Luke

By Joyce Webb 2021

Chapter 17       Verses 5-19

Verse 5 The disciples said to Jesus to “increase our faith”—

help us have more faith.

This is something most Christians want and pray for.

We think if we had more faith—all our prayers would be answered.

Verse 6 Jesus tells them–if your faith is as big as a mustard seed it would be enough.

(In Israel–a mustard seed is about the size of a tiny piece of ground pepper out of a pepper shaker. This tiny seed grows into a small tree.)

Jesus said-if you had this small faith—you could say to a sycamore tree—be moved to the sea—and it would happen.

(These are the words of Jesus. They are to be believed.

There have been Christians that have had that kind of faith.

When they have prayed—wonderful, amazing things have happened.

Myself–I have never had that kind of faith. The Lord has answered prayers for me. Some prayers He has not answered.

That is my failing. You may be able to have that kind of faith.

Though not all prayers we pray—are God‘s will for us to have.)

Verse 7 Jesus begins to talk about how a servant does what his master asks him to do—he does not expect to be thanked—he does the work because it is his duty and job to do it.

Verse 10 Jesus says to the disciples—so when I (Jesus) ask you to do things—you should be like that servant. In your heart —you do not expect “Thanks” and payment—-but you do them because the Master asked you to do them and it is your duty.

Verse 11 Jesus is going to Jerusalem. Along the way, in a small village, he meets 10 men who had leprosy. (lepers)

Leprosy is a skin disease that eats away the flesh of the body. It often starts on the hands, or on the face. It is a terrible thing. It ends in death.

Other people can get it by touching a person.

A person who has leprosy is made to leave home and go live outside the city. Often other people who have leprosy —live together in a group and help each other.

A person who had leprosy was to call out “unclean, unclean” to those coming near—so that the person would know to stay away.

The men are standing far away from Jesus, but they call to him and ask Jesus to have mercy on them and to heal them.

Jesus told the men to go see the Jewish priest.

The Old Testament law was that when someone had a skin disease and if he thought the skin disease had healed—-he was to go to the Jewish priest—and the priest would decide if the skin had healed and if the person could go back home.

The 10 men started to go find the priest. As they went—their skin was healed ! !

If the men had stood there waiting for their skin to heal before they went to the priest—-they would not have seen anything change.

By starting to go to the priest—they showed faith that they would be healed—as they walked to find the priest–their skin was healed!

Verse 15 One man —as he was walking—saw that his skin was healed—he came back to where Jesus was–and said, “Thank you” and he praised God.

Jesus said to him—only one person said “thank you”?

Did I not heal 10 men?

Jesus said “Your faith has made you whole.”

The man who said “Thank you” was a man from Samaria.

The Jewish people did not like the people of Samaria. They tried to stay away from them. Yet–it was a person of Samaria—who was the only one who came back to say “Thank you” and give glory to God.