Drop It! - Luke 17:11-19 - Eighteenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 17:11-19 NIV

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Drop It!

These past few weeks we have been on a journey with Jesus as He walks with His disciples to Jerusalem. Jesus has set His face like “flint” with determination to complete the call that the Father had given to Him for His earthly purpose. Yes, even though Jesus had told His disciples several times what was up, Jesus was going to His own suffering, persecution, death, burial, resurrection and ascension back into heaven.

For a moment though, I want to recall the time recorded in the book of Matthew, when Jesus called Peter and Andrew, as they were fishing, as was their occupation at that time. Jesus told them to follow Him. What did Peter and Andrew do? They dropped their nets and followed Jesus. Yes… they heard “Drop it!” and they did. Keep this “Drop It!” in mind as we reflect on this passage of the Ten Lepers.

In this reading, we are in the final stages of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Jesus comes upon ten leprous men seeking Jesus’ pity on them. And, Jesus, as always, full of compassion, heals them. Not a Benny Hinn healing either, you know, a knock you on the head and you’re healed kind of deal. Rather this healing from Jesus was a healing as you go, type of healing. A healing that sneaks up on you and then you realize, “Hey! I’m healed!”

I can’t help but to think of Naaman in 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman came down with leprosy and wanted to be healed. Naaman was an outsider too, he was commander of the army of the king of Aram. Naaman was a “big deal” so to speak in the eyes of his own people.

Naaman wanted healed and he heard from a servant girl, from Israel, how she thought that if Naaman would seek help, perhaps the prophet Elisha, from Samaria, would heal him.

So, Naaman seeks some help from the king of Aram, and the king sends a letter to the king of Israel, to seek the cure of leprosy.

Well, the king of Israel can’t cure leprosy and figures this letter was a trap from the king of Aram. Elisha gets word of all of this and tells the king of Israel to have Naaman come to see him.

So Naaman comes to Elisha. Elisha doesn’t even come out to see Naaman, but tells him to wash seven times in the Jordan. No Benny Hinn healing here! Naaman is indignant that Elisha wouldn’t even come out to see him and hit him on the head in front of a large congregation. (That’s my own stuff there…)

Naaman says he could have washed in the nice clean waters of his hometown Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus, rather than in the dirty creek waters of the Jordan. So, Naaman storms off.

But as they were leaving, the servants of Naaman, convinced him to wash in the Jordan. So, Naaman does just that and his healed. See the connection? This wasn’t an instant Benny Hinn healing, this was more of a healing like in the Luke passage, a healing as you go along healing.

And Naaman, now seeing that he has been healed, went back to Elisha to thank him. See, how this goes along with the Luke passage as well?

Back to the Luke passage now. A Samaritan in a group of Jews was not normal, to begin with. But in leprosy as in other diseases, “misery loves company.” Typically, leprosy would show on hands and feet, making walking or touching difficult. The flesh on the face may turn the gray of death. Yet, through Jesus the lepers were healed as they went on their way to see the priest.

One leper didn’t show himself to the priest. Maybe because he was a Samaritan? Anyway, this Samaritan leper turned back from the ceremonial of presenting himself cleansed to the priest, to go back to thank Jesus for the grace from God in Jesus. This Samaritan leper was a healed witness to God’s grace and truth.

In a manner of speaking, as the Samaritan leper left Jesus, he “Dropped it” --- He realized healing --- He “Dropped” what he was doing and returned to thank, and praise Jesus; not only in word but in work as well.

The passage really doesn’t say if the other lepers returned to thank Jesus after they saw the priest, but I don’t think they did.

With this in mind, I must say, it seems that unthankful hearts are a much worse disease than leprosy.

The Samaritan leper’s return to praise Jesus, made Jesus’ healing truly complete, in body and soul. After all, praise and thanksgiving are a response to ALL Jesus has done. Jesus gave this Samaritan leper faith and the Samaritan was healed by that freely given faith.

Praise IS a RESPONSE to God’s love. Praise flows from grace revealed in Jesus. The gift of grace flows forth in praise and worship.

Kind of like what Paul told the Colossians… and by extension you and I as well…

Colossians 3:15-17

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Yes, we too are called to “Drop It.”

Now, let’s flash back to the call of Peter and Andrew and the “Drop It” of nets. Let’s move along with Peter and Andrew and the disciples as Jesus taught them along this journey to Jerusalem and a little beyond.

At the end of Jesus earthly ministry, in the Gospel of John, the disciples are once again fishing. This is after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus, from the shore of the lake tells the disciples to “Drop it,” in a manner. Jesus tells the disciples to “drop” the nets on the other side of the boat. The disciples had been fishing all night and were coming up empty. So, they “Drop it” like Jesus told them to do on the other side of the boat, and a huge catch of fish is made then and there.

You, see? The disciples received the faith, grace and forgiveness all in that command to “Drop it.” And it was in so much abundance that it was difficult to drag the net to shore.

What happens? Peter returns to Jesus in joy and praise.

Likewise, here in this passage a Samaritan on a journey is healed. AND HE “DROPS IT!” He recognized what REAL healing Jesus gives and RETURNS to Jesus in joy and praise.

And it’s time now…

It’s time you and I, “DROP IT!”

Realize the gift of healing, forgiveness and salvation God has gracefully given us in the disease of our sin, and return to Jesus in joy and praise as well.

Return, turn back and go back to God. Jesus saves and Jesus shares salvation to and for ALL- Jew, Gentile, Samaritan… ALL … today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!

I leave you with what else? A YouTube music video – Now Thank We All Our God

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_OgVO7ftFI&list=RDg_OgVO7ftFI&start_radio=1

Now Thank We All Our God

Stumbling - Luke 17:1-10 - Seventeenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 17:1-10 NIV

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. ² It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. ³ So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. ⁴ Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

⁷ “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? ⁹ Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Stumbling

I stumble all the time. I can stumble right over myself. I hate it when I stumble and bump into someone else and hurt that person. Yep! I stumble all the time and I hate it!

So, what’s the deal here with these few verses of Scripture?

This passage is Jesus teaching His disciples. Most of it is about forgiving one another. About being unwilling to forgive. In this attitude of unwillingness to forgive, it’s easy to lose yourself into an attitude of revenge, hate, and blatant neglect of the 8^th Commandment.

I fall into this trap all of the time. So, may I review the 8^th Commandment for myself and you as well?

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”

And as Luther puts his explanation to this…

What does this mean?

We are to fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, or lie about our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain his actions in the kindest way.

Well, when I fail to be empathetic and understanding of someone’s sin against me, I tend to strike out in revenge. I form a hate for the person with whom I have been offended or ever just disagree with and speak to betray, slander and lie about them to harm them. Why? Because I feel better about it when I do.

Oh, how sinful I am. I’m a sinner and cannot free myself. That’s the awful truth of it. So, in my unwillingness to forgive, I lose myself.

Here’s a real- life case. Just this past week, as I asked for help from my wife, Sue, I got upset when I asked her to get me a tape measure. First off, I didn’t explain myself very well, secondly, when she was slow to respond I yelled at her, telling her that she was incompetent. Man, what an Ass I was! It was all my own fault. Every bit of it! And I sinned, and no doubt sinned boldly. Sure, I sought her forgiveness. But did I really expect that to come instantly from her? I hoped so, but how could that ever happen?

So, I spent the rest of the day depressed, praying, and realizing how sinful I was. What had I just put my wife of almost 50 years through? How could I ever expect her to fully forgive me? What could I do to make it up?

Did I have faith the God or even my wife could forgive me? I was even studying this passage of Scripture daily and ended up living it out. I wanted more faith.

Faith comes from God’s eternal power. Faith does NOT come from some effort or thing that I can muster up or gut out from inside myself. I realized that I was in bondage to sin and cannot free myself. I kept hearing this over and over and over. When I prayed it became so apparent that it turned my stomach and wounded my soul.

Stumbling blocks and sins are inevitable in this world and my life. BUT, when I stumble against one close to me, I need them to point to my sin and call me out, before I can expect forgiveness.

And if the shoe, in this case the sin, is against me; I need to heed Jesus’ advice to point out the offender’s sin and forgive them. Over and over and over again. For me? Well, this sin of mine was not the first time I had shouted out meanness. To my wife and to other’s as well. Each time I hate it and want to do better, but then, it slips out again.

Even when I ponder the Post-it notes next to my recliner that remind me how to act…

I’m reminded of the Fruits of the Spirit…

Love-Joy-Peace-Patience-Kindness-Goodness-Faithfulness-Gentleness-Self Control

And again, in the second Post-it note from 1 Timothy 6:11

1 Timothy 6:11 NIV

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Boy, oh boy, have I ever stumbled all over myself and hurt my wife, and God!

My heart is wicked and I trap the weak in my sin. As other’s witness my responses in this manner, I hurt them as well. Forgive me, I pray!

It’s just as bad and probably worse, when Church leaders who trap the weak are full of false ambition, intolerant, assertive and indifferent to new people of faith, that act in this sinful manner, to be unforgiving. Who do we think we are? We are all in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves, the new Christian, the fresh in understanding convert, even the elder of the Elders. We all are in bondage to sin and stumble all over ourselves and into one another. Forgive us Lord, forgive us! Lord, God, cast these sins out!

I turn to the face of God and my wife to forgive me.

At this point faith is in control. I look for forgiveness and blessing.

Ephesians 4:32

³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

And in this passage, and in Jesus words, I learn, no matter at which end of the sin I am on, my response, and the response I wait upon.

For me and for all of us, forgiveness must follow repentance… constantly. I, we, are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.

I am called to forgive others constantly. And when I forgive, to lay aside revenge. Lay aside rebuke and repayment AND live with each other in healing and love, and forgetting about getting even.

When I fail to forgive, I’m trapped in a circle of fight on fight, bringing forth hate and revenge in me AND all, I’m with or against.

But, when I forgive, or am forgiven, all doors open to loving one another.

We, like the Apostles, are taught by Jesus. It’s Jesus that joyfully gives us all the faith we need.

And with Jesus, living in His grace and love, we serve God. Lord, I pray, that you would cure us of our imagined reward that we think we are due for serving You. May I and all of us see what God does.

God deals with me and you on law and duty NOT grace and faith. We need not feel proud of our works of faith. After all Faith and Grace are gifts, NOT works.

With the gifts of Grace and Faith from God, we disciples, serve in a spontaneous response to how God has forgiven us, over and over and over.

I am in bondage to sin, and cannot free myself. But God can! And God does! Through Jesus in my world and in my life as he came to give forgiveness to me and you… over and over again and even once and for all time. I’ll leave you to ponder that for a while.

May I hear and see the message of God in Jesus. Through God alone grace has been given in Jesus.

Forgive me Lord Jesus for my stumbling sins. Forgive me Sue for my stumbling sins… both today… tomorrow… and forever. And I ask God to help and guide me all along this way.

Never thought I would post a Jelly Roll song but this one speaks to how I feel…

“Forgive Me, Lord”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqPO-mzieo4&list=RDkqPO-mzieo4&start_radio=1

Forgive Me Lord