Luke 17:11-19 THANKFUL FOR GRACE
Intro: So, what are you thankful for these days? Most of the time, our thanksgiving is for material and
physical things. We are grateful for financial help and physical health. Or, like the nine men in our text,
we are thankful for nothing.
Our text presents us with a man who shows us where the real cause for thanksgiving lies. It is good
to be thankful for the material and the physical, but there are some things more valuable than that. I would
like to examine this man’s story today and show you a man who is Thankful For Grace. My prayer is
that God will help us to see the real reason for thanksgiving.
I. v. 11-13 A TRAGIC CONGREGATION
A. Their Condition – Ill. Leprosy! Lev. 13:3 – Deeper than skin – Rom. 3:23 | 13:7 – Spreads – Gal.
6:7 | 13:44-45 – Defiles – Ill. Achan, Josh. 7 | and David, 2 Sam. 11 | 13:46 – Isolates – Isa. 59:2 |
13:52 – Destines for the fire – Psa. 9:17. Leprosy defiled; distanced; and doomed all who were
afflicted by it! It is a clear picture of sin and its affects on humanity! (Ill. 9 Jews and 1 Samaritan – Made
equal in their affliction, Rom. 3:22. Sin great leveler!) Have you been delivered from sin?
B. Their Cry – Ill. Had heard about Him somewhere! (Ill. Bartimaeus; Woman with issue; bowed woman;
Jairus’ daughter; Demoniacs, blind, fed multitudes, etc.) Cried out in faith – “Master” = “Chief
Commander” – They recognized His power and His authority to heal. (Ill. They did what the sinner needs
to do! Cry out to Jesus, He is the only One Who has the power to deliver the lost person from his
sins! Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Acts 16:31; ***Matt. 11:28*** - “Come unto ME!” Have you called on Him?
II. v. 14 A TREMENDOUS COMPASSION – Under the Law, they deserved nothing! They were all
under a death warrant! Jesus owed them nothing, but when they met Him, they met grace!
A. His Perception – He saw far more than their outward condition; He saw the deepest needs of their
hearts. He wanted to do more than heal their bodies! Ill. Many think they need money, health, things,
etc. Jesus knows you need salvation! He sees you like you are, Heb. 4:13. What does He see when He
looks at you?
B. His Plan – Do it God’s way – Ill. Lev. 14. That’s still how it is done! There is only one way to God and
His name is Jesus, John 14:6; 1 John 5:12. God’s plan is for you to bow and call on Jesus for salvation!
Have you done that?
C. His Power – As soon as they turned and obeyed the Lord’s command, they were healed! Every sign
of their disease disappeared from their bodies! (Ill. That is what Jesus does for all that come to
Him! Ill. Paul – Acts 7-9; 1 Tim. 1:12-15.) (Ill. Meeting Jesus changes everything – 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:1-
4! Ill. What this meant for a leper. Ill. What it means for a sinner! Reconciliation, Salvation, Adoption,
Heaven, etc!) (Ill. The instant faith is exercised, salvation is accomplished – Rom. 10:9; 13. Ill. It doesn’t
take all day!
III. v. 15-19 A THANKFUL CONVERT (Ill. 10 are healed, only one returns to give thanks to
Jesus for His grace.)
A. His Realization – He realized 2 things. 1. He had been healed, and; 2. He did not need to go to
the Temple, he was a Samaritan. The Law had no authority over him! He came back and thanked Jesus
for what He had done for him. The 9 were out to honor the Law; this man knew that he had met grace!
B. His Rejoicing – Ill. PIM – He kept on praising the Lord! No wonder! Ill. If it ever dawns on us all that
the Lord has done for us, we will be hard to handle! (Ill. He is worthy of our praise! But, we are far behind
in that department! We need to take the time to be thankful for His grace in our lives – Ill. Heb. 13:15;
Psa. 32:11; 33:1; 40:1-3; 47:1; 132:9; 135:1-3 – Do you see a pattern developing? God inhabits the
praises of His people – Psa. 22:3!
Conc: No wonder the old boy came back and said “Thank you!” and praised the Lord. But, can you hear
the heartbreak in the voice of Jesus as He says “but where are the nine”? There should have been ten
men bowing in thanksgiving instead of one. All ten had experienced God’s providence in bringing Jesus
by; Christ’s compassion and love in healing them; and His power that made them whole.
Ill. Something happened in this man’s heart as well as in his body – Ill. “whole” = “save” Ten got new
bodies; one got a new heart! He was thankful for grace! How thankful are we for the greatest gift of all:
the amazing grace of God that set us free from our sins? He is here if you need salvation, forgiveness, to
say “Thank You.” Don’t break His heart be thankful for the great things He has done in your heart!
