Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Luke 17:11-19
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  November 26, 2020

I think generally, we’re a thankful people here at Eastside. We spent the first part of our service speaking words of thanksgiving as we’ve quoted various different words of Scripture. We’ve sung hymns of thanksgiving. In a few minutes, we’ll approach the throne of God’s grace and thank him again for specific blessings. I’ve even heard people who are so thankful, that they say, “Thanks for nothing!” Can you believe that? Maybe you’ve found yourself saying that same thing a time or two. Usually, we hear it when someone isn’t helped like they thought they should be or the help that they get isn’t what they wanted.

That certainly wasn’t the case, however, for the ten lepers, was it? They saw Jesus. They knew he had the power and the willingness to help the sick, to cure diseases, like their leprosy. They asked for that healing and every single one of them received it. So why was it then, that the only one man came back to say “thank you” for getting what he asked for? Why was it that the other nine just kept going on their merry way?

Obviously, we can’t look into their minds or their hearts. All we can look at is their actions. Their actions demonstrated that they knew Jesus could heal. They listened to Jesus’ instructions. But what happens after that is perhaps telling. “As they went, they were cleansed.” They never made it to the priest. Before they even got to the priest, they were cleansed. Is it possible that they thought they were listening to Jesus? Could they have believed that simply walking towards the priest, that simple act of obedience is what cleansed them? Could that be why they didn’t return to Jesus, the true source of their cleansing? Did they believe that they made themselves clean?

It’s possible. We’ll never know for sure. What we know is that all 10 lepers were cleansed. All 10 were cleansed by Jesus’ power, by Jesus’ undeserved kindness alone. There was nothing that they did, nothing that they had to keep on doing to be cleansed. It was simply an act of undeserved kindness and love from their loving Savior.

That kindness should have freed them. It should have freed them to realize that it wasn’t their own efforts that made them clean. It was nothing they did, but everything Jesus did for them. It should have freed them to stop in their tracks and run back to Jesus and thank him for  the “nothing.” He had already given them everything! He required nothing from them. And lo and behold, that’s what we see from one of them, and perhaps the least likely of them, a Samaritan.

“One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. Jesus responded, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.” One man recognized the love that Jesus had shown him in providing everything he needed. One man recognized the wonderful gift of not having to provide anything. One man completely trusted in Jesus for everything. It’s clear, he didn’t heal himself. All ten were cleansed. What set him apart is that he trusted in Jesus  not only for cleansing from leprosy, but also cleansing from sin. He trusted in Jesus not only for physical cleansing, but also for spiritual cleansing. His God-given gift of faith completely relied on Jesus. That’s why he came back. That’s why he was unabashedly thankful. That’s why Jesus said to him, “Your faith has saved you.”

I think we’re generally thankful people here at Eastside. But we’re also like those 10 lepers. We have an incurable disease that is slowly eating away at our spiritual lives. Each day it goes untreated, it draws us closer to death, eternal death in hell. That disease is sin. Sin is not something we can deal with ourselves. There’s no cure for sin found in our effort or ability to follow instructions. The only cure for sin is found in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. And just like with those 10 lepers, Jesus has had mercy on us. He’s given us that perfect sacrifice. He’s taken away all of our sins. He’s given us a perfect standing with God. In short, he’s given us everything. That undeserved kindness frees us. It frees us from thinking that we have to contribute somehow to our salvation. It frees us from the pressure of trying to become better than everyone else so that God will be pleased with us. It frees us because we don’t have to bring anything to the table! Jesus has given us everything. On this Thanksgiving, we can rightly say, “Thanks for the “nothing!” Thanks for the nothing you expect from us. Thanks for the nothing we have to contribute to our salvation.” And since there’s nothing we have to provide, how free we are to give from our abundance. How happy we are to give of our time, talents, and treasure! How eager we are to follow Jesus’ will for our lives as our way to say “thank you” for everything Jesus has done. 

As Jesus said to the thankful leper, so I say to thankful saints: “Get up and go on your way, your God-given gift of faith, which trusts in Jesus for everything, has saved you.” Amen.