Be Thankful
Be Thankful
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.
—Willie Nelson
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
Luke 17:11-14
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.”
Did Jesus heal them before or after their thanksgiving? Before. So Jesus does his work in our life. Thanksgiving is the test of our heart. Do we recognize God’s good grace?
The part where Jesus says, “your faith has made you well” hasn’t made much sense to me. Until I realize that the way in which he’s made well the second time is spiritually. He’s saying that the man who comes back isn’t just physically whole. He’s spiritually whole.
It’s the same “save” used in Luke 19:10 after the story of Zacchaeus when Jesus says of himself: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
What’s the opposite of gratitude? Thanklessness, bitterness, entitlement, pride, anger? I’m not saying this means everything in your life is perfect. It’s not. I know that. People may have hurt you this year. The blind man could have been focused on his lost years.
Could we think like this? Our level of thankfulness is a thermometer gauging our spiritual temperature.
“made you well”
properly, deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin
“thanked him”
2168 euxaristéō (from 2095 /eú, "good" and 5485/xaris, "grace") – properly, acknowledging that "God's grace works well," i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory; to give thanks – literally, "thankful for God's good grace."
Transliteration: eucharisteó
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-khar-is-teh'-o)
Definition: to be thankful
What is the eucharist? It’s the ceremony celebrating the last supper. The reminder of the bread and wine. The body and blood of Christ.
Luke 22:7-19
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
It’s appropriate that we use the word eucharist to refer to communion because all thanksgiving ultimately points back to Jesus.
Give thanks to the Lord—He loves you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34
Psalm 106:1
Psalm 107:1
Psalm 118:1
Psalm 118:29
Psalm 136:1
What are you thankful for?
Estonian proverb: Who does not thank for little does not thank for much. So if we can’t think of some small things to be thankful for, our hearts aren’t properly made alive by the tremendous work of Christ in our lives.
What is an attribute of God’s character you are thankful for? Something about God’s character—who God is.
Has God healed you or someone you know this year? Tell the story.
What is something you’ve seen God do this year that you are thankful for and want to testify about? A need that you had the God met?
How has God changed you this year? How have you matured?