Trinity 14 September 5, 2021
Luke 17:11-19
Healing for Whatever Ails You
v.19 And He [Jesus] said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Dear friends in Christ, in our Gospel reading today we see Jesus passing between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. Upon his approach to a local village Jesus is called upon by a group of men from a distance. Why are they calling from a distance? Because they are lepers. And as we have learned in our daily bible reading program when we examined Leviticus (13:45), “the leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”
So these leprous men have banded together to scrape out a meagre existence—being separated by everyone else—even from proper worship as a leprous person could not enter the temple. They have struck up an unlikely alliance—9 Jews and 1 Samaritan—usually vehement enemies—brought together by their common ailment.
Even though these men have been segregated by their society because of their disease, such is Jesus’ fame that even they have heard of Him! And so they seek Him out and seeing Him entering the village they cry out from a distance—not the words commanded by Moses, ‘Unclean, unclean’ to warn Jesus of their unholy approach. Rather, they cry out for that which they know they don’t deserve—but which they need most desperately—so they may be saved from their deadly condition—“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
We, too, desire to be saved—desire mercy. For our hearts are filled with the leprousy of sin. Tainted and black we are tormented by the results of sinfulness in this fallen world. We desire rescue from financial pitfalls, poisonous relationships, physical maladies, etc.—all of which cause us untold heartache and sorrow—pain and despair. Separated from God—so we also separate ourselves from one another—by the evil that we think, say, and do. You see, our sin cuts us off just as surely as the 10 lepers were cut off from their friends and families—their community of loved ones.
We look to ourselves and our situation—sinners that are walking dead men—like the lepers were in Jesus’ day—and we pray for deliverance—salvation. And what does Jesus offer? Some mighty works that they had heard about? A good meal? A miraculous show of the laying on of hands? None of that! None of that is necessary when it is the Lord of Life who shows mercy. He speaks—not even direct words of healing or comfort—merely, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” The only ones who could lawfully declare them free from leprosy and send them back to their families and loved ones.
“What a raw deal!” we may think to ourselves. After all that begging and pleading—just a simple, “Go and be on your way.” That doesn’t seem right nor fair. But in faith they heeded Jesus’ words to them and as they went they were cleansed. They were healed and completely cured! Free at long last.
Sometimes, we too may be tempted to wish for something more from God—a sure sign of His favour to us—be it in the form of a fat bank account or a miraculous healing for ourselves or a loved one. But that is NOT how God works. He gives us His Word. We cry to Him for mercy—we fervently pray, “Lord, have mercy; Christ have mercy; Lord have mercy.” And He does—in His Word and Sacraments.
Faith—true faith which God alone gives—works through the Word and Sacraments and leads us to look and cling to the promises of Christ in His Word. Jesus says He has come to take away your sin—to cleanse the leprous stain of filth from your black heart—this He has done by shedding His own blood for you on the cross. Taking your guilt—your disease—your impurity—into Himself and then dying in your place so that He might be raised again.
Saving faith is not so much found in living the “victorious life,” as it were—free from sin in this life—righteous and holy and good. There is no one good, but God alone. Rather, Jesus gives us the victory of His life, death, and resurrection. So, even though our lives may not look very good on the outside—even though our hearts are still filled with sin and death in this valley of the shadow of death—yet we cling to God’s promises to us in Christ Jesus. He who bespeaks you righteous through His unworthy servants (pastors) declares you are healed of all your infirmities—cleansed of all your unrighteousness.
The Holy Spirit has come to you in your Baptism and cleansed your heart—washed it clean through water and the Word that you may be a new creation—perfect and holy and blameless in His sight. No longer are you wretched and sinful in His sight, rather you appear as a beautifully radiant bride prepared to meet her bridegroom! Without spot, stain, or wrinkle on her gleaming white dress that has been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ.
When the one leper—the Samaritan—returned to Jesus, what did he do? He fell down on his face in prostrate worship before the Lord’s feet, giving Him thanks. It is this word for giving thanks, which is the same word Jesus uses when He institutes the Holy Supper. For when He takes bread and the cup—He gives thanks—from this we get the term ‘Eucharist’ for the Lord’s Supper. Truly, we come before this altar today in reverence and awe, even as the Samaritan leper did in our text—in order to give thanks—and receive from the bountiful hand of our Lord full pardon and remission of all sin—by joyously receiving His body and blood under simple bread and wine for us sinners to eat and to drink.
So, beloved friends in Christ, come to this table today, trusting not in your eyes—your nose—or the taste of your tongue. Trust rather in your ears—hear what the Lord Jesus says to you, who have called upon Him this day for mercy. He boldly declares to you, “Take eat...this is my body...take drink...this is my blood...given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” Even though it may not seem like much—this is the greatest treasure you will ever receive—and it’s all free gift—for what truly ails you. In Christ Jesus you have forgiveness, life, and salvation—by faith in Him—you are truly made well. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Luke 17:11-19
Healing for Whatever Ails You
v.19 And He [Jesus] said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Dear friends in Christ, in our Gospel reading today we see Jesus passing between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. Upon his approach to a local village Jesus is called upon by a group of men from a distance. Why are they calling from a distance? Because they are lepers. And as we have learned in our daily bible reading program when we examined Leviticus (13:45), “the leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.”
So these leprous men have banded together to scrape out a meagre existence—being separated by everyone else—even from proper worship as a leprous person could not enter the temple. They have struck up an unlikely alliance—9 Jews and 1 Samaritan—usually vehement enemies—brought together by their common ailment.
Even though these men have been segregated by their society because of their disease, such is Jesus’ fame that even they have heard of Him! And so they seek Him out and seeing Him entering the village they cry out from a distance—not the words commanded by Moses, ‘Unclean, unclean’ to warn Jesus of their unholy approach. Rather, they cry out for that which they know they don’t deserve—but which they need most desperately—so they may be saved from their deadly condition—“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
We, too, desire to be saved—desire mercy. For our hearts are filled with the leprousy of sin. Tainted and black we are tormented by the results of sinfulness in this fallen world. We desire rescue from financial pitfalls, poisonous relationships, physical maladies, etc.—all of which cause us untold heartache and sorrow—pain and despair. Separated from God—so we also separate ourselves from one another—by the evil that we think, say, and do. You see, our sin cuts us off just as surely as the 10 lepers were cut off from their friends and families—their community of loved ones.
We look to ourselves and our situation—sinners that are walking dead men—like the lepers were in Jesus’ day—and we pray for deliverance—salvation. And what does Jesus offer? Some mighty works that they had heard about? A good meal? A miraculous show of the laying on of hands? None of that! None of that is necessary when it is the Lord of Life who shows mercy. He speaks—not even direct words of healing or comfort—merely, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” The only ones who could lawfully declare them free from leprosy and send them back to their families and loved ones.
“What a raw deal!” we may think to ourselves. After all that begging and pleading—just a simple, “Go and be on your way.” That doesn’t seem right nor fair. But in faith they heeded Jesus’ words to them and as they went they were cleansed. They were healed and completely cured! Free at long last.
Sometimes, we too may be tempted to wish for something more from God—a sure sign of His favour to us—be it in the form of a fat bank account or a miraculous healing for ourselves or a loved one. But that is NOT how God works. He gives us His Word. We cry to Him for mercy—we fervently pray, “Lord, have mercy; Christ have mercy; Lord have mercy.” And He does—in His Word and Sacraments.
Faith—true faith which God alone gives—works through the Word and Sacraments and leads us to look and cling to the promises of Christ in His Word. Jesus says He has come to take away your sin—to cleanse the leprous stain of filth from your black heart—this He has done by shedding His own blood for you on the cross. Taking your guilt—your disease—your impurity—into Himself and then dying in your place so that He might be raised again.
Saving faith is not so much found in living the “victorious life,” as it were—free from sin in this life—righteous and holy and good. There is no one good, but God alone. Rather, Jesus gives us the victory of His life, death, and resurrection. So, even though our lives may not look very good on the outside—even though our hearts are still filled with sin and death in this valley of the shadow of death—yet we cling to God’s promises to us in Christ Jesus. He who bespeaks you righteous through His unworthy servants (pastors) declares you are healed of all your infirmities—cleansed of all your unrighteousness.
The Holy Spirit has come to you in your Baptism and cleansed your heart—washed it clean through water and the Word that you may be a new creation—perfect and holy and blameless in His sight. No longer are you wretched and sinful in His sight, rather you appear as a beautifully radiant bride prepared to meet her bridegroom! Without spot, stain, or wrinkle on her gleaming white dress that has been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ.
When the one leper—the Samaritan—returned to Jesus, what did he do? He fell down on his face in prostrate worship before the Lord’s feet, giving Him thanks. It is this word for giving thanks, which is the same word Jesus uses when He institutes the Holy Supper. For when He takes bread and the cup—He gives thanks—from this we get the term ‘Eucharist’ for the Lord’s Supper. Truly, we come before this altar today in reverence and awe, even as the Samaritan leper did in our text—in order to give thanks—and receive from the bountiful hand of our Lord full pardon and remission of all sin—by joyously receiving His body and blood under simple bread and wine for us sinners to eat and to drink.
So, beloved friends in Christ, come to this table today, trusting not in your eyes—your nose—or the taste of your tongue. Trust rather in your ears—hear what the Lord Jesus says to you, who have called upon Him this day for mercy. He boldly declares to you, “Take eat...this is my body...take drink...this is my blood...given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” Even though it may not seem like much—this is the greatest treasure you will ever receive—and it’s all free gift—for what truly ails you. In Christ Jesus you have forgiveness, life, and salvation—by faith in Him—you are truly made well. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.