Luke 17:11-19
* May 3, 2009 * Easter
4/First Communion * Rev. John Kuske
Bob Perks is a Professional Speaker. I read some of his material sometimes. He tells of overhearing a father and daughter in their last moments together. Over the public address system they had announced that the daughter's plane was ready to depart. They stood near the security gate and hugged. Finally the father said, "I love you. I wish you enough."
She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."
They kissed and she left. The old man walked over toward the area where Perks was seated. Perks could see the old man wanted and needed to cry. Perks tried not to intrude on his privacy, but the old man welcomed him in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?"
"Yes, I have," Perks replied, brining back memories of all his dad had done for him. Recognizing that his days were limited, he took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to him. So Perks knew something of what this man was experiencing.
"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?"
"I am old," said the man, "and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral."
Perks asked, "When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?"
The old man began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more.
"When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," then he recited it from memory.
I
wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I
wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I
wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I
wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I
wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I
wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I
wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final
"Goodbye."
He then began to cry and walked away.
I want to pick up that idea of “I wish you enough” as our theme for this Good Shepherd Sunday and the first communion opportunity for the new confirmands. As you come to the Lord’s altar today I want to wish you enough
1) Joy in your salvation to speak about it and
2) Enough faith in your Savior to return
1.
Enough joy
in your salvation to speak about it
We often malign the nine lepers but they had enough faith. Jesus usually healed people who demonstrated faith. These nine went to look for him to get his help because of their faith. In faith they asked for mercy, literally “Pity us!” Then they left to go the priests in order to reclaim their lives. They did what they were told to do. They were faithful to Jesus direction but for nine of them. that was all.
I expect they responded in joy to their deliverance. I
remember the picture from old my old Bible History book. The one leper was
kneeling to receive a blessing from Jesus but under his arm with
At the same time, do you think they went home with stoic German reserve and responded to inquiries. “Hey, Simon, good to see you were healed!” “Yes, I was healed” “So how does it feel to be whole again?” “No it’s not a big deal.”
Or do you think they spoke about Jesus wherever they went. Hey you’re not feeling well. Hey when I had leprosy, man, we asked Jesus to heal us and look at me! You ought to go find that Jesus guy! He can heal you like he healed me!” Word of mouth was the reason so many crowds followed him
This story is a reflection of the joy at coming back from the dead—dead in sins. Easter is a time to remember the joy of coming back from the dead. Communion too is a time to recall how we came from death to life in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have the chance to kneel before the Lord in thanks for salvation, to recall what we were and are like without him. The Bible Stories especially around Easter want us to see the proper reactions to experiencing and enjoying the Good Shepherd’s help. Jesus told us about our faith.
We have to realize that we are coming back from the dead too. Easter is only a few weeks past. We are covered in death when Jesus declared, “It is finished.” Now your faith is rewarded. Beginning today, for some, the idea of coming back from the dead will be underscored for the first time. While others, we have been reminded many times of being dead in sin and now alive in Christ. We have something to speak about when we leave these doors to friends who don’t know this. To neighbors who still have not heard it correctly. To family members who may be slipping away. These are all things Jesus told us to do.
What we can learn from the nine is that faithfulness is not just doing what is said, but also coming back to give thanks with
2. Enough faith in the Savior
to return.
The key point of the event in Jesus’ life is the one who
came back to worship God. He had enough faith to realize the healing would
remain, but the chance to thank Jesus would not. As is often the case, it is
the unlikely one—the Samaritan in the group. Whereas his voice had had to unite
with nine others to call to God in faith before, now it shouted the Good
Shepherd’s praises “in a loud voice.” His faith was rewarded—with healing
strength of body and faith. He wanted everyone to know about it. He wanted to
stand in the presence of the God-Man and declare it. He saw the praise not only
belonged to God at the
In truth all of us are an unlikely one to give thanks to God for his undeserved kindness and love. Think of your life. For how many years did your parents have to ask you those two well known rhetorical questions “and what do you say?” or “have you forgotten something?” to remind us to say “thank you.” Were you a teen before it was automatic? Were you an adult? Or have you never learned the truth of giving thanks to underserved gifts of love—from God or other humns?
We have plenty to be thankful for. Our Good Shepherd has
given us his best. We come in worship ask “Have mercy on us, pity us.” He feeds
us here in the Bible the best food for our faith—the green pastures of truth, the
refreshing water of life. He provides that grace your
It is important for our faith to return to thank God for what he has done for us. Yes we can worship out in nature or away from the church, but do we? And maybe the questions really is “why not go back to where God has said he would be—here in church where 2 or 3 come together in my name.” God has promised to be here for you to thank him. And we can thank him by participation in Communion. We can’t get Communion from a tree or a TV set. We will not get our faith strengthened unless we interact with our loving God. That is what Communion does for us.
It all begins as with the lepers when we realize our undeserving nature, our living death in God’s eyes, that we wander away so easily, the fact that we are people beyond help. Then we will appreciate what God has done and ask him for a faith that thanks him every chance we get. God himself lived on earth for us. The Good Shepherd went to the cross for us. He shed his blood and gave his body for us. He only asks us to be faithful. Faithfulness is more important than success. The power to remain faithful is great treasure indeed so that is why in closing I want add to that little wish from the opening.
First I want to add this line: I wish you enough joy in your salvation that you share it with someone every week. When you leave let the joy of your salvation show on your face. A few fist pumps and high fives might not hurt either. Be excited about your faith.
Then add these lines that speak for themselves: I wish you enough awareness of your sins to realize your need for a Savior. I wish you enough faith in the Savior to come back and thank him next week.
Amen.