When was the last time that someone gave you a gift? How did you feel about this act of kindness? What sort of reaction did you have in response towards them? If something is given as a gift, it is free and without any conditions connected to it, otherwise it would not be a gift, it would be a purchase. With this being said, what should the correct response be when one receives a gift? To say the words “thank you.”
An expression of gratitude and appreciation, the words thank you are words that some people have erased from their vocabulary, and this is exactly what the Apostle Paul said would happen.
2 Timothy 3:1-2 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”
In Luke 17, Jesus performed a miracle by healing 10 men of their leprosy, which was a disease of the skin that could eventually lead to nerve damage, resulting in the inability to feel pain, which then could lead to the loss of a person’s extremities from repeated injury. Because leprosy is spread largely between contact between people, lepers were generally segregated from the main population to try to prevent the spread.
But back to our Bible passage, read what happened in Luke 17:12-19.
“And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Out of these ten men, only one of them was thankful enough to go back to Jesus and give Him thanks.
I know that I cannot speak for everyone, but when I received a gift I was taught to say those two words: thank you. I suppose that anyone can say the words without actually feeling it, but it is a very good thing to be thankful, and appreciate those things that you have been given, not just towards those on this Earth, but more importantly towards our heavenly Father.
Who gave you life? Often many people will say, “My mother did,” but the gift of life originated far before then. The gift of life comes from God. Life is a gift, because you didn’t do anything to get it. It was just given to you, freely, and without charge.
We all have the promise of another free gift, to be given to us at a later time. Provided that we walk according to the doctrine of Christ, this gift is also a gift of life: eternal life. Eternal life is a gift because it is something that cannot be earned. It cannot be bought; it is a gift.
Romans 5:15-19 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Life, health, food, clothing, the beautiful weather outside, your home, your children and family– if you cannot find something to be thankful for, then I ask, Why not?
Ephesians 5:19-20 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Everything that we have is a gift from God, as nothing happens without His intervention. So what do we say? To Jesus we say, “Thank you!”
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 