The One – Where Are The Other Nine
A Lesson on Thankfulness
Icebreaker: Who do you have to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving season?
Luke 17:11-19 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
1.Why was it so significant that Jesus had contact with lepers? (Numbers 5:1–2 (ESV))
Numbers 5:1–2 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous ….
2. When the 10 lepers asked for pity, how did Jesus test their faith? (Leviticus 14:3)
Leviticus 14:3, and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person.
3. Why did Luke remind us that the thankful man was a Samaritan in verse16?
4. What enabled this one Samaritan to express his thankfulness so passionately? (Romans 10:17, Tim Keller quote)
Romans 10:17 faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
“It’s one thing to be grateful.
It’s another thing to give thanks.
Gratitude is what you feel.
Thanksgiving is what you do.” –Tim Keller
5. What happened to the other nine? What might be the conditions of their hearts?
6. How did Jesus respond to this one grateful Samaritan? (Luke 17:19)
7. How is thankfulness an expression of our faith?
Thankfulness Training
Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8. As faithful believers, how are we to live our lives in Him?
9. How can continuing to being rooted, built up in Him and strengthened in faith help us to overflow with thankfulness? How do you practice them? (Ephesians 3:17, Ephesians 2:20, Hebrews 13:9)
Ephesians 3:17 … And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love
Ephesians 2:20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace…
10. What steps can you take today to be rooted, built up and strengthened or help someone in the process?
Thankful Daily Living
Colossians 3:15-17, 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Ephesians 5:19b-20 “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
11. Why is thankfulness an essential part of Christian living with God and with one another?
12. How can we be thankful and show gratitude to others when we do not feel like it?
Personal reflection: Who is it that needs to hear thank you from you?