The Grateful One

October 12, 2025 Luke 17:11-19 18th Sunday After Pentecost Year C The Grateful One Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Whether we live in an apartment or a house; if we reside in the suburbs or the city: God tells us to pray for the places where we live. Whether we are exiles or prisoners for the gospel; if we are young, old, insider, outcast: God says, 'when you search for me, you will find me.' Whether we have been wandering and lost; or if we have lived in the same place all our lives: God says, 'I will gather you from all your places and bring you home. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Invocation Loving God, Compassionate Architect, You are the bearer of all our souls, the hope of all possibilities when walls surround us. You carve paths in mountainous regions when our roads appear blocked. You build bridges between people separated by gaps and distances. May we be ones who create channels so that your children continue to form relationships with one another and with you. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Michelle Torigan) Song Lord of the Dance UMH 261 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Sermon: “Remember to Say Thank You!” Scripture: Luke 17:11–19 Theme: Gratitude, Mission, Discipleship, and Stewardship [Gather the children and sit with them at the front] Good morning, friends! Today I want to tell you a story Jesus told about ten people who were very, very sick. They had something called leprosy — it made them hurt, and no one wanted to be around them. They couldn’t go home. They couldn’t hug their families. They couldn’t even go to church! One day, Jesus was walking down the road — and those ten sick people saw Him coming. They shouted from far away: “Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us!” Do you know what Jesus did? He didn’t walk away. He saw them. He loved them. And He said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they walked away — before they even got there — they looked at their hands, their arms, their faces… and they realized: They were healed! All ten were healed! Isn’t that wonderful? But here’s the sad part — only one of them came back. One man ran back to Jesus, threw himself down, and said, “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for healing me!” And Jesus said, “Weren’t there ten? Where are the other nine?” [Object lesson idea: 10 bandages] Let’s pretend these bandages are for the ten people. (You can place ten bandages or stickers on the children’s hands or sleeves as you talk.) Ten were healed… but only one came back to say thank you. So let’s take one bandage and put it right here on my hand — this one stands for the thankful one. Now, what do you think Jesus felt when that one person came back to thank Him? Yes — happy! Loved! When we remember to say thank you — to God, to our parents, to our teachers, to anyone — we make their hearts happy. And we make our hearts happy too. Connecting to Mission, Discipleship, and Stewardship You know, when we say thank you to God, it’s not just with our words — it’s also with what we do. • When you help a friend — that’s mission. • When you pray, learn about Jesus, and come to church — that’s discipleship. • When you share what you have — your time, your toys, your offering — that’s stewardship. Every time we do those things, we’re saying: “Thank you, Jesus, for loving me! I want to love others, too.” [Closing activity suggestion] Invite the children to think of one thing they’re thankful for. Go around and let them share: “I thank God for ______.” Then invite them to say together: “Thank you, Jesus!” (Encourage them to say it loudly like the healed man did!) Closing Prayer Let’s pray together: Dear Jesus, Thank You for loving us and healing us. Thank You for our homes, our families, our church, and all our blessings. Help us remember to say thank You — not just with our words, but with our actions, by helping others and sharing what we have. Amen. Generated by ChatGPT 5 Call to confession (based on 2 Timothy) Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. Assured of God’s grace, let us confess our sin together: Prayer of confession (based on Luke 17) Holy God, When we are in need, we cry out for your mercy and healing. Yet, we confess that too often, we are confident in our own strength. We take the blessings to which we feel entitled and continue on our way, rather than returning to you in worship and praise. Jesus, have mercy on us! It is easy to take for granted the ease of life we so often experience, while failing to question why others are pushed to the margins and excluded. It is tempting to take pride in our health and strength rather than confronting ableism in all its forms. Jesus, have mercy on us! Help us to grow in compassion for all people. Redirect our paths so that we return to you, offering our praise and gratitude, now and always. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge) Assurance of pardon (based on 2 Timothy) The saying is sure: If we have died with Christ, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Our sin is forgiven! Thanks be to God. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge) Prayer for illumination God of Wisdom, By the power of your Holy Spirit, open us to receive your Word today. Lead us in wisdom and courage as we seek to follow Jesus, in whose name we pray, amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge) Scripture Luke 17:11-19 Sermon Grateful One Magic Words When our grand-daughter Sarah was two years old, she was extremely active. She was always busy, always moving and always in a hurry… because at two years of age, she had already realized that there are so many exciting things to do and see and experience in this incredible world God has given us. One day Sarah interrupted her play-time just long enough to run into the kitchen in search of a mid-afternoon snack. Hurriedly, she said to her mother: “Banana, Momma, Banana!” Jodi, her mother, handed her a banana. Sarah quickly grabbed the banana and turned to rush back out of the kitchen. However, before she took very many steps, her mother said: “Sarah, come back. What are the magic words?” Sarah screeched to a halt, turned back around and said: “Please! Thank You! You’re Welcome! God Bless You! And I Love You, Mommy!” At this point, Sarah got a second banana!... And a warm hug! The magic words Sarah’s mother was looking for were “Thank you.” She got more than that… but those were the words she was looking for… because Sarah’s mother knows how important it is… for us to learn how to stop and say thanks.” James W. Moore, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com We all know the importance of the magic words – thank you. We have all been taught that lesson, and more than likely we have taught that lesson to countless others. The words thank you are the key to today’s lesson. We are encouraged not just to say those words, and to say those words boldly. We are encouraged to live them. During our stewardship campaign, we are encouraged to think about mission, discipleship and stewardship. Mission, discipleship, and stewardship are not separate things — they are one living response to grace. Mission — seeing others and going where Jesus leads. Discipleship — turning back to Christ again and again. Stewardship — giving back from grateful hearts. All three of those things begin with the magic words – thank you. But they don’t end there. Thank you is so much a part of our lives that we get comfortable and start to take those words for granted. Those words might be present in our hearts, but sometime we forget to say them out loud. Sort of like the story of Ed Spencer. This story is near to me, because Ed went to the same seminary that I went to. And even though this story happened in 1860 – I know exactly where it happened. Northwestern’s campus looks a lot different today then it did then. At one time most of the campus was right next to Lake Michigan. Until the 60’s or 70’s when they filled a lot of the lake in to build more buildings. Ed Spencer’s story is one of gratitude – or the lack there of. Most of us have felt the sting of ingratitude, but few have felt it as painfully as Ed Spencer. He was a divinity student at Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. On September 8, 1860. Spencer was drawn into a situation that changed the direction of his life. That night he was awakened by the shouting of fellow seminary students, who reported that there was a shipwreck directly off shore from Winnetka. A cruise ship had collided with a lumber freighter and was sinking. Ed Spencer jumped out of bed, dressed in a hurry, and ran the three miles to Winnetka. It was a stormy night and the lake was tossing vigorously. Few would be rescuers were willing to brave the turbulent waters and the dangerous undertows. Ed was a strong swimmer, from his childhood days of swimming the Mississippi near his home in Rock Island. He jumped right in and proceeded to pull people to shore one after the other. He had to fight huge waves and painful buffeting from pieces of debris. By the light of dawn he had personally rescued fifteen survivors. As he was warming himself by the fire with a cup of coffee, a cry came that there were two more survivors clinging to flotsam for dear life. Despite his sheer exhaustion, je jumped in and barely made it to the hunk of shipwreck. He manages to draw them in with his last ounce of strength, after which he collapsed on the breach. That night, 287 people lost their lives but of the 98 who were saved, Spencer personally rescued 17. Ed Spencer never got back to seminary. He spent the rest of his days as an invalid in California. As an old man, he was interviewed by a Los Angeles newspaper and asked what he recalled in particular about the rescue. Spencer replied “Only this: of the seventeen people I saved, not one of them every thanked me.” (the story is based on “A Window on the Mountain” by Winston and Winnie Pearce). This story is special to me, but I think that we can all relate to Ed’s feelings of someone forgetting to say thank you, when we did the right thing, when we made a sacrifice, and someone didn’t say thank you. Even Jesus expresses his disappointment in today’s scripture story. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to meet his fate/ destiny. He is nervous about the trip because at this point he has no idea of what will happen in Jerusalem. He takes the long way on his journey. He travels north through no man’s land in hopes of reaching more people. He is not at home, but he is a long way from his destination. He is on the border of insiders and outsiders, between the clean and the unclean, between religion and rejection. Some of the most important lessons in the bible happen when Jesus is on his journey. All throughout Luke, Jesus teaches us that the borderland is where mission happens – where we come out of our comfort zone in order to meet the needs of others. During Jesus’ journey he hears the cries of 10 lepers as they ask for help. Even in the midst of his own uncertainty he is willing to reach out and help others. He can’t save himself, but he knows that he does what he can to save others. Jesus doesn’t heal them directly, he tells them to go to church talk with the pastor, reclaim your life Jesus tells them that their faith heals them. All ten take off on their healing journey – only one comes back to say thank you. That’s one more than returned to Ed Spencer. But even Jesus asks – where are the other nine, weren’t they healed as well? So even Jesus reminds us of how important it is to say thank you. It is a reminder for all of us who follow Jesus. God’s grace comes to us all. I am sure there were others who were grateful, but they just never returned to make their feelings known. Ten were healed. One came back. Ten received mercy. One entered relationship. Discipleship begins in that turning back — not just enjoying the gift, but seeking the Giver. The Samaritan comes back praising God in a loud voice. He falls at Jesus’ feet — the posture of worship, the symbol of surrender. He returns not to earn healing, but because his heart overflows. That’s what discipleship looks like. It’s not checking boxes or being perfect; it’s choosing, day after day, to turn back toward Jesus. It’s reorienting our hearts toward gratitude and relationship. The other nine obeyed the instruction — and that’s good! But the one who returned discovered something deeper: that following Jesus isn’t just about what He can do for us — It is about who he is us 3. Stewardship: Gratitude That Gives Back When the man comes back, he doesn’t whisper thanks. He shouts it! He praises God with a loud voice. His gratitude is contagious — public, generous, overflowing. That’s what stewardship really is. Stewardship is not just about money — it’s about living thankfully. It’s recognizing that everything we have — our breath, our blessings, our bank accounts — are gifts of grace entrusted to us by God. And the natural response to grace is generosity. When we give to the church — when we support missions, pay apportionments, maintain the building, care for our pastors, and reach our neighbors — we’re not paying bills. We’re praising God with a loud voice. Every pledge card, every volunteer hour, every offering is a modern way of falling at Jesus’ feet and saying, “Thank you, Lord. You’ve healed me. You’ve blessed me. I give myself back to You.” “Your faith has made you well,” Jesus says. But the word He uses — sozo — means “made whole,” “saved.” The nine were healed physically, but one was healed completely — in body, mind, and spirit. Gratitude completed the healing. Generosity completed the faith. Jesus was disappointed in the other nine, but they still experience his grace. They are not wrong or bad. This story is important because the one who said thank you, is a model for us. He shows us what it means to be thankful. In order to live a life of thankfulness we have to 1. Look at our lives with appreciation 2. Identify your blessings 3. Practice disciplines that cultivate a life of gratitude He is a model for us, so that we can be a model for others. Not only do we encourage them to say thank you, but to live a life of thankfulness. The Seeds of Discouragement An old legend tells how a man once stumbled upon a great red barn after wandering for days in a forest in the dark. He was seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm. He entered the barn and his eyes grew accustomed to the dark. To his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where the devil kept his storehouse of seeds. They were the seeds that were sown in the hearts of humans. The man became curious and lit a match. He began exploring the piles of bins of seeds round him. He couldn’t help but notice that the greatest majority of them said, “Seeds of Discouragement.” About that time one of the devil’s helpers arrived to pick up a load of seeds. The man asked him, “Why the abundance of discouragement seeds?” The helper laughed and replied, “Because they are so effective and they take root so quickly.” “Do they grow everywhere?” the man asked. At that moment the devil’s helper became very sullen. He glared at the man and in disgust he said, “No. They never seem to grow in the heart of a grateful person.” Keith Wagner, But Are We Grateful? What seeds are being planted in our lives, seeds of discouragement or seeds of gratefulness. The First Billionaire The very first person to reach the status of billionaire was a man who knew how to set goals and follow through. At the age of 23, he had become a millionaire, by the age of 50 a billionaire. Every decision, attitude, and relationship was tailored to create his personal power and wealth. But three years later at the age of 53 he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain and he lost all the hair on his head. In complete agony, the world's only billionaire could buy anything he wanted, but he could only digest milk and crackers. An associate wrote, "He could not sleep, would not smile and nothing in life meant anything to him." His personal, highly skilled physicians predicted he would die within a year. That year passed agonizingly slow. As he approached death he awoke one morning with the vague remembrances of a dream. He could barely recall the dream but knew it had something to do with not being able to take any of his successes with him into the next world. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his own life. He was left with a choice. He called his attorneys, accountants, and managers and announced that he wanted to channel his assets to hospitals, research, and mission work. On that day John D. Rockefeller established his foundation. This new direction eventually led to the discovery of penicillin, cures for current strains of malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria. The list of discoveries resulting from his choice is enormous. But perhaps the most amazing part of Rockefeller's story is that the moment he began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, his body's chemistry was altered so significantly that he got better. It looked as if he would die at 53 but he lived to be 98. Rockefeller learned gratitude and gave back from his wealth. Doing so made him whole. It is one thing to be healed it is another to be made whole. It appears that the one leper who returned and threw himself at Jesus' feet in gratitude was not only healed he was saved by his thanksgiving. "Rise and go," Jesus said, "your faith has made you well." Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com When we give to the church — when we support missions, pay apportionments, maintain the building, care for our pastors, and reach our neighbors — we’re not paying bills. We’re praising God with a loud voice. Every pledge card, every volunteer hour, every offering is a modern way of falling at Jesus’ feet and saying, “Thank you, Lord. You’ve healed me. You’ve blessed me. I give myself back to You.” “Your faith has made you well,” Jesus says. But the word He uses — sozo — means “made whole,” “saved.” The nine were healed physically, but one was healed completely — in body, mind, and spirit. Gratitude completed the healing. Generosity completed the faith. Illustration: The Circle of Grace Think of God’s grace like a circle. God gives to us — that’s the first half. We give back to God — that completes the circle. When we give thanks, serve others, and share resources, we keep that circle of grace turning. The more we give, the more gratitude grows. And the more gratitude grows, the more joy we find. That’s stewardship — living in the rhythm of God’s generosity. Bringing It Home: Mission, Discipleship, Stewardship Together Mission, discipleship, and stewardship are not separate things — they are one living response to grace. Mission — seeing others and going where Jesus leads. Discipleship — turning back to Christ again and again. Stewardship — giving back from grateful hearts. When we live this way, our church becomes more than a building; it becomes a movement of grace in motion. Imagine if every one of us lived like that one grateful leper — if every day, we found a way to turn back, give thanks, and give back. What might our community look like? What might our conference look like? What might our world look like? Closing Challenge So this week, remember the ten — and be the one. When you pray, return thanks. When you serve, see those others miss. When you give, do it with joy. And when you speak, let gratitude be loud enough for the world to hear. Because gratitude isn’t complete until it becomes action. Faith isn’t whole until it becomes service. And worship isn’t full until it overflows in generosity. Jesus said to the one who returned, “Rise and go; your faith has made you whole.” May He say the same of us. Closing Prayer Let’s pray. Gracious and generous God, You meet us in the borderlands of life — in the in-between spaces where we often feel unseen. Thank You for seeing us, healing us, and calling us to follow. Forgive us for the times we rush ahead, forgetting to return in gratitude. Help us to live like the one who came back — joyful, generous, and grateful. Send us out in mission, keep us faithful in discipleship, and shape us into good stewards of all You’ve entrusted to us. Make us whole, Lord, that others may find wholeness through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Am Song Through it All UMH 507 (sing twice) Prayers of the People (do not print) Compassionate God, you are God of all creation. Only you know the expanse of the cosmos and every small and hidden corner of creation. You have created us in love, and we join all of creation in singing to the glory of your name. We give thanks for your generous provision. Thank you for the basic elements that sustain life, and the joy and beauty that enrich it. We give thanks for your works of healing. While we live in a world still marked by pain and suffering, we acknowledge gifts of health and strength. For prayers answered, bodies healed, relationships restored, and hope that displaces despair, we give you thanks. We give thanks for your diverse creation. While we often get mired in our own particular lives, your care and concern cross all boundaries and borders. We are grateful for all of the different people in the world, each created in and reflecting your image. May we always return to you in gratitude and praise. We pray for the many needs in our world. We pray for those living in war zones, and all who have been displaced by violence, disaster, and trauma. Bring your peace and healing to the nations, and make us all ready to receive and support siblings in need. Help us to see our shared humanity, which is greater than the divisions we create and uphold. We pray for your most vulnerable children, especially those who are pushed to the margins, neglected, and worse. It can be easy to keep them out of sight and out of mind, to hold them at arm’s length as the perpetual “other,” or to look at their situations and simply give thanks they are not our own. We ask for miracles that change the difficult and deadly circumstances so many face, and that you ignite our own compassion. Give us wisdom to know how to respond, and the courage to act. We pray for all who are hurting, in body, mind or spirit. Jesus, have mercy, and heal what is broken. We pray for broken bodies, broken hearts, broken relationships, and broken spirits. Creator of all, re-create this world, so we can live in shalom together. We offer the prayers of our hearts… All of these we offer to you, including those that are known only to you (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment An old song includes the words, “Such as I have, I give you, willingly.” That describes the scene reported in Luke 17, where Jesus willingly healed the ten people known as lepers and one of them willingly turned back to praise God and thank Jesus for healing him. Can you identify a time when you willingly gave something life-changing to another? Someone might tell of giving a healthy kidney to someone on dialysis. Another might tell of giving a car no longer needed to a person struggling without transportation. Yet someone else might offer a remembrance of giving shelter to a person displaced by a hurricane, or being released from prison. Here at ___________ Church, we regularly give ______________ (describe an outreach which is a central part of your church identity). Your tithes and offerings help us make possible life-changing gifts as one way of living out lives of discipleship. Today, let’s rejoice and offer our praise to God as we share the resources we brought to offer. Prayer of Thanksgiving For the financial gifts shared today, for the time and talent which is yet to be shared, for the opportunity to more truly become “disciples” (followers of Jesus), as we offer our gifts and ourselves…we give you our thanks, God of Life and Love! AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Having prayed for the places where we live, we go forth. God sends us into the apartments and homes, into the streets and playgrounds to bring hope. Having gathered with God's people of every age, we go forth. We will join Jesus in serving folks whose birthdays are celebrated in decades, and newborns who are facing poverty and fear. Having shared prayers and songs with friends and strangers, we go forth. We will welcome those who the world forgets but who God loves, as surely as we have been embraced by the Spirit. (c) Thom M. Shuman Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Get up and go on your way! Go from this place to be builders of God’s beloved community. See the face of Christ in each person you meet. Follow the Spirit, wherever she may lead. Now go in peace. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge)

The Special Leper

October 9, 2022 Luke 17:11-19 Year C The Special Leper 18th Sunday After Pentecost Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship One: The Psalmist commands: “Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth!” Many: We’re gathered to sing God’s praise. One: Come and see what God is doing; Many: God brought us out from fire and water. One: God brings people out to a spacious place, Many: and we give God our gratitude! (Disciple’s of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer O Lord, our Creator and Sustainer, you give us seasons to plant, to grow, to harvest, and to rest, and we are grateful. As the leaves turn and fall from the trees, help us embrace the changes we see as a natural part of life. We come today with our ups and down, doubts and fears, trials and triumphs. We’re grateful you have created each one of us and molded us into your own image. As we worship you, help us stand strong and sure when the winds blow. Remind us: through it all you are with us, every moment, every step, every time, every situation. And hear our praise for you in every moment of our day. Amen. adapted from Cynthia Bond Hopson, The Africana Worship Book for Year C, Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua, eds., (Discipleship Resources, 2008), 137. Song Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee UMH 89 Children’s Time Does anyone know what I have here? (Hold up the thank-you card.) That’s right, I have a thank-you card. Can anyone share about a time when you have sent or received a thank-you card? (Allow kids to respond.) We have lots to be thankful for everyday, but sometimes we forget to say those two little words in response to someone doing something kind for us. In fact, that’s what happened in our Bible passage today. The story is about ten lepers. Do you know what a leper is? (Pause for kids to respond.) A leper is a person who has a disease called leprosy. This disease causes sores all over the body. Leprosy was very common in Jesus' day, and people who had this disease were thought to be dirty and unclean. They were required to stay away from other people because of the fear that they might infect them with their disease. One day, Jesus was walking through a small village when He saw a group of ten lepers. They stood far away from Jesus and called to Him, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us." Obviously, they knew who Jesus was and that He had the power to heal them. When Jesus heard them, He called back to the lepers and said, "Go, show yourself to the priest." As the lepers went on their way to see the priest, they looked at their skin and the sores were gone. Jesus had healed their disease. They were so happy that they ran up and down the streets singing and dancing. Suddenly, one of them stopped and went back. Praising God with a loud voice, he threw himself at Jesus' feet and said, "Thank You." Jesus said to him, "Weren't there ten who were healed? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:11-19) Only one out of ten remembered to say, "Thank You." God does so much for us! Every day He provides everything we need: food, clothing, and a place to live. Do we ever forget to say, "Thank You?" Let's stop right now and say, "Thank You," and ask God to help us remember to thank Him every day. Dear Lord, You give us everything we need, but we often forget to say, "Thank You." We thank You now, and ask You to help us to remember to give thanks every day for all that You do for us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. (Sermons4kids.com) Prayer for Transformation and New Life Loving God, form in me a space for healing and enter in anew. For too long I have clutched the past in ways that have prevented the possibility of moving forward. Boundaries of my own making have kept me resistant to your healing mercy. Definitions of the world’s making have created divisions preventing the possibility of a new day, a new season, a new life. By Your mercy form me for a life of mercy and thanks. Lift every burden and release me from every long-rehearsed story holding me hostage to any narrative of hopelessness, hurt and fear. Grant instead a lightness of spirit forgiving me and freeing me to leap into a dance of delight beyond my wildest imagination. Words of Grace Hear the good news! Into our little openings of trust, God is pouring a large love born of mercy. No burden of your past is stronger than this power of Love to forgive, heal, and bless. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Now may (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins) Scripture Luke 17:11-19 Sermon The Special Leper Greg Anderson, in Living Life on Purpose, tells a story about a man whose wife had left him. He was completely depressed. He had lost faith in himself, in other people, in God--he found no joy in living. One rainy morning this man went to a small neighborhood restaurant for breakfast. Although several people were at the diner, no one was speaking to anyone else. Our miserable friend hunched over the counter, stirring his coffee with a spoon. In one of the small booths along the window was a young mother with a little girl. They had just been served their food when the little girl broke the sad silence by almost shouting, "Momma, why don't we say our prayers here?" The waitress who had just served their breakfast turned around and said, "Sure, honey, we pray here. Will you say the prayer for us?" And she turned and looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, "Bow your heads." Surprisingly, one by one, the heads went down. The little girl then bowed her head, folded her hands, and said, "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Amen." That prayer changed the entire atmosphere. People began to talk with one another. The waitress said, "We should do that every morning." "All of a sudden," said our friend, "my whole frame of mind started to improve. From that little girl's example, I started to thank God for all that I did have and stop majoring in all that I didn't have. I started to be grateful." We all understand and appreciate the importance of gratitude. How it can radically change relationships. In fact, one of the first things we were taught and that we teach our children is to express their gratitude. Someone gives them some candy and we say: “Now what do you say?” And the child learns from an early age the answer “Thank you.” And certainly we all know as adults that we appreciate being thanked. Yet, when it comes to giving thanks to our heavenly father, we so often miss the mark. And when it comes to giving our thanks to God, I don’t suppose there is any story in the Bible that is so endearing to us, so timelessly appropriate, as the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. We have all heard the story many times, but like so many Bible stories, we never tire of it…. How can we put a sense of gratitude for God’s blessings in each and every day? That is a fitting message for our stewardship campaign. That is what our faith is all about, not only being able to say thank you, but to live thank you. The story of the ten lepers, is not so much a popular story, it is only found in Luke. But it is a familiar story. Jesus heals the ten lepers, all leave and return to their life, but only one of them returns to say thank you. And for us, the moral of the story is for us to be just like the leper and always remember to say thank you. Have You Forgotten Something? I can recall three rhetorical questions that accompanied me throughout my childhood. The first was, "Were you born in a barn?" That usually came when I left a door open, or didn't clean up my room. The second was, "When will you ever grow up?" which was a question my sisters asked me as a carefully planned, relentless program of persecution. The third one was, "Have you forgotten something?" That was the parental admonition, usually for not saying thank you after receiving some gift. This last question is what I thought of when I read the New Testament lesson for this morning from Luke's gospel, the seventeenth chapter, the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. Only one comes back to give thanks. Ten were healed, but only the Samaritan came back. If my mother had been there, she would have said to the nine, "Have you forgotten something?" Mark Trotter, How about Something Different? I am sure that each of us has a story about growing up and being taught the importance of saying thank you. For me, it was my stepfather who stressed to me how important it was to say thank you whether someone did something big or small for you. I always wondered why that lesson was never stressed to my younger siblings or nieces or nephews. But nevertheless it was a big lesson for me. In Sunday School, we were taught that the point of this story was to always follow the example of the tenth leper and be the one to come back and say thank you. As a matter of fact, many would think that this scripture is the perfect lesson about how faith, obedience and gratitude work together. If you look at the background of this story – that could not be further from the truth. The first words of the story say “On the way to Jerusalem”, somewhere between Galilee and Samaria. Jesus has already been to Samaria, so no one knows why he is in no man’s land between the Samaritans and the Jews. Jesus loved his people, but he was also about reconciliation between the two people. Perhaps Jesus was intentionally looking for people like the lepers who did not fit in on either side. The lepers were in quarantine from any social group. Their illness kept them together as a group, but it also alienated them from their support system. Healing was not just curing the disease, but returning them to that system. The story is not specific about what exactly Jesus does – but he does tell the lepers to return back to their support system. He also tells them to go back to church, so that they can get back to life as normal. All of them do that. But one of them is not a Jew, he is a Samaritan. He does not have a church to go to. He knows that if he returns to church, whether he is healed or not, he is not going to be accepted. Jesus is his church, and he returns to Jesus to show his gratitude. Who are the Samaritans of today? Who are the ones who know that they just don’t fit in here? Jesus point in telling us this story – sometimes outsiders are closer to god and have a deeper faith than those inside of the church. Outsiders find salvation, and insiders remain blind and oblivious to true faith. Why was Jesus in no man’s land on that day- looking for outsiders, outcast and others and showing them to salvation of God. The first lesson for us – blur the lines between the outsiders and the insiders of the church. Keep our eyes open for those unexpected moments of God’s grace in our lives. The second lesson – expand your definition of healing. Our scripture never says what Jesus did to these ten men. Did he pray, lay hands on them, preach a sermon. No mention of it as all. But Jesus does tell them that they are healed and to go show themselves to the priest. They may not have even had time to feel better or to know that they were really healed. But they took Jesus at his word – believed things were better. Jesus told them the healing was in the journey. How many of us take Jesus as his word? How many of us will do what Jesus says and just trust it to be so. The healing is in the daily journey, not in Jesus touching us. Jesus says that the Samaritans faith made him whole. God In the Ordinary Once upon a time, there was a far-away land that was ruled by a vicious king. His iron hand reached into every corner of his subjects' lives. Every corner - except one. Try as he might, he couldn't destroy their belief in God. In his frustration, he finally summoned his advisors and asked them: "Where can I hide God so the people will end up forgetting about him?" One suggested hiding God on the dark side of the moon. This idea was debated, but was voted down because the advisors feared that their scientists would one day discover a way to travel into space travel and God would be discovered again. Another suggested burying God in the deepest part of the ocean. But there was the same problem with this idea, so it was voted down. One idea after another was suggested and debated and rejected. Until finally the oldest and wisest advisor had a flash of insight. "I know," he said, "why don't we hide God where no one will ever even think to look?" And he explained, "If we hide God in the ordinary events of people's everyday lives, they'll never find him!" And so it was done. And they say people in that land are still looking for God - even today. ChrstianGlobe Illustrations We have to recognize the grace of God in every moment in life. • Rob Myalis (http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1711-19.html) “When Jesus says that the man's faith saved him, we see very clearly that Luke is not suggesting "your belief in a set of propositional truths gave you keys to heaven." What Jesus seems to be saying is more on long the lines: "your trust in my word and power motivated action from you that transformed your life in a way that have experienced the salvation of God." For all good theologians, faith leads to action!” The key word is transformation. The Samaritan leper is not a hero because he was a stranger, not because he was obedient and faithful. He was a hero because he chose to be transformed because of his encounter with Jesus. When was the last time you were truly transformed by saying thank you to Christ? Let’s try to do it everyday. I found this poem last night – the author is Ullie Kaye, but it channels the words of that special leper. How did you heal? I didn’t Then how is it that you can still face the sun every morning like that? Because I am healing. How do you know? Because I am finally okay with not being healed in the way that I wanted But choosing to know that I am being healed in the way that I needed. I am trusting the process. The Process is Jesus Christ. Amen. Song God of the Sparrow, God of the Whale UMH 122 Prayer Lord, we thank you for the wondrous ways in which you have healed and restored us. There have been countless times when we wondered if the trials and struggles of our lives would overcome us and swallow us up; yet you have reached out to redeem us. Just as in the scriptures when Jesus healed the ten people afflicted with leprosy, one, when he saw that he had been healed, returned to Jesus, praising God for the healing that had taken place. Make our faith as strong as the one of that man. Give us the wisdom to know the source of healing is not in our pleading, but in our acknowledging your love and power. As we bring before you the names and situations in our hearts that are filled with strife and trouble, we ask for their healing as well. We know that you hear the cries of our hearts and respond always in love. Help us to place our complete trust in your never-ending compassion. For it is in Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you said was ‘thank you’, that would be enough.” If we begin there, with a simple “thank you” to God, the rest will follow. Thanks first. Thanks always. Thanks in everything. One of the greatest gifts we can give to each other in Christian community is that of helping one another cultivate a spirit of gratitude. If we do this, glad hearts and generous spirits will follow. Our spirits will be filled, along with our coffers, providing financial support for our congregation’s ministry. After all, gratitude begets more gratitude, and the more gratitude you have the more abundance you see. With thank-filled hearts, let us share our morning offerings, tithes and gifts. Adapted from https://www.stewardshipoflife.org/2013/10/first-and-always-give-thanks/ Prayer of Thanksgiving Holy Creator, Like the healed leper, we come to give you our thanks! You provide for us, abundant stores of more-than-we-need. Now, receive the gifts we’ve brought today. Help us transform them, modeling on the ways Jesus reached out. Encourage us to freely share what’s been given, so we might bless those we seek to serve: the hungry, the lost, the fear-filled neighbors who yearn for signs of help and hope. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go, my friends, because the mercy of God has freed you from your past. Go, because the mercy of God calls you forward into the world. Go, because the blessing of mercy you offer to others will lighten the burden they are carrying. Go, because by this mercy of God, we are all healed again and again. Thanks be to God! Amen and Amen! (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins) Community Time Benediction Benediction (Luke 17) Jesus said to the leper, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” Let us all claim Jesus’ healing and liberation in our lives. Get up and go on your way! In Jesus’ name, your faith has made you whole And all God’s people say: Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Rebecca Gaudino) Additional Illustrations Sermon Opener - Giving Thanks before Thanksgiving - Luke 17:11-19 _________________________________ Healing - Luke 17:11-19 When I was in fourth or fifth grade, I was helping my dad in the kitchen. I had been taught how to use a knife properly, but I wasn’t always perfect at it. I slipped and knicked my finger. It was just a small cut but it was on the knuckle, so if the cut was going to heal, we had to find a way to splint my finger. I remember being very proud that my dad simply took a piece of kindling from the pile for our wood stove, cut off two small pieces, bandaged my finger and taped it with adhesive tape. Voila! Within a matter of minutes I was on the road to healing. My finger healed quickly and you can’t even see a scar. It is as if it never happened. I think we often wish more of life was like that. When we are sick or injured, we hope and pray for healing. We want a transformation. We want our health completely restored. We want it to be as though we were never sick or hurt in the first place. We want transformation as we see in our scriptures today. In 2 Kings we hear the story of Naaman, the army commander, who was healed from leprosy when he finally followed the instructions of the prophet Elisha and went to bathe in the River Jordan seven times. Amusingly, Naaman was initially resistant to this source of healing as he expected a great fanfare or an endurance trial or challenge in order to be healed rather than merely just bathing in the Jordan. Yet that was not what was required of him. When he finally followed Elisha’s instructions, at the urging of the servants, Naaman was made clean. And this was some cleansing. It was not just that Naaman was healed of his leprosy, his flesh was completely restored to what it was before he ever had it. He had the skin of a young boy after he bathed. Naaman got exactly what we wish for — complete healing and transformation. Then in Luke’s gospel we get another story of a miraculous healing of lepers. The ten lepers asked Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests, and Jesus granted their wish, and “poof,” just like that they were healed. The leprosy was gone. Again, just what we wish for when we are the ones who are afflicted. I have to admit, I actually have a hard time with these miraculous healing stories in the Bible. I find them rather frustrating. Because while the small cuts and bruises of life do heal over…. The Seeds of Discouragement An old legend tells how a man once stumbled upon a great red barn after wandering for days in a forest in the dark. He was seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm. He entered the barn and his eyes grew accustomed to the dark. To his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where the devil kept his storehouse of seeds. They were the seeds that were sown in the hearts of humans. The man became curious and lit a match. He began exploring the piles of bins of seeds round him. He couldn’t help but notice that the greatest majority of them said, “Seeds of Discouragement.” About that time one of the devil’s helpers arrived to pick up a load of seeds. The man asked him, “Why the abundance of discouragement seeds?” The helper laughed and replied, “Because they are so effective and they take root so quickly.” “Do they grow everywhere?” the man asked. At that moment the devil’s helper became very sullen. He glared at the man and in disgust he said, “No. They never seem to grow in the heart of a grateful person.” Keith Wagner, But Are We Grateful? Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known. Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon

October 14, 2007

Have you said thank you today? - Your faith depends on it

Makeover’s have become really popular these days – people write Oprah hoping for the knock on the door that will change their lives. Extreme makeover is not just a show about houses that have rebuilt – but about people who have been rebuilt. We hear the stories of their past- we hear their dreams for being fixed – we watch their progress as they go through countless surgeries or other things will totally erase their past. We celebrate with them as their share with the community the new them – after they have lost weight, or whatever they needed to do.
There are a lot of shows that use this as a concept – but I would imagine that an even more exciting show – would be extreme makeover follow up – what happens to these people after the show- how do they deal with the changes after all of the excitement is over with. Do they become the person they were before the makeover? Or do their lives really change. And are they really emotionally prepared for these changes.
Afterall, the changes that are made are always cosmetic changes – things are fixed on the outside – but who these people are on the inside is never addressed. What inner habits may have created the outer reality is never addressed. What scars have been permantly formed from being the person they are, is never even talked about. But I think that for ages, we have all bought into the concept of living happily ever after – but we don’t want to hear the real story of what that means.
Imagine being a young man, in the prime of your life, just married the woman of your dreams, and one day she notices some white spots on your neck – and your life as you know it is over – because she has to report to the community and the priest that you have leprosy – and have to immediately move away from the community. Or imagine that your first child has been born two months ago – a son to carry on your name – and you too are diagnosed with leprosy- Or after a long period of trying to find your life work – you realize that you want to go into farming with your father – and as you celebrate your new found life – you lose it to leprosy. The laws in the book of Levitcus are very clear – if anyone notices a swelling in his skin or a scab or boil or pimple with transparent skin they are to be brought to the priest for examination. If the spot turns white – or if it looks more than skin deep, then the priest must declare him a leper. It could happen to anyone at any time in life. If they were a leper- the most important thing was protecting the rest of the community from they – so they were to live outside the gates of the city. They were to keep their distance from everyone and to declare to all that they were one of the untouchables. Life as they knew it was over – no family, no job, no meaning in life. Just gathering together with other lepers – totally dependent on the goodness of others to live. I could imagine that anyone in this condition would think of themselves as likely candidates for an extreme makeover.
Even back in that day – they had heard of an extreme makeover – they listened to that man Jesus as he talked about makeovers. They listened to his sermons as he talked about being restored to community. How even though the whole world treated them as outsiders, that there was a God who loved them and would treat them like anyone else.
No one really knows why Jesus would have been in this no man’s land on his way to Jerusalem. He was somewhere between Galilee and Samaria. Galilee was the home of the Jews, the people he was trying to reach with his message. Samaria was the home of their cousins – those who were no longer considered Jews. Yet Jesus noticed that these were the people most likely to listen to his message and to apply it to their lives. So as he was traveling to Jerusalem, this was the perfect place to stop and to preach. As he passes by the lepers – they cry out – Lord have mercy on us. To ask for mercy is to ask for what it due to you – what you deserve but for some reason it has been denied you- They wanted their lives back – they wanted the right to return back to their lives, their wives, their children, their jobs, their community – all the things that made life worth living. They had heard enough to know that Jesus had the power to give them just what they asked for. With no special potions, no special words – Jesus tells them that they will be healed. All they need to do is to show themselves to the priest, so that they can be restored into community.
They don’t even question Jesus – they immediately go back to their lives. Only 1 returns to thank Jesus for what he has done. Jesus gives him an additional blessing and tells him that his faith has made him whole. The others are healed on the outside – and yet Jesus knows that this one has been made whole on the inside too.
Jesus was in between Galilee and Samaria – his audience was mixed – we really have no idea how many of the lepers were Jewish and how many were Samarian. We never hear what happens in their lives after they return. What we do know that the one who thought to return to thank Jesus was a Samarian. Maybe he did not have a priest to return to. Maybe he did not have a family or life to return to. Maybe his mom had always taught him to say thank you – we don’t know what it was that made this one leper out of ten return to Jesus. What we do know is that this one was different – when all ten asked for mercy – nine were looking for cosmetic changes. Leprosy back then was understood as any type of skin condition. One was looking for changes in mind, body and spirit. Nine lepers were looking to get on with their lives – one wanted to live. Nine were looking for the acceptance of society – one was looking for the acceptance of God. One was looking for their past to be restored – one was looking toward the future. Nine were looking for changes – one was looking to be transformed. He was changed from the inside out. He was not the same person that he had been. He knew that from this moment on, once he had been touched by Jesus – things would never be the same. His life would be so much more than those dreams of the life that had been taken away from him. God had shown him a love that he could never imagine in a million years.
When you look at your life, which one are you – one of the nine or the one who stood out? Bear in mind that in those days- to say thank you was the last thing that you said to someone when the knew the relationship was over. If you knew you would never see the person again – you said thank you. The nine others had their lives restored – they were a part of the community again – they probably were not quite ready to saw good bye to Jesus – whereas the one – realized that no matter how hard he tried – things would never be the same for him- he could never go back to the man he used to be. That gesture of thanks seemed to really make a difference to Jesus. But this is not a sermon on gratitude – but on faith.
I can really relate to the story of Edward Spencer – he and I went to the same seminary – Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston. Edward attended that school in 1860 – a little bit before my time. One night, he was woken in the dorm – people were shouting that there had been an accident in the Winnetka harbor. A cargo ship has hit a cruise ship- people were in lake Michigan drowning. Edward was a good swimmer – so he ran the 31/2 miles to Winnetka to do what he could to help. He jumped in the water and started pulling people out- by dawn he had been able to rescue 15 people. He lay exhausted on the beach, when someone yelled that two more people were trapped on the ship. He swam back into the water and rescued them two. 300 people perished in the accident. 98 were rescued – Edward had saved 17 by himself. Unfortunately, Edward was never able to run the 3 ½ miles back down Sheridan Road to Garrett. As a matter of fact, Edward never returned to Garrett. After that night he lost the use his legs. He died an invalid in California. Late in his life, a reporter from the LA times interviewed him about his heroic rescue- he was asked what he remembered most about that night. He said that he remembered that of the 17 people that he rescued – not one of them ever said thank you. At least Jesus did get a thank you from one person. That one person who made all of the difference in the world.
I am sure that we can all identify with those 17 people. Some probably were healed – some did go on with their lives – some were genuinely grateful for being saved on that night, some probably even remembered that courageous seminary student who saved them. They just never got the chance to say thank you in person to him. Having no idea of what difference it would have made in the life story of the one who gave his legs, his hopes, his calling to save them. We are all grateful for the saviors that God has sent into our lives – who have given us life in so many ways. We really are grateful in our hearts – even though we don’t think to say it with our lips. Today is a perfect day to write a note, to make a phone call, to take someone out to lunch – to say thank you for all of the Edward Spencers in our life. But this is not a sermon about being thankful – this is a story about being faithful.
This is not a sermon about the nine lepers who went on with their lives – it is a sermon about that one who had been transformed and given new life by Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan- that his faith had made him well – not his thank you.
It is our faith that makes us well- not our thank you’s. The more faith is focused on Christ – the easier it is for us to remember to say thank you for each and every gift that we have been given.
Christ is always faithful, Christ always hears our cries of mercy. Christ always gives us love and life, but it is our response to Christ that gives us transformation and new life. It is our desire to say thank you that indeed makes the world a wonderful place to live for all people. What do you have to be thankful for today? How will you choose to live a thankful life today?