Luke 17:11-19 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the middle of Samaria and Galilee.… I. THE SINGULARITY OF THANKFULNESS. 1. Here note — there are more who receive benefits than ever give praise for them. Nine persons healed, one person glorifying God; nine persons healed of leprosy, mark you, and only one person kneeling down at Jesus' feet, and thanking Him for it! 2. But there is something more remarkable than this — the number of those who pray is greater than the number of those who praise. For these ten men that were lepers all prayed. But when they came to the Te Deum, magnifying and praising God, only one of them took up the note. One would have thought that all who prayed would praise, but it is not so. Cases have been where a whole ship's crew in time of storm has prayed, and yet none of that crew have sung the praise of God when the storm has become a calm. 3. Most of us pray more than we praise. Yet prayer is not so heavenly an exercise as praise. Prayer is for time; but praise is for eternity. 4. There are more that believe than there are that praise. It is real faith, I trust — it is not for me to judge it, but it is faulty in result. So also among ourselves, there are men who get benefits from Christ, who even hope that they are saved, but they do not praise Him. Their lives are spent in examining their own skins to see whether their leprosy is gone. Their religious life reveals itself in a constant searching of themselves to see if they are really healed. This is a poor way of spending one's energies. II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE THANKFULNESS. 1. Living praise is marked by individuality. 2. Promptness. Go at once, and praise the Saviour. 3. Spirituality. 4. Intensity. "With a loud voice. 5. Humility. 6. Worship. 7. One thing more about this man I want to notice as to his thankfulness, and that is, his silence as to censuring others.When the Saviour said, "Where are the nine?" I notice that this man did not reply. But the adoring stranger did not stand up, and say, "O Lord, they are all gone off to the priests: I am astonished at them that they did not return to praise Thee!" O brothers, we have enough to do to mind our own business, when we feel the grace of God in our own hearts! III. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THANKFULNESS. This man was more blessed by far than the nine. They were healed, but they were not blessed as he was. There is a great blessedness in thankfulness. 1. Because it is right. Should not Christ be praised? 2. It is a manifestation of personal love. 3. It has clear views. 4. It is acceptable to Christ. 5. It receives the largest blessing.In conclusion: 1. Let us learn from all this to put praise in a high place. Let us think it as great a sin to neglect praise as to restrain prayer. 2. Next, let us pay our praise to Christ Himself. 3. Lastly, if we work for Jesus, and we see converts, and they do not turn out as we expected, do not let us be cast down about it. If others do not praise our Lord, let us be sorrowful, but let us not be disappointed. The Saviour had to say, "Where are the nine?" Ten lepers were healed, but only one praised Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. |
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