Greetings in the name of our coming King, Jesus!
Let me ask you something...be honest with yourself. Are you a giver or a receiver? Is it about what God can do for me, give me; or is it about what I can give Him. Do we come to God to give or receive? If you said both, what is it you want to get from Him? What is it you can give Him?
Today's reading in Luke 17:11-19 is about gratitude. Ten lepers came to receive "mercy/pity" from Jesus. They stood at a distance because of their leprosy. As they were on their way to the priest, they received the healing they were wanting to get. They received mercy in the form of external cleansing from leprosy. Immediately upon seeing that he was healed, one of the ten returned "praising God in a loud voice". He came right up to Jesus and fell at His feet. The passage records that he returned to "give" praise to God. There was an incredible gratitude for what he had been given (a physical healing), and in return he just had to give glory, praise, worship and thanks to God. In his desire to "give" gratitude, the Samaritan man received even more. He got intimacy with Jesus - no longer was he at a distance, he was able to embrace Jesus at His feet. No longer did he just receive a physical healing, he received faith and wholeness. Verse 19 says, "your faith has healed you". The word "faith" means "divine persuasion", which is always a gift from God. He was persuaded there was more to Jesus than just someone from whom one could receive healing.The word "healed" is the Greek word "sozo" meaning saved, delivered, rescued, restored, etc. Jesus was not only one who could heal him, but the one who could truly save him. This man received more because he came back to give glory to God. As Jesus said, it is definitely more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35)
Verses 11-19 are about a man returning to meet Jesus. Verses 20-37 are about Jesus returning to meet believers. We have in these verses a great picture of the return of Christ. The passage basically says:
- the kingdom of God is within you or already in your midst (20-21)
- there will be deceivers trying to deceive disciples (22-23)
- it will come unexpectedly, suddenly, like a flash of lightning (24)
- it will come when everyone is just going about their regular life (26-29)
- They will be unaware of the impending judgment and destruction (26-29)
- you can't take anything or anyone with you. You have to be ready to leave all behind, including loved ones (30-35)
- verses 36 & 37 are hard to understand, but I see them as a sign of spiritual decay. When the world is dead, rotting in its own death and depravity, like a decomposing body, where vultures are ready to consume it. As described in 2Timothy 3, and 2Thessalonians 2.
Friends, I see today's reading as an admonition to get close to Jesus, to worship Him and be grateful to Him for saving, rescuing, healing and delivering you. I also see it as an admonition to keep living for Him, because His return is imminent, and will come at a time we do not expect. Let us not be busy with our own things, but let us be about His business, willing to part with this world at any moment. Are we true worshippers who are ready to meet our returning king!
Have a great week!
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