"The Heart that Pleases the Lord"(Luke 17:11-19)

The Heart that Pleases the Lord 

Luke 17:11-19 

We read in Luke 17:11-19 that while the Lord is traveling he hears the cries of the ten lepers. Jesus commands the ten to go to the priests and show themselves. On the way to the priests, the lepers are healed. One of the ten comes back to give praise at the feet of Jesus. Jesus points out that there were ten, but only one ,who was a gentile, came back. 

In today's message, Pastor Donald uses the example of the healing of ten lepers to explain what kind of person demonstrates thanksgiving and what is implied by this thanksgiving.

      A . Thanksgiving acknowledges the unmerited favors given to us and the giver of favor himself (Luke                   17:12-15).  

The lepers knew that they were sinners and they did not deserve healing. This is why they called out for mercy and not healing. Jesus tells the ten to see the priests. The lepers respond to the command and in the process of obeying Jesus, they were healed. It may be that the lepers thought they were healed because of their faith. This may also be the reason why they did not go back to go back to Jesus. It becomes easy for us to focus on our rituals and good works and not see God's hand in our blessings or life. 

We need to acknowledge that we do not deserve what I have or who I am. God has blessed us, and it is unmerited despite our efforts. 

B. Thanksgiving is a demonstration of our faith and trust in the loving kindness of the giver (Luke 17:15). 

A thankful heart demonstrates faith in God. John 9:1-7 We read about the blind man who is healed 

The leper comes back and prostates himself and give thanks to Jesus as you would to God. He expresses his trust in Jesus. Even if God manifests Himself in a way we do not expect, the one who trusts God will give thanks. 

3. C. Thanksgiving involves being grateful for the means through which we have been blessed (Luke 17:14-15). 
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5. We need to be ready to be blessed and accept how we are blessed.  In Leviticus 14, we can read how the priest was needed to cleanse a leper, and only the priest could declare a leper to be cleansed. Without the priest, the lepers could not be restored back into society. God does the healing, but the priests transmitted the blessing to get back to society. 

Let us look at our lives. Who has put the people in our lives? God uses particular people in our lives who persuade us in good or bad ways to bring us closer to God. When we are thankful for these little things,  even the bad, we show our thanks to God.