Text V.11. And it came to pass, as Jesus went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. and as he entered a certain village, there met him ten men, that were lepers, which stood back from Jesus. They lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Observing the strict rule concerning infection, they did not come all the way to Christ, but stood at some distance, near enough, however, that hoarse voice might be heard. And they called in unison, to increase the carrying power of their prayer: "Jesus Lord, have mercy on us! That was a prayer of faith. Go show yourself to the priests. and it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. Jesus did not travel by the shortest route to Jerusalem. They knew Jesus through the medium of the wonderful stories that had been told about him. The message of Christ had worked faith in their hearts. Their plea for mercy was a expression of this faith. Jesus knows about frustration. He knows about broken families. He knows about friends who die. He also knows the power of death, stalking through our world and destroying all that's good. He saw it and lived it. So that by His death, he might destroy the destroyer. But Jesus accomplished this in his own strange and wonderful way. With him it was always first ending up last, and the least ending up the greatest. He fought the biggest battle, not with overwhelming force or some raw display of power, but by giving himself up, by surrendering himself to death. the body and blood of Christ made us clean. Life is born from His death. We have found that the Holy waters have healed us. And we have never said thanked him. We have died with Christ and will be raised with him.
We may be quite good at praying to God for things we need. Not at thanking God for the blessings He provides in our life that we didn't pray for.To often we are like those nine lepers in our gospel text, who, though healed, continue along their journey, neglectful of giving thanks. How can we hear the same message and discipline, like the Samaritan leper, always giving thanks for our healer? Each time we receive the body and blood of our Savior in worship, it is a true heavenly gift.
A thanksgiving- of what our lord has given us now and what He holds for us in the future. For each time we come to the table of hospitality to feast on the bread and wine-(Body and blood) the true presence of Christ. Filling us with good things: the forgiveness of sins and life eternal.
You cannot understand the Christian story, the story all Jesus followers have staked their lives and their eternal souls on, unless you begin to see the truth of Jesus by reading about His birth, death, resurrection, and the final three years of his life, which you find in your Bible. (How can you love someone you know nothing about)?
Ten lepers were healed, only one, seeing the Lord fell down at His feet while his mouth poured forth words of thankfulness. He put his companions to shame, for he was a Samaritan, a member of the race which was despised by the Jews and Galileans. This incident made a deep impression upon Jesus, over the ingratitude of the former lepers. Were their not found such as would turn back, to give glory to God. In the end the only question that matters, is the life we spent and is shown before Jesus.
Our life is brief. It is appointed unto men once, and then we die, and after that Judgment! Remember Our life is like a cash register in that every thought, deed, like every sale is registered and recorded in the "Book of life." Which is opened by Jesus in our day of judgment.
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