18^th Sunday after Pentecost C; Lectionary 28 C | October 12, 2025 | A Sermon on Luke 17:11-19 | by Luther H. Thoresen |

Scripture quotations from: New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Note: The initial paragraphs in italics of this sermon might be used as the basis for a Children’s message. If not used that way, one might adapt it as the beginning of the “usual” sermon or insert part of it later in the sermon…or elsewhere in the service.

(Two photos might be projected, if your congregation has that capacity; or you might print two photos on paper. One would show a person “dancing” or “leaping for joy” and the other could be of a “grateful heart”. You might select royalty-free images available from unsplash.com and pixabay.com that are appropriate for your setting, and these can be legally used in a worship setting.).  

In the Gospel reading today, one of the 10 people Jesus healed returned “praising God with a loud voice.” Here’s a picture. Is this person dancing? Maybe. At least it looks like he/she is shouting…maybe something like we heard in the first verse of today’s Psalm (Ps. 111), “Praise the LORD. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.” Here’s a second picture. It might be called, “grateful heart.” Usually, we think of our heart as the organ that pumps our blood throughout our body. However, we also use the word heart to speak of times when we feel something deeply. To speak of a grateful heart is to talk about feeling gratitude or thanks deeply.

If you have a broken toy, and someone like your mom or dad fixes it. Would you grab it and run off without saying “thanks”? Maybe, hopefully not. In today’s Gospel, we might say that 10 people were “broken.” That is to say that they had a disease, one of many possible skin diseases. In that time, there were not many medicines to help with such things, so someone with those kinds of diseases had to live separated from healthy people. They could not go to any family gatherings, not even a wedding. But, when they became better, they could return to be with others. However, some people had to live separated for the rest of their lives. Wow. So, when Jesus healed all of them, they were all probably leaping or dancing for joy, and maybe all were praising God. One came back to Jesus to say “thanks.” I’ll talk more about that in the regular part of the sermon. But for now, would you pray with me? God, thank you for bodies to leap and dance for joy. Thank you for voices to shout and sing with any day, and for voices to sometimes shout and sing your praise. Thank you for hearts that feel deeply, things like love and joy, thanks and even sadness. Thank you indeed for sending your Son that we might love you and each other. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today I would like to start this sermon with a question…and I will end with the same question. I won’t answer it, but I will let it “hang in the air” for all of us. Someone asked this question in a Bible study group I was in for many years, and I have often thought about it. So, here is the question: “What if we only had today that for which we said, ‘thanks’ yesterday?” Let me repeat that, “What if we only had today that for which we said, ‘thanks’ yesterday?”

In the Gospel reading we heard about the healing of ten lepers, and the one that returned to Jesus to say, “thanks.” Many of you have heard that story over the years, maybe at a Thanksgiving service in November.

I will not dwell on the nine who did not return. Neither will I say that they “should” have returned, nor excuse them. However, they do provide a contrast to the one. The one in the text becomes central, and the other nine fade into the background. That’s what I want – nine in the background, one, front and center.

All ten call out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” All ten are told, “Go and show yourselves to the priest.” You see, the priest was the gatekeeper who could declare someone “clean” again so they could return to family and social settings. All ten were made clean on the way. Yes, all ten were healed of their illness. After living separately, all ten could re-enter community. Now again they could go to family gatherings, weddings, festivals and more. Many could now go home again to spouse and children. When one saw that he was healed he turned back.

Martin Luther was once asked to describe the nature of true worship. How did he answer? “The tenth leper turning back.” That is, to turn, to change direction rather than going my merry way. Our worship, from beginning to end is a kind of tuning back to Jesus, a return to grace and praise and thanksgiving. One way to speak of our meal of Holy Communion is to call it, The Thanksgiving, in Greek that is Eucharist (you may have heard that word elsewhere). In the Gospel story today, one returns praising God with a loud voice – not a quiet, whispered, “thanks,” but a shout out to God.

I am reminded of the story in Acts 3. It tells of a crippled man in the temple. This is shortly after Jesus had been raised from the dead, ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit.  Lame and crippled he lay at the temple asking for alms – coins for survival from passersby. The Apostle Peter walked by and said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth stand up and walk.” What happened? The formerly crippled man wen walking and leaping and praising God. You may have heard the gospel chorus, (the preacher if comfortable could now sing this simply), “Walking and leaping and praising God; walking and leaping and praising God. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

I wonder, was the Samaritan, the tenth leper also walking and leaping and praising God? He probably could hardly do otherwise. It is likely that the other nine were also walking and leaping and praising God…but they did not return to Jesus and give thanks.

There is a French legend¹ about a man who gave up his fickle life and entered a monastery. But the life of a monk remained strange to him. He can’t seem to learn how to recite and chant the prayers. One day, he poured out his soul to the Virgin Mary and in a vision of sorts she told him to serve God with what he could do – that was to dance and leap! He began to skip the daily prayer services scheduled several times a day. During those times he would dance. Then one day, he was called to the abbot’s office (like being called to the principle’s office). He thought he would be reprimanded and given extra duties; or maybe he would even be asked to leave the abbey. Instead, the abbot said, “With your dancing you have glorified God with body and soul. May God forgive us all those loft words that pass our lips without coming from the heart.”

I had a parishioner for many years, and she was outspoken, to put it mildly. On more than one occasion (in non-private settings) she said, “Why are people so somber when they come back to their pew from receiving the Communion? We should be dancing!” Well, yes, we could. The one leper who returned to Jesus, came back to thank Jesus, praising God in a loud voice.

Henri Nouwen was a Catholic priest and author. He went on a mission to Peru and Bolivia. After the mission time, he wrote a book simply titled, Gracias! In that book we find these words:

“The word that I kept hearing, wherever I went, was: Gracias! It sounded like the refrain from a long ballad of events. Gracias a usted, gracias a Dios, muchas gracias—thank you, thanks be to God, many thanks! I saw thousands of poor and hungry children, I met many young men and women without money, a job, or a decent place to live. I spent long hours with sick, elderly people, and I witnessed more misery and pain than ever before in my life. But, in the midst of it all, that word lifted me again and again to a new realm of seeing and hearing: ‘Gracias! Thanks!’

“In many of the families I visited nothing was certain, nothing predictable, nothing totally safe. Maybe there would be food tomorrow, maybe there would be work tomorrow, maybe there would be peace tomorrow. Maybe, maybe not. But whatever is given—money, food, work, a handshake, a smile, a good word, or an embrace—is a reason to rejoice and say gracias. What I claim as a right, my friends in Bolivia and Peru received as a gift….

“And slowly I learned. I learned what I must have forgotten somewhere in my busy, well-planned, and very “useful” life. I learned that everything that is, is freely given by the God of love. All is grace. Light and water, shelter and food, work and free time, children, parents and grandparents, birth and death—it is all given to us. Why? So that we can say gracias, thanks: thanks to God, thanks to each other, thanks to all and everyone.”

We often name “things” for which we might give thanks, for which we might say, “gracias!” We name “things” that God provides, like food, clothing, home and family, daily work and more as we read in the Small Catechism of Martin Luther. Yes, God does provide. Yes, it is appropriate to give thanks for these. Still, for today, we might also give thanks for what God does. Jesus “did” something for the lepers. So, with that same Catechism, we can note more things that God has done and does. In the explanations³ of the three articles of the Apostles’ Creed.

With the first article, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,” Martin explains, “I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that he has given and still preserves my body and soul…protects me in time of danger and guards me from evil” That is to say that every heartbeat, every breath of our life is a gift of God.

With the second article, “I believe in Jesus Christ, His (God’s) only Son our Lord…” Martin explains, Jesus “saved and redeemed me a lost and condemned person, not with silver or gold but with His holy and precious blood.”  This is not just “history” in the past, but something in the present. By Word and Baptism, by Word and Communion, Jesus daily saves, Jesus daily redeems me from sin, death and the devil.

With the third article, “I believe in the Holy Spirit…” Martin explains, “I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and saved and kept me in the one true faith.” All these God does in your life and mine…creates, preserves, provides, protects, saves, redeems, calls, gathers, enlightens – all in the present with Christ.

One saw, one turned back, one praised God with a loud voice. That is in part why our “Alleluia” song with the Gospel reading this morning was “bigger.” We allowed more time for singing with your mouth, and the opportunity to maybe sway and maybe clap your hands. We allowed your “Alleluia” to maybe connect to body and soul.⁴

We also heard that the one “prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet” and thanked him. This pastor needs help again today. Dane and Jana (any youth or children 6-15 years of age) would you help me a bit? Jan, you will be like Jesus, please stand here. The one Jeus helped will be Dane; please come stand facing Jana (place them about 2 feet apart). Dan, tip your head forward. This acknowledges Jana’s presence. Now, Dan, bow deeply. This shows respect. Dan, now kneel before her to show your allegiance – like a knight kneeling before a king or queen. Now, put your face to the ground, Dan. This shows complete surrender. That’s what the one did. Face to the ground at Jesus’ feet – surrendered…and saying gracias, thanks. You two may return to your places. Thanks for helping this pastor.

The one leper put his face to the ground – at Jesus feet. In a conversation with other pastors a few years ago, one of them said, “The place to praise and thank God is at Jesus’ feet. The place to see the power of God is at the foot of the cross with Jesus’ feet nailed and dripping with life-giving blood” Wow. I wish I’d said that.

There are many ways we would imagine being at Jesus’ feet – in silent prayer, kneeling before a wooden or metal cross, bowing before a painting or icon or other piece of art. Today, we come to the altar where Jesus promises to be present in bread and wine. In, with and under the bread and wine is the body and blood of Christ. You may come praising for all God has done and is doing. You could come, bow, kneel and prostrate yourself before the presence of Jesus. I invite you at least to tip your head not to me or the server, but to the bread and wine in order to acknowledge Jesus’ presence there. When you tip your head, you do so not as a show for others, not as a show for God, but to express thanks with your body. Yes, at the feet of Jesus in, with and under the bread and wine, you might offer your grateful heart.

The last thing Jesus said to the man, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well;” this we will not explore very much today. I will only add this: ten were cleansed/healed, the one who returned was made well; his faith was expressed in turning back and loudly praising God, his faith was express with thanks at Jesus’ feet. His faith made him well, made him whole; and your faith makes you well, makes you whole.

That the one who returned was a Samaritan, an outsider, one probably hated by most Jewish people of Jesus Day. This is an important part of the story…and important part for another sermon.

So, for today, I end where we began, “What if we only had today that for which we said, ‘thanks’ yesterday?” “What if I only had today that for which I said, ‘thanks’ yesterday?”  Amen

In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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©Pr. Luther H. Thoresen, ELCA, STS, retired; thoresenluther54@gmail.com; Grundy Center, IA, USA

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¹ This legend was in The Silent Cry: Mysticism and Resistance by Dorothee Soelle. I read it at http://www.edgeofenclosure.org/proper23c.html

² I copied this as quoted from an online sermon by Richard Niell Donovan at https://sermonwriter.com/sermons/new-testament-luke-1711-19-returning-thankfully-donovan/

³ With the explanations from the Small Catechism, I am quoting them from my own memory banks. That is to say, that it is likely that these are an amalgamation of two or more published translations of Martin’s original German.

⁴ A worship planner or pastor could substitute an “Alleluia” verse appropriate for your setting. It happens that when I was a called pastor, for this lectionary Sunday, we substituted the Caribbean text and tune, “Helle, halle halle” (With One Voice, #612) and sang it twice before the Gospel reading, and once after the reading.