"Today's message revolves around ten lepers who received healing. The commonality among these lepers lies in their faith and obedience, resulting in the resolution of their life problems. However, a distinct difference emerges: only one among them came back to Jesus expressing gratitude. Today's sermon focuses on this distinction, prompting us to contemplate the kind of faith with which we should serve Jesus. Therefore, the title of today's message is:

 

"Faith and Service of the Leper"

 

Commendable Faith (11~14)

As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified, passing through Samaria and Galilee, a group of lepers called out to Him from a distance. They cried aloud, 'Jesus, Master,' pleading for His mercy. In response, Jesus instructed them to show themselves to the priests, and as they went, their bodies were cleansed.

 

What characterized the faith of the lepers? Firstly, it was the faith to approach Jesus. Leprosy was a highly contagious disease, forcing these individuals to live separately from the community. They knew that approaching Jesus could bring healing. Despite the difficulty of revealing their life problems to Jesus, they willingly sought Him for mercy.

 

In our lives, we face various challenges, and approaching Jesus with our issues, seeking His mercy, is not an easy step. Many people try to solve their problems themselves, refusing to come to Jesus. In contrast, the ten lepers willingly brought their problems before Jesus, showcasing commendable faith. Secondly, it was obedience in the face of potential death. Lepers had to keep a distance from healthy people and were warned with stones if they approached. Even though the lepers might not have been fully healed yet, Jesus instructed them to show themselves to the priests, who were the authorities to declare healing. The lepers obeyed Jesus' somewhat perplexing command, displaying commendable faith. Obedience to Jesus' words and biblical instructions is challenging, especially when they directly impact our lives. However, overcoming this challenge and obeying Jesus' words is the starting point of commendable faith.

 

Grateful Returnees (15~19)

One of them realized that his body was healed and glorified God. He fell at Jesus' feet, expressing gratitude by prostrating himself on the ground. Bowing the face to the ground is a confession of being a servant. This leper desired to become a servant of Jesus, wanting to serve Him with gratitude. Among the ten lepers, only one returned to Jesus. There were no Jewish lepers among them who came back to express thanks. Jesus acknowledged the faith of the leper, saying, 'Your faith has made you well.' The phrase 'Your faith' emphasizes his specific faith. Jesus instructed him to go, not rejecting the returning leper as a servant but expressing a desire for him to serve in another way.

 

"The Pitfalls of Misguided Faith

Today, we explored the stories of ten lepers, examining how their faith and service were shaped. However, in our own journeys of faith, we often fall into traps. Within the church, there are nine lepers with faith and answered prayers, yet some among them still fail to establish a complete relationship with Jesus. While faith and obedience are crucial, we must not become complacent with just that. The passage today motivates us to strive for mature faith. What problems might arise if we fail to progress into a more mature stage? There is a risk of making the mistake of considering Jesus not as our Lord but as a servant. Similar to the moment when one mistakenly sees the Lord as a genie in a magic lamp, we might think that the Lord exists to solve all our problems. We might end up giving commands, expecting the Lord to solve our issues like a servant. However, the Lord is not a servant who resolves all our problems; rather, He is the Master whom we should worship and obey. Failing to advance into a mature stage could lead to such misconceptions. Just like a genie in a magic lamp, there might be a moment when we mistakenly perceive the Lord as our servant. The Lord is not a servant who solves all our problems, but a Master whom we should worship and obey. We need to grow in our relationship with the Lord, progressing from being mere servants to becoming His sons and daughters. This is the true beginning of mature faith."