30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 17 11-19 Surrender, Thankfulness, Gratitude and Worship of God 09 Building bridges with people
📖 Luke 17:11-19
02Aug2020 - *Building bridges with people* - _Luke 17:11-19_ He was a Samaritan - THANKFULNESS, GRATITUDE AND WORSHIP OF GOD 9 – Bible reading: _Ephesians 2:11-16_
_Luke 17:16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"_
This leper who returned to give thanks, worship and to glorify God, was a Samaritan. The Lord too referred to him, particularly as a foreigner.
What is this issue with the Samaritans? There was a long history of problems between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritans considered themselves to be part of the Abrahamic covenant but the Jews did not include them. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be of mixed descent and not to be pure Jews. The place of worship was one of the thorny issues that broke the relationship between the two communities. To the Samaritans, Mount Gerizim was the place of worship of God, whereas for the Jews it was Jerusalem.
What were the deeper implications of these dividing issues between the Jews and the Samaritans?
Our religious beliefs and its physical expressions and symbols become more important than our love and worship of God and loving people. Religious beliefs and their physical and tangible symbols become sacrosanct in the minds of people. Whereas the Lord desires people to understand the true worship of God and its cascading effect in caring for one another.
Look at the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. The Lord is helping us to understand what true love and worship of God are all about. _John 4:20-21 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." (21) Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. (22) You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. (23) But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him._
Jesus taught the importance of loving our neighbour as ourselves through the story of the Good Samaritan.
The Jews knew what was the greatest commandment. _Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' (40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."_
It was to the Jews that the oracles of God were given. So, in this matter of gratitude, thanksgiving, worship of God, it should have been the Jews, who should have been an example. The nine Jewish lepers, who were cleansed, gave importance to the outward symbols of their devotion to God but it was the Samaritan, who demonstrated true worship.
(Jesus was not against the traditions. He had instructed them to go and show themselves to the priests)
This is where the Lord evaluates our hearts. Are we those who are the true worshippers of God just as the Samaritan leper was?
Through the cross, the Lord has broken down the middle wall of divisions and partitions between all of us as humanity.
_Ephesians 2:11-16 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— (12) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (13) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (14) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, (15) having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, (16) and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity._
The Lord has made it possible, though the cross, for us to build bridges of relationships between one another as humans and to together be grateful, thankful and worshipful of our Lord and Master.
*Thought to ponder*
```The church ought to be the micro lab to demonstrate oneness amongst all people and to together worship our God in gratitude and thanksgiving.```