Based on Luke 17: 11-19

MEMORY TEXT:  “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him” (Colossians 3:17).

Ingratitude is one of the cardinal sins of these days.  “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Timothy 3:2).  Edward Spencer was a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, and part of a life-saving squad.  A ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers.  In the process, his health was permanently damaged.  Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

Jesus knew what it felt like to help someone and not to be thanked.  He had just healed ten lepers of the loathsome disease, but only one returned to give Him thanks.  When the one leper returned to thank Jesus, Jesus asked three questions: 1) Were there not ten cleansed? 2) Where are the nine? and 3) Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  Can you sense the disappointment in Jesus’ voice as He asked this third and final question?

Maybe people are unthankful because they have too much and feel as though they deserve it.  Little eight-year-old Christina had cancer of the nervous system.  When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she thought long and hard and finally said, "I don't know.  I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll.  I have everything!"

Nothing less than heartfelt praise and thanks is fitting when we consider what Jesus has done for us.  We have much to thank Him for, not just when things are good but when things are bad.  There’s always something to thank the Lord for.  The Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit.  He always found something for which to be grateful.  One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this."  Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."

Right now, think of five things you have to be thankful for.  And then go ahead and thank the Lord for them!