"Much Obliged"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Luke 17:1-21.

I read recently that when Ernest Hemingway was at the prime of his career as a writer, that a certain magazine editor offered him the generous rate of a dollar a word if he would simply submit a short story for publication in their magazine. A group of struggling young writers, less impressed with this sign of success than they should have been, sent Hemmingway a dollar with this request: “Please send us one of your very best words.” Immediately Hemmingway replied with a one-word message. It read; “Thanks!”
Indeed, the word “thanks” is one of our very best words. It is priceless to both the person who speaks it and the person to whom it is spoken. But why then, do we not speak it or hear it more often?
Our Scripture Lesson this morning tells the familiar story of ten lepers whom Jesus healed. I find it interesting that all ten lepers were healed, but only one of them came back to Jesus, knelt before him and expressed his gratitude for the healing he received. Now, I am sure that the other nine were grateful. I mean, needless to say, they had been healed from a horrific, demoralizing and debilitating disease. A disease that had left them an outcast - that had cut them off physically and spiritually, emotionally and socially from society. I am sure all of them were overjoyed that their lives were spared, that their health was restored, and that they could now reenter society, return to their homes and families and live a normal life. I am sure they were all glad. But still, only one of them returned to say “thank you,” and he expressed his thanks not only verbally but also in action - by literally prostrating himself before Jesus and worshiping him.
I love the word “to prostrate”. In our Scripture Lesson, this gesture is denoted by the Greek word pipto, and it not only denotes the idea of bowing before someone or something but, like the word “to prostrate” it can also be used figuratively and mean “to humble yourself.” And certainly, I think that’s the idea being related here by the gospel writer, that this man humbled himself before his blesser - that the outward action of bowing before Christ was an inward expression of his heart being humbled from the healing he received.
And that’s the difference between this leper and the other nine - humility! That’s the difference between those who are truly grateful and those who feel somehow that their blessings are owed or earned, perhaps from their hard word and dedication or their devotion or their goodness.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between gratitude and simple gladness. All of us are glad for the blessings we’ve received, and we might even take a few moments, on this Thanksgiving morning, to enumerate some of them. But is it really gratitude or is it simply gladness? You see, the difference is whether you feel any obligation as a result of your blessing, if you blessings cause you to humble yourself before the One from whom all blessings flow. The difference is found in the attitude of your gratitude.
The word “thanks” like the word “love” is so overused. Years ago people often expressed their gratitude with the words; “much obliged!” Those words contain much more than a vain acknowledgement of gladness. They said, in essence; “I am in great debt to you!” You know, if those words are sincerely meant, they reflect the humility and thankfulness of the recipient.
Gratitude sweetens the gift it acknowledges, and it primes the pump for more acts of generosity and more expressions of thanks. A more realistic view helps us to see that everything we have is - or results from - a gift from the Creator God. And to the author of those blessings we should forever be “much obliged.”
And so, on this Thanksgiving Day, and especially throughout this up-coming holiday season, let’s not get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we fail to be like that one leper who returned to humble himself before his blesser and by doing so took part in an even greater blessing - a spiritual one.