Moving From Outside to Inside
This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 10/9 at St. Timothy and St. Mark Lutheran Churches. The text was Luke 17:11-19 . Today's gospel reading seems to be a simple healing account. However, it is not like most miracle stories. The healing is not emphasized as much as the reaction to it. The miracle is less important than its results. Lepers of ancient society were rejected. They were treated as outcasts and outsiders and were required to live outside the city in leper colonies. Whenever they walked the streets, they were to cry out to warn others to keep away from them. Like sinners crying out for mercy, the lepers approached Jesus crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus had compassion on them and proceeded to grant their request. What is different about this healing is that Jesus sends the lepers away to see the priests. Jesus' directions call for faith, since the men must turn and go to the priests without any evi...