A Tale of Two Cities

Text: Luke 17:11-17

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          Earlier this month at Youth Group we studied Luke 17 and The Healing of the Ten Lepers. The youth acted out the account and then we discussed the primary thrust of the text, which is of course the goodness of God to heal and save, and the thankfulness of that one leper who returned to give thanks. That’s why this is the Gospel text every year on Thanksgiving. And it’s a great text for that. But sometimes it’s good to take a moment to think a little bit outside the box. To look at the whole text and see something that we might not have seen before. Which is why I then asked the youth to help me come up with something that focused on a different aspect of this miraculous healing. And I told them that whatever we came up with together, I would preach for Thanksgiving this year.

Well, they came up with something different all right. We went back to the beginning of the text and read, “On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.” They immediately keyed in on this one little detail shared in that verse about the road that Jesus was taking. “Between Samaria and Galilee.” We began talking about the differences between Samaritans and Galileans, mostly focusing on the fact that they didn’t like each other very much. This conversation brought up the possible theme of A Tale of Two Cities and the idea of comparing and contrasting two places that are mentioned in the text. I can only take that very specific idea so far, but it did lead to creating a pretty nice outline that I’m following tonight, where we’ll look at the comparisons in this text and be reminded that

JESUS CARES FOR ALL OF US,

NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR WHERE WE’RE FROM.

          As much as I was worried about it when the youth first brought it up as a theme, that first comparison really is important to the overall message of this text. It seems in some ways like just a throwaway line giving us some geographical information about where Jesus was and where He was heading. But it’s really not that at all. The comparison between the Samaritans and the Galileans, and the fact that Jesus is on this road, is crucial to understanding the whole account. At the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the land of Samaria was situated between the regions of Galilee in the north and Judea in the south. Some Jews travelling between Galilee and Judea would take the longer, six-day journey along the Jordan River valley rather than taking a shorter, more direct route through Samaria because of the bitter history between the Jewish people and the Samaritans. Not Jesus though. He took the more direct route, taking him through the land occupied by the descendants of the Northern Kingdom, those who practiced their own version of Judaism. Jesus’ choice of route toward Jerusalem tells us that He’s not concerned about these centuries old rivalries, but rather about the people in every land. Jesus is still concerned for bringing healing to people of every land. And that’s something for us to keep in mind as we think about the differences between ourselves and everyone else around us. Jesus came to save us, but also every single other person in the world as well.

The second point of comparison this text gives us is the stark contrast between Jesus and the 10 lepers He encounters on the way. We’re told, “As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’” On the one hand we have these men who are outcasts from society, unable to interact with the rest of the people because of their condition. Forced to stay on the outskirts of town to avoid having their condition spread to any more people. And then we have Jesus, recognized as “Master,” Lord, and Savior. These men so desperately need from Jesus what only He can provide. Mercy.

On the other hand, there’s great similarity between these outcast lepers and how Jesus would eventually be treated by the world He came to save. “Stricken, smitten, and afflicted” is how Jesus is described. His best friends turn their backs on Him. Those He came to save not even willing to acknowledge that they know Him. And not much has changed as much of the world today does the same. Refusing to acknowledge the fact that He is our Master, Lord, and Savior. Still outcast in the world He suffered and died for.

There’s also a comparison to be made between the nine lepers who continue on to be certified by the priests as clean and able to return to society, and that one who returns to give thanks to Jesus for His miraculous healing. The grateful vs. the ungrateful. The thankful and the unthankful. “And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.” The fact that only one out of ten returns to give thanks is very interesting. The text says, “They were cleansed.” That seems to indicate, as does Jesus’ question, “Were not ten cleansed?” that every one of those men who called on the name of the Lord asking for mercy received the very same gift of healing.

Those other nine recognized the healing too, but they sought validation for this new identity in only an earthly way. They simply wanted the physical healing and restoration to society that they’d get if the priests declared them clean. So, they kept going on their way to receive what they really wanted. But the one realized that this healing was more than just a physical one. He understood that the healing His Master had provided was one of much greater significance. The validation of His healing and restoration was not in the stamp of approval of the religious leaders, but rather in the One who provided a healing from more than just leprosy. Jesus provided Him with a restoration of the relationship that had been broken by the weight of sin. And for that “he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks.” And that’s the exact posture that each of us should have in our recognition of the healing we have receive from our sin. The healing that only comes through the work Jesus accomplished at the cross.

Of course that’s the most significant gift that we’ve been given. The restoration of a right relationship with our Savior. But there’s are tons of other gifts we receive every day. As you sit around your Thanksgiving tables tomorrow, maybe you’ll take a moment to list off some of the many blessings for which you have reason to give thanks. I hope you will. Because hearing a text like this should allow us to see ourselves in the story.

And seeing ourselves in this Gospel account means that we too can understand the comparisons that have been made and how they relate to us today. We don’t live in a world of Samaritans and Galileans anymore, but we do live in a world of people constantly in conflict with one another. Even within the church where the pointing out of differences too often supersedes the recognition of similarities. Jesus came for all who would trust in Him for salvation and have saving faith in His work. He doesn’t take the long way around to avoid people who disagree with Him, but in love, comes right to us. And when we recognize Him as “Master” and the one who is capable of the mercy we so desperately need, that’s exactly what He’ll provide for us.

And in our lives, there will be times when we are the one leper who recognizes the great gifts we’ve been given and immediately give thanks to the Giver of all good gifts. But there will also be times when we seek validation from the world for the standing that we desire. And when that’s who we are, and we prove how far from the mercy of God we’ve driven ourselves, we also know that we can approach our “Master” anew every day with our fervent plea of “Have mercy on us.”

          I don’t actually know what the Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities is about. I tried to read the Cliff Notes online, but all the names and details were too much to grasp without actually reading the book. What I did glean though is that the book explores many themes of comparison. The rich and the poor. War and peace. And of course, the two cities, London and Paris. What the notes also said is that there are deep themes of sacrifice, redemption, and resurrection. It sounds a little bit like another book we know pretty well. So, maybe there’s another sermon in there somewhere. I’m not promising the youth anything on that yet though. For now, and during this week where we’re encouraged to give thanks for all the gifts God has given us, remember that Jesus cares for all of us. So much that He gave His own life that we might live eternally. And for that we give thanks. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.