Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional. This week, following on from Sunday’s message on eldership, we are reflecting on some aspects of Biblical leadership.
At present, I'm only posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
From Luke 17:11-17, we reflect on how gratitude and worship are the fruit of understanding God’s grace.
To watch this devotional, please select the link below. (You can also listen on Spotify and many other podcast platforms.)
‘Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”’ (Luke 17:11-17)
Luke begins this section with a reminder that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem in order to go to the cross for us. This reminder is linked to the healing of
‘But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.’ (Luke 53:5)
Today, let’s be reminded that our sin that separated us from God has been removed. We have been healed in that sense. Anything that kept us at a distance from God has gone. We have access to the holy place and presence of God. Are you and I still keeping at a distance from God? Do we worship and pray with confidence? Our gratitude and joy is dependent upon our understanding of God’s grace toward us; When we limit the power of the cross for us we not only dishonour Jesus, we also destroy our joy and freedom in worship!
Let’s pray together as we finish
“Lord Jesus, thank you for going to Jerusalem to die for me and for my sin. I thank you for cleansing and forgiveness. Help me to grasp and celebrate your unlimited grace and acceptance of me. Amen”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
On Sunday our message from Luke 17:11-19, was entitled, ‘Renewed Passion For Praise’. In summary, our passion for praise (our worship and gratitude) derive from understanding the gospel of grace.
Please read Luke Luke 17:11-19 and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything from Sunday’s message that would encourage others?
What does this episode teach us about the gospel and what it achieves?
What does the response of the ex-leper who returned teach us about worship?
What does this narrative reveal about Jesus’ attitude to our worship?
How can we develop a passion for worship?
SIV - How does having a heart and practice of worship make us effective at reaching our community with the gospel?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus; alternatively, pray for the ‘people of peace’ that you regularly meet with.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study together and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
Some missing text after "the healing of" and Isaiah quote should be Isaiah 53:5 rather than Luke 53:5.