Give Thanks to God
Thank God, I can still breathe today
Thank God, I can still think today
Thank God, I can still see clearly today
Thank God, I can still hear today
Thank God, I can still talk today
Thank God, I can still eat and drink today
Thank God, I can still walk today
Thank God, You still give me health today
Thank God, I still have money today
Thank God, I still have parents today
These are my 10 gratitudes to God every day
Question :
1. What are some ways that you can see selfishness in young children?
✓ Unwillingness to share toys, etc.
2. What are some ways that you see selfishness in adults?
✓ Unwillingness to share their expensive toys, etc.
3. What are some examples of self-focus in our society?
✓ Self magazine, walkmans, self-indulgence, etc.
Let’s take a look at the Bible’s view of giving thanks to God
Lesson Scripture
Read Luke 17:11–19.
Luke 17:11–19 (NET) Now on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance, raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
When he saw them he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went along, they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He fell with his face to the ground at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (Now he was a Samaritan.)Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
Then he said to the man, “Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Questions :
1. What would it be like to be a leper?
✓ Humiliating, lived outside of town in segregated communities, no source of income other than begging, sores deterioration of health, ostracized
2. How do you think they felt?
3. Have you ever felt that way? When?
✓ Jesus saw them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priest.’ And us they went, they were cleansed.” (v14) Of the ten who were healed, only one came back to thank Jesus, and he was a Samaritan.
4. What are some possible reasons the others didn’t return to thank Jesus?
✓ Too busy
✓ It wasn’t convenient
✓ They would thank him later
✓ Ignorant of the magnitude of what had been done for them
✓ Figured Jesus would know what they were thankful
✓ “I obeyed, I did as Jesus commanded. Isn’t that enough?”
5. Would you say that these people believed in Jesus? Why?
✓ Called Jesus master and obeyed him
6. How do you think Jesus felt about the nine ungrateful lepers?
✓ Hurt, disappointed, sad and let down
7. How are we like the nine?
✓ Take God and his miracles in our lives for granted
✓ Don’t give thanks, or give him credit for what we have
✓ Don’t talk to God and express our thanks
✓ Do the bare minimum, just enough to get by
✓ Get lazy and lose our focus
Reread vv15–16.
Luke 17:15–16 (NET) Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.
He fell with his face to the ground at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (Now he was a Samaritan.)
8. What do you see about the Samaritan leper?
✓ Praise God in a loud voice and was not concerned with what people thought
✓ He was humble, fell at Jesus feet
✓ His faith made him well
9. How do we need to imitate the Samaritan leper?
✓ Remember what God has done for us
✓ Obey God’s commands
✓ Give God the praise and credit he deserves
10. What stops us?
✓ Too busy
✓ It wasn’t convenient
✓ God knows my heart
✓ “I don’t need to be that radical in my love for God”
✓ There is no shortage of excuses we can give for not being grateful
Conclusion :
✓ All were physically healed, but only one received spiritual healing.
✓ Ingratitude hurts God. Recognize where you blessings come from.
✓ Be a thankful person to God, to parents, to spouse, to friends, to everyone who has made difference in your life.
