The Collect
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle (Galatians v. 16)
I SAY then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
The Gospel (St. Luke xvii. 11)
AND it came to pass, as Jesus went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Trinity XIV - Sermon Message in a Minute
Today's gospel lesson tells the story of how Jesus goes into a village where ten lepers call to him for help. Jesus responds back, "Go show yourselves to the priests." They are yelling at each other, because if they get too close, Jesus will become contaminated. He tells them to go to the priests, because it was the priest's job to certify that someone had recovered from leprosy enough to be able to rejoin polite society and public worship. The willingness of the lepers to go to the priests showed they believed that Jesus was healing them. If they went to the priests while they were still unclean, they would contaminate them -- an even bigger violation.
As the lepers approach the priests they are, indeed, healed. But only one of them comes back to glorify God and thank Jesus. By now it shouldn't surprise you too much that the grateful leper was a Samaritan. The gospel encourages us to ask Jesus for help -- especially for physical healing. But it also reminds us to complete the circuit and thank him.
Trinity XIV - Sermon Message in a Minute
Today's gospel lesson tells the story of how Jesus goes into a village where ten lepers call to him for help. Jesus responds back, "Go show yourselves to the priests." They are yelling at each other, because if they get too close, Jesus will become contaminated. He tells them to go to the priests, because it was the priest's job to certify that someone had recovered from leprosy enough to be able to rejoin polite society and public worship. The willingness of the lepers to go to the priests showed they believed that Jesus was healing them. If they went to the priests while they were still unclean, they would contaminate them -- an even bigger violation.
As the lepers approach the priests they are, indeed, healed. But only one of them comes back to glorify God and thank Jesus. By now it shouldn't surprise you too much that the grateful leper was a Samaritan. The gospel encourages us to ask Jesus for help -- especially for physical healing. But it also reminds us to complete the circuit and thank him.
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