What does the Bible say about gratitude to God?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of giving thanks to God for His mercy and blessings. Throughout Scripture, gratitude is a recurring theme, highlighting our response to God's acts of mercy and grace. In Luke 17:11-19, ten lepers are healed, but only one returns to thank Jesus. This illustrates the natural human tendency to forget the source of our blessings. Jesus emphasizes this in His question about the nine who did not return to glorify God. The act of giving thanks is not merely a polite response; it is an acknowledgment of God's sovereign grace in our lives and a testimony of His goodness.

How do we know that God listens to our prayers?

God listens to the cries of His people, as shown in the healing of the lepers and the blind man. The narratives in Luke highlight God's compassionate response to the cries for mercy from His people. When the lepers called out to Jesus, they expressed faith in His power to heal. In Luke 18, a blind man called out to Jesus, and despite being rebuked, he persisted, showing his belief that Jesus could help him. These accounts reassure us that God not only hears our prayers but acts on them according to His divine will. They illustrate that our faith in God as the one who responds to our pleas is a central aspect of our relationship with Him.

Why is praising God important for Christians?

Praising God acknowledges His sovereignty and the blessings He has provided in our lives. Praising God is an essential aspect of the Christian faith because it recognizes God's position as sovereign and worthy of honor. The leper who returned to thank Jesus did not do so quietly; he glorified God with a loud voice, indicating that our praise should be bold and visible. This act of worship not only reflects our gratitude but also serves as a testimony to others of God's gracious works in our lives. Furthermore, as Christians, we are called to glorify God in all we do, emphasizing that our existence is meant to honor Him rather than ourselves. This aligns with the historic Reformed understanding that all of life is to be lived coram Deo, before the face of God.

The 10 Lepers - Stephen Hyde | Full Transcript & Audio

I please Almighty God to bless the reading of his holy word to the prophet of our souls this evening. Let's turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 17, and we'll read from verse 12 to verse 19. This is the little account about the ten lepers who cried out for mercy. So the 17th chapter of John and commencing at verse 11. And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go, show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.

And he was a Samaritan. And Jesus, answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. Well, this is a very short and simple account, but it's very relevant for us to recognise the importance of it.

And we see here that Jesus is coming and passing through the midst of Samaria. You may remember that there was that case also in the Gospel of John in the fourth chapter where he must knees go through Samaria. And there was that woman of Samaria who Jesus met and spoke to and was made a great blessing to her soul and also to those who she came with the town that she came from. So here we see Jesus then passing through the midst of Samaria and Galilee and as he entered into a certain village We're not told what it was.

There met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off. Now, leprosy, of course, especially in these days, was a very serious illness. Generally what happened was the flesh rotted on the bones and often fell off and the same with hair which came off with the flesh. So it was a very painful and an illness which often brought death with it.

So we can imagine the concern of these lepers because they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. It's interesting that they came and they called Jesus by name and also referred to him as Master. What a mercy that was. And then they cried out, very simply, have mercy upon us.

And Jesus responded, when he saw them, he said unto them, go, show yourselves unto the priests. That was the requirement when someone was cleansed of leprosy. To ensure that they were cleansed, they had to get the approval of the priest. And Jesus told these 10 lepers to go and show themselves unto the priests. Of course, when he said that, they weren't to know whether they would be healed or not, but nonetheless, that was the instruction. And so we were told, and it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed. There was power, was there not, in the word of the Lord. And my friends, there is still power today with the power of God's word.

And may we understand it, and may we know it ourselves. And there were these 10 lepers, and we're told, and one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God. It's a wonderful testimony and a wonderful example for us today. We won't probably have to be cured from leprosy, but there will be those situations where we do come and we cry to God for mercy. And what a good thing it is that when the Lord shows us his mercy, And the lepers were healed. And it may be we are healed in a spiritual sense that we turn to the Lord.

And as this leper did with a loud voice, glorified God. It wasn't something he said quietly under his breath as though he was ashamed of it. No, it's good with a loud voice, glorified God. And it's easy to pass over that as something not very important.

But really it is important that you and I, in our life, if God has mercy upon us, And if he deals with us in love and grants us the answer to our requests, that we should come with a loud voice and glorify God. For the most part today, Christians are very backward in praising God at all, and especially praising God with a loud voice. And yet, if God has done something for us, if he's heard our cries and had mercy upon us, surely there's great reason for us to come to our God and with a loud voice glorify his name. for hearing us, for answering our prayers and heeding us. What a mercy it is to have such a kind and gracious God.

And not only that, of course, we're told, and he fell down on his face. at his feet, giving him thanks. Well, we may not of course fall down because the Lord Jesus is not here physically, but nonetheless it doesn't go amiss to bow down and to fall down on our knees to thank God. that he has looked upon us, that he has heard, and that he has answered our prayers. And it came to pass that as they went they were cleansed, and one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell on his face at his feet, giving him thanks. So not only was there praise, there was also giving of thanks.

Both these things are so important. And yet, sadly, the Church of God is pretty backward in these things. You know, you can think of it when we're at school, when we're at university, when we're at work, whatever it may be, perhaps when we're retired or at home, when God has mercy upon us. to bow down before him and to thank him and to praise his name with a loud voice. It's a good example for us to realize. And he fell down on his face, at his feet, giving him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. Yes, he was one of those, that nation that the Jews didn't speak to, really. But yet God had mercy upon him.

And then Jesus, answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Well, my friends, we don't want to be like the nine, do we? Who receive blessing and favour. and yet don't return to give thanks, and don't return to praise our God.

It's a word, isn't it, in season for all of us. And with a loud voice, don't forget He glorified God. Well, there's just two other short accounts I wanted to refer to tonight. The first is the 18th chapter of Luke and it's right towards the end where we read of a blind man. We think, of course, it's Bartimaeus. It doesn't actually say Bartimaeus here. But we are told there was, as Jesus passed by, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging. And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy upon me. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him.

And when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Well, that was in a physical way. But for us today, perhaps it's more relevant in a spiritual way, that you and I might receive our spiritual sight, to be able to come then to our God in this way. And Jesus said, he answered him very simply, receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved me.

And what do we read? And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto our God. Another wonderful testimony of praising and glorifying God. These things are recorded for our instruction And it's a good thing if we do indeed recognize the wonderful truth of it and truly praise our God.

Then we have the case in the 30th chapter. of this same gospel. We were told in the 11th verse, And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bound together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. Well we have three examples here in this Gospel of Luke about those who sought the Lord.

The Lord was gracious, he did that which was needful and the result was They glorified God. Well, may we today recognize the relevance of it and the importance of it because God is to be glorified in our lives. That's why we're on the earth. Not to please ourselves, not to satisfy ourselves, but for the great and blessed reason to glorify our God. Well, may God be mindful of us and remember us for good.

The 10 Lepers

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about gratitude to God?

How do we know that God listens to our prayers?

Why is praising God important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

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The 10 Lepers

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about gratitude to God?

How do we know that God listens to our prayers?

Why is praising God important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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