Giving thanks to God… (3 thigns)

• 1^st – Going around Samaria… vs. 11

• Jesus was heading for the last time to Jerusalem…
  • Repeatedly Jesus had told His disciples – John 7:6 – “My time has not yet come…”
  • Now finally the time had come – Jesus was ready to fulfill His purpose for coming…
  • He had spent 2 ½ years teaching the multitudes – preparing His disciples…
  • But it was time for Him to go and pay the price for sin – open the way to heaven!
  • Jesus’ focus was not on the coming suffering – but on being ‘received up’ – Luke 9:51
  • In the same way we know there are challenged that lie before us in life – hard times…
  • If we insist on focusing on the challenges – we will quickly become discouraged…
  • Instead let us follow the example Jesus gave to us – look up to the reward…
  • * Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…”
  • The trials only last for a moment – the reward God has prepared for us is eternal!
• As Jesus headed towards Jerusalem He passed through Samaria and Galilee…
  • The ‘Feast of Passover’ was close – all Jews 20 years or older were required to attend…
    • Jesus was moving east from the Sea of Galilee toward the Jordan River…
    • His plan was to join the Caravans of people making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem…
    • They came down the Jordan because they could not pass through Samaria…

• After the reign of Solomon – Israel divided into two nations – Northern & Southern…
  • The Northern Kingdom became know as Samaria – named after its capitol city…
  • The Northern Kingdom was later conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C – II Kings 17:23
  • The Assyrians took the Israelites and scattered them to other conquered countries…
  • Then took captives from other countries and placed them in Israel…
  • Assyria allowed some of the Israelites to return to teach the people about God…
  • This mixed people/religion – became the ‘Samaritans’ of the New Testament…
• The Samaritans did not allow the Jews to pass through on their way to Jerusalem…
  • Samaritans believed God had to be worshiped at Mt. Gerizim in Samaria – John 4:20
  • The mountain where the blessing of God were read – Deuteronomy 11:29
  • When Israel came into the Promised Land they were to announce the Word of God…
  • ½ of Israel were to stand on Mt. Gerizim and proclaim the blessing to Israel…
  • ½ of Israel were to stand on Mt. Ebal and proclaim the curses to Israel…
  • They thought because they were on the ‘mountain of blessing’ – they’d be blessed!
  • Often we assume we are blessed because of where we are…
  • We pray in a church building – because we assume God hears us better there…
  • But being blessed by God has nothing to do with our location…
  • God blesses us because we listen to and obey the Word of God!
• The Jews taught (in accordance to the Law) – God was to be worshiped in Jerusalem…
  • Because of their different religious beliefs – Jews and Samaritans hated each other…
  • God is not concerned about ‘where’ we worship – but that we worship Him!
  • * John 4:23 – “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit & truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”
  • I am always amazed at the ‘little’ differences churches choose to divide over…
  • What day to gather to worship / the name on the sign over the church…
  • We may have different buildings we meet in – but we all worship the same Lord!
  • God is not concerned about our differences – He desires a relationship with us…
    

Take the time to praise God today – take the time to give thanks to the Lord!

2^nd – Calling out to Jesus… vs. 12-14

Jesus and the disciples entered a village – and ten lepers met Jesus…

Leprosy is a disease that attacks the body’s nervous system so you can’t feel…

It is still prevalent in many developing nations today – called Hansen’s disease.

It can be very dangerous because you don’t know if you harm yourself…

Touch a hot stove – cut yourself on a blade – you would not have known!

The ten men stood far away…

If you were diagnosed with leprosy you would be cut off from the community…

You were not even allowed to attend church services…

If anyone even walked close to you – you had to cry out ‘unclean!’

Because no one could touch you or they would also become unclean – infected…

Symbolically the Bible uses leprosy to refer to sin…

Just like leprosy – sin takes away your sensitivity – to what is right and wrong…

The first time you commit a sin (stealing) it is the hardest – you feel it was wrong…

It gets easier and easier each time though – you stop feeling the guilt…

Eventually you lose all feeling of conviction or remorse…

The repeated sin causes you to be cut off and isolated from God – unclean!

And your leprosy/sin can also spread VERY quickly – from one person to another…

We infect others- by our example – our encouragement to do the wrong things!

The men cried out to Jesus – ‘Master have mercy on us’…

Jesus told the men to go and show themselves to the priest…

The curse of leprosy is being cut off from fellowship – with others / and with God!

If you were ‘unclean’ – the temple/priest was the only place to go for the cure…

The church is not for saints – it is a hospital for sinners…

It is there we can learn about Jesus – find the cure for our sin!

The only people who don’t belong in church – are perfect ones – people with no sin…

There was no medical cure for Leprosy in Bible times…

But God provided an answer where man had none – Leviticus 14:19…

The leper took two birds / cedar-wood / scarlet cloth / and hyssop as a sacrifice…

One bird was sacrificed so that the other bird could be set free…

The sacrifice presented was a picture of Jesus – Jesus is the cure for sin!

The cedar wood – was a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ…

Scarlet cloth – was a picture of our sin that has made us unclean…

Isaiah 1:18 – “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”

Hyssop was the cleaning detergent of the day – it was soap!

Palms 51:7 – “Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean…”

Jesus died on the cross in our place so that we might be set free…

He took our sins (that were scarlet) & scrubbed us (with hyssop) so we are clean!

While they were still on their way to the temple – the lepers were cleansed!

All the men had to do was obey the Word of God – and they were clean!

The only thing that can make us clean – obeying the Word of God…

All of us are sinners – there are no exceptions – Romans 3:23…

And there is only one penalty for sin – eternal death/hell – Romans 6:23…

But God loves us so much – John 3:16 – He came and paid our debt for us…

God came as a man – and lived a perfect sinless life – John 1:1,14…

Jesus Christ – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin on the cross…

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

All God requires of us is to believe – and we will be saved – Romans 10:9-10…

The simple Gospel message – there is nothing you have to do – just believe…

We do not have to do anything to earn it – we just receive the free gift from God…

It couldn’t be simpler – more obvious – just believe and confess Jesus!

God did not make salvation hard – He wants everyone to be saved – II Peter 3:9

But at the same time – it is your choice – clean or unclean / heaven of hell…

God doesn’t make you go to heaven – just provides the way for those who believe

3^rd – The one who returned… vs. 15-19

When one of them saw he was healed – he came running back…

With a loud voice he began shouting – praising God!

This man had been given new life – he had been healed…

And he wanted the whole world to hear about it – he was going to praise God!

We have been saved from eternal death/hell – and often say nothing…

When we come together in worship – do we sing at the top of our lungs…

Or are we more concerned about what the person next to us might think…

Jesus died for our sin – we have been cleansed – shout out for joy!

He fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet – and gave thanks…

When was the last time we thanked Jesus for saving us – dying for our sins…

So often in life – we forget to be thankful for all God has done for us – given to us…

We think about all we don’t have – we think we still need – but really just ‘want’…

If it was a need God would provide – Luke 12:31 – if we don’t have it – don’t need it!

We overlook the simple things – food / clothing / family / a home / our health…

We are like kids who rarely are thankful for what they have – food/clothing/shelter

But God calls us to be thankful for all things – for all God has done for us – every day!

Looking at what He has giving us – not what we think we still need…

He was a Samaritan…

The suggestion is the other 9 lepers were all Jews – he was the only foreigner..

All the Jews would have been welcomed into the Temple – but not the Samaritan…

The temple in Jerusalem had an outer barrier with signs warning non-Jews…

‘Let no foreigner (same word) enter the… enclosure surrounding the sanctuary’

The ‘penalty’ for a non-Jew coming into the temple courtyard was death!

The other men thought their religion was enough to save them…

They thought the power was in the Temple – rather than the God of the Temple!

The only one who gave thanks – was the one who was ‘not religious’!

There are a lot of people today who trust in their religion to save them…

They think because they belong to a denomination – attend church – they are OK…

Religion – faith in rules and traditions – has no power to save us from hell…

Religion is only men’s vain imperfect attempt to reach up to a perfect God…

It is only when a God reaches down to fallen men there is hope…

Jesus asked him – where are the other nine…

Only the foreigner was willing to return and give glory to God…

The other 9 men got what they were looking for – they had been healed…

Only concerned about the their physical needs – they walked away from Jesus…

Many people run to God in their ‘hour of need’ – they pray / cry out for help…

God if you get me through this / if you heal me / if you provide…

I will dedicate me life to you – I will go to church every Sunday – read every day!

But the moment the need passes – they forget all about God…

They go right back to their old lives – old ways!

Go your way – your faith has saved you (Perfect/Indicative)…

Because this man was willing to go back to Jesus – not only was he healed…

He had been forgiven of all of his sins – past / present / and future!

Jesus has healed us – He took away our leprosy – He has given us new life…

Don not just look for what you can get from Jesus – then walk the other way…

Don not get caught up in empty religion – instead run back to Jesus!