Matthew Botelho

“While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going they were healed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” –Luke 17:11-19.

As stated, these ten men had a severe skin disease, which Scripture hints at being leprosy, a chronic but now curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage. The Law of Moses stated: “The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out ‘unclean, unclean!’ He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.” –Leviticus 13:45-46

To make a point, I’ll use this metaphor. Just as leprosy deteriorates the flesh, unrepented sin will deteriorate your soul, causing you to live removed from God. It may even cause your death.

Brothers and sisters, before we came to Christ, we were as unclean spiritually as these poor men were physically.

Our hearts were diseased and riddled with sin.

Our minds were saturated with the things of this world, the lusts of the eyes. “For the mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” –Romans 8:7-8

And we know that the longer a person chooses to live a sinful life, the more the evidence of their sins radiates outward. Their outward man becomes a reflection of their inward sins. “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable–who can understand it?” –Jeremiah 17:9.

As with the ten lepers in today’s Scripture, your sin will cause you to live apart from God.

Man cannot rid himself of sin, but God made a way for all men to be free and be cleansed of all inequities through His son, Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 6:23.

Concerning the lepers: “He told them, Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going they were healed. But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan.” –Luke 17:14-15.

These lepers cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on us!”  and a repentant heart is what God wants. You may have been cast out, friend, but know that God still sees you, even though your sin has distorted your heart. Jesus still knows you and loves you.

They cried out for mercy and acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Master over their sickness and hearts. God does not want you to remain in your sin. He wants you to be all He created you to be: holy and full of purpose. In Mark, Jesus reminds us of this: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!” –Mark 1:15.

 When these ten lepers heard Jesus say, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Something stirred inside them. Having lived as cast-outs, it must have been a while since they had felt this stirring of hope inside themselves.

Their disease had plagued them for so long they had forgotten what it felt like to have hope and faith. But because of Jesus, their faith had been stirred up, and, in obedience to His command, they ran to show themselves to the priests.

But why did they have to show themselves to the priests?

Showing yourself to the priest was written in the Law of Moses, and Jesus never contradicted His Father’s Word. “But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean. “–Leviticus 13:16-17. Also, the local priests must have known about these ten men and their condition. Their all being healed together was Jesus’ way of sending a message to these priests that the Messiah had come. Surely, they would remember what the prophet Isaiah had said about Him: “He Himself bore our sicknesses, and carried out pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.” –Isaiah 53:4.

Ten men received healing from something that had taken everything away from them, and then, each man was restored because of their encounter with Jesus—there must have been some head-scratching happening by those local priests.

Friends, instead of sorrow and living as cast out from God because of your sin, you too can come to Jesus in complete repentance and cry out, “Jesus, save me! Have mercy on me!” Because of His mercy and great love for you, Jesus will change your heart and heal your inner man. He’ll redeem you, making you holy and clean by forgiving your sins and giving you new life! “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” –John 3:3.

Once restored, Jesus, our high priest, declares us clean and in right standing with the Father!

We read only one leper returned to Jesus and gave glory to God, a Samaritan, which the Jews hated. He was that one who needed a touch of God; the others got what they came for and then went their way. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” –Luke 17:17-19.

We should not take God’s blessings for granted, especially His gift of grace. “Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” –Psalm 2:12.

Friends don’t be like the nine who got what they came for and then forgot to thank Jesus for what He had done for them. Instead, raise your hands in joyous admiration and thank Jesus for His true gift of salvation! The Blood of our Lord Jesus has cleansed our leprous hearts.

Like the ten lepers, Jesus has made us new creations.

As I close this week’s teaching, know that we at Sonsofthesea are praying you know God’s love and the Truth that salvation is found in no one but in His Son, Jesus.

Do not harden your heart or turn away if you hear His voice calling you. Today is the day of salvation. Repent of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Believe His promise to you: “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him and he with Me.” –Revelation 3:20.

Amen.