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Praising and Sending

Praising and Sending

Words of Faith 11-7-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Luke 17:15-19

    [15] One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. [16] He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him and he was a Samaritan.

    [17] Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? [18] Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" [19] Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

 

       Ten lepers came to Jesus seeking mercy and ten were cleansed.  But only one returned.  But that one was sure noisy!  If we take the image of Jesus' ministry on the way to Jerusalem as a model, the church will be a noisy place.  It will be a place where people are praising God loudly and giving thanks.  There will be people who are cleansed and healed who will shout and sing.  It is just something we have to either put up with or join into.

       The truth is that a church that is moving toward the Kingdom of God is a place where people are radically transformed.  It is not about noise just to be noisy, but there will be some shouts.  If you want a really quiet church, it probably will not have much going on in the lives of people and not many will have been touched by God. 

       I am not suggesting that people work up some manufactured enthusiasm that is not of God. That is backwards thinking. However, some reflection on the goodness of God, what He has done for us and what he is doing right now among us, causes us to want to praise God and give thanks.  The church on the way is not afraid of the wonderful sounds of praise that come when God touches lives.  This has been the mark of God's church through the ages no matter the culture.

       But this church on the way is also a sending station.  Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

        Jesus made it clear that in responding to the cleansing the Samaritan was made whole.  The word actually means "saved.”  The act of thanksgiving and praise completes the circuit but then there is a sending.  Obedience was cleansing and the faith walk brought about physical healing.  Thanksgiving and praise brought the wholeness that Jesus wanted for this man but then he was sent out.

        Rise and go.  Those who have found cleansing and have connected with God in praise and thanksgiving are consistently sent out to give witness to what God has done.  But wait, didn't this guy need to go to Bible school or something?  Didn't he need some training?  Actually, this guy had everything he needed.  He had learned to surrender, seek, hear, respond in faith, and praise with thanksgiving.  Isn't that most of it?

       The church that is on the way will be constantly sending people out.  A church that is not going anywhere will be constantly clinging to people or stealing from other flocks. The church on the way will be training, equipping, encouraging, empowering, and sending.  The church that is stagnate is reluctant to send anyone out for fear they may at some time not have anyone.

       The church on the way walks in the boundaries between the broken places of life, attracts hurting people, invites people to walk in faith, praises God with thanksgiving, and then sends people out.

 

       Father God, help me to discover anew my place in Your Kingdom work.  Help me to see with Your eyes and hear with Your ears the needs of people around me.  Help me to be part of Your body, the church on the way. Give me grace to invite and encourage.  Give me a heart that shouts with joy.  Give me courage to go and share.  In Jesus' name.