Greetings members and friends and welcome to another commentary and preview to this Sunday’s study of the Word. This Sunday’s study text is entitled “Attitude of Gratitude” and it is based on the OT book of Leviticus 13:45-46 and on the NT gospel according to Luke 17:11-19.
Leprosy is an infectious disease that causes severe, disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms, legs, and skin areas around the body. It may also strike the eyes and the thin tissue lining the inside the nose and cause loss of feeling in the arms and legs and muscle weakness. Leprosy has been around since ancient times. Outbreaks have affected people on every continent.
A primary mode of transmission is close and repeated contact with nose and mouth droplets from someone with untreated leprosy. Leprosy was a sickness among the children of Israel. Anyone who contracted it was considered “unclean” and was required to separate themselves from the rest of the people.
They knew the disease was contagious and lepers were required to cover their nose and mouth and warn people of their presence by saying “unclean” to anyone approaching them. Some people did recover from leprosy. In Israel, they would have to show themselves to the priest and have a priest pronounce them clean or free of the disease or no longer contagious.
Leprosy was a dreadful disease, not only because of what it did to someone physically, but it caused one to become a social outcast from everyone including family. Among the many diseases Jesus healed among the people was leprosy. He also empowered and directed His disciples to cleanse them also.
In the study text today, a group of ten lepers shouted at Jesus to have mercy on them in order to heal them of their dreaded disease. Lepers lived together to groups and this group somehow got word that Jesus was able to heal them. Jesus made no physical contact with them. He simply said for them to go show themselves to the priest as the law commanded those heal of leprosy.
Apparently, they did not question why Jesus did not do more than just tell them to go show themselves to the priest. Some people may have thought this was a ridiculous command. After all He hadn’t done anything and they were still not healed. Yet these ten went away for they may have reasoned that they have nothing to lose and would be no worst off by doing what Jesus said.
As they all journeyed to show themselves to the priest, they were all cleansed and healed of their leprosy. In their excitement and joy over being healed, none of them stopped and turned around in order to go back, praise God and give thanks to Jesus except one lone non-Jewish leper.
When he found Jesus, he fell down at His feet and began to thank Him. Jesus’s response to the return of the one appeared to be one of surprise that the others did not return as well. Jesus told the one to go his way because his faith has made his healing complete. While not saying it directly, Jesus words implied that the one who returned received a complete healing that the others may not have received.
The takeaway from this to us is to never take anything that happens to us for granted, but in everything give thanks to God in Christ Jesus. By doing so, we acknowledge the role of God in what is happening in our life and we demonstrate our gratitude for God working on our behalf.
We should therefore live each day with an attitude of gratitude for not just the major things that happen in our lives, but for all the small things that occur each day that make our life worth living.
Well, be sure to look over the study again and come prepared to offer your comments, questions and perspective on the meaning of the study. If you can’t attend your own Sunday School class this Sunday, you can join us live and online at 9:00 am at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You can also join us live by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section or you can share them on Sunday. So, let’s all have a great lesson and discussion this Sunday and remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
