112719B – Luke 17. 11-19
Someone once wrote and said that there are TWO TYPES of people in the world.
In a couple of minutes I’m going to ask you to think about WHERE you fit-in.
First, there are those who fill up their GAS TANK any time the gauge gets BELOW half a tank.
If it gets BELOW a quarter of a tank, they start to break out in hives, sweats and may even get a little feverish. If that “yellow warning light” were to ever come on, they might LITERALLY fall all apart.
On the other hand, there are those people who believe that really-truly-believe the E on the gas gauge stands for “MORE THAN ENOUGH.”
Who, IF they have ONE OF THOSE CARS that tells them exactly how many miles UNTIL the car is actually empty, they look at it and say, “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!” Let’s roll!
So how many of you fall into the first group?
And, how many of you fall into the second group?
How many of you are in one group, but find yourself in some kind of a relationship with someone in the other group?
That’s called God’s GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR right there.
Can’t you hear the litany?
Get Gas! When are you gonna stop? We are going to run out! There’s a gas station right over there! You better stop NOW! I am not going to get out and walk for gas…STOP!
The thing IS it doesn’t cost ANY MORE to keep your tank FULL!
And even those of US who like “to PUSH the limits” of our gas gauge and “ride on FUMES” – have to admit that “it does make sense” to NEVER let the gas get SO LOW … that you’re gonna run out – especially if there would be some kind of an emergency…or God forbid be in the middle of winter!
Well, “GRATITUDE is like that!” KIND OF…You should never run out, either!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances.” The emphasis of course, is on the word “ALL.”
ALWAYS be thankful. ALWAYS.
Like … being thankful that your tank is full…and you do not have to walk for gas!
Or, being thankful that you made it to the gas station…and it wasn’t CLOSED!
II Corinthians 9.6 says “The one who sows “sparingly” will also reap “sparingly” and the one who sows “bountifully” will also reap “bountifully.”
So whatever you do – do it bountifully!
Tap off that tank! And do it OFTEN!
And if you are SOMEONE who “regularly tops off your gratitude tank” during the GOOD TIMES, then you are less likely to run out of thankfulness during the HARD TIMES.
So, in all things we should be giving thanks…and be grateful.
Which brings us VERY NICELY to the story of the 10 lepers:
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, but he was NEVER TOO BUSY, to stop and to help someone out!
ACCORDING to the scriptures, JESUS always answered prayers for MERCY. ALWAYS.
No matter WHAT he was doing or WHERE he was going. He always made the time for those in need.
According to Luke, Jesus kept to the letter of the law…especially when it was IMPORTANT for someone else.
It was these 10 men and their lives…that JESUS was dealing with – BUT beyond that – it was their families…and their villages, and their friends and so he followed the exact detail of the law and sent them “directly to the priests.”
It was IMPORTANT. It was major. It was big stuff. It was about more than just these 10 men!
And then, when one of them returned, Jesus was “shocked.”
He was shocked, stunned, astonished and amazed that one of them had returned.
He was astounded the one who returned was a Samaritan.
He was further surprised by the thanks and the praise of the man. This man meant it. This man was a man of faith. This man stood out. This man was atypical.
So JESUS declared him both SAVED and HEALED, seeing as he had no priest to go and show himself to…
Thank you Jesus for both HEALING and for SAVING…
You make time for us, you hear us, you love us, you forgive us and you show us mercy…
And we? We could be better at being thankful and at being filled with gratitude. We could avail ourselves more often to others…we too, could show more mercy…
JESUS help us to live as you want us to live…and in all things, to truly be thankful and grateful.
Amen.