P5 Miracles | The Ten Lepers

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Finding Saving Faith: Lessons from the Ten Lepers
In Luke 17, Jesus encounters ten men with leprosy who cry out for healing. While all ten are physically healed, only one—a Samaritan—returns to thank Jesus. To this man alone, Jesus says, "Your faith has made you well." This powerful story reveals an important distinction between having faith in God and having saving faith in God.


What's the Difference Between Faith and Saving Faith?
All ten lepers believed Jesus could heal them, but only one demonstrated saving faith. This distinction matters eternally. Many people believe in God's existence and power, but saving faith goes deeper—it transforms not just our circumstances but our souls.


The story of the ten lepers teaches us three essential components of saving faith:


How Do I Recognize My Need for a Savior?
The first step toward saving faith is recognizing our desperate condition. These ten men knew they were in a pitiful state—outcasts suffering from a devastating disease. They approached Jesus with the proper posture: "Jesus, master, have pity on us."


Many people today, especially those living comfortable lives, don't pursue Jesus because they don't think they need Him. Affluence and self-sufficiency blind us to our spiritual need. But as with physical disease, the most dangerous spiritual condition is the one you don't realize you have.


In Scripture, leprosy often represents sin—a sickness that infects us all. Romans tells us "all have sinned," and this infection is deadly: "The wages of sin is death." No one is immune, regardless of how good or religious they appear. We are all desperate for a cure, whether we recognize it or not.


Where Do All Good Things Come From?
The second aspect of faith is recognizing God as the source of every blessing. All ten lepers experienced healing—Jesus blessed them all, even those He knew wouldn't return to thank Him.


James 1:17 reminds us that "every good and perfect gift is from above." Not some gifts, not most gifts—every good thing in your life comes from God. He gave you life, health, family, and even your next breath.


In our fallen world, it's crucial to understand who's for us and who's against us. God is good and always works for your good. Satan, on the other hand, works against your good because you bear God's image.


Satan uses human pride to squeeze God out of our blessing story. We say, "I'm self-made. I earned this." But Deuteronomy 8 warns against this thinking: "You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth."


What did you do before birth to deserve being born in a free society, with health, or with your natural abilities? Nothing. These are gifts from God.


What Makes Saving Faith Different?
The Samaritan leper demonstrated saving faith through two distinctive qualities:


How Does Gratitude Shape Our Faith?
First, he had a thankful heart. He recognized Jesus' healing as gracious and undeserved. Two attitudes work against this kind of gratitude:



Entitlement: The belief that we deserve certain things—that God owes us blessings, heaven, or mercy. The remedy is realizing what we truly deserve. Isaiah 64:6 says, "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags."



Discontent: The feeling that what we have is insufficient—we always need more. The healed Samaritan didn't return with a list of additional requests. He was simply grateful for what Jesus had already done.




It's a sad indictment how much more people expect from God beyond the sacrifice of His only Son. If God never sent another blessing your way, He has already done enough to deserve your gratitude and worship.


Why Is Worship Essential to Saving Faith?
The Samaritan also had a worshipful heart. He threw himself at Jesus' feet, recognizing Him as more than just a healer—as someone worthy of worship.


True worship isn't just about what God has done for us but who He is. Many people treat God like a vending machine for blessings, approaching Him only when they need something. The story of a young father who was devoted to church during unemployment but disappeared after finding a job illustrates this problem.


If you're only close to Jesus in times of need, don't be surprised if God keeps you in places of need.


Life Application
Who is Jesus to you? Is He merely your life preserver, your ticket to heaven, or the concierge you call when you need something? Or is He truly your Lord and God?


Saving faith recognizes Jesus as both Savior (because of what He's done) and Lord (because of who He is). This week, examine your relationship with God by asking yourself these questions:



Do I approach God primarily when I need something, or do I seek Him for who He is?

When God blesses me, do I respond with gratitude or simply move on to my next request?

What areas of entitlement or discontent might be hindering my relationship with God?

If God never gave me another blessing beyond salvation, would I still worship Him?


Consider praying this simple prayer: "Father, help me recognize my desperate need for you, even when life seems comfortable. Thank you for every blessing you've given me, especially the gift of your Son. I want to worship you not just for what you do, but for who you are. Make my faith not just belief, but truly saving faith."