Where Are The Nine?

In Luke 17:11-19, we are informed that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. As He made His way He went through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Upon entering a certain village, He encountered ten lepers. Leprosy was a slowly progressing disease and was incurable. It was a chronic, infectious disease characterized by sores, scabs and white shinning spots beneath the skin. The person who had the disease was isolated from the rest of society (Leviticus 13:45-56).

In reading this account we wonder how the nine lepers could have been so ungrateful in view of their dire situation and the mercy, kindness and healing received. You would think that anyone being blessed as they were would cause them to express their appreciation, but this was true of only one!

We find ourselves, to our own amazement, in the situation of the leper. We are inflicted with the leprosy of sin. This disease is destructive and is progressive (Romans 6:23; 2 Timothy 3:13). The cure for this disease is found only in Jesus Christ, not in ourselves (Titus 3:5; Acts 4:12).

When we obey the gospel of Christ, He thus saves us from the leprosy of sin. Yet so often we fail to give the glory to God and express our thanks. I wonder if He doesn’t ask regarding us “WHERE ARE THE NINE?” We must be diligent to express our gratitude in our worship (John 4:23-24), life (Philippians 1:27), prayers (Philippians 4:6) and labor (1 Corinthians 15:10). We as Christians have been blessed abundantly. Let us not be like the nine, but the ONE who glorified God and returned to give Christ thanks. The Lord deserves our best not our seconds! Which class do we fit, the NINE or the ONE?

Bill Cantrell

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