory to
God except this foreigner?” 19And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go.
Your faith has healed you.”
For what are you thankful to God?
Jesus healed all ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful heart--nine of the ten lepers did so. Only the thankful man however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing; and only grateful Christians grow in understanding God's grace. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so. And He uses our responsiveness to teach us more about Himself.
For what are you thankful to God?
Jesus healed all ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful heart--nine of the ten lepers did so. Only the thankful man however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing; and only grateful Christians grow in understanding God's grace. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so. And He uses our responsiveness to teach us more about Himself.
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