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The Gospel of Matthew Bible Studies
The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007 Ordination of Louise Christensen
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
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Time after
Pentecost – #28 (C) In the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you. Amen. As we heard in today’s gospel, ten lepers came and asked Jesus for healing. All ten of them were cleansed from their disease. But only one of them – a Samaritan – came back to Jesus to give him thanks. So where were the other nine? What happened to them? Did their minds immediately turn to other needs – to newer preoccupations and more urgent petitions? Did they just move on with their lives – now cured of their leprosy but worried about something else? What do we do after our prayers have been answered? Does the joy and gratitude last – or does it quickly fade? There are times when we seem to go through life the way some children go through Christmas presents – tearing the wrapping paper off each gift, looking at it briefly, and then piling up the boxes as they move on to the next bright toy. Or how we sometimes behave when we receive a dozen or more Christmas cards in the mail – quickly opening each envelope, seeing the card and who it is from, and then going on to the next one to do the same thing again – and soon forgetting about the ones we have already seen. It seems that all too often we go through our lives wondering, “What’s next?” “Is that all?” Our interests and desires are always flitting about from one thing to another. “If only we could buy that new car.” “Or get those new clothes…” “Or (and this is personal!) a brand new kitchen with new cabinets and appliances and flooring in our house!” :) Or (moving on beyond material things), “if only I might be married.” “If only we might have a child.” “If only I can finally take some time off from work and have a vacation.” “If only I can get through this bad situation.” And so on and so forth… Often enough the things and circumstances we wish for arrive – and then what? The thrill that we get from getting a new material thing soon wears off. Or now that we are married, is it really everything that we thought it would be? We may be parents now, but the awe and joy that we felt when our child was born is often forgotten as we now face the responsibilities of having to care for and provide for and raise him or her. And as our children grow up, we start focusing upon – with a mixture of hope and alarm – what it is going to be like when they grow up and leave. Or – I’ve had my vacation, but now I’m already focusing upon the next one rather than remembering the one I’ve just had. Or – now that we’ve gotten through one trial, we’re already dreading the next one that might be coming our way. Why it is that we go through life so unaware of the millions of blessings that God bestows upon us every day? Do we appreciate our health, food, clothing, home, family and friends – and many other blessings that we have – even a tenth of the time? Do we really appreciate the healings and deliverances from trials and stressful situations that we have received time and time again? If we could count all of the blessings we have received in our lives, and all of our deliverances from fears and hard times that we have faced, we would never reach an end to our gratitude!! So often it seems that we are just “sleepwalking” through life – just “existing” each day instead of experiencing joy and wonder and excitement about new possibilities. But when we “wake up” and consider how much God loves us, that changes everything! When we remember to take time to say “thank you” for each blessing that God gives us, that is when we begin to really live! To me, that is the central message in today’s gospel text. All ten lepers received physical healing from Jesus, but only one – the Samaritan – had his life changed through and through. I think that is what Jesus meant when he told him to “get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” “You faith – your gratitude – has made you completely well inside as well as out!” This does not mean that the Samaritan’s life would be free from problems in the future. I am sure that many more difficulties were yet to come for him. But yet, he would be able to deal with them differently than he would have before – because he took time to remember and be thankful for each blessing that he had. By giving thanks, he received joy in his life that enabled him to see everything in a new light. And so it is with us! Living in an attitude of thanksgiving does not mean ignoring the difficulties and hurts that we have in our lives. But it does mean knowing that God loves us and forgives us and will give us all that we really need. By remembering this and giving him thanks each day, we see life – even with its problems – in a way that fills us with happiness and joy! We are made well – and we are made whole! There is also another point that I would like to make. Remembering to give thanks not only brings us joy, but it also delights the heart of the God who loves us! Think of how you feel when someone shows that he or she appreciates something that you do or says a sincere “thank you” for a gift that you give. Speaking personally – and I am sure that I am speaking for Pastor Josh as well as for myself – we have received so much joy this past week from many of you during this so-called “Clergy Appreciation Month”. We have received a number of cards and various other expressions of love. (For example, Petra and Sandy really “blew us away” with their very creative posters of comparing what we as pastors are and do to various candy bars – if you’ve got the time, please take a look at them at each entrance!) Wow – and thank YOU – I thank ALL of you – for all the love and affirmation that you give us in so many ways! And so it is with God and Jesus! Jesus did not heal the ten lepers in order to be thanked, but how he must have been delighted when the Samaritan came back to do so! How God must have been delighted in today’s first reading when the healed leper, Naaman, came back to proclaim to Elisha that “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.” And in the same way, we bring joy to God and to our Lord Jesus when we remember to offer them our praise and thanksgiving each day! It is our gift back to them for all that they are and do. And finally, I have one last reflection to make in this message today. Later in this service, we will be receiving a sacrament that we usually call Holy Communion. But another term for this sacrament is the Eucharist – a Greek word meaning “Thanksgiving”. As we receive this meal we remember God’s love for us – love so great that he gave his only Son to die for us. We remember that through Jesus, God forgives us all – ALL – of our sins and that we have the promise of eternal life. And as we remember all these blessings when receiving the bread and wine, let us respond today by saying “THANK YOU!” “Thank you, God – thank you, Jesus – for your love and for all that you give and do for us. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Thanksgiving! Eucharist! It is what fills our lives with joy and makes us well through and through – just as it did for the healed Samaritan leper. And it also brings delight to God and Jesus as well. May this be so for us today and always. Thanks be to God! Amen! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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