Luke 17:11-19
The term miracle can be used in many ways from the secular to the religious, from sports events to the whole creation. Miracle is an event considered unusual, something extraordinary. Theologically, a miracle makes emphasis on what God has revealed about Himself through this event. When we see or experience a miracle, we are called to look for God’s revelation in the event, and ask, “What does this miracle tell us about God?” and “What does this miracle tell us about ourselves?”
The scripture we heard this morning is about one of many miracles Jesus performed during his ministry on earth. The Gospel of Luke tells us that on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus met 10 men with leprosy, they cried out “Jesus, master have pity on us.” Jesus had pity and told them “Go and show yourself to the priest.” This is what it was required by the law. We can read it in Leviticus 14, so, that is what they did, they went to see the priest. On the way to the temple, they were healed. One of those lepers -Luke says- was a Samaritan. This Samaritan stopped his journey to the temple and came back to Jesus, praising God in loud voice and threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him. And Luke emphasizes that he was a Samaritan.
Sometime before, these ten men stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Jesus’ answer was, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” They knew what this meant because they knew what Leviticus 14:1-8 says. They dreamed they could do what the law says. “The Lord said to Moses, 2 “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[a] 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the person to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn, and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields. 8 “The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes, shave off all their hair and bathe with water; then they will be ceremonially clean.
When Jesus healed these men, did he intended to only clean their skin? Or did he want something else? What was Jesus’ intention behind this miracle? Or behind any other miracle. I believe that every miracle Jesus performed, whether healing a leper or making a paralytic walk or any other miracle, was done as a way to show that person -and whoever witnessed the miracle-, who God is. With every miracle, Jesus opened the door of God’s kingdom for us to see and it was up to the individuals, up to us to enter or to stay out. Every miracle and every prayer that he answers is an opportunity given by God to us, to throw ourselves at Jesus’ feet and praise God.
This may sound strange, but I believe the story of the Ten Men with leprosy is the story of one miracle and nine half miracles. The full miracle took place in the life of the Samaritan who came back. Why? because, he not only got his skin cleansed, but his heart and his whole life were cleansed as well. His miracle began when he was far from Jesus, crying out “Jesus, master, have mercy on us” and was completed when he came close to Jesus, praising God and surrendering himself to the one who had restored his life. This Samaritan seems to know that healing needs to take place inside as well as outside.
I know -and you may too- people who pray and worship God but reject to serve him, they only seek the gifts from God, but not the person of Christ. They are as the other nine men who experienced God’s power, love, and mercy, but that was all, as far as we know they received what they asked for and continued with their lives. They were superficially cleaned only. They were far away when they asked for the miracle, and they stayed away after they received the miracle. They asked for pity, and they received it. They allowed God to work on their needs but then shut their hearts and lives to him. Because of this, they couldn’t see the full scope of Jesus’ miracle; they could not hear God’s invitation into his kingdom. I call them “half miracle people.”
When the Samaritan threw himself at Jesus’ feet, Jesus told him “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” This means go because you don’t belong to this isolated place anymore, go with your family, go to your work, go, and have the kind of life God wants you to have. No miracle is complete until God’s will is fully done in our lives.
The difference between the nine and the one was their understanding of the purpose of this miracle. The nine saw in Jesus and his miracle, just a healer and a healing; they saw only the resource of help for their skin problem and because of this, they could not see beyond. On the other hand, the Samaritan understood that what Jesus did, was more than what is seen; he was able to see beyond the cleaning of his skin. He saw the answer to all his problems- heart and body. The nine saw a useful healer able to remove the barrier preventing them from living their full life. The Samaritan saw the end to his quest for healing inside, as well as outside. The nine ran for the blessings and approval of the priest. The Samaritan ran to Jesus, praising God and looking for his approval and his blessing. In the end the Samaritan saw a greater vision, the immediate source of help for the world, the door to a new life. He saw a Savior.
Have you ever experienced a miracle in your life? Have you ever cried out, “Jesus, master have mercy on me” and heard His voice saying, “don’t worry I am here”? Have you ever cried out for something and received exactly or more of what you have asked for? Have you ever asked yourself what was God’s intention with this miracle? Does he only want to take our pain away and restore our health? Or is there something more?
A miracle, my brothers and sisters is not only God’s way of letting us know he hears our cry, it is not just God’s way of providing what we need, or a way to remove our sorrows and pain. A miracle is God’s way of saying “I love you and I don’t want you far away from me” “I love you and I don’t want you to continue in that condition. Come. Come to me and let me fulfill my salvation in your life”.
My brothers and sisters, every one of us is either a full miracle or a half miracle. If you have experienced a miracle in your life, if you have seen his glory, if you have heard his voice calling you and you haven’t come to him and surrendered your life yet, you are a half miracle. You are a miracle waiting to be completed. If you have cried out and God answered you by pouring out his blessing over you, and you have yet to come and throw yourself at Jesus’ feet, you are still a half miracle waiting to be complete. A miracle is only completed when God’s action, God’s interventions in our lives transform our hearts and minds. A miracle is not completed until the mouth that cried out for mercy confesses the name of Jesus as Savior and God.
What are you? What are we? Are we half of a miracle or a complete miracle? If you are a complete miracle, praise the Lord; if you are a miracle waiting to be completed don’t let this opportunity pass by, surrender your life to Jesus. Don’t conform yourself with just receiving what you asked for, come to Jesus and receive all those blessing he has in store for you, close the circle, and give yourself to God.