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Where Are the Nine?
That’s the question Jesus asked after healing the ten lepers in Luke 17. Ten men were cleansed, but only one of them “turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him” (17:16). Where were the other nine?
We are about to closeout another Thanksgiving weekend, a holiday that until recently was not as commercialized as Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. But is has become the opening act for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For many, it is not longer a time to be thankful for what you have; it is an opportunity to obtain more things that you don’t need. I wonder if Jesus would ask, “Where are the nine” (17:17)?
One of the characteristics of men that brought about the wrath of God was that “even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks” (Rom. 1:21). They failed to recognize that their gifts came from the great Giver, and that they were still completely dependent upon Him. In the last days, Paul said men would be “ungrateful, unholy” (2 Tim. 3:2). Has there ever been a time when this description was as evident as it is now?
For the Christian, giving thanks should be a way of life. We are to enter God’s gate with thanksgiving (Psa. 100:4). Thanksgiving is to accompany our praise (Heb. 13:15) and our prayer (Phil. 4:6). This is to be done much more than once a year. It is a daily privilege.
Yet, I wonder if Jesus would ask His own disciples, “where are the nine?” We have all been recipients of God’s blessings. Let us not forget to turn back, fall at His feet, and give thanks...
That we serve a mighty God. Where did the ten leprous men turn for their healing? “They raised their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master’” (17:13). That is a word that means “chief commander.” They understood that Jesus was One of authority, even over disease. Leprosy was a death sentence, so where else could they go but to Him who could command the dead to be raised.
We serve the same Master who is the giver of every good thing and “every perfect gift” (Jam. 1:17). Not only does He have the power to create the heavens and the earth, but He has the concern to know what we need even before we ask Him. That’s hard to fathom, isn’t it? Such a mighty God who cares about us and our problems? But He does. And for this we should be thankful.
That we serve a merciful God. That was the request of the ten lepers: “have mercy on us” (17:14)! They understood that Jesus had the power to heal them. But He didn’t have to. He instructed them to go and show themselves to the priests, a condition of the Law of Moses for reentry into society. He was essentially telling them to go get proof of their healing before they were even healed. They did not question Jesus. They did not wonder what the priests would do for their leprosy. They had come to Him for mercy; they were not about to doubt His method of healing.
Perhaps one of the reasons we are not as thankful for God’s mercy as we ought to be is because we have forgotten the sinful state from which we were saved. Like a leper, we were dead and helpless in this condition. We were cut off and isolated from God. We had no cure in ourselves to change this. But God, who is rich in mercy, cleansed us. He made us whole and holy again. That alone ought to cause us to fall on our faces at His feet and give thanks.
That we serve a forgiving God. Only one of the ten turned back. Perhaps in their excitement to show themselves to the priests, the other nine rushed ahead. But one of them could not go another step without “glorifying God with a loud voice” (17:15). He wanted everyone to know what God had done for him. He wanted Jesus to be the first person he touched with his restored body. “Stand up and go,” the Lord said, “your faith has made you well” (17:19). “Made you well” is literally translated “saved you.” Jesus not only healed his leprosy; he healed his soul.
It is difficult to count your many blessings and name them one by one without putting forgiveness at the top of the list. And when we fully appreciate being restored to the joy of our salvation, we should not cease to glorify God with a loud voice so that everyone will know the great things He has done. That turns this gift into one that keeps on giving.
Even though Thanksgiving weekend is about over, our pilgrimage is not. We are on a journey to a home where there is no sickness, disease, or dying. Along the way, we have much to be thankful for. Let us “give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).
