Have you noticed that every year Thanksgiving gets ignored more and more? What I mean is that most retailers immediately transition from Halloween to Christmas with little to no recognition of Thanksgiving. Hopefully such a trend in the retail sector will never make it into the spiritual sector. Unfortunately, there is a story in the life of Jesus that illustrates how easy it is for us to skip thanksgiving. And this morning we’re going to examine that story as well as the rest of the Bible to discover the importance of gratitude and hopefully prevent us from ever skipping thanksgiving.
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Luke 17:11-19 (ESV)
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Lesson Resources:
E. E. Carpenter, “Sacrifices and Offerings in the OT” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, 4: 268. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988.
Leon Morris. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 3. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1988.
http://www.creekwoodcc.org/lw/lw_Giving%20Thanks.htm. Last Accessed October 5, 2023.