Sermons

         Gratitude is the path to joy and joy is deeper than happiness.  Happiness is about what happens, but joy is not.  In our episode of Jesus’ story as He encounters ten men who live together in a life of suffering only one recovers lost joy and full restoration, while nine are apparently satisfied with happiness.  Our text today takes us on the road with Jesus and the twelve between the two semitic provinces of Samaria and Galilee.            

Samaria is a land of half breeds, mulattoes if you will, children of Ishmael, but still children of Abraham, nonetheless.  We have Luke’s account of the encounter in my words.

         “As usual ministry takes place on the way.  In our ordinary travels opportunities arise.  As Jesus entered the village opportunity arose.  A cadre of lepers, ten to be exact, heard about Jesus’ approaching the village so they gathered near the entrance keeping their legal distance and called out in unison, ‘Master Jesus, please be merciful to us!’  Though they didn’t ask for healing, Jesus knew their need.  So, he commanded them, ‘Go show yourselves to the priest so he can confirm your healing.’  On the way to the synagogue, they were healed.  Assuming the nine went to the priest, the Samaritan stopped when he saw that he was healed and turned back in gratitude, found where Jesus was and fell on his face before Him.  He sang God’s praises thanking Jesus profusely.  Where are the others, Jesus asked?  Didn’t they recognize God is their healer?!  Ungrateful Jews!  So, He said to the Samaritan man, ‘rise go your way, your faith has restored you completely.’”  

 

         What does Luke have for us as he writes the story?  The journey is taking them through a border town.  Sort of like crossing the border in Nogales, AZ and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.  You knew when you had crossed into Mexico.                                         

As they come to the village near the village gate they encounter the lepers, who always travel together.  By law they were compelled to keep their distance from ordinary people.  Jesus’ reputation had obviously preceded him so when they heard he was coming they met him when he stepped into the village, they called out to him for mercy as he was passing through.                                                                                         

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t pronounce a healing but told them to go show themselves to the local priest.  The priest in those days acted like a kind of medical/health inspector.  Jesus was putting their faith to the test by asking these men to act as though they were cured.  And as they obeyed, so it happened.                             

For the Samaritan, his cleansing awoke a spirit of gratitude.  It seems he didn’t need to see the priest to have his cleansing confirmed.  He was overcome with joy turned around and made his way back to Jesus praising God all along the way.  When he came to Jeus he acted with humility prostrating himself as he thanked Jesus.  As a Samaritan because of the leprosy, he lived with his Jewish brothers in suffering.  Suffering causes unnecessary boundaries to diminish.  It would have been the last thing for a Samaritan to do to thank a Jewish healer.  But rules can be broken when something greater is at stake.                                                                                               

It seems in Jesus’ response that his disappointment in his fellow Jews is real.  When the other nine presumably some of if not all of them were Jews, but didn’t show any gratitude, it seems that they were caught up in their own happiness but lacked hearts turned to gratitude to God and the resultant joy.  Apparently, they were satisfied with happiness.                                                                                            

When Jesus commends the Samaritan’s faith and sends him on his way there is the spirit of full restoration meaning a saved soul as well as a sound body.                               

What might we glean from this encounter of Jesus’?  We know from both the scriptures and from The Chosen that the disciples weren’t comfortable traveling into Samaria.  But as usual Jesus who is completely comfortable in himself can be comfortable anywhere either in Samaria or Galilee.  There is nothing to fear.  The problem for the disciples is that the Law as it was lived created fear in them.  They were not comfortable “in their own skins”?  I know people who are not comfortable in certain areas of our city.  But Jesus would be!  He is not afraid.  If I am going to learn the faith of Jesus, I need to be safe, loved, and connected wherever he is.  That is the only way to be truly secure.                                                                                       

I think we can learn that wherever Jesus went it was while he was going that opportunity to love and minister to others always shows itself.  Did he know he was about to encounter a group of lepers in the village, I don’t know but I don’t think it matters as he is always able to be himself in truth wherever he goes.  There are always people that God puts before us, sometimes they are noisy but often they are not, but our task is to recognize them.  Jesus simply gave them what he had and that is all God asks us, give what you have whether it is a word, a thing, or an act of service.                          

Gratitude can be momentary or a way of life.  Even the most hardened heart can be expressive of gratitude, but when we make it a way of life that needs to be cultivated its fruit is more all-encompassing.  This week I had coffee with Angie to catch up on what God has been doing and she was bubbling over with gratitude.  It was easy to catch the scent of joy that is permeating her life.  Seeing God at work is the igniter of our furnace of joy which heats our hearts.  It’s hard to have a warm heart without joy.                   

Once again in this episode it is easy to see that faith is obedience, and obedience is faith in action.  All that Jesus commanded the lepers in his act of mercy was obedience, just do what he commands.  Really simple.  No one it seemed, questioned the method, the method was just trust me and do what I tell you.  No need to complicate the process.  No explanation needed.  No hesitation, just go.  When’s the last time God showed you something to do and you hesitated with all kinds of questions – really unnecessary questions?                                                                                         

What do we lose when we are satisfied with happiness and don’t move on into heartfelt gratitude?  Happiness is circumstantial while joy is perceptual.  Happiness is about what happens but only satisfies temporarily.  Joy on the other hand is a way of being and focuses on relationships and the goodness of God.  Because of our relationship with Jesus, we have power over circumstances.  So much of what God has for us transcends circumstances.  It brings to mind what the writer of Hebrews wrote when describing Jesus, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him (he could see the presence of the Father)endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Joy in the circumstances is the fruit of perception (the way we see things) and gratitude.  How we see what we are experiencing and what are our conclusions of gratitude create in us.  The Samaritan saw God in the midst of his healing and the gratitude that followed led him back to Jesus with joy unspeakable.  It was a clear example that gratitude leads to humility and God’s mercy produced an abiding relationship.  However long he lived, the Samaritan man, I suspect his testimony of God’s goodness would be sealed in his heart forever.                                                                                                         

So, what then are the keys for us.  To begin with, as you are going, be ready.  Pay attention to what is in front of you at all times.  Listen to what is being said.  Trust God’s Word.  Just do what He says.  Leave the results to Him.  Be thankful – embrace it as a way of life.  Don’t be afraid of joy bubbling up because you want to be under control and are trying to push it down – share it courageously!  Your joy is the glory of God!

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