Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
September 12, 2001 Bobby Dockery
Where Are The Nine?
One day, Jesus met ten desperate men. They were lepers, cut off from all normal human contact, cursed to wander far from their homes and loved ones! In the group was at least one Samaritan. Though Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, shared tragedy made them brothers! They had much in common:
1) All had the same need. All were victims of the same terrible living death!
2) All had the same eager hope to live. They refused to give up. They wanted to be cleansed. Hearing that Jesus was in the vicinity, they rushed to Him.
3) All had faith in Jesus. When He commanded them to go show themselves to the priests while their flesh was still loathsome with disease, they immediately went! Obedience is the supreme expression of faith!
4) All were cleansed. “As they were going, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17.14) In obedience, they surrendered to the grace of God and God transformed their lives.
In one crucial way there was a tremendous difference between one of these men and the others. Only one - the despised Samaritan - returned to give thanks! The question Jesus asked is haunting in its poignancy: “Where are the nine?” (Luke 17.17) Ten had come to plead and pray; only one returned to praise!
The nine, by their failure to give thanks, grieved the loving heart of Jesus! How often, I wonder, are we guilty of the same thing?
BOBBY DOCKERY
Fayetteville, Ark.
