INTRO > We are following a series called “An encounter with Jesus” . We´ve learned about Saul who became the Apostle Paul, one of the first disciples to follow Jesus, and we learned of those who walked with Jesus on the road to Emaus. There are many stories in the people of people who had encounters with Jesus and they were never the same. Today, we´re going to read a passage in the Bible that represents many people, one which had an unforgettable encounter with Jesus. Let´s pray. (PRAY) Please open your bibles with me to the gospel of Luke Chapter 17: 11 to 19. If you´d like a bible, you can raise your hand and one of the ushers will give you one. We´ll read it first in Spanish and you can follow along in English. LUKE CH. 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? Has no one returned to 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 NIV I love this passage! Even though we were not there in person, we have the story written down and we can use our imagination to visualize how it could have happened. v. 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. To understand the background of this story, Jesus and his disciples had been traveling around Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, healing the sick, proclaiming the kingdom of God, and now they were on the road to Jerusalem in Judea /JU-di-A/. On the map, you can see Galilee UP and then Samaria and then Judea. ● The Jews and Samaritans did not get along well. In fact, in general, they hated each other. There were many jews at that time who would take a longer road in order to not have to go through Samaria. ● The Samaritans were descendants of the jews who’d gotten married to foreigners and therefore were not considered “real” jews. So, that’s where they’re walking. v.12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. ● They’re traveling , they’ve almost reached town, maybe there is food and water there or rest. ○ ● And there’s and interruption. It’s a big group of men , rejected by their community. We see later that among them there were jews and Samaritans, and they’d created and found community amongst them. In their sickness there was acceptance that was not common between healthy Samaritans and jews. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” They stood at a distance ● Leprosy was a serious disease. Some lived in caves, trapped there by society. It was very contagious – people would stay away at a distance – the lepers would announce that they weren’t clean. ● I think back during the Covid quarantine when all this started in 2020 . I remember walking in the street in complete open air on the wide sidewalk and then another person is also walking but sees me from far and then decides to cross to the other side of the street to continue walking- and we were both wearing facemasks! And I wasn’t even sick , but the person looked at me like I could have the disease and then ignored me. This was sad because I like to smile and greet people when I walk on the streets. ● Imagine having a physical condition where everyone always wants to avoid being near you. v.13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” They had the courage or despair or hope to interrupt Jesus and ask him for His compassion. ● Are you aware that you can call on God and he will ALWAYS hear you? ○ Psalms 18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord ; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. ● Our God doesn’t only listen, but he is also filled with compassion. ○ Each one of us can receive his compassion and he calls us to be part of that and share it with others too. ○ Matthew 9:36-38 dice When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field». ○ Let’s pray that God would send people that can share his love in every part of Tijuana and each part of Mexico and every corner of the world. ■ And let’s be open to see how God wants to use us in the different areas where we’re in right now. V.14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” In Leviticus 13 we can see how the temple priests were the ones allowed to examine the people and declare whether they were clear or still unclean. The law had detailed instructions – it was in God’s heart to protect his people and avoid having sick people spread their illness to many others. They didn’t have the same access to medical care , clean water and diseases like that could eliminate a whole community. ● He only said these words ( Go show yourselves to the priests). He didn’t even touch them. ○ We can see in Luke 5: 12-14 – Jesus healed other lepes, but that he touched them. This time, he didn’t. ○ The lepers had a decision to make. ■ We obey Jesus’ words or we depend on our understanding. ■ I’d like you to see this – as they the step to go and see the priests, they weren’t yet healed! But they decided to obey. ■ We also have decisions to make – Do we obey God’s word even when we can’t see the big picture or the results we desire at that moment? ■ Proverbs 3:5-6 dice Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Verse 14 continues – Resultó que, mientras iban de camino, quedaron limpios. / And as they went, (as they were on their way) they were cleansed. ● They heard the voice of God, took steps of obedience and received healing. ● If God says it, then let’s take steps. ● Trust and obedience are so connected / linked. God speaks – he speaks to us through His written word, he speaks through his creation, through dreams and he speaks to our hearts – and if there is something where you’re asking yourself – “ Is this God? Or is it me? Or the enemy? ○ God’s voice is never going to contradict His written word. We always want to bring it back to His word and see, does this match / falls in line with the word? Does it make sense with God’s character? ○ It’s also good to talk about it with people you trust – Say “ Listen , I feel God has been telling this , what do you think? It helps so much to walk in community with other people who know and love God. ● I’m impacted by how ALL of them were cleansed – the grace of God towards one person is not limited by His grace towards others? ○ Lamentations 3:22-23 says : Because of the Lord ’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. V.15 -18 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? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” We don’t know what happened with the other 9. They must have noticed that the Samaritan man was going back. It wasn’t something he was doing in silence. - Many times in the Bible we see how people would look for Jesus just for a miracle. How many gifts have we received from God? Do we thank Him? o In newphews’ birthday , I love to see how my brothers are very intentional on making sure that they know where their gift came from and who gave it to them. And if they don’t automatically say “Thank you”, my brothers make sure they say it – “Say Thank You”. o James 1: 17 says : Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. o When you think of something God has done for you, thank him! ● Let’s be part of those who turn around towards Jesus prasing him and saying “ Thank you!” ○ Psalms 100 : 4-5 says > Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. ● Imagine being infront of a king and receiving a gift…taking it and the leaving without saying thank you. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of Lords. Imagine being with your best friend and receving a gift of great value …taking it and then leaving without saying thanks. ○ John 15:15 says > I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. . . ● ● I love that even though he was a Samaritan, the man turned back to give thanks. ○ Jesus and his disciples were jews! The man could have been rejected by them. ○ But Jesus accepted him : ■ Galatians 3:28 -- There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - And not only did Jesus accept him, but He also, blessed him: Verse 19 says> Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Hay algo muy hermoso aquí que no aparece a primera vista. There is something very beautiful here that is not seen at first sight: The Greek word that is used in verse 14 that says “they were cleansed” is “katharizo” which means to clean or purify. o In Matthew 10: 8 the same word is used : “cleanse those who have leprosy” The word in Greek that is used in verse 15 to say “when he was, he was healed” is “iaomai” which means “ to cure or heal”. ● BUT , in verse 19 , when Jesus speaks to the Samaritan who came back , he doesn’t say “Your faith has “iaomai” / cured or healed/ “ ○ He uses the word “sozo” – which means “ to be safe , to be made whole and to be complete” – It’s another type of healing. ○ “Your faith has saved you” – Your faith has made you whole / complete. ○ We see the same word “sozo” in many passages that talk about salvation: ■ Matthew 1: 21 talking about Jesus - She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because “he will save (Sozo) his people from their sins” ■ In Mathew 9:20-25 with the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years – Jesus’s words were : “Take heart, daughter” – “ your faith has healed (sozo) you”. ■ In Luke 19: 10, “For the son of man came to seek and to save the lost” ● ● ● What we most need is salvation . ○ The other 9 were cleansed, but they missed the opportunity to have an encounter with Jesus in order to receive salvation. ○ A scholar of the new testament, Marshall , stated that “A miracle can open the way for salvation, but faith in Jesus is independent from miracles”. It’s interesting to notice that the other 9 obeyed Jesus’ words – he said : “Go show yourselves to the priests” and they did that! ○ Sometimes we might be doing what the Bible says but miss the encounter with God. ○ We could be following the right steps for religion , but miss out on a relationship with Jesus. ○ I think of the parable of the prodigal son and the older brother. ■ The older brother lived in his father’s house , but was he close to his father or did he trust him? Let’s not lose/ miss out on the GIVER by being distracted by the Gift. You could be providing for your family , like the Bible says, but if you turn around and thank God for that job then you will find HIM through blessing. God is a God of compassion. He listens to us and speaks to us. If God says something, let’s take a step towards it! Let’s thank Him for everything he has done and continues doing in our lives. Let’s look for different ways to show compassion to others and spread the message of salvation. If you have never received God’s salvation, today can be that day for you! It’s the best decision you can make in your life. Jesus didn’t just come to heal our wounds, he can heal! But he also came to die on the cross and rise up from death to give us salvation. Sozo – to be safe , to be whole/ complete. The Bible says that Jesus is the door of our hearts knocking. If you want to let him in to be your saviour and Lord of your life, you can pray after me. The exact words are not the most important thing—He sees your heart.
