Common Worship Lectionary, Trinity 18.
Gospel Reading Luke 17:11-19
The Grace of Gratitude
1. THE RARITY OF THIS GRACE OF GRATITUDE
a. Nine were more ready to Pray than to Praise. 17
Where are the Nine? The silent majority?
b. Nine were more ready to Get than to Give. Acts 20:35
"Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how He said 'It is more blessed
to give than to receive'".
c. Nine were more ready to ascend than to descend. 16
Only one fell on his face at Jesus' feet. Yet 'my' salvation is 'His'. Glory
be to Jesus.
2. THE REALITY OF THIS GRACE OF GRATITUDE
One saw that he was healed. Marks of Reality:
a. He showed a Genuine Thoughtfulness.
Nine were thankless because they were thoughtless. How often we owe our lives
to others; do we think to thank? All we are or hope to be depends on God who
has "with the Lord Jesus freely given us all things richly to enjoy" (1
Timothy 6:17). "Bless the Lord O my soul : and forget not all His benefits"
(Psalm 103:2). This was a thoughtful Samaritan. He could not show himself to
any Jewish priest; so he returned to the only Priest he knew - Jesus.
b. He showed a Genuine Thoroughness. 15-16
-A Genuine Activity : he turned and went back.
-A Genuine Publicity : with a loud voice he glorified God. There is a place
for shouting! Jesus did as he died : "(TETELESTAI) it is finished!" (Psalm
22:31; John 19:30)
-A Genuine Humility : he fell down on his face.
3. THE REWARD OF THIS GRACE OF GRATITUDE
a. He received the Reward of Personal Approbation.
There is no doubt about Jesus' approval of this Samaritan's thankfulness, nor
about His disappointment over the nine Jewish ingrates.
b. He received the Reward of Spiritual Realisation.
All ten were cleansed - but only physically. One was blessed spiritually too.
Let us remember to lisp our thanks, and to live our thanks. To do so lifts us
above the grumbling and complaining of the majority.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
