Archive for November 23rd, 2008
Luke 17:11-19 Turning Back to Say Thanks 11/23/08 Thanksgiving Sunday
Posted by myoikos in Uncategorized on November 23, 2008
Luke 17:11-19 NRSV
11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “[you] Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
465 ways to say thank you. http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/thankyou.htm
Gracious! Spanish Arigato, Japan Danke schön, German Merci beaucoup, French Gratcis, Italian Wa'-do, Cherokee Spa-si-bo, Russian Shu-kur, Iraq Ko-map-sum-nida, Korean Ngiy-a-bonga, Zulu/Siswasi Obrigado, Portuguese Tack, Swedish Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus, My Savior, God For you brought me, Yes you brought me, you brought me a mighty long way. ---
What did I learn in school about Thanksgiving?
Pilgrims wore uncomfortable shoes and how many would you can spell using the letters in Thanksgiving and how many more if you use Happy Thanksgiving.
What did I learn at the family dinner table?
How much good food can I stuff myself with in one day and how many football can we watch before we eat again?
What do we learn about being thankful when we come to Christ, as we gather as the body today, for church.
HOW WE SAY THANK YOU
465 languages and dialects … to say what?
Jesus says to the one who comes back to give thanks:
You don’t need anyone to validate or declare you are whole.
You Already Know where to find you Joy.
WHY DO WE SAY THANK YOU?
Your faithfulness in gratefulness, has made you well
Not the Eddy Haskell kind of thank you…
The thank you that anticipates its own reward.
An exercise in genuine GRATEFULNESS
Being Glad, Happy, Approving, at Peace
AND expressing it to those who provide.
Your appreciation has revealed your faith.
Jesus highlights the one/tenth who turn in faithfulness
Thank you Jesus
Your turning back has set you free.
There is a powerful personal commitment in turning back toward Jesus… we are turning our back on the empty words, the popular opinion of approval/acceptance of others.
Thank you for loving me know matter what.
No matter how far. No matter how long.
No matter who says. No matter who knows.
Thanksgiving is not a holiday, it is a Christian activity.
It is the appropriate response to knowing
The work and witness of Jesus Christ in your life.
Once you turn to Jesus, there is no need to go any other way
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, No turning back.