Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: When Christ Moves Graciously

Theme: Expressing Proper Thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus

“Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’

When He saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’

And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him--and he was a Samaritan.

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?’

Then He said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

(Luke 17:11-19)

When Christ acts graciously on your behalf, He expects you to express a proper attitude of thanksgiving

Jesus Christ never sinned and His life was not characterized by an ill temper.

The passages of Scripture I am about to read hold the account of Jesus healing the ten lepers.

Leprosy was a disease which the Jews believed to be afflicted upon people for punishment of some particular sin and as far as they were concerned marked the displeasure of God.

The Lord knowing the thoughts of those who would hear of His gracious act took this time to cleanse the lepers who cried out to Him from a distance asking for His mercy.

To have leprosy in the time of Christ had a double whammy because those with this disease were disfigured physically and ostracized socially.

Regardless of his previous status in life a leper became known as the cursed and marked with the label “outcast.”

Frank Slaughter wrote in his book The Cross and the Crown, “Wherever the leper went he was required to announce his presence with a cry of ‘Unclean!

Unclean!

This was a signal for all to draw away lest they be contaminated by the dreaded disease.

Lepers could not enter the Temple of Jerusalem nor any walled.

Since all religious authorities admitted to being utterly without power in themselves to heal the leper, those having this disease could only find help from God.”

Those being destroyed by leprosy lived a life of hopelessness, crying out to Lord, the only one who could intercede for them.

Luke 17:11-19, “Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’

When He saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’

And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him--and he was a Samaritan.

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?’

Then He said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

(Luke 17:11-19)

I would like to propose to you that when Christ acts graciously on your behalf, He expects you to express a proper attitude of thanksgiving.

Symbolically, leprosy represents the sinful nature that is in all of mankind.

Spiritually, non-Christians are easily afflicted with the results of the sins of the flesh, the lures of the world and the lies of the devil.

Unrepentant sin keeps them from having fellowship with God and causes sinners to miss the abundant life that is promised to those who will surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Jesus Christ graciously gave up His life on the Cross so repentant sinners could have fellowship with the Lord.

Just as the lepers had no hope of being healed apart from God’s intervention, mankind, who inherited sin from Adam has no hope of defeating sin without having a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ.

Just what truths does the Holy Spirit of Christ want you to grasp this Thanksgiving season in regard to the gracious working of Christ in your life?

The Lord is always steadfast in His Father’s business

There are many truths found in God’s Word that you must grasp and cling to this Thanksgiving season.

The first is that the Lord is always steadfast in His Father’s business.

In Luke 2:49 we read of Jesus proclaiming a powerful truth that needs to be illuminated on the hearts of the children of God by the Holy Spirit.

He spoke this truth when Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple after looking for Him three days.

Jesus said, “Why were you looking for Me?... Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49 NIV) The King James Bible has a wonderful translation with “…I must be about My Father’s business.”

(Luke 2:49 KJ)

While affirming His Sonship Jesus was saying that He must be about His Father’s affairs or in the things of My Father.

He must devote Himself to the work of God.

In Luke 4:43 Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God… because this is why I was sent.”

He also said, “My food… is to do the will of Him [His Father] who sent Him.

(John 4:34)

Remarkably we read in Scripture at the age of twelve Jesus knew of His unique relationship with God and that His chief purpose was to complete the work that God His Father had sent Him to do.

Jesus also knew that while doing His Father’s will He was completely under the watchful eye and care of God.

Even though the Lord’s work would often be misunderstood He walked in obedience to His purpose for being sent to earth.

(A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory; Matthew Henry Commentary; The Bible Exposition Commentary; The Pulpit Commentary; The New American Commentary; Barnes Notes; The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible)

Christ paid the price on the Cross of Calvary, so every born again child of God may know that he is created to bring glory to Christ.

As he walks in obedience he can enjoy being under the watchful eye and care of God.

Even though at times their work is going to be misunderstood, the children of God must walk as the Holy Spirit leads them in the counsel of the written Word of God.

By prayerfully reading and studying the Word of God every Christian can discern the Lord’s will for him.

By surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit he can live a life that says, “I am about the Lord’s business and I am fully dedicated to the Lord’s will in my life.”

Christians who are illuminated with this truth say as C.T. Studd, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”

The child of God who takes to heart the Great Commission holds to that promise that says “And surely I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20) This attitude of heart enables Christians to enjoy living a life of thankfulness because they know that they are under the watchful eye and care of God.

The Lord Jesus gives this exhortation for those who want to express a life of thankfulness.

John 9:4 says, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me…” Day here means the time allotted for Jesus and His church to work.

It is still day.

The bride of Christ is still upon the earth and she is to be about the work of spreading the gospel and showing the mercy and love of God through meeting the needs of the people in Christ’s name.

At all times the church is to be pointing lost souls to Christ and teaching all who will listen how to live out the Christian life.

Just as God had sent Christ, the Lord has commissioned His church to go and make disciples.

(Barnes Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Bible Commentary: The Pulpit Commentary; The Daily Study Bible Series: The Expositors Bible Commentary)

While praying for Himself Jesus said, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you have given Me to do.

(John 17:4) In this passage of Scripture Jesus is praying to God for Himself, full of confidence because of obedience to His Father’s will.

Obedience to God always births forth the peace of God in a Christian’s life.

Jesus was getting His work finished and knew God would help Him stay obedient even to death on the Cross.

(John 14:4) Jesus had exercised His authority over people humbly and out of showing God’s love offering everyone eternal life.

He revealed Himself to those who God had given eyes to see who He really was.

He had prayed for those who were His and for those who would come to Him in the fullness of time.

(John 17:2,6,9,24) In everything He had done Jesus brought glory to God His Father.

(John 17:4) “Glory” (doxazo) means recognize, live a life of praise to, keep in a place of honor.

This involves recognizing God for who He is and celebrating Him in praise, worship and in adoration.

(Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament; The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament; Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) Jesus faithfully preached the Word of God.

(John 17:5) and He gave believers a Name in which they can enjoy the power of God, the Name of Jesus Christ.

(John 17:11-2) (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Just as God fulfilled His plans and continues a work through Christ, Christians can rest assured that the Lord will do a complete work in them, enabling them to complete all He calls them to do.

They must walk in obedience to accomplish a work for the Lord, showing the love of Christ to others, offering prayer for everyone, preach and teach God’s Word, and live a life that brings glory to God.

Recently, I read the story of a child who was invited to Vacation Bible School by some friends.

The young boy decided to start going to the church that hosted the Bible school.

That church had a bus ministry which would go out each Sunday to pick up kids or whoever wanted to go to church.

Week after week the bus driver would prayerfully prepare the bus and pray for people who wanted to get a ride to church.

For 359 Sundays this bus driver sacrificed time and energy to accomplish God’s work.

No doubt many times he thought of letting that ministry go.

I’m sure that there were many times he thought he was not doing any good, and especially for that one boy who started attending church because of his friends’ invitation to VBS.

This little boy rode the bus back and forth to church for 359 Sundays and all that time he refused to surrender his heart to the Lord.

The bus driver no doubt listened to the lies of the devil, saying things like, “This kid is going nowhere spiritually, why waste any more time on him?”