Introduction
Have you ever done something meaningful for someone—something that cost you time, energy, or even a piece of your heart—and then had them walk away without so much as a word of thanks? (For anyone with kids, I already know your answer to that question.) It’s not just the lack of gratitude that hurts. It’s the feeling that they didn’t even realize how much they needed what you did or what you gave up for them.
That’s the thing about gratitude: it doesn’t come solely from good manners. True gratitude arises from recognizing how much we’ve received and how desperately we once needed something. When someone doesn’t see their need, they’re less likely to notice the gift and say thanks.
In our Gospel reading this morning, ten men cry out to Jesus for mercy. All ten are healed. But only one returns to give thanks. The difference wasn’t in how much they received—they were all healed. The difference was in how deeply they understood what had been done for them, and whether or not they returned to give thanks.
Mercy for All
Although Jesus has finished talking with the Pharisees about why he eats with sinners and welcomes them into his community, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this healing story comes immediately after last week’s sermon reading. For a while now, Jesus has been trying to let the Pharisees in on the joke. He told them that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The joke, as I’ve said several times now, is that there are no righteous persons. No one is exempt from needing to repent constantly. No one has earned the right standing before God and can therefore boast or see themselves as a righteous person compared to those “wicked sinners.” Obedience to God is what you owe him, not something that grants you any right standing before him.
That theme reached a climax in last Sunday’s reading when Jesus said:
“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10).
Then, immediately after saying that, Jesus encounters not one hundred people, but ten, all of whom need healing. There’s no one here who’s clean. No one can say, “I’m righteous, and these other people are sinners.” They’re all sick. All of them need God’s healing mercy. And so, they do exactly what all of us should be doing every day—what the liturgy repeatedly invites us to do: they cry out for mercy.
And [they] lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13).
Jesus tells them to show themselves to the priests because the priests are the ones who can declare them clean or unclean. Luke writes that as they went on their way, before they even reached the priest, they were all healed of their leprosy.
A Samaritan’s Thanksgiving
If the story ended there, we might say, “There you have it. Once you realize that you’re a sinner in need of God’s mercy, then you too can be saved by God’s mercy.” And that’s true—but the story doesn’t end there.
As the ten are traveling and recognizing they’ve been healed, only one turns back. This moment marks the first of two theological ambiguities in this passage. Notice how Luke phrases this moment:
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 (Luke 17:15–16).
Luke is intentionally blurring the lines between praising God and giving thanks to Jesus. However, this subtle distinction forms the foundation of genuine Christian worship. Because of what he has done, we praise Jesus to the glory of God the Father. This is exactly what Paul emphasizes in Philippians 2:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9–11).
The informed reader of Paul’s letter will understand what Paul is doing. In one of the major monotheistic Old Testament passages, Yahweh says through Isaiah:
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance” (Isa 45:23).
Paul states that the worship owed only to the Father is rightly shown through worship of Jesus Christ. Through his ambiguity and subtlety, Luke communicates this message in narrative form. The healed leper praised Israel’s God. How? By falling at Jesus’s feet and giving him thanks.
Notably, Luke points out that this man was a Samaritan—a outsider. What matters to God isn’t a person’s ethnicity, skin color, or which side of a man-made boundary on a map they were born on. What matters to God is that this man turned back to God through Jesus and showed his gratitude.
Where Are the Nine?
The other nine never come back. We can guess why, but they keep going their way. They’ve just received this incredible gift, yet they can’t find it in themselves to stop what they’re doing, return to Jesus, and thank him for his mercy on them.
And so, Jesus asks:
“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17–18).
To our ears, that last comment might sound harsher than intended. Jesus isn’t belittling him for being a foreigner. He’s praising him for doing what the self-righteous children of Israel would not. He’s returning to God and giving thanks for his mercy.
Jesus then says one final thing to end this scene, and it’s the second theological ambiguity in this passage. Luke already told us that the lepers were healed while they were on their way to see the priests, so the man, who has now thrown himself at Jesus’s feet in gratitude, has already been healed.
And yet, Jesus states:
“Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).
The word for ‘rise’ is the verbal form of ‘resurrection.’ It can mean “to stand,” but it can also be used like this:
And when he was at his last breath, he said, “You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws” (2 Macc 7:9).
Physical healing is part of common grace. God heals both those with faith and those without it. However, resurrection—ultimate, complete, and genuine bodily healing to eternal life—is a act of special grace reserved for those with faith.
So, ten people received temporary healing that day, but only one was quietly promised eternal life. One was grateful enough to return to Jesus and praise him. The other nine continued on their way and missed ultimate healing.
Which One Are You?
Which one are you? I believe most of us aren’t grateful enough for our salvation because we don’t really think we’re all that bad. We resemble the Pharisees—religious and confident that we’re doing the right thing. We think we dress appropriately, vote for the right person, and support the right charities. Sure, we know we make mistakes now and then, but our lives are so full of good deeds that it seems the good outweighs the bad.
That is not how God’s people see themselves. Jesus said:
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31–32).
If we assume that we’re doing okay, then we won’t believe that we actually need a Savior, regardless of what we confess with our lips. Part of the Gospel is recognizing just how desperately we need the healing, saving mercy of God. If you want to test how truly you understand your need for a Savior and your reliance on God’s mercy, don’t just quote me Bible verses about the topic or tell me what your favorite author or theologian has to say. Instead, ask yourself how grateful you are. Ask how naturally praise and thanksgiving come from you for the mercy of God.
I know everyone in this room would say they “know” (with their minds) that they need a Savior.
I’m not asking if you know it.
I’m asking if you believe it.
A simple way to answer that question is to ask if, when God’s mercy arrives—like it does at every moment of your life—you go on about your day like the nine who didn’t return, or do you pause what you’re doing, fall at Jesus’s feet, and praise God for healing a sinful leper like you?
Amen.
Life Group Guide
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather together today, we ask that you would open our hearts and minds to what you want to teach us through your Word. Please help us to be honest about our need for you and receptive to the ways you want to speak to us through this discussion. May we not just hear with our ears, but truly listen with our hearts. Guide our conversation and help us to encourage one another in our faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What’s something small that someone did for you recently that you were genuinely grateful for?
Key Verses
Luke 17:11-19
Philippians 2:9-11
Isaiah 45:23
Questions
Why do you think only one of the ten lepers returned to thank Jesus? What might have prevented the other nine from coming back?
Fr. Michael suggests that lack of gratitude often stems from not recognizing how much we need God’s help. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?
How does understanding our own sinfulness and need for God affect our level of gratitude?
What’s the difference between knowing intellectually that we need a Savior versus truly believing it in our hearts?
The Samaritan leper was considered a foreigner and an outsider, yet he was the one who returned. What does this teach us about who God values?
Jesus made a distinction between physical healing (which all ten received) and the more profound spiritual healing. How do you understand this difference?
Fr. Michael challenges us to examine our gratitude as a measure of our faith. How naturally does praise and thanksgiving flow from your life?
What are some practical ways we can cultivate a more grateful heart toward God in our daily lives?
Life Application
This week, dedicate time each day to intentionally thanking God for his mercy and salvation. Don’t just go through the motions, but pause and reflect on what he has truly saved you from and given you. Consider keeping a gratitude journal or setting aside a few minutes each morning to recognize your need for God consciously and thank him for his grace.
Key Takeaways
Genuine gratitude flows from recognizing the depth of our need and what we’ve received from God.
All ten lepers were healed, but only one understood deeply enough to return with thanksgiving.
Many Christians lack gratitude because they don’t truly comprehend how much they need a Savior.
Our level of gratitude is a good indicator of how deeply we understand our need for God’s mercy.
Physical healing is common grace, but resurrection to eternal life is special grace for those with faith.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for this time of discussion and reflection. Please help us to be like the one leper who returned. May we never take your mercy and salvation for granted. Open our eyes to see our genuine need for you, and let that recognition fill our hearts with genuine gratitude. Help us to live each day with thanksgiving, not just going through the motions but truly appreciating the depth of what You’ve done for us. May our lives be marked by the kind of gratitude that flows from understanding how much we’ve been forgiven and healed. In your precious name we pray, Amen.