Bible Study: Luke 17:11-19, Leviticus 13–14. Thanksgiving at the Margins

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Bible Study: Luke 17:11-19, Leviticus 13–14. Thanksgiving at the Margins Bible Study: Luke 17:11-19, Leviticus 13–14. Thanksgiving at the Margins 1) Giving thanks to God is a critical part of the Christian life. a) Private prayer and meditation should always include gratitude. 2) Corporate worship involves giving thanks, a) Holy Communion is known as “thanksgiving” (“Eucharist” is from the Greek “to give thanks”). 3) Historical/Cultural Background a) As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem he travels through the area on the border between the more Jewish section of Galilee and the more Samaritan section of Samaria. b) Locale also explains why this group of ten lepers had at least one Samaritan in it. c) Observant Jews traveling in these areas would be at some physical risk from Samaritans; d) Hostility between them in Jesus’ day was like the modern hostility between many Israeli Jews and many Palestinian Muslims. 4) Gospel for the Marginalized a) On the outskirts of a village Jesus is met by the voices of “ten leprous men” i) Who keep the required distance: Lepers typically lived just outside settlements, ii) near enough to for them to beg at a distance. b) Leprosy is a generic term in the Bible for any skin disease i) renders one unclean, ii) ranging from the fatal form (Hansen’s disease, which is our conception of leprosy today) iii) to more common chronic dermatological and neurological problems. 5) In ancient Israel and early Judaism, leprosy was seen to be a divine punishment for sin. a) Its social and religious consequences—exile from home, village and the worship assembly (Lev. 14:34-57)— b) Often that kind of isolation was more serious than the medical consequences c) Jesus work for these ten lepers is twice called “cleansing” (17:15, 17) and only once “healing”(17:15). 6) Custom dictated that these men call out to Jesus’ group, “Unclean, unclean!”to keep warn them away. a) Instead, they shout to Jesus for his mercy, inviting him to come closer b) They call him “master” (Greek epistata), c) In all five previous uses (see 5:5; 8:24, 45; 9:33,49), “master” is used by Jesus’ disciples to address him, often in urgent situations. d) This usage implies that these ten lepers have faith in Jesus. i) What sort of mercy they want, they do not say; ii) it could be food, money, forgiveness or cleansing. e) After “he saw them,”Jesus replies, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” i) They know immediately that this means they were going to be cleansed. ii) Off they go—but to what priests? To Jewish priests living in the area, or to Samaritan priests iii) Could be either (they are in a border area) 7) The point of the story found at its end, a) Off they go, and somewhere on the way their leprosy vanishes: “as they went, they were made clean” (17:14). b) Greek implies that the cleansing took place as they left the outskirts of the village, and had not gotten not too far away from Jesus., c) Also the tense of the Greek verb rendered “were cleansed” may imply sudden, not gradual, cleansing as they walked. d) (Since they probably had not gotten far from Jesus, the cleansing would have been rapid, if not instantaneous.) 8) Whenever it happened, it was a dramatic moment a) They looked, one first and probably then the others, at their own hands and feet, and they saw that they were clean Luke Session 9 Page 1 b) Out of sheer joy and hope, they must have moved or even removed their own clothing, to inspect themselves fully. i) The leprosy was gone, and they had been completely cleansed! ii) Their faith turned to sight, and their steps quickened as their bodies strengthened. 9) By faith in Jesus and obedience to his instructions they had been healed, a) and now they continue to obey him as they made their way to the priests. 10) But one former leper, when he realizes that he had been healed, does not continue on the way a) He shouts praise to God and leaves the group, i) perhaps drawing some sharp questions and comments from the other nine: ii) “Where are you going? Didn’t we just get healed by obeying Jesus’ command to go and show ourselves to the priests? If your leprosy comes back, you’ve got nobody to blame but yourself!” b) Ignoring them, and shouting loud praises to God for his healing, he turns and goes back to Jesus. i) “Loud voice” in the Old Testament signifies especially intense, heart-felt emotion usually in the worship of God, and is found in other places in Luke’s Gospel (1:42, 4:33, 8:28, 17:15, 19:37, 23:23, 46). c) In an act of worship, he “falls on his face” (the NRSV more formally says “prostrates himself”) in front of Jesus d) The man on a journey out from Jesus and a journey back to him is now completely motionless, sprawled out in front of Jesus e) . He gives Jesus thanks, but probably in a much softer voice— i) people lying on the front of their bodies generally don’t have the “lungs” for loud shouting. f) Then, almost in an aside, comes the plot twist that reorients the story, a surprise to most readers of this story and those there to see it unfold: “and he was a Samaritan.” 11) Jesus then poses a series of three rhetorical questions that challenge his listeners, a) Yes, ten lepers were indeed cleansed; remarkably, only one has returned; and this one does not belong to the true people of God, the Jews. b) Jesus notes that this “foreigner,” this man who was doubly marginal because of his ethnicity and his disease, “returns to praise God.” i) Jesus thus validates the decision of this Samaritan to disobey his order in order to return to him 12) The conclusion looks to have standard wording for a gospel miracle story, a) but in this scene it fairly bristles with meaning: b) “Rise up,” Jesus says to the man, “go on your way” i) Where will he go –to a Samaritan priest to certify that he is clean, or to his home? c) Jesus’ next statement makes it clear: “your faith has made you well/saved you.” 13) On Jesus’ word, the word that can heal and declare healing done, a) this Samaritan is certified clean without any formal inspection. b) We can imagine that he went directly to his own home still filled with praise to God and thanksgiving to Jesus. 14) Luke’s deep passion for the poor and marginalized shows itself unmistakably in this passage. a) Not only is the grateful man a former leper, b) he is a Samaritan—a sort of “anti-hero” for a Jewish audience, c) someone they would prefer not to see as a role model. d) Yet, it is precisely this man who shows gratitude e) All of the ten lepers were cleansed, but Jesus pronounces the thankful Samaritan saved by his faith. 15) In a stunning way, Luke foreshadows the mission to the Gentiles, a) indicating that salvation would extend beyond the Jews. 16) The other nine lepers were not disobedient; they headed to the priest to present themselves., a) However Luke clearly praises the behavior of the one who returned to Jesus with overflowing gratitude. b) Obedience to God is expected and commendable, but gratitude completes the picture. 17) In Luke and in our world, the humble offer the best lessons in gratitude. Luke Session 9 Page 2 18) Sometimes people use the expression “Thank God!” too lightly, even flippantly. One man responds by saying “I do, everyday.” What do you think of his response? 19) Why might gratitude be more readily found in those who are marginalized? 20) How does this story compare to the story of the anointing woman in Luke 7, whose forgiveness was great, so her gratitude was also great? 21) Was the thankful Samaritan one of many Samaritans in the group of lepers, or was he the only “foreigner?” 22) Does the ethnic makeup of the group have any bearing upon the theological interpretation of the story? 23) Why, in your opinion, would a “foreigner” like this Samaritan be more thankful than the (Jewish) true people of God? 24) Do you think that the one leper disobeyed Jesus by turning back? 25) How does Jesus’ response validate or invalidate the leper’s spontaneous return to give thanks? Luke Session 9 Page 3 .
Recommended publications
  • Bible Passage: Luke 17:11–19 God Created Us to Worship
    2.12 date: Bible Passage: Luke 17:11–19 (Jesus Heals Ten Lepers) REMEMBER VERSE God chose us to belong to Christ [Jesus] before the world was created. Ephesians 1:4 (NIrV) God Created Us to Worship Him SERVICE SCHEDULE Explore:: Welcome & Engage 10–15 minutes Discover & Respond:: Large Group 30–40 minutes Respond & Bless:: Small Group 20–35 minutes ENVIRONMENT: IDENTITY Through this part of The Big God Story, we can see the environment of IDENTITY highlighted in how Jesus restored the Samaritan leper into who he was meant to be: a healed man who belonged to God and worshipped Him with everything he was. © 2013 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. 2.12 Inspire NOTES: I stood before the mirror observing my reflection, and then I started to cry. What was once a flattering dress was now a tight and ill-fitting mess. This wasn’t the first time I had tried on clothes from my closet and found them to suddenly be uncomfortable, or too small. I was a sophomore in high school and had stopped growing vertically in junior high. I had, however, been growing horizontally ever since I stopped playing volleyball. Now it was undeniable: I was gaining more weight than I wanted. For the five to six years that followed, I struggled with my body image. I often felt fat and unattractive, to the point that I could barely acknowledge when people complimented me. It didn’t help that I was comparing myself to images of supermodels in magazines, or my more naturally slim sisters.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gospel of Luke (An Overview and Reading Plan)
    The Gospel of Luke (an Overview and Reading Plan) I. Luke's Gospel begins with an extensive prologue. 1:1-4 Dedication to Theophilus 1:5-56 Announcement of births (John and Jesus) 1:57-2:21 Birth of John and Jesus 2:22-38 Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 2:41-52 Twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple II. Note - Luke's “Gospel” was written in two volumes. These volumes were intended to be read together (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-5). III. Luke’s Gospel contains a large amount of material not found anywhere else. Prologue 1:1-2:52 Infancy Narrative Miracles 5:1-11 Miraculous catch of fish 7:11-17 Widow of Nain’s son 13:10-17 Crippled woman 14:1-6 Man with dropsy 17: 11-19 Ten Lepers Parables 10:29-37 Good Samaritan 11:5-8 Friend at midnight 12:13-21 Rich fool 15:11-32 Forgiving father 16:1-12 Unjust steward 16:19-31 Rich man and Lazarus 18:9-14 Pharisse and publican Also 7:40-43; 13:6-9; 14:28- 30, 31-32; 15:8-10; 17:7-10; 18:1-8 Stories 10:38-42 Mary and Martha 19:1-10 Zacchaeus 24:13-27 Walk to Emmaus 24:50-53 The Ascension (cf. Acts 1:6-11) IV. Jerusalem receives special emphasis in Luke. 2:22-52 Childhood visits to Jerusalem 9:51-19:40 Ten chapter journey to Jerusalem 19:41-44 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem 24:41-43 Resurrection appearances in and around Jerusalem 24:44-49 Jesus tells the disciples, “Stay in Jerusalem.” V.
    [Show full text]
  • Eight Constraints on the Interpretation of Luke 17:11-19 Stephen H
    Eight constraints on the interpretation of Luke 17:11-19 Stephen H. Levinsohn SIL International1 Every now and then at a Society of Biblical Literature meeting, I hear a paper that seems to be based on translations into English, rather than the original language. This paper seeks to bring out the danger of such an approach by looking at the way the NIV2 presents and packages the events of Lk 17:11-19, then comparing and contrasting it with the Greek. The following is a line by line listing of the events as the NIV records them. (Each speech act is treated as a single event, comprising a verb such as ‘said’ or ‘called out’ that introduces the reported speech, together with the contents of that speech [in blue]. 16c is not an event, so has been put in italics.) 11a Now on his way to Jerusalem, 11b Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12a As he was going into a village, 12b ten men who had leprosy met him. 12c They stood at a distance. 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14a When he saw them, 14b he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” 14c As they went, 14d they were cleansed. 15a One of them, when he saw he was healed, 15b came back, 15c praising God in a loud voice. 16a He threw himself at Jesus' feet 16b and thanked him 16c and he was a Samaritan. 17-18 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Some of these events are presented in subordinate clauses (11a, 12a, 14a, 14c, 15a, 15c).
    [Show full text]
  • The Social World of Luke-Acts 1
    RLNT770: History of NT Interpretation II The Social World of Luke-Acts 1 The Social World of Luke-Acts: Models for Interpretation, ed. Jerome H. Neyrey Annotated Outline by Elizabeth Shively for RLNT770 PREFACE Jerome H. Neyrey 1.0 Authors-Collaborators • This book results from the 1986 decision of a group of historical-critical scholars to apply social sciences to the biblical text. • They took a “systems approach” that seeks to understand a larger framework, i.e., the culture of those who produced the text. 2.0 Luke-Acts • Luke-Acts is good for the application of social sciences because of its concern with social aspects of the gospel, its geographical and chronological scope, and because of its universal issues. • The models applied to Luke-Acts can be applied to other NT documents. 3.0 A Different Kind of Book • The aim of the book is to decipher the meaning of Luke-Acts in and through the 1st c. Mediterranean social context, and to understand how this context shaped the author’s perspective, message and writing. • To do this, one must recognize the cultural distance between original and present readers; and read the text through a foreign model of the way the world works. • This book is meant to be a handbook of “basic social scientific perspectives” (xi) for historical-critical study. 4.0 Social Sciences and Historical Criticism • Rather than taking a purely historical approach, this book investigates the social and cultural patterns that shaped those who heard or read Luke-Acts. • Whereas history looks for a linear storyline, social science looks for typical repeated social patterns in specific times and places in order to find particular and distinctive perception and behavior.
    [Show full text]
  • A Literary Understanding of the Relationship
    Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Honors College at WKU Projects Spring 5-16-2014 Your Faith Has Saved You: A Literary Understanding of the Relationship between Physical Healings, Faith, and Salvation in Luke-Acts James Benjamin Hussung Western Kentucky University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Hussung, James Benjamin, "Your Faith Has Saved You: A Literary Understanding of the Relationship between Physical Healings, Faith, and Salvation in Luke-Acts" (2014). Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects. Paper 477. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/477 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College Capstone Experience/ Thesis Projects by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU: A LITERARY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL HEALINGS, FAITH, AND SALVATION IN LUKE-ACTS A Capstone Experience/Thesis Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Arts with Honors College Graduate Distinction at Western Kentucky University By J. Benjamin Hussung ***** Western Kentucky University 2014 CE/T Committee: Approved by Dr. Joseph Trafton, Advisor Dr. Tom Hunley ____________________ Advisor Dr. Terry Dean Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy Copyright by J. Benjamin Hussung 2014 ABSTRACT The two-volume first-century work, Luke-Acts, presumably written by Paul’s sometime companion, Luke the physician, follows the story of Jesus’s birth, earthly ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension in the first volume and then the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome by the apostles in the second.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ten Lepers
    Awakenings Units: Jesus Helps me to Choose Level 2 Sacramental Life Level 4 PARABLE OF THE TEN LEPERS Luke 17:11-19 Prepare to Hear the Word: • This is a healing miracle story only found in Luke’s Gospel • In Jesus’ time anyone who had a skin disease was considered a leper. • The leper who came back to thank Jesus was a foreigner from Samaria, already an outcast in Jewish society. You will need: • 11 Puppets – Jesus and ten lepers • Green felt base When children are seated in a semi-circle ready to listen to the story, place the gold box/bag, containing the materials you will need, carefully beside you. Lay out the felt and begin. Put the figure of Jesus on the felt. This story comes from our special book, the Bible, so we know it will tell us something about God. Add the ten lepers to the scene Lepers were people who had terrible skin diseases – and a terrible life. Put your hands between the lepers and Jesus to create a barrier. Lepers were not allowed to live in the towns, because people were afraid of catching their disease. If anyone came near a leper, the leper had to warn the other person to go away. No one was allowed to touch lepers. Move lepers towards Jesus one at a time. One day, ten lepers called out to Jesus, and asked for his help. Jesus saw them and told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Move lepers away from Jesus. The priests were the people who had to say whether or not they were really healed.
    [Show full text]
  • BEATITUDES When Jesus Saw the Crowds, He Went up on a Mountainside and Sat Down
    BEATITUDES When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:1-6 Photo: lumoproject.com INTRODUCTION Several years ago my thinking changed about being a disciple of Jesus. I began to see how my faith was mostly creed and concept oriented. I decided to put myself in the sandals of those early disciples who followed Jesus. They did not have the letters of the New Testament but they had Jesus. What were the first lessons he taught them? Jesus not only demonstrated the lifestyle of the kingdom but he also taught it to his first followers. This course is the first part of his teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. God is not just interested in right doctrine, but also in right attitudes, relationships and lifestyles. In 1994 I was asked to write a correspondence course on the Beatitudes for a Bible School in London, England. They were surprised when I gave them this material, for they expected a basic and simple course rather than this detailed one. My research and writing had taken me over 200 hours! Anyway, I do pray that your spiritual life will be greatly enhanced by going slowly through this teaching.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lord's Prayer Christ Gives an Incomparable Model for All Prayer
    The Lord’s Prayer click blue underlined links to view verse(s) In this meeting we look at “The Lord’s Prayer” with the theme of praying and prayer THE LORD’S PRAYER To start our reflections we look at the two scripture passages recorded for us. Matthew 6:9-13 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Luke 11:2-4 2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Notes: words highlighted in red are not found in modern translations, e.g. NIV TEACH US HOW TO PRAY The prayer was a response from Jesus to a request from His disciples to teach them to pray Luke 11:1 and in both instances in Matthew and Luke Jesus said “when ye pray”. It is not a prayer that Christ Himself could pray 2 Cor 5:21 The believer is a child of God through the new birth.
    [Show full text]
  • Luke 17 Resources
    Luke 17 Resources PreviousClick chart to enlarge Next Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission See another Luke Overview Chart by Charles Swindoll Click chart to enlarge Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission HENRY ALFORD Luke 17 Commentary GREG ALLEN Luke 17:11-19 Where Are His Thanks? MICHAEL ANDRUS - SERMONS Luke 17:11-18:8 NOW AND NOT YET Luke 17:1-10 FOLLOWING JESUS WILLIAM BARCLAY Luke 17 Commentary ALBERT BARNES Luke 17 Commentary BRIAN BELL Luke 17 Sermons Luke:17:1-10 4 Sermonettes Luke:17:1-10-Part 2 Unconditional Forgiveness? Luke:17:11-19 Healed But Not Whole Luke:17:20-37 Kingdom Conundrum CHRIS BENFIELD Luke 17:5-10 Faith and Faithfulness JOHANN BENGEL Luke 17 The Critical English Testament BRIAN BILL Luke 17:7-10 Settling the Servanthood Issue Luke 17:7-10 Serving Without Thanks BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR Luke 17 Commentary JIM BOMKAMP Sermon Notes Luke 17:1-19 Jesus Gives Four Instructions To Disciples To Help In Their Growth And Faith / Heals Ten Lepers But Only One Thanks Him Luke 17:20-37 Questioned About When God's Kingdom Will Come, Jesus Tells His Disciples About His Second Coming GENE BROOKS Luke 17:1-19 - Forgiveness and Thanksgiving Luke 17:20-37 - The Coming of the Kingdom A B BRUCE - Expositor's Greek Testament Luke 17 Commentary HENRY BURTON Expositor's Bible Commentary D Edmond Hiebert - A practical, warm-hearted exposition by a conservative scholar. Although written during the nineteenth century, it is rich in its interpretative contents, as, for example, on chapter 15.
    [Show full text]
  • Praying with Scripture
    PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption 1 2 Praying with Scripture “The books of scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error the truth which God wanted to put in sacred writings for the sake of our salvation.” (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation) “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Tim 2 18:17) “God's Word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12) Lectio Divina This method of prayer goes back to the early monastic tradition. There were not bibles for everyone and not everyone knew how to read. So the monks gathered in chapel to hear a member of the community reading from the scripture. In this exercise they were taught and encouraged to listen with their hearts because it was the Word of God that they were hearing. When a person wants to use Lectio Divina as a prayer form today, the method is very simple. When one is a beginner, it is better to choose a passage from one of the Gospels or epistles, usually ten or fifteen verses. Some people who regularly engage in this method of prayer choose the epistle or the Gospel for the Mass of the day as suggested by the Catholic Church. First one goes to a quiet place and recalls that one is about to listen to the Word of God. Then one reads the scripture passage aloud to let oneself hear with his or her own ears the words.
    [Show full text]
  • Women in the Gospel of Luke
    Supplement to Introducing the New Testament, 2nd ed. © 2018 by Mark Allan Powell. All rights reserved. 8.4 Women in the Gospel of Luke Women are mentioned frequently in all four of the New Testament Gospels, but they are especially prominent in Luke: Passage Brief Description Luke 1:5–7 Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth is named; both are righteous and old Luke 1:13, 18 Gabriel and Zechariah each mention Elizabeth briefly Luke 1:24–25 Elizabeth conceives and praises God for taking away her “disgrace” (of being barren) Luke 1:26–38 Annunciation: Gabriel visits Mary to proclaim Jesus’s birth; Mary agrees to cooperate Luke 1:39–56 Mary visits Elizabeth; Elizabeth praises Mary; Mary praises God in the “Magnificat” Luke 1:57–61 Elizabeth gives birth to John and she names him Luke 2:5–7 Mary goes with Joseph to Bethlehem and gives birth to her firstborn child Luke 2:15–20 Shepherds visit Mary and Joseph; Mary treasures all things in her heart (v. 19) Luke 2:22. 27 “They” go to Jerusalem for “their” purification; Simeon speaks to both “parents” Luke 2:34–35 Simeon speaks directly to Mary: a sword shall pass through her heart Luke 2:36–38 Prophet-widow Anna praises God and speaks to the people about Jesus Luke 2:41–51 Both “parents” take Jesus to Jerusalem; his mother speaks (v. 48) and “treasures” all (v. 51) Luke 3:19 Wicked Herodias mentioned only very briefly (contrast Mark 6:17–29) Luke 4:25–26 Jesus cites the Old Testament stories of the widows of Israel and the widow of Zarephath Luke 4:38–39 Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law; she then immediately serves them all Luke 7:11–17 Jesus has compassion for a widow in Nain, and so restores her only son to life Luke 7:28 “Among those born of women no one is greater than John” (the Baptist) Supplement to Introducing the New Testament, 2nd ed.
    [Show full text]
  • Eucharistia: the Generosity of God’S Presence
    B4CHURCH.ORG/STUDIES EUCHARISTIA: THE GENEROSITY OF GOD’S PRESENCE November 17, 2019 Pastor Brad Williams BIBLICAL MAIN TEXT(S): TEXT(S) Luke 17:11-19; Matthew 6:25-34 SUMMARY Gratitude can be difficult in our modern world because we often live out of a scarcity mindset. We often think that there isn’t enough to go around, so we need to get all we can while we can. This causes us to focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. We become ungrateful. However, our God is not a God of scarcity. He is a God of provision, for that we should be grateful. In the Gospel of Luke contains a story that reminds us that we should be grateful for what God provides. Jesus heals ten lepers of their leprosy, yet only one of the lepers returns to thank Jesus. This particular leper was a Samaritan, a person the Jews would have looked down on. This story reminds us that often those who know God best are least likely to thank God for his provision. We become used to God providing for us and cease to marvel at what he has done for us. Purposeful gratitude can help us combat this tendency. Only through gratitude can we keep our eyes and our hearts where they belong, the God who lovingly provides for us. DISCUSSION LEAN IN QUESTIONS These are icebreaker/warm up questions, mostly just to get the group talking These questions and start the flow of conversation. Choose one question and talk it over for 5-10 minutes.
    [Show full text]