Luke 17:11–19 (NIV)

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Unleashing Gratitude

“In the ancient world gifts were circulated with the expectation that they would be returned.” —Peter Leithart, Gratitude: An Intellectual History

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵ Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.

²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” —Luke 22:24–26

God’s generosity.

10 out of 10.

In the Christian economy, the ultimate benefactor is God. The whole project of creation is generosity: dolphins and ants, porcupines and lizards, armadillos and bees, sparrows and swallows—on and on and on. Scientists estimate that there are between 8 and 15 million species on Earth, yet only about 1.8 to 2 million have been formally described.

The deep sea, one of the last frontiers on our own planet, remains largely unexplored—80 to 95% unmapped and unknown. And beyond that, the universe itself is almost entirely uncharted. The observable cosmos stretches 93 billion light-years across, yet less than 0.0001% of it has been directly observed.

God is creative and giving beyond our ability to comprehend, and if we have a pulse, that should move us into a state of worship.

Thank You

Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (v. 19)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” —James 1:17

“Freely you have received; freely give.” —Matthew 10:8b

CONNECT WITH GOD (Use the below practice to begin your time together.)

• Gratitude: The practice of gratitude helps us to recognize and respond to the goodness of God in our lives, trusting in God’s faithful presence in the business of our days and despite the temptation to ignore the gifts of God before us. When we cultivate a posture of gratitude, we become people who trust in the God who loves us.

Practice: Spend 5 minutes cultivating a list of gratitude. Identify three categories for gratitude from this list and focus on those three areas today: myself, my family/friends, my church, and my work, my country, the world. Once you choose three areas for gratitude, then spend time journaling with the below questions as your guide for gratitude: 

1. What gifts of God do I notice?

2. Where do I notice the love, mercy, beauty, grace, or faithfulness of God in this?

3. How is God at work actively in this?

• Weekly Examen: Spend time in quiet reflection, following the guide below.

1. Take a quiet moment, seek our God’s presence, and pray for the guidance of the Spirit.

2. Consider the past week-recall specific moments and feelings that stand out to you. 

3. Choose one moment or feeling for deeper examination, thanksgiving, or repentance.

4. Breathe deeply and expectantly. Invite Christ’s love to surround and fill you in preparation for the week ahead. 

CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER 

Before beginning your time in the message and scripture passage, consider sharing together: Who in your life models the kind of gratitude shown by the leper? 

TIME FOR PERSONAL AND SHARED REFLECTION 

• Alone: Read Luke 17:11–19
• Reflect/Journal: Explore how you might continue to grow in gratitude to God. What are your next steps of gratitude and giving, in response to the gifts of God?

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE 

If needed, read the passage again. Then select the best questions or customize the questions for your group.  

• Review the main points from the sermon outline. 
• What have been some stand-out themes in this message series? 
• How have you continued reflecting on the lessons of scripture throughout the series? 
• Why do you think Luke describes how Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee?
• What do you notice about how Jesus heals and the response of the lepers? 
• What’s different about the response of the Samaritan Leper? 
• How does gratitude motivate the leper? 
• What roles does gratitude play in shaping our own habits of giving? 
• What does this story teach us about gratitude and faith?
• What does gratitude have to do with unleashing ministry? 

ENGAGE AND EXPLORE 

Together: explore the below quote, using it as a jumping off point to explore your own responses to the gifts of God. What role does gratitude, thanksgiving, and offering play in your life and in our life together?

“Habits shape our desires…I am either formed by the practices of the church into a worshiper who can receive all of life as a gift, or I am formed, inevitably, as a mere consumer, even a consumer of spirituality…faith can become a consumer product–it asks little of us, affirms our values, and promises to meet our needs, but in the end it’s just a quick fix that leaves us glutted and malnourished.” –Liturgy of the Ordinary, Tish Harrison Warren

PRAYER 

Close your time together by praying for the stewardship of our church, for an overflow of giving, and for an overflow of gratitude in every area of your own lives. Close with the invitation of offering in the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship: 

The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it. 

Let us present to God our lives and offerings, grateful for the gifts we have been given. Amen.