The Gospel of Luke: The Master's Mercy | healing | sin - Audio

Sermon Notes: April 26, 2026 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 . We all have something in our lives that makes us feel like we’re on the outside looking in. That's what these lepers are experiencing prior to this story. Leprosy meant complete exclusion in Jewish culture. This is a picture of all of us: because of sin, we are all on the outside, and all have a need we can't fulfill ourselves. The lepers in this story understood that. They refer to Jesus as "Master"--using a word that meant "one who has authority over all else." Even what they ask for specifically--not just "healing," but "mercy," shows their understanding of their complete and utter dependency on Jesus. Jesus doesn't touch them or heal them as an immediate response--instead he commands them to go to the priests, and they respond to that by submitting to his command, understanding that because of his authority the command superseded all other circumstances. The miracle met them along the way--"as they went." By having obedience and faith, they moved before understanding. This is true of our lives--Jesus often asks us to do something before it makes sense. And we must go, and we meet God along the way. Once they were healed, only the Samaritan--the one most on the outside of Jewish culture--who came back. Oftentimes, it is those who are most on the "outside" who are most receptive to mercy. And this Samaritan fully gives himself over to the praise he offered God--"praising with a loud voice" and "falling on his face." This is the posture we should adopt in our own heart when we express thanks to God for his mercy and blessings. Like this Samaritan leper, we should not separate the gifts we receive from the ones who gives it. We should not be like the nine who never returned to offer thanks. It is easy, when we ask something of God and receive it, to get caught up in living our own lives and forget the one who gave it to us. Don't forget God's mercy and be lulled into a life of forgetful comfort without taking a moment to say thank you to the Master for his Mercy. Jesus tells the thankful Samaritan his faith has made him "well," using the same word the Bible uses for salvation--all ten of the men received healing in their body, but the Samaritan received healing and deliverance for something deeper than his skin. His soul was touched.