“You remember the story in Luke’s gospel about the ten lepers who were healed?” Stan asked me one morning.
“Yeah,” I replied, “about how only one of them bothered to thank Jesus.”
“That’s a point we will cover another day,” Stan said. “What I want to focus on this morning is the importance of doing what Jesus says. In this instance, the lepers were healed only as they did what Jesus told them to do.”
“He didn’t just heal them?” I asked.
“Not in this instance,” Stan replied. “There are other stories where Jesus healed lepers, but here with these ten, Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. And it was while they were doing what Jesus told them to do that they were healed.”
“He told them to go, they went, and they were healed,” is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “It seems to me that if they wouldn’t have gone in obedience they may not have been healed. It’s kind of like the ‘Go’ that Jesus said to do in the Great Commission.”
“How so?” I asked.
“Jesus said to ‘Go and make disciples,’ Stan replied. “If I don’t go, how am I going to know what God is going to do? With the ten lepers, they went and God healed them. With the Great Commission, if I don’t go how am I going to see how God is going to heal all of those people who will be reached by the truth of the gospel?”
“Healed for eternity by accepting the free and gracious gift of salvation,” I commented, “along with the healing of being a disciple before then. Is that it?”
“You got it, my friend,” Stan said with a smile. “If you don’t go, you won’t know!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And when He (Jesus) saw them (the ten lepers), He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed. Luke 17:14.
And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And stretching out His hand, He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses prescribed for a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:2-4.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of cleansing me from all of my sin and unrighteousness by the cross of Christ so I can spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you, too, for your provision of all you have for me when I obey what you have for me to obey. I confess that too often I do not obey because I choose not to obey. I choose to go my own way apart from you and miss out on what you have for me that is available if I will only do what you say. Please forgive my foolish disobedience. Please help me in following every step of your lead so I do obey and can see the fruit of that obedience. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you been cleansed for eternity by accepting God’s free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption? If no, why? If you do have the assurance of spending eternity in God’s presence, how are you doing with obeying what He says to you on this side of eternity? As well as you would like? As well as God would like? If you sense changes in your obedience may be appropriate, how are those changes going to occur?
Waiting for the Train 