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Outsiders: Jesus Heals the Lepers


Outsiders: Your Faith Has Made You Well Luke 17:11-19 Outsiders Jesus Loved the Lepers Greg Lavine and John Beeson G: Does Jesus actually make a difference in our lives? As we head toward Easter we consider the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Amazing! But does it change anything in our lives today? If we have faith in him, will it make a difference in our lives? Jesus promises us that faith alone can make us well. Lk 17:19. J: Back up: we are going to drop into the middle of the book of Luke. The first part of this sermon series was in 2019. Luke writes a story of Jesus that highlights how Jesus was an outsider who came for outsiders. From the very first chapters of Luke, where Luke shows us a child born to an unwed mother in a stable with animals and then shepherds, not in a palace with royalty, to the ministry of Christ, where he is rejected by those in his hometown and pursues those who are on the fringes: women and paralytics and those who are demon possessed. Women: second class. Not for Jesus. Do you feel uncomfortable in church today? Jesus comes for you. Have you ever felt unlovable? Unclean? Jesus comes for you. Lk 17:11: Headed to Jerusalem from his ministry in Galilee. Samaritans: second class. Not for Jesus. The Good Samaritan. G: Lk 17:12-13: Double outsiders. Stand at a distance. Lev13:45-46: Do you feel like you can’t come to Jesus until you clean yourself up? What shame is separating you from Christ? What is your leprosy? Abuse? Divorce? Sin? Socioeconomics? Addiction? Anxiety? Am I too far away from Jesus to love me? Too undesirable? Too unlovable? “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” This is the gospel! This is where a relationship with Christ begins. We recognize Jesus as master, and we beg for his mercy. We come on his terms, not ours. J: Jesus asks for our trust. Walk away from me. Lk 17:14: Jesus sends this to the priests not to be cleansed, but to take away the social stigma, the shame. They are healed as they go to the priests. Jesus offers whole healing. We are forgiven of sin, shame is removed, and in the new heavens and new earth, we will experience our new bodies. Jesus brings healing, he welcomes us to believe. Guilt, shame, body: what do you struggle believing? For me: body. Dad. G: Lk 17:15-16: This is the response of faith! The heart of faith is a heart of gratitude. Where is there gratitude in your life? Phil 4:6: Have you offered God thanks? He does so loudly! For others to hear! Gratitude is evangelism! Do others hear your praise? J:Faith and gratitude are conjoined twins. HS prayer journal. Today: daily journaling. Lk 17:17-18: Christmas lists to Santa: what about thank yous? Is God the dispenser of goods, or is he the source of life? Are we connected and needy? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: do you want the chocolate bars or the factory? Do you want Jesus or what Jesus does? Do you want the Healer or the healing? 3/13/22 Outsiders: Your Faith Has Made You Well Luke 17:11-19 We play with a charade of worship. We don’t really go to him. G: Lk 17:19: Your faith has made you well! Singular! He has experienced a transformation of soul, not just of body! What about the rest? It seems as though they’ve experienced a transformation of body, but not soul. They are those who said, “Lord, Lord,” but whose faith was not connected to the source. J: 1) Run to Jesus. Have you experienced the joy and gift of your faith making you well? Do you believe Jesus can make you well? What prayers are you filtering out? God wants your big prayers and your small prayers. My foot: healing. G: 2) Experience Jesus’ healing. Jesus doesn’t do superficial healings. Guilt + shame. J: 3) Tell people about Jesus. Baptisms. Faith and gratitude are conjoined twins. Who has heard your story? How can you be a faithful in praising his name? Withholding gratitude for kids on social media b/c of criticism. Don’t hold back. God is good! Reclaimed story: NL people: raw, filled with gratitude and joy. 3/13/22

Luke writes a story of Jesus that highlights how Jesus was an outsider who came for outsiders. From the very first chapters of Luke, where Luke shows us a child born to an unwed mother in a stable with animals and then shepherds, not in a palace with royalty, to the ministry of Christ, where he is rejected by those in his hometown and pursues those who are on the fringes: women and paralytics and those who are demon possessed. Women: second class. Not for Jesus. Preached by Greg Lavine and John Beeson.


SERMON BEGINS AT 29:00.

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