PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 17:11-19
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18)
Children raised in a rich family can often become spoiled, ungrateful.
The poor can’t take anything for granted, and tend to be more thankful.
Often those on the ‘inside’ take their blessings for granted.
Jesus experiences this with the nine ungrateful Jewish lepers.
The application for us today is to those within the church.
Have we become so spoiled by God’s grace we don’t appreciate it?
Do we take our blessing for granted, maybe even thinking we deserve it?
How we respond to outsiders will reveal the truth here.
If we make it hard for them to join, it shows we don’t appreciate grace.
We have been amazingly, shockingly graced well beyond our deserving.
If we really understood this, we would throw the doors open wide.
Not because sin doesn’t matter, but because grace matters more.
Our whole life and ministry ought to be driven by gratitude for grace.
Can you think of anyone who does NOT deserve grace?
PRAYER
Lord, if it wasn’t for your gracious love and patience for me, I could not be here writing this. How can I withhold grace from anyone else?
I really appreciate these sentences (or special nuggets) in your reflection, Norm:
Not because sin doesn’t matter, but because grace matters more.
Our whole life and ministry ought to be driven by gratitude for grace.
“He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”
I find that we often pray for certain things to happen and when our prayers are answered we often forget to thank God for responding. WE need to be like this foreigner – who never expected to receive a blessing of healing from a Jewish Rabbi – but he did. And when he did, he had to go back to give thanks. O Lord you are so gracious and patient with me – help me to see your grace in my life and praise you for it!!
It always amazes me how in the third world country churches go beyond their means to welcome you in their church and/or after church for coffee/refreshment in their home. Or while in Haiti, to those who came late to church missing most of the service, telling the person that they were glad to see them in church. Thankfulness, joyfulness, gladness, welcomingness . . . that the visitor may experience happiness that they came. Thank you Lord that you have welcomed me a Your child and I need to be accepting/welcomeing all others into the family with gladness. Help me to be an instrument of Your peace.
1 Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured–
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
2 Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater– yes, grace untold–
Points to the Refuge, the mighty Cross. [Refrain]
3 Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
All who are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive? [Refrain]