Thankfulness (Part 3)
Which Leper Are You?
We’ve been in a series on thankfulness / gratitude—not just as something we do, but as something we are. This week’s message walked through the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17 and asked a piercing question:
When it comes to Jesus, am I one of the nine… or the one who comes back?
The morning also started with a powerful testimony from Kenny G: a story of how Jesus saved him, freed his conscience, and filled his life with joy, serving, and gratitude. His story set the tone: encountering Jesus changes everything—and real thankfulness is the fruit.
Key Scripture: Luke 17:11–19
Jesus is traveling between Samaria and Galilee when ten lepers cry out from a distance:
“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
He tells them to go show themselves to the priests, and as they go, they are healed.
But only one turns back, praising God, falls at Jesus’ feet, and gives thanks. Jesus asks:
“Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”
Then He tells the one who returned:
“Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
This story is both natural (physical healing from leprosy) and spiritual (healing from sin and death). The physical miracle points to the deeper miracle of forgiveness and new life in Christ.
1. Gratitude Is Awakened by Grace
“Thankfulness is an attitude of the heart that is awakened by encountering God’s grace.”
Real gratitude doesn’t start with positive thinking or good manners. It begins when:
I realize what Jesus has done for me.
I see what I deserve apart from Him (separation from God).
I understand that everything good I have is grace, not wages.
When grace lands on the heart, thankfulness wakes up.
2. The Ten Lepers: A Picture of Us
The lepers show us a spiritual picture of every human being:
They were lepers – rejected, unclean, untouchable, essentially “already dead.”
In the same way, sin isolates, destroys, and brings spiritual death.
They had to stand at a distance and shout “Unclean!” just to be near people.
If we translated that into modern church life, it would sound like walking through the doors saying out loud:
“Drunk.”
“Porn.”
“Adultery.”
“Anger at my spouse.”
The weight and shame of that gives us a tiny glimpse of what lepers experienced. It’s a picture of how sin separates us—from God, from others, and even from our true selves.
3. What the Lepers Knew (and What We Need to Know)
The ten lepers actually knew two really important things:
They knew who they were.
They were lepers. They were dying. They were hopeless on their own.
Spiritually, that’s us in our sin apart from Christ.
They knew who Jesus was.
They cry, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
“Master” = the One who is over me, the One with authority and power.
They weren’t just yelling at a random teacher; they were appealing to the only One who could save them.
They also prayed the right prayer:
“Have mercy on us.”
They weren’t asking for tips, self-help, or religious tricks. They knew they needed mercy—something only Jesus could give.
4. Saving Faith vs. Emergency Faith
Here’s where it gets uncomfortable (for all of us):
There’s a massive difference between saving faith and emergency faith.
Saving Faith
Says: “Jesus, You are Lord and Savior.”
Surrenders every area of life to Him:
My relationships
My job
My money
My time
My decisions
Produces obedience and a transformed life.
Keeps walking with Jesus after the crisis is over.
Results in ongoing gratitude, worship, and change from the inside out.
Emergency Faith
Treats Jesus like a genie in a bottle or a “break glass in case of emergency” God.
Shows up when life blows up:
“Lord, fix my finances.”
“Lord, heal this relationship.”
“Lord, get me out of this jam.”
Seeks relief, not surrender.
Often disappears once life goes back to “normal.”
Likes Jesus’ blessings, but not His Lordship.
We all have moments of emergency faith—we’re human.
But the goal is not to stay there. The goal is to grow into lordship faith—a life where Jesus isn’t just our Rescuer, He’s our Ruler.
5. The Nine vs. The One
All ten lepers:
Knew they were sick.
Knew Jesus was the answer.
Experienced His power.
But only one came back to worship and give thanks.
The early church fathers noticed this:
“Many receive God’s mercy, but few return to give thanks. The gift is common; the grateful soul is rare.”
The nine show us a lot of modern patterns:
Knowing the songs but not knowing the Savior.
Liking God’s blessing more than His presence.
Praying desperately in crisis, then vanishing in comfort.
Wanting Jesus to fix our lives, but not lead our lives.
Receiving mercy, but rarely returning to worship with gratitude.
The one leper is different:
He sees that he’s been healed.
He immediately turns around.
He praises God loudly.
He falls at Jesus’ feet.
He gives thanks.
That’s not a moment—it’s a posture.
6. How Do I Know I’ve Really Encountered Grace?
You know grace has landed in your soul when:
You regularly find yourself in a posture of humility:
“I deserve nothing. You deserve everything.”
You’re moved by what Jesus did—His cross, His suffering, His resurrection.
You see your life changing slowly over time (sanctification):
Old desires losing power.
New desires emerging.
Relationships shifting.
Pride softening.
You may not be perfect (spoiler: you won’t be), but you’re being transformed.
Thankfulness doesn’t save us, but it is the fruit of truly meeting Jesus.
7. Practicing a Life of Thankfulness
This series isn’t about adding one more religious task. It’s about cultivating a heart posture. Some practical ways Pastor John mentioned:
Gratitude journal:
Keep a small notebook. When you’re discouraged, write down specific things you’re thankful for. When the day goes sideways, read it back.Thank-you notes:
Write specific, personal notes to people, telling them why you’re thankful for them.Daily heart check:
Ask:“Am I living today like one of the nine—or like the one who came back?”
Worship as a response to mercy:
When we worship together, lift your hands, sing, kneel—not to perform, but because you know what it cost Jesus to save you.
8. Communion: Returning to the Feet of Jesus
The sermon ended by moving into communion, tying it directly to this story.
Communion is our regular chance to:
Examine our hearts:
“Lord, forgive me for being like the nine.”
Bring every area—relationships, money, worries, anger, sin—to Jesus and say:
“Lord, it’s Yours.”
Remember His body broken and His blood shed:
The cross He endured.
The judgment He took.
The forgiveness and eternal life He purchased.
As we take the bread and the cup, we’re not just remembering an event—we’re returning, like the one leper, to fall at His feet in thankfulness.
Reflection Questions
You could add these at the bottom of the blog for people or life groups:
Which leper am I most like right now—the nine, or the one who came back? Why?
Where do I tend to treat Jesus more like emergency help than Lord and Savior?
What specific things has God done in my life recently that I’ve never stopped to thank Him for?
How can I build a small, daily practice that keeps my heart awake to God’s grace (journal, note, prayer, etc.)?
When I come to communion, am I just taking bread and juice, or am I really returning to the feet of Jesus?