Luke 17:11-19 – The Rarest Offering – Bible study

Luke 17:11-19 The Rarest Offering This is a straight-forward passage. 1. There are no difficult train of thought to follow. 2. No verses which are confusing and need interpretation. 3. And no parables or hidden meanings. Two thoughts come to my mind when I preach from this type of passage: 1. You dont need a preacher to get the point of this message. 2. We dont want to miss the message! I. \#Luke 17:11-12\ A Pitiful Sight – Here 10 men, some Jews and some Samaritans are bound together by the same ailment. A. Here are ten men who probably had little in common. 1. They were different ages 2. had different occupations 3. and were of different nationalities. 4. Probably about the only thing they had in common was the disease of leprosy! B. The disease, leprosy, speaks of sin. 1. I know that people today and throughout history have suffered from this disease for reasons other than that they have sinned against God. 2. However, the Bible portrays leprosy has an unclean disease that was Scripturally associated with sinfulness. a. We have repeated examples of God giving leprosy as a direct punishment for sin. (1) Miraim – \#Numbers 12:10\ (2) Gehaza – \# 2Kings 5:27\ (3) King Uzziah – \#2Chron 26:16-23\ b. Leprosy and sin have some common characteristics. 1. Leprosy, like sin, is a disease which physically manifests its presence. That is, you can see it is there. a. The presence of leprosy: (1) Leprosy (or Hansens Disease as it is called today) is a immune system disease that occurs in the germ layers of the body and affects the central nervous system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy) (2) The primary external symptom is skin lesions or nodules which can result in permanent damage and disfigurement of skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. (3) Eventually, nerve damage leads to sensory loss and muscle weakness. This can lead to the loss of use of legs and arms and can sometimes result in amputations. (4) I have heard, but can not confirm, that if left untreated, body extremities can deteriorate to the place that they will actually fall off the body. (5) Although the disease actually deadens the senses, the nodules have been described as extremely painful. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12708703) (6) Leprosy today is treatable with medications and isolation is no longer required. (7) There are about 100 new cases diagnosed in the US every year. (8) The increase in cases world-wide has lead to global concern about the disease. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001347.htm) b. The presence of sin: (1) Sin is an inherited disease of mans central spiritual system. (2) The primary symptom is cerebral lapses in judgment which results in behavior which is both contrary to Gods Word and damaging to oneself and others. (3) Sin leads to severe mood changes accompanied by pride, arrogance, meanness, and general rebellion. (4) Eventually, the condition causes strained relationships, poor physical and mental health, and generally miserable living conditions. (5) Although I can not produce documentation, I have seen sin wreck careers, health, homes, and greatly shorten the lifespan of individuals. (6) Although sin has largely been thought to have been eradicated from the earth, it has not. Presently, the infection rate is at 100% of the worlds population. (7) Sadly, there seems to be no concern at the high rate of infection of this malady, either worldwide or on a local level. (8) There is no treatment for sin and only one cure. c. Leprosy, like sin, is a disease that lead to separation. 1. The Bible strictly commanded lepers to stay away from non-lepers. Leviticus 13:43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; 44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head. 45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. a. Contrary to what some think, this was never due to transmission of the disease. b. It was ceremonial, which means it was done to teach us something about ourselves or God. 2. Sin separates. a. Sin separates you from God. b. In time, sin will separate you from others. d. Leprosy, like sin, was incurable from mans prospective. 1. Today, leprosy can be "controlled" through medications. a. The first effective treatment did not come until the late 1940s. Eventually, the disease became resistant to the treatment. b. Todays treatment was developed in the 1980s. (http://www.fountia.com/leprosy) c. Some use the term "cured" but I suspect that does not mean the disease is eradicated from the body but rather rendered inert. 2. Interestingly, God gave \#Lev 14:2-4\ with offerings for the healed leper. 3. God was planning for Jesus! 3. By the way, because a disease is spread by sinful means in no way means we ought to abandon those with it. Jesus did not! II. \#Luke 17:13\ The Earnest Prayer A. Their prayer was for mercy. 1. The only cry the sinner can make to Jesus is the one for mercy. a. These men were not proclaiming their innocence. b. These men were not even asking for another opportunity. c. They had wallowed in their disease long enough to know what they needed if they every got a chance to get it MERCY! 2. Mercy is a MODERN-DAY, God-given RIGHT to every living sinner. a. I use that word RIGHT deliberately. b. If you are tired of living like in sin, Jesus Christ has given you the RIGHT to ask for MERCY. c. As much of a blessing as it would have been to have lived in Jesus day, there were some disadvantages. (1) The truth be known, it is possible that everyone who cried the name of Jesus may not have been healed. (2) Of course Jesus is God and was God while He was on the earth, but He was limited to an earthly body with earthly limits. (a) Jesus could not be everywhere to hear everyones cry. (b) Even if He were near, He still couldnt hear everyone who cried. (c) You might have been on the same street and in the same crowd as Jesus, but Jesus still might not have heard you. (d) And even if He did hear you, He may simply not have been able to get to everyone He heard. d. But today, if you call upon Him, He will hear, and He will get to you. 1John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. B. Their prayer acknowledged Jesus as Master. 1. These men not only cried out Jesus name, but they acknowledged Him as Master. a. Master was a word that Jesus didnt hear very often. b. WHY? Because Master implies a relationship. (1) If He is the Master, we must be His servants. (2) If we are the servants, we must obey Him. 2. Even when Jesus heard this word, most who used it gave little meaning to it. Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 3. If you are going to call upon Jesus for help, you must call Him MASTER; and if you are going to call Him MASTER, you must be prepared to serve Him. III. \# Luke 17:14\ Simple Reply A. At this point, Jesus could have responded in any number of ways. 1. Jesus needed no other information, incentive, or reason to help these men. a. Jesus know that we are all sinners. The particular sins of these men were not important. b. Jesus did not need any other convincing to help. (1) They had asked for mercy. (2) His love for them and their pledge to Him was motivation enough. 3. And so Jesus answers them with a simple instruction. 4. However, this instruction, as simple as it is, will determine whether these men will be healed or not. B. This instruction would demonstrate whether these men were serious or not when they called Jesus MASTER. 1. It would demonstrate their FAITH in Jesus. a. Jesus cant be their Master if they dont trust Him. b. Such trust in the Bible is called FAITH. (1) However, faith is trust that if if God says do something, there is a reason for it. (2) Whether we get the reason or not, those who have called Jesus MASTER, will trust Him. 2. It would demonstrate their OBEDIENCE to Jesus. a. Jesus cant be their Master if they dont obey Him. b. If Jesus is their Master, they will obey Him. 3. Faith and obedience always go together. a. Faith without some outward demonstration is only so much hot air. b Obedience is the demonstration of faith. 4. According to \#Lev 14:2-4\, once a leper was healed, he was to show himself to the priest. a. This was the least used section of the law since there was no cure for leprosy! b. It must have been written for Jesus coming! c. The catch is, Jesus told these ten men to go show themselves to the priests before they were healed! d. This was the outward demonstration of their faith and obedience. If they have faith, they will obey. 5. Faith always requires some risk. a. If they got to the priests and werent healed, theyd look a bit foolish! b. Our commandments are usually much more straight forward. 1. Be faithful to church. 2. Speak to someone about Christ. 3. Tithe 4. Take a stand on a divisive issue. 5. Meet someone elses need. 6. Take your hands off. c. Receiving from God always hinges on faith and obedience. C. \#Luke 17:14\ As these men trusted and obeyed, all ten of them were healed. IV. \#Luke 17:15-16\ The Rarest Offering A. An offering is something that a human gives to God in worship or adoration. B. You life should not be the rarest offering you give God. 1. Christian, your life is owed to God. 2. In getting saved, you repented and gave God your life. 3. You have since been encouraged and commanded not to renege on that promise. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. C. Your tithes should not be your rarest offering. 1. When you pay your tithes, you have paid a debt that was owed. 2. Tithes are commanded. a. To give tithes is expected. b. To withhold tithes is a sin. c. Our tithes, although they are an offering, are not the greatest offering we can give. D. From this account, we see that the rarest offering is gratitude! 1. In truth, your gratitude should not be the rarest offering you give to God either but for many it is. 2. Even the most serving, saintly Christian can receive much from God but be ungrateful! 3. Gratitude is the rarest and most neglected of all sacrifices. a. \#Luke 17:17-19\ You pick that up by the Lords obvious disappointment! 1. What a sad thing when God who gives so much and expects so little is disappointed in us! 2. What a sad person one must be who never give thanks for anything! a. We all fail to say THANK YOU for all the gifts God has given us. b. But what of the one never say THANK YOU for any of the things God has given you?! c. When was the last time you bowed and thanked God? b. I am not one to make much of numbers but I wonder if 1 in ten is the usual ratio of those who receive good from the hand of God and thank Him! How the Nine Justified Their Ungrateful Heart by Doug Henry The first one waited to see if the healing was real. The second one waited to see if it would last. The third said he would go to thank Jesus later. The fourth decided that he must have never had leprosy. The fifth said he would have gotten well anyway. The sixth one gave the glory to the priests. The seventh one reasoned that Jesus didnt do anything anyway. The eighth one proclaimed that any Rabbi could have done it. The ninth one said, I was already much improved.