Jesus - Part 7, The
Healer is Worthy of Praise
2004 : Week 4 | Website
Version
We’ll go over the first point today, and we’ll discuss the
remaining points in the weeks ahead.
The ten men in this story were suffering from a serious, horrible and contagious
skin disease known as leprosy. Lepers were forced to live outside of town,
to prevent spread of the disease. What a terrible existence; they were isolated
and living as repulsive outcasts of society. You can imagine the countless
prayers they lifted to God. How many times did they beg Him for healing? How
many times did they cry at night, while they prayed for His intervention?
God
hears their prayers and comes to heal them in Person; Jesus wipes away their
leprosy. Their healing is miraculous and stunning, but, sadly, only one man
glorifies and thanks God for the healing. Nine of the ten men leave without
a prayer or praise for God and don’t return. I’m sure they ran home to hug
and kiss their families and friends. While we can excuse them for being excited
and wanting to see their loved ones again, they should have first directed
joy and praise to God. He had just set them free from a horrible existence,
but only one thinks that God deserves praise for this.
Do we, as Christians, act like those lepers at times? Do we forget the great
miracle God has performed in our lives? Sin is far worse then leprosy. It
scars our body, mind and soul and condemns us to hell, yet God took our sins
and forgave them on the cross. There has never been a greater display of love
and there never will be, but are we like the lepers in regards to this? Have
we forgotten this great miracle of healing?
No doubt, there are difficulties in your life, but there is also much to be
grateful for. If you, like the 9 lepers, have been walking away from God without
looking back, stop, turn around, and praise Him for the great work He has
done in your life. Rejoice for your sin is forgiven if you’ve accepted Jesus
as Lord and Savior. You will spend eternity with Him.
Many Christians understand the gift of forgiveness God has given them; they
are usually the most joyous ones. They understand the love God has poured
out on them, and they are filled with joy because of that love. They spread
that good news and joy to those they meet. They understand the meaning of
Psalm 92,
1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night,
- Psalm 92:1-2 (NASB)
We pray that we would be a thankful people. That daily, we would
have a song in our hearts, a prayer on our lips, love in our soul and wholeheartedly
worship God. Be like the one healed man who returned to God and fell at His
feet thanking Him. That man displayed the thankful heart the Lord loves. Like
him, come back and praise God; Jesus, the Healer, is worthy of this.
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…
RELATED LINKS:
Jesus Part 1 - The Eternal Shockwave
Jesus Part 2 - The Darkest Day
Jesus Part 3 - The New Day's Light
Jesus Part 4 - The Hero's Return
Jesus Part 5 - He
Wept
Jesus Part 6 - The Eternal Constant
RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS:
The Passion of
the Christ - by Mel Gibson
Luke 17: 12-19
12 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him;
13 And they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.
15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
16 And he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-where are they?
18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”
19 And He said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well."
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