September 25, 2025
Cured - Part 4
Luke 17:15-18
09/25/2025
15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed,
turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him
thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus answered, ``Were not ten cleansed?
Where are the nine?
18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God
except this foreigner?'' (ESV)
While Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, ten lepers cried out
to Him for mercy, for healing from their dread disease. While
they followed Jesus' instruction to show themselves to the
priests, they were cured.
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed,
turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he
fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now
he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ``Were not
ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to
return and give praise to God except this foreigner?''
Let's talk about the leprosy of sin. The first sin was not
about eating the forbidden fruit, but about being like God, about
replacing God. Because we are born with this sin, we are by
nature selfish, demanding, and arrogant. After all, if we are
like God, if we are God, we deserve everything good. If we are
in control, the gifts and kindness given to us are our right and
are owed to us.
The nine lepers who did not return to thank Jesus were part
of the chosen people, the children of Israel. They accepted the
cure as something God owed them. Not so the Samaritan. He
immediately turned back to thank Jesus, who he praised as God,
for His grace and mercy.
As we confess our sin, we confess that we are not in
control. We either are overwhelmed by our lack of hope, or we
find our cure in Christ Jesus.
May our Lord grant us faith to thank Him for His rich gift
of forgiveness and life everlasting. Amen.