Sermon

In the part of Luke we have covered in the last month or so, Jesus' teachings and parables have been about the demands of discipleship. The recent texts have consisted of realistic settings and likely scenarios. Today's text from Luke begins a new section that has more to do with the characteristics of God. So there are no disciples in the text for today, only 10 men described as “men who had leprosy” (a little more humane translation) or “lepers”, and, the geographic location is a little blurred also; technically there would not have been a “region between Samaria and Galilee” if Jesus were on his way to Jerusalem from Galilee. Galilee to Jerusalem is north to south, and Samaria is north of Galilee. In order to go near Samaria, Jesus would have had to go further north first, and then begin his route south to Jerusalem. Being between regions as the text says, is just a way to say that the men who approached Jesus were not racially or ethnically defined. Instead they are defined by their disease. They were defined by the thing that made them different enough that they were required to live outside the camp, outside the city, and when someone came near the men were required to warn those coming by calling out “unclean, unclean!”  They were defined as men with needs greater than their society could handle, and therefore relegated to a life unconnected. In the only instance in Luke of a non-disciple referring to Jesus as Master, they call out not for alms as he passes by, but for Mercy. Asking not for anything specific as we might think. Master, take this leprosy away from me. Master, help me to be part of a community. Master, make me a person of value. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on me!” 10 men calling with one voice. Luke loves the metaphor of sight as we can read in today's text: Jesus saw them, told them to show themselves to the priests. The man who returned to give thanks, saw that he was healed.  When we really see someone, as Luke uses the term, we are doing more than a visual exercise.  When we say “I see you” in this way, we are saying to someone that we have taken in their words, their tone, their expressions, their mood, their body language, their eyes, and we want to convey a sense of understanding beyond a glance from across the room, beyond what I say to my cat when she hides behind the television.

In Luke's gospel, to see means to really take something in, and consider beyond the current moment.  We consider the time before and the time after.  So when the 10 went away to show themselves to the priests, they were made clean on the way.  According to Leviticus 14, a leper would go to a priest on the day of their cleansing.  “Jesus' command is significant because these leprous men would only go to a priest to be pronounced healed if they were free of this leprosy (“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest . . . (NASB) Lev. 14:2.”) The fact that they started walking to the priest reveals that they believed Jesus was going to heal them. They were not healed when they started walking. They were healed as they were going to the priest. We are told that they were “cleansed.” The Greek word that is translated as “cleansed” …simply means to “cleanse.” It was a term used to refer to a leper who was healed and no longer had the disease.” 1

10 men who were unclean were made clean on the way.  But one, the text tells us, “saw that he was made clean.”  He saw.  Not only did the man see his skin change from one affected by disease, but he would have understood the implications of a life undefined by his disease.  No longer required to live outside of the community, he would be connected again to family, work, future possibilities.  Yes, he was made clean, but having seen it for himself, he responded by turning back and praising God and falling on his knees at Jesus' feet to thank him.  The miracle wasn't just the cleansing of his skin, it was the complete change in the direction of his life.  The man saw all of it, and turned back, and gave thanks.

Who knows what happened after the man was cleansed, turned back, and gave thanks.  The open ended part of this story lets us imagine the great possibilities in front of this man.  So what about the other nine then?  If they too were made clean, what is the difference between their future and the future of the Samaritan who turned back to give thanks?  It's likely that being now cleansed of leprosy, they too will be able to return to their communities, connect with family, work, the temple, which will lead to a more positive future for the nine also.

If all 10 were cleansed of their disease, and most likely therefore had a better future ahead of them, what was the benefit for the Samaritan who turned back?  

The difference for me turns on the terminology used.  All 10 knew that they were cleansed but only the Samaritan saw that he was cleansed.  Knowing and seeing are different.  Just as belief and faith are different.  All 10 believed that Jesus would heal them, or they would not have started their walk to see the priests.  But the one who turned back and gave thanks was made well.  Knowing vs. seeing; believing and having faith; being cleansed and being made well, or some translations say being made whole.  You say tom-ay-to, I say to-mah-to?  Is this just semantics?  Maybe.  Remember we have seen that each gospel writer has a particular focus in mind as they write.  Luke's focus is always on community.  Connections between people, between people and God as individuals and between communities and God.  So in this case, the semantics matter.  Being a leper meant one was outcast.  Being from Samaria and a leper meant one was a double outcast.  So let's review:

10 were outcast

1 was double outcast

10 believed

10 were cleansed

10 had better prospects ahead as a result

1 though saw that he was cleansed, turned back and gave thanks, and was made well.  That deeper level of seeing, followed by a thankful response showed that only one of the 10 acknowledged God as a full participant in their cleansing, and that is what faith is.  The trust in, love of, hope for, thanks to all of what God is doing for us.  10 believed – but only one had faith.

The response to God's involvement in our life circumstances is appropriately one of thanks and gratitude.  

But why?

Just like a kid who is never satisfied with what you say until they've said “why” at least 10 times, I found myself asking “why” a lot while reading this text, and not just this text honestly.  Why 10, why only 1, why call out to Jesus, why do what he said, why were they outcast?  What about the other 9 – did they have a bad life because they didn't turn and go back and give thanks?  What happened next?  Is this a story about 1 good and 9 bad?

Why does it even matter?

I was telling someone yesterday, about being about 5 years old and playing in the back yard with the little girl that lived next door.  We didn't play house.  We played church.  And I didn't know how to play.  Church was in our culture, but not in our house.  I suppose my brother might have had the same trouble with friends who wanted to play organized baseball.  Organized sports is part of our culture, but wasn't in our house.  We all have come through our lives having learned how to get by, somehow.  Because we're brilliant, because people naturally like us and help us, because we're tenacious and persistent in the face of difficulties, because we've had a tough life and are super strong and resilient.  Why is it then, that with all of the variety that exists in the world among humans, that there are those of us that read this book – the Bible, come to church, engage in the practices of our faith, try to understand stories about 10 lepers and only one who gave thanks for healing?  Why do we keep showing up, keeping asking questions of the text, keep singing and praying and worshipping?  

Why do we keep doing the faithful work?

I believe we do it because we hope to have an impact.  I don't know if I'll ever do anything amazing, but I'd like to be part of a community that does something amazing.  I don't know if every individual hopes to have an impact on the world, but I know that humans have an innate desire to connect, and to connect on behalf of what is good.  My question for us, and the question from the text for us is, “Why do we do this – this thing called church, praise, worship, community, follow the gospel call work for justice for the immigrant, the outcast, the mentally ill, the unhoused, the unseen and victims of violence?  Why?  Why do we do this?

I want to show you clips from a PBS Newshour interview with two actors, Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke, who play Willy Loman and his wife Linda, in the new Broadway production of Death of a Salesman.  Here is an example of considering “Why do we do this?, where “this” being in the realm of acting, in this case.

This production of Death of a Salesman has impacted the actor, the actor has impacted the woman in the audience.  She just couldn't keep silent.  In our current environment with all kinds of -isms showing their nasty heads, racism and violence against people of color, emotional and physical, just the thought that Willy Loman would pick up after his white boss made her cry bubble up and out of her, unbidden.

This is how the world works.  There are millions of these tiny yet gigantic moments of impact every day.  As people of faith, as followers of Christ, our gospel call is to keep showing up.  Keep being the one who turned back and gave thanks, who include God in all of our circumstances.  Keep putting ourselves in the place where Christ already is in the world, in scripture, in song, in community, in private, in nature. We do these things because when the time is right, our gifts will be just the thing that's needed.

Let's pray,

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1 What is the difference between the ten lepers being cleansed or made whole?