Good Shepherd Lutheran Church(elca)
Following Christ, Growing in Faith, Sharing God's Love
<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <![endif]--> Thanksgiving Eve Sermon November 25, 2009 Luke 17:11-19 So, when am I one of the 9? And when am I like the one? When are you one of the 9? When are you the 1? What’s the difference between the 9 who kept going and the 1 who came back to give thanks to God at Jesus’ feet? Is the difference that the 1 was healed and 9 weren’t? I don’t think so. You wonder— --what happened to the 9 who kept going to the priest? You know what I think? I think they were healed. I think God cares for all of us— --God heals as God pleases. --God acts first. That’s what I see in the Bible. God didn’t tell the Hebrews in Egypt: “If you have enough faith, I’ll set you free from your captivity.” Instead, God acted first. God led them out of slavery— --and eventually to the promised land. God didn’t tell us, “If you only have enough faith, I’ll send Jesus to suffer and die for your sins.” No, what did God do? God sent Jesus for you and for me. It was actually because of our lack of faith that God sent us Jesus. As Paul writes in Romans 5:8: “God proves his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God doesn’t wait for us to have enough faith. God acts first. I think all 10 lepers were healed. Because God reached out to them through Jesus when they were in need. But there was something different about the 1. What was different? Actually, I always kind of feel like defending the 9, because they did what Jesus told them to do. What did Jesus tell them to do? He said: “Go to the priests.” What did they do? They went to the priests. Sounds like what I’d do. Can you fault them for doing what they were told to do? If I was them, I’d want to get to the priests as soon as possible. Thinking, “If I’m well, I want to get it approved quick, in case something changes.” Got to get to the priests quickly. And in living by the letter of the law, perhaps they thought, if I do things just right, I’ll get my healing. Do you ever feel like Christianity is all about doing the right things? Do you ever think: “If I do what Jesus says I’m supposed to do, then things will all work out?” Do you ever think: “I need to earn God’s love”? The 1 leper, the Samaritan, seemed to know it didn’t work that way. He seemed to know that what Jesus had given was a gift— --not something he could ever earn by what he did. Am I like the 9— --trying to earn God’s favor? Or like the 1— --giving thanks for the gift? Let’s take that a step further. It’s a great pleasure to have Ashley here tonight. In October, I got to catch up with what was going on with her, when I was at Luther Seminary for a couple days for a preaching conference. And the highlight of that conference was hearing one of my favorite theologians— --Thomas Long. This was one of the Bible passages he talked about. And what he suggested was that we look at the verses right before this. Let me read Luke 17, verses 7-10 to you: Jesus says: Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Now listen to this: Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you, also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say: “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done. Now, I never thought of this until Thomas Long suggested it, but why did Luke put the story of the 10 lepers right after this account of the slaves? Is it possible that there’s a connection? That verse is haunting: Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? Now, we wouldn’t say this out loud, but is it possible, deep inside, that we think that it’s God’s job to heal. That’s what God is supposed to do. It’s like God is a slave in that way— --God is supposed to heal us. And so, if that’s God’s job, when a slave has done what a slave is supposed to do, there’s no reason to give thanks. And only someone outside the system, only someone who sees it differently, like a Samaritan— --would see… That when God reaches into our lives and heals us, and cares for us, in whatever way we need care right now— --it’s more than just what God is supposed to do. It’s an amazing gift. And are we able to see that gift and give thanks. I pray that we are. And I pray that we can see the gift in good times and in bad. As one wise woman said: “It’s easy to look up to God when you’re flat on your back.” Maybe that’s how it was for the 9. They turned to Jesus for help when they had a need. But when they were better, they quickly forgot the source of life. They were still thankful for the gift— --they just forgot the giver. Which is something I do, too. The 10th leper Realized that all of life is a gift. As John Claypool says: “Just to get up each day is a windfall.” God gives us the gift of each day. Tough or easy, it’s all a gift from God. Ultimately, it seems to me, that the difference between the 9 and the 1 is how they see things. They were all healed. Jesus took care of all of them. But the 1 was whole, not because his leprosy was any more gone than the others, but because he recognized the source of healing and responded in praise and thanksgiving. He recognized God’s mercy and it changed his life. And his life was complete, not just because the leprosy was gone, but because of his relationship with God through Jesus. And that’s true for us, too. Whatever’s happening in our life, Whether we’re physically sick or well, Whether we are troubled or content, Whether we are in an easy time or life or hard… Our life is complete, we are made whole, when we see the one who gives us all life— --when we see God through Jesus— --and respond in praise and thanksgiving. I read in a daily devotional I get about Pastor Schmidt. Here’s what it said: Ninety-year old Pastor Schmidt talked about living on bonus time. His bonus time started when he survived the 1918 flu epidemic. He celebrated every day after as a special gift from God, with a passion for using his bonus time to do good in the name of the one who healed him— --Jesus. Pastor Schmidt’s healing from the flu was important to him, but the most important healing came from the experience of dying to himself, to his own goals and desires in life. And God gave him new life as a child of God whose life would be given in service. All 10 were healed. What was different about the 1? He recognized the healer. And having recognized God in Christ, he praised, gave thanks, and followed. On this Thanksgiving, may we do the same. Praise. Give Thanks. Follow. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Thanksgiving Eve Sermon
November 25, 2009
Luke 17:11-19
So, when am I one of the 9?
And when am I like the one?
When are you one of the 9?
When are you the 1?
What’s the difference between the 9 who kept going
and the 1 who came back to give thanks to God at Jesus’ feet?
Is the difference that the 1 was healed
and 9 weren’t?
I don’t think so.
You wonder—
--what happened to the 9
who kept going to the priest?
You know what I think?
I think they were healed.
I think God cares for all of us—
--God heals as God pleases.
--God acts first.
That’s what I see in the Bible.
God didn’t tell the Hebrews in Egypt:
“If you have enough faith,
I’ll set you free from your captivity.”
Instead, God acted first.
God led them out of slavery—
--and eventually to the promised land.
God didn’t tell us,
“If you only have enough faith,
I’ll send Jesus to suffer and die for your sins.”
No, what did God do?
God sent Jesus for you and for me.
It was actually because of our lack of faith
that God sent us Jesus.
As Paul writes in Romans 5:8:
“God proves his love for us
in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.”
God doesn’t wait for us to have enough faith.
God acts first.
I think all 10 lepers were healed.
Because God reached out to them through Jesus
when they were in need.
But there was something different about the 1.
What was different?
Actually,
I always kind of feel like defending the 9,
because they did what Jesus told them to do.
What did Jesus tell them to do?
He said: “Go to the priests.”
What did they do?
They went to the priests.
Sounds like what I’d do.
Can you fault them for doing
what they were told to do?
If I was them,
I’d want to get to the priests as soon as possible.
Thinking, “If I’m well,
I want to get it approved quick,
in case something changes.”
Got to get to the priests quickly.
And in living by the letter of the law,
perhaps they thought,
if I do things just right,
I’ll get my healing.
Do you ever feel like Christianity
is all about doing the right things?
Do you ever think:
“If I do what Jesus says I’m supposed to do,
then things will all work out?”
“I need to earn God’s love”?
The 1 leper,
the Samaritan,
seemed to know it didn’t work that way.
He seemed to know that
what Jesus had given was a gift—
--not something he could ever earn
by what he did.
Am I like the 9—
--trying to earn God’s favor?
Or like the 1—
--giving thanks for the gift?
Let’s take that a step further.
It’s a great pleasure to have Ashley here tonight.
In October,
I got to catch up with what was going on with her,
when I was at Luther Seminary for a couple days
for a preaching conference.
And the highlight of that conference
was hearing one of my favorite theologians—
--Thomas Long.
This was one of the Bible passages he talked about.
And what he suggested
was that we look at the verses right before this.
Let me read Luke 17, verses 7-10 to you:
Jesus says:
Who among you would say to your slave
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’?
Would you not rather say to him,
‘Prepare supper for me,
put on your apron and serve me
while I eat and drink;
later you may eat and drink’?
Now listen to this:
Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded?
So you, also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say:
“We are worthless slaves;
we have done only what we ought to have done.
Now,
I never thought of this
until Thomas Long suggested it,
but why did Luke
put the story of the 10 lepers
right after this account of the slaves?
Is it possible that there’s a connection?
That verse is haunting:
Now, we wouldn’t say this out loud,
but is it possible,
deep inside,
that we think that it’s God’s job to heal.
That’s what God is supposed to do.
It’s like God is a slave in that way—
--God is supposed to heal us.
And so, if that’s God’s job,
when a slave has done
what a slave is supposed to do,
there’s no reason to give thanks.
And only someone outside the system,
only someone who sees it differently,
like a Samaritan—
--would see…
That when God reaches into our lives
and heals us,
and cares for us,
in whatever way we need care right now—
--it’s more than just what God is supposed to do.
It’s an amazing gift.
And are we able to see that gift
and give thanks.
I pray that we are.
And I pray that we can see the gift
in good times and in bad.
As one wise woman said:
“It’s easy to look up to God
when you’re flat on your back.”
Maybe that’s how it was for the 9.
They turned to Jesus for help when they had a need.
But when they were better,
they quickly forgot the source of life.
They were still thankful for the gift—
--they just forgot the giver.
Which is something I do, too.
The 10th leper
Realized that all of life is a gift.
As John Claypool says:
“Just to get up each day
is a windfall.”
God gives us the gift of each day.
Tough or easy,
it’s all a gift from God.
Ultimately, it seems to me,
that the difference between the 9 and the 1
is how they see things.
They were all healed.
Jesus took care of all of them.
But the 1 was whole,
not because his leprosy was any more gone than the others,
but because he recognized the source of healing
and responded in praise and thanksgiving.
He recognized God’s mercy
and it changed his life.
And his life was complete,
not just because the leprosy was gone,
but because of his relationship with God through Jesus.
And that’s true for us, too.
Whatever’s happening in our life,
Whether we’re physically sick or well,
Whether we are troubled or content,
Whether we are in an easy time or life or hard…
Our life is complete,
we are made whole,
when we see the one who gives us all life—
--when we see God through Jesus—
--and respond in praise and thanksgiving.
I read in a daily devotional I get about Pastor Schmidt.
Here’s what it said:
Ninety-year old Pastor Schmidt talked about living on bonus time.
His bonus time started
when he survived the 1918 flu epidemic.
He celebrated every day after
as a special gift from God,
with a passion for using his bonus time
to do good in the name of the one who healed him—
--Jesus.
Pastor Schmidt’s healing from the flu was important to him,
but the most important healing
came from the experience of dying to himself,
to his own goals and desires in life.
And God gave him new life as a child of God
whose life would be given in service.
All 10 were healed.
What was different about the 1?
He recognized the healer.
And having recognized God in Christ,
he praised,
gave thanks,
and followed.
On this Thanksgiving,
may we do the same.
Praise.
Give Thanks.
Follow.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
