Only One Returned to Give Thanks
Pastor Tan Thai · Nov 20, 2011
This sermon, based on Luke 17:11-19, reflects on the story of ten lepers healed by Jesus, only one of whom — a Samaritan — returned to give thanks. The pastor uses the Thanksgiving season to call the congregation to recognize God's mercy and cultivate genuine gratitude in daily life.
This sermon was preached during the American Thanksgiving season, grounded in Luke 17:11-19, which recounts the healing of ten lepers as Jesus traveled from Galilee toward Jerusalem. The pastor opens with a practical question: do we have anything to be thankful for to God? He uses World Bank statistics — over 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day and 27,000 children dying of hunger daily — to help the congregation recognize how blessed they truly are.
The central portion of the sermon focuses on the meaning of God's mercy. The pastor shows that many people in Scripture who called out for healing were actually pleading for God's mercy — from the Canaanite mother and the father of a demon-possessed child to blind Bartimaeus. The fundamental basis for gratitude is not wealth or health, but the grace, mercy, and love of God through Jesus Christ. When the Samaritan leper returned, he praised God loudly and prostrated himself at Jesus' feet — a combination of gratitude, praise, and humility.
The pastor also explores why the nine did not return — perhaps they forgot, were busy, or considered their healing an entitlement. He cites Deuteronomy 8:11-14 to warn that prosperity and abundance often lead to forgetfulness and pride. The story of basketball star Scottie Pippen serves as an illustration: despite earning tens of millions of dollars annually, he still envied those richer than himself — demonstrating that gratitude does not come from the size of one's blessings.
The sermon concludes with three practical principles: gratitude comes when you focus on the heart of the giver rather than the gift itself; gratitude comes when you recognize that everything you have is by God's mercy alone; and gratitude is the motive and driving force for worship and service. Paul's testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-13 is cited as a model of someone who received God's mercy and devoted his life to serving Him. The congregation is called to follow the example of the Samaritan leper — to return, praise God loudly, and bow at the feet of Jesus Christ in thanksgiving.