gratitude lepers luke 17:11-19 the challenge… lepers

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Luke 17:11-19

The Challenge…The Challenge…

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"We are unworthy servants; "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our we have only done our duty…"duty…"

"The coming of the kingdom "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something of God is not something that can be observed…"that can be observed…"

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Now on his way to Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border along the border between Samaria and between Samaria and Galilee. Galilee.

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Destination- deathDestination- death

Galilee- JewsGalilee- Jews

Samaria- SamaritansSamaria- Samaritans

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As he was going into a As he was going into a village, ten men who had village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"on us!"

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10 Lepers- Jews 10 Lepers- Jews andand SamaritansSamaritans

Why?Why?

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When you really lose it all- When you really lose it all- when you have nothing- when you have nothing- you have no room left for you have no room left for prejudiceprejudice

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When believers lose it all When believers lose it all for the sake of the cross, for the sake of the cross, racism and prejudice dieracism and prejudice die

I’ve been crucified with Christ I’ve been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me…- but Christ lives in me…- Paul, Galatians 2Paul, Galatians 2

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They stood at a distance and They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"Master, have pity on us!"

Leprosy= painLeprosy= pain

PhysicalPhysical

MentalMental

EmotionalEmotional (their fault)(their fault)

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"Have pity…""Have pity…"

What they need is obviousWhat they need is obvious

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How much faith did it How much faith did it take?take?

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When he saw them, he When he saw them, he said, "Go, show said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."yourselves to the priests."

Verify healing????Verify healing????

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Crisis of faith- what we do Crisis of faith- what we do at that moment reveals at that moment reveals what we really bwhat we really believeelieve about Godabout God

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Faith doesn't always make Faith doesn't always make sensesense

Build a boatBuild a boat Blood on doorpostsBlood on doorposts River at flood stageRiver at flood stage Marry MaryMarry Mary

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If I have to understand If I have to understand everything in advance, everything in advance, I'm not acting in faithI'm not acting in faith

(If it goes against God's (If it goes against God's Word, I'm not acting in Word, I'm not acting in faith)faith)

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Decision time for the Decision time for the leperslepers

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Right through center of Right through center of town…town…

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And as they went, they were And as they went, they were cleansed.cleansed.

Twisted bodies become new!Twisted bodies become new! Limbs grow back!Limbs grow back! Hobbling becomes dancing!Hobbling becomes dancing! Moaning becomes shouting!Moaning becomes shouting!

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HugHug Full belliesFull bellies WorkWork Be a normal person- Be a normal person- accepted and lovedaccepted and loved

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Go to priests to get Go to priests to get certified- free to re-enter certified- free to re-enter societysociety

What's the first thing you What's the first thing you do?do?

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See family?See family?Eat a meal?Eat a meal?

Hug someone you love?Hug someone you love?Get a bath and clean Get a bath and clean

clothes?clothes?

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That which is good is That which is good is often the enemy of what often the enemy of what is bestis best

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One of them, when he saw One of them, when he saw he was healed, came he was healed, came back, praising God in a back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him- and he was thanked him- and he was a Samaritan.a Samaritan.

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How many were healed?How many were healed?

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How many were healed?How many were healed?

How many came back?How many came back?

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How many were healed?How many were healed?

How many came back?How many came back?

Who was he?Who was he?

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If God’s people don’t If God’s people don’t praise Him…praise Him…

God will be glorifiedGod will be glorified

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Jesus asked, "Were not all Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? the other nine?

Was no one found to Was no one found to return and give praise to return and give praise to God except this God except this foreigner?"foreigner?"

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When God blesses us, he When God blesses us, he waits for us to rwaits for us to recognizeecognize and pand praise raise him for ithim for it

He's grieved when his He's grieved when his people take his blessings people take his blessings for granted- because they for granted- because they miss another blessingmiss another blessing

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The purpose of blessing The purpose of blessing isn't the blessingisn't the blessing

The purpose is a cThe purpose is a closerloser rrelationshipelationship with the with the BlesserBlesser

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If I walk off and don't If I walk off and don't return thanks and praise, return thanks and praise, I miss the whole point of I miss the whole point of the blessingthe blessing

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Quick LifeCheck: What has Quick LifeCheck: What has God blessed me with? God blessed me with? Have I praised him for it? Have I praised him for it?

DO I praise him for it?DO I praise him for it?

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Then he said to him, "Rise Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has and go; your faith has made you well."made you well."

Well=Well= sozo- restoration sozo- restoration and salvationand salvation

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The difference between The difference between asking God for something asking God for something and recognizing him as and recognizing him as the source is eternalthe source is eternal

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How we experience life is How we experience life is tied to perspectivetied to perspective

9 Lepers- 9 Lepers- “Sure, I’m healed, but “Sure, I’m healed, but I can’t find a good job- that’s I can’t find a good job- that’s not fair. And why did I have to not fair. And why did I have to get leprosy in the first place? get leprosy in the first place? My kids have a new dad, and My kids have a new dad, and now I'm really ticked off!"now I'm really ticked off!"

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Life is perspective. It’s Life is perspective. It’s not what hnot what happensappens to us, to us, it’s how we hit’s how we handleandle what what hhappensappens to us to us

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The leper couldn’t control The leper couldn’t control whether or not he got whether or not he got leprosy. But he could leprosy. But he could decide whether or not to decide whether or not to become bitter and self-become bitter and self-centeredcentered

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It is indicative of our human It is indicative of our human condition that we expect condition that we expect blessings- believing we blessings- believing we deserve them- and blame deserve them- and blame God for trials and hardshipsGod for trials and hardships

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Matthew Henry, after being Matthew Henry, after being robbed:robbed:

""Let me be thankful... Let me be thankful... first because I was never robbed first because I was never robbed

before. before. second, because although they took second, because although they took

my wallet they did not take my life. my wallet they did not take my life. third, because although they took third, because although they took

my all, it was not much. my all, it was not much. fourth, because it was I who was fourth, because it was I who was

robbed, not I who robbed"robbed, not I who robbed"

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Seeds of discouragementSeeds of discouragement

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An attitude of An attitude of gratefulness:gratefulness:

PPleasesleases God- closer God- closer relationshiprelationship

Remembers all he has Remembers all he has done- strengthens our fdone- strengthens our faithaith

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An attitude of gratefulness:An attitude of gratefulness:

Recognizes God as the Source- Recognizes God as the Source- kills pkills prideride

Moves us into wMoves us into worshiporship- deeper - deeper connection dailyconnection daily

Gives great joy and is a Gives great joy and is a witness to the rwitness to the realityeality of our of our faithfaith

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How?How? Gratitude challengeGratitude challenge

Ask God to help see Ask God to help see through His eyesthrough His eyes

Start with God's holiness Start with God's holiness in comparison to our in comparison to our nature- kills entitlementnature- kills entitlement

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