Luke 17:11-19
11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
I came across an article that was talking about relationships and it stated:
If you lower your expectations, you won’t be disappointed.
But what does it mean to have “Expectations?”
Well, according to the Oxford Dictionary, it means to have a strong belief that something will happen in the future.
But here is one thing I have learned in life…if you strive for mediocre, then you can usually expect to receive mediocre in return.
I always told my children, “Always do your best…Whatever it is you are doing…whether it is schoolwork, your job, or a project…Always do your best and strive for excellence.”
But all of us have expectations…
We have expectations for our spouses and children.
We have expectations for our co-workers.
We have expectations for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We even have expectations for ourselves.
And of course, what happens when we or someone else does not meet those expectations?…
We become disappointed.
Disappointment…caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.
I wonder…How many times Jesus gets disappointed in us – for the way we are treating one another in this world…
Have you ever thought about…
What are Jesus’ expectations of His followers?
In this story today, a Samaraian – A foreigner – Someone that Jesus would have never expected – came back to give him thanks and praise for what Jesus had done for him.
In fact, Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem when they decided to cut through between Samaria and Galilee, where they entered a village.
As soon as they came into this little village, there were ten men who had leprosy – which is a skin disease. Now it is treatable – but then it was thought to be very contagious and being that it was on the skin, it made you look terrible.
Lepers were marginalized. The Laws mandated not to have any physical separation, but also social isolation. These men resided outside the walls of the village.
So, these men stood at a distance as they were having this conversation with Jesus.
But interestingly, they knew who Jesus was and called out to him – “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
That was all they said to him, but when he saw them and how pitiful they seemed, he had compassion and mercy for them and says, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
The reason Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests was because for one with leprosy to be allowed back into society once healed, the priest had to be the one to allow you assess and give you that permission to enter into society.
So off they go and do as Jesus tells them. However, while on their way to show themselves to the priests, they receive a miracle – their leprosy is cured.
The text does not say for sure, but we can most likely assume that 9 out of the 10 lepers were Jewish and the one man was a Samarian…He was considered a foreigner.
It was the Samarian – the one who would have been the least expected – who noticed that he had been made well along the way to the priest – who turned back around to find Jesus and give him thanks and praise for what He had done for him.
And what does Jesus say? “Where are the other nine? Where they not healed also?”
It’s almost like you can hear the disappointment in his voice…
His expectation that those he made well – a miracle performed – that they would be so happy and grateful, they would at the least, come and thank him for what he had done.
But the one, who he probably least expected – a foreigner – comes back to find Jesus and tells him, “Thank you.”
But for me, it is what Jesus says to him at the very end that really intrigues me and may be what answers our question: What does Jesus EXPECT from us?
Jesus says to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
For this Samaritan – he now sees himself, not only healed from the disease – but is a healing that is more than skin deep –
It is a healing that gives him a new self-image, restoration within the community, a shift from isolation to restored social status, and a redeemed relationship with God.
This Samaritan has now been made whole and righteous with God! This is something far deeper than what the other nine have received.
The other nine have been healed physically, but this man has been made whole – physically and spiritually.
This man has received salvation!
I cannot help but to think about how we will be entering into the season of Advent when we meet John the Baptist who prepares the way for the Lord…
He says, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is Near!”
Repent! Turn back to God. Turn away from your sin. Ask for forgiveness.
This is exactly what this Samarian did!
He was on his way to go to the priests – noticed that his leprosy was gone –
And he turns back…He “TURNED BACK” to God!
He recognized Jesus as his Lord and Savoir – “He prostrated himself at Jesus feet and thanked him.”
Yes, Jesus healed his disease, and he was able to go home and be with his family and return into society.
But it was his faith in Jesus Christ – that made him whole – sanctified him – set him apart from the other nine who had leprosy –
He too had leprosy, but now he has a restored and righteous relationship with God!–
The one person out of the ten becomes the greatest example of faith.
So…the question: What are Jesus’ expectations of His followers?
What does Jesus expect from us?
Well…I think Jesus expects us to mess up.
I think Jesus knows that you and I are going to sin.
I think Jesus is disappointed before we even know that He is disappointed.
I think Jesus knows how much we hurt.
I think Jesus knows how broken we are…
I believe He knows we try really hard to do our best.
Therefore, I believe Jesus did what He did on the cross for our sake because we could not meet his expectations no matter how hard we have worked or tried…
I believe he looks upon us the same exact way that he did that day he looked upon those 10 men with leprosy – and has compassion and mercy for each one of us…
We may as well be one of them saying, “Jesus, Master…Have mercy on us…”
And so Jesus continues on his way to Jerusalem and just happens to pass us by…
To climb up on that cross, willingly…to have the nails hammered into his hands and feet…
A sword thrusted into his side…
Whipped…beaten,…and spit upon…Dies…and is buried…
And through His resurrection…he conquers death!
And now we are the ones who on this night…in the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine, we fall to our knees in praise and thanksgiving for all that Jesus Christ has done for us –
Amen.