QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

THE TEN LEPERS CLEANSED

Luke 17: 12-16

Leprosy is one of the most dreaded diseases which has ever afflicted the human body. Webster's Dictionary describes this horrible disease in graphic language. "A chronic infectious disease that attacks the skin, tissue or nerves.: it is characterized by nodules, ulcers, white scaly scabs, deformities, and wasting of body parts … "

Question: Why did the lepers stand afar off?

Answer :

Question: What was Jesus' response to their cry for mercy?

Answer:

Question: Why did He send them to the priests?

Answer:

Question: How were they healed?

Answer:

ONE RETURNED TO THANK THE LORD

There is no indication that the others did not retain their healing. However, they missed a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with the Lord. The one who returned to glorify God (a Samaritan) received an additional blessing from the pronouncement by Jesus that his faith had made him well.

Some scholars indicate that the nine ungrateful lepers represented the typical attitude of the Jews at that time: they felt they deserved everything from God because they were His special people. In addition, they were happy to receive any good thing from Jesus, while at the same time rejecting Him for who He was and repudiating His ministry.

The Samaritan, on the other hand, rejoiced at receiving any good thing from anybody! He not only suffered the trauma of the disease (as did the others) he also suffered racial hatred and bigotry. He, therefore, was ostracized on all fronts.

He returned out of common courtesy to thank God and the One who had done this wonderful miracle for him.

CONSIDER THIS:

Often those who believe they deserve the blessings of God, are the very ones who fail to honestly give God glory and praise when they receive a blessing (miracle). They act as though God owed something to them and His intervention only proved their supposed worth and value.

The Jewish lepers are representative of the church of our day. Sick and segregated; pompous and arrogant. When Jesus desires to intervene and make a difference, we often behave in a similar way as they. GIVE US YOUR BLESSINGS BUT DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING IN RETURN FROM US.

All of us need to check our attitude about how we respond to the Lord when He helps us.

Is it a quick response?

Is it a worshipful response?

Is it a sincere response?

Is it a continuing response?

Is our faith only good for our physical needs or do we have the kind of faith which makes us "well"? Don't let a healthy body kill your living faith.

Do we take the "miracle" and run, acting as though the miracle somehow excuses us from fellowship with Jesus. Praise must accompany benefits.

Can we understand that the "miracle" is given to us to open the way for fellowship with Jesus? Salvation and healing create opportunity for fellowship.

Can we see that the greater blessing is the spiritual relationship with God which we so desperately need? Worship outweighs everything.

LET US BE LIKE THE ONE - NOT LIKE THE NINE