What Jesus Did

[When one of the healed lepers came back to thank Jesus,] Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you."

—Luke 17: 17-19 NLT

Key Thought​

"Where are the other nine?" During his earthly ministry, Jesus said some sad things that tear our hearts apart:

"Simon son of John, do you love me?" [1]
"Judas, would you...

 

One of [the ten lepers], when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!" He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

—Luke 17:15-16 NLT

Key Thought​

How do we respond when our cry for mercy receives our desired answer from our Master? This story is a reminder of our need to praise and thank Jesus unabashedly for his healing power, mercy, and grace. When was the last time you fell face down and...

 

[Jesus] looked at [the ten lepers who had pleaded for mercy] and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

—Luke 17:14 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus healed people in all sorts of ways. He told these ten with leprosy to go show themselves to the priests just as the law commanded them to do if they were healed. [1] Jesus didn't heal them before they left but rather as they were on their way to the priests. Healing happened after they...

 

As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

—Luke 17:11-13 NLT

Key Thought​

Mercy! Isn't that what we so often need? Life is filled with many unexpected challenges. Coupled with the predictable developmental challenges that come our way, these unexpected challenges can make life seem unbearable. For those with...

 

[Jesus continued,] "When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, 'Come in and eat with me'? No, he says, 'Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.' And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'"

—Luke 17:7-10 NLT

Key Thought​

In Jesus' day, a servant...

 

The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."
The Lord answered, "If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you!"


—Luke 17:5-6 NLT

Key Thought​

At first glance, Jesus appears to be making an incredible promise. On a closer look, however, this is a reprimand. Even a little faith is powerful. The apostles would have so much more impact on their...

 

The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."

—Luke 17:5 NLT

Key Thought​

How refreshing! The disciples were amazingly honest: "We need more faith!" I've been there; haven't you? They wanted more. They wanted to know how to acquire more faith. So what did they do? They asked Jesus! Why don't we?

Today's Prayer​

Dear Father, please increase my faith! I know faith is the doorway through which so many of your great movements of grace come. Please bless...

 

[After warning about not causing others to sin, Jesus continued,] "So watch yourselves!
"If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."


—Luke 17:3-4 NLT

Key Thought​

In today's polite and politically correct society, it is considered rude to step in and confront someone about his or her unethical or improper behavior or sin...

 

One day Jesus said to his disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin."

—Luke 17:1-2 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus wants us to be aware that temptation is real, dangerous, and personal. However, it is far worse for us to be the source of someone else's temptation and sin than to...

 

[Concluding the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus said,] "Then the rich man said, 'Please, Father Abraham, at least send [Lazarus] to my father's home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'

"But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.'

"The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to...