Luke 17:1–19 (ESV)
Pastor Scott Berglin
God from Luke’s Eyes to Yours
“Where Are the Nine?” | September 6, 2026
“And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’” — Luke 17:19
In Luke 17, Jesus moves from teaching about stumbling blocks and forgiveness to a powerful encounter with ten lepers. All ten experience the same healing, but only one turns back to Jesus to give thanks—and he is a Samaritan. The contrast raises the question behind the title: Where are the nine? Jesus is showing us that our circumstances do not have to determine our character. Faith is practiced through the choices we make—choosing forgiveness, turning back, praising, and thanking God. The healed Samaritan demonstrates that faith isn't merely something we possess; faith shapes the way we live.
Set Your Character Separate from Any Current Condition
v 1, 3–4, 10, 15–16, 19
- Jesus teaches His disciples to maintain their character regardless of their circumstances.
- The ten lepers were all in the same desperate condition, and all ten received the same healing.
- Yet their responses were different.
- Your current condition does not have to determine your character.
- The Samaritan's circumstances changed, but his response revealed something deeper about who he was becoming.
Your condition can change in a moment. Your character is formed by how you respond.
Acting with Character Is a Practice of Faith
Forgiveness, turning back, praising, thanking
v 3–4, 10, 15–16, 18–19
Faith isn't merely believing the right things—it is putting faith into practice.
- Forgive when you've been wronged.
- Turn back when God has done something for you.
- Praise when you recognize what He has done.
- Thank God rather than simply moving on to the next thing.
- The Samaritan didn't simply receive his blessing—he responded to it.
The nine received the healing.
One recognized the Healer.
Faith becomes visible through character in action.
Your Faith Is Defining; Your Way Defines Nothing
v 3, 5, 19
- Jesus doesn't define the Samaritan by his disease, his nationality, or his former condition.
- The lepers' circumstances did not determine their ultimate identity.
- Jesus tells the one who returned, “Your faith has made you well.”
- Our "way"—where we've been, what we've experienced, or what our circumstances currently look like—doesn't have the final word.
Faith defines where we're going far more than our circumstances define where we've been.
Your past doesn't define you. Your present condition doesn't define you. Your faith in Jesus does.
THE QUESTION BEHIND THE STORY
Where are the nine?
Jesus noticed who came back.
Ten were healed.
One returned.
One praised.
One gave thanks.
One recognized Jesus.
The question isn't simply why the nine didn't return.
It's an invitation for us to examine our own response:
Have I received God's blessings without recognizing the Blesser?
Have I moved on without turning back?
Does my faith show up in my character?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Your circumstances don't have to determine your character.
- Faith is demonstrated through repeated choices of forgiveness, praise, gratitude, and obedience.
- Don't let receiving God's blessings cause you to forget the One who gave them.
- Turning back to Jesus is an expression of faith.
- Your circumstances don't define you—your faith does.
- Gratitude isn't simply a feeling; it's a practiced response to God's grace.
CALL TO ACTION
- Check your character: Are your circumstances controlling your response?
- Practice forgiveness: Choose to forgive even when it's difficult.
- Turn back: Stop and recognize where God has been at work in your life.
- Give thanks: Name something God has done and thank Him specifically for it.
- Practice your faith: Let what you believe about Jesus shape how you respond today.
Don't just receive what God has done. Turn back and recognize the One who did it.
