DAMNESIA
11 While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.
15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”
Just what has sin brought—what have we brought into the world?
Diseases and sicknesses of all sorts. They hurt us and, yes, kill us.
Did you know that in some places, leprosy is again on the rise? But there’s a disease worse than leprosy. Leprosy does not touch the soul. Plenty of lepers have gone to heaven.
Likewise, plenty of those with cancer…or even aids… and what not…
… have also been received into paradise.
And you might not know this…but YOU HAVE TO HAVE a disease in order to go to Heaven… As Jesus did not come to save the healthy!
Now, there’s one disease worse than leprosy, or cancer, or the Covid…
Because it can keep you out of Heaven.
Its symptoms?
Forgetting the Lord your God, as if He wasn’t here.
Forgetting what He’s done, as if it never happened.
Forgetting to thank Him.
Forgetting how you asked, how you prayed and how He answered… yes answered!
… Forgetting He is there (Here)… waiting for you….
It’s a spiritually fatal disease.
It is called “Damnesia.” The disease that forgets the Lord, our God… our Great Physician.
That was Israel’s debilitating fatal disease, not leprosy. Leprosy only put you out of the camp. Cancer only harms the body, but none of these hurt the soul.
…but Damnesia…
… that is what rots the spirit…rots from the inside out—not leprosy. Leprosy does not touch the heart—the spiritual being that God makes alive in you.
7 Our ancestors in Egypt did not grasp the significance of your wondrous works or remember your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea. [CSB] [Psalm 106:7]
42 They did not remember his power shown on the day he redeemed them from the foe, [CSB] [Psalm 78:42] … 34 The Israelites did not remember the Lord their God who had rescued them from the hand of the enemies around them. [CSB][Judges 8:34] … 32 Can a young woman forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet my people have forgotten me for countless days. [Jeremiah 2:32] …
But not only Israel… no….
… it is a disease that infects all people:
21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. [CSB] [Romans 1:21]
Damnesia.
…and look at Today’s Gospel reading. It seems that nine of the healed lepers had Damnesia along with leprosy.
They did not give thanks to Him.
But neither will many give thanks to Him…most born…in fact won’t…
No, not…
…not even if He heals their cancer…or even if they escape death for a time.
They will take His gifts of life, and eat, drink and be merry…watch football, and suffer indigestion, hangovers…
…and Damnesia.
Sure…many will be “thankful”… yes, but what do they mean? It is aiming their thanks anywhere… a fly ball that the best will catch… whoever… whatever… the universe, perhaps….
Or if directed. It is usually to the wrong place.
Sure…many may even pray…that is…to the sky, wind and stars—looking for rescue…
…and then if they are… rescued… they might smile and then…well… then they just turn their backs once again.
They honestly think it doesn’t matter who gets thanked, as long as they’re thankful. As if this is what counts…
They honestly think that it does not matter who they pray to, or even what they pray to, as long as they pray—as long as they are sincere…as if this was what being spiritual was all about…
…as if that is only what God was looking for…
No…I mean, I’ll bet, sure…that the other nine lepers were probably “thankful” too, but they didn’t return to glorify God.
But the one man who returned, listen to how the Holy Spirit through St. Luke words this: 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, (to Jesus) and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet…
Who’s feet? GOD’S FEET. giving Him thanks.
Giving who thanks? Giving GOD thanks!
Because the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
And he was a Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews were not on speaking terms. He not only spoke to a Jew, he worshipped a Jew, and he didn’t care.
You see, because this SAMARITAN beheld…saw…heard…and knew this was God’s Word…God…who opened his way back into humanity…who also opened his eyes and heart as well.
So that Jew was God as far as he was concerned. He had saving faith. Jesus told him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Faith because god spoke and he believed.
And so…he was healed of leprosy…on the way to show himself to the priests…
The others were healed too…of LEPROSY, but they DID still had the other…that condition that DESTROYED everything?
…but now this SAMARITAN was healed of Damnesia too. That we know. He was really weLl!
The real Point! The REal point of all of this…of all of scripture, in fact!
Jesus came not to heal leprosy, cancer, or dropsy…per se… no!
And yes…HE CAME TO HEAL THE CAUSE OF THESE…
Damnesia.
Yes, this is the original disease—original sin—caught by Adam and Eve. Caught from the devil. He—the devil—has it, and for him it is irreversible. Same as with those in hell now.
And so…as the world turns…and as they think it goes on and on just as it always has…
Yes, so many may list what they have to be thankful for—their highs (with their lows too) of the day… maybe at dinner tonight, and even more on Thanksgiving…if they remember to…
But so many lists won’t include what they already have and don’t realize it! They will miss…as we miss too…all too often…
…THAT WE…and…they too…
…already stand forgiven of all sins–ALL and… (that’s the Good News).
They’ve been innocent for 2000 years. But few know this…or remember or seldom think about this. Yes, they may have known this once, but now have Damnesia, and it’s killing them.
But you know. You don’t have Damnesia. You want to remember your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You want to thank your Father in Heaven for Jesus Christ.
You ask with the Psalmist, “What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me?”
And there are a lot of good answers to that question.
We could keep His Commandment to love one another.
We could offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him.
We could do justice, and love mercy and walk humbly with our God.
We could Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise…and
We could Give thanks to Him; bless His name. Psalm 100:4
We could Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Psalm 103:2
All good answers. But which is the right answer? What does the Holy Spirit say?
12 How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. [CSB] [Psalm 116:12-13]
Which is to say, 6 I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, Lord, 7 raising my voice in thanksgiving and telling about your wondrous works. [CSB][Psalm 26:6-7]
Yes, this IS talking about the Lord’s Supper.
Have you not guessed? It IS the vaccine, the antidote, the cure for Damnesia …
That which is given out. That is what it is for… why Jesus gave this gift to the Church.
And it will be right up there awaiting you…
… on that altar when we come and kneel for Him to serve and feed us.
He is here …waiting to heal you. He is doing so with His very Words of GRACE, MERCY and FORGIVENESS.
And He will be here waiting to heal us…with His Body and Blood.
As yes, All has been–IS made ready. “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Amen.
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