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? (Luke 17:15-17 KJV)
Most are familiar with the account above.
While on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered ten lepers standing at a distance, begging Him to have mercy on them.
In a miraculous display of His power, Jesus healed the lepers of that dreaded disease.
Rightfully so, the account is commonly used to highlight the power, mercy, and grace of our Lord, while also teaching the faith that is required on our part to do what Christ commands.
What may not be quite so common, however, is using this account in a Thanksgiving context.
As a preacher, I know all too well that the vast majority of our Thanksgiving-themed messages and teachings generally center around the multitude of passages that command us to be thankful at all times.
But do we ever pause to consider the inverse? In other words, do we consider what it means when we neglect to be thankful? Do we ever consider that being unthankful is actually sinful?
It seems clear in Luke’s account of the ten lepers who were healed that the expectation was that all would return and give thanks. Jesus said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”
Where were they? Was it too much to expect them to return and give thanks to the One who healed them of that terrible disease that cut them off from society and caused their bodies to decay until they died?
Were they not thankful? If so, why didn’t the other nine return with the one?
Who knows? Luke didn’t give us that information.
What is clear though, is that their ingratitude was sinful.
As Matthew Henry noted,
“[Christ’s question] intimates that ingratitude is a very common sin. Of the many that receive mercy from God, there are but few, very few, that return to give thanks in a right manner (scarcely one in ten), that render according to the benefit done to them.”
And lest you think being unthankful is but a “mild” sin, or no sin at all, I would point you to two passages of Scripture.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:21).
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
To the Romans, Paul listed ingratitude as a damning sin.
As John Phillips noted regarding Paul’s words to the Romans, “Ingratitude to God for His revelation of Himself is what leads to idolatry, lust, and lawlessness,” and “those terrible sins cause God to give people up to pornography, perversion, and consequent judgment,” as the Romans passage goes on to highlight.
Paul’s words to young Timothy revealed the gross sin and apostasy that would be characteristic of the final days of the church age, and listed among those gross sins is being unthankful.
When considering Scripture’s repeated admonitions to express gratitude to God, and Scripture’s negative expressions about being unthankful, it becomes clear that ingratitude should occupy no place in the heart of a Christian.
As believers, when we recall Christ’s mercy in rescuing us from the deserved penalty of our sins and His grace in granting us an undeserved eternity with Him, the only logical response is to do as that lone leper and fall on our face at Christ’s feet and give Him thanks.
