These men were lepers, meaning they had a disease called leprosy. Leprosy is not a common disease we are familiar with here in the US, but it was prevalent in Jesus' day and still is in some parts of the world. Less than 5 percent of the world's population today is considered susceptible to leprosy, and it is more frequent where nutrition is poor. Worldwide, 10 million cases are estimated.

There are various forms of the disease, but white leprosy seemed most common among the Hebrews. With it the sufferer became white from head to foot. The leper, by the law of Moses, was regarded unclean, was separated from the people, was regarded as dead.

That is why they "…stood afar off."

You can easily see that relief from this disease (healing) would give a man a new lease on life. He would be able to re-enter society.

They cried out to Jesus. By calling him Master, they showed that they recognized His position - His true identity. HE was the Lord of the universe, the Lord of men, and certainly the Lord of this disease.

By asking for His mercy, they showed they recognized His ability and authority to heal. They hoped against hope that Jesus would give them their lives back.

To understand this instruction, we have to read in Lev. 14 the rules for those cleansed, or healed, of leprosy.

The priest was the one to confirm and pronounce the healing of leprosy. This would be the same as Jesus saying to you, "I am healing your broken bone. Go get X-rays to verify your healing."

Now watch closely what happens next.

These men were required to take a step of faith. They were told to go and present themselves to the priest. As of yet, they were still diseased. They had no miraculous signs or feelings. Their skin had not instantly become as soft and pure as baby's skin. They could not see the healing, but were told to go in faith, believing the Lord had healed them.

At this point, we need to remember that sometimes we have to go forth believing without the signs and wonders. Sometimes we just have to trust God with the outcome and step out before it actually happens. This is what the priests of ancient Israel did when they were commanded to step into the Jordan River and watch God provide a way into the Promised Land.

Taking the step of obedience brings the blessings of God.

Now be sure you have heard from the Lord before you take your step. Many have stepped out on presumption, believing that God was going to do something for them based on what he did for someone else. Please remember that God is not a God of principles but a God of relationship. You don't pick scriptures like gifts out of a catalogue, but you take them as they are prescribed by the Great Physician.

When you have heard from him, then step out believing that He will do what He promised.

Think of little David walking out to meet the giant on the battlefield. It would have been easier if God had killed the giant before David walked out there. If Goliath fallen over dead, then David could have run out on the field and claimed his victory easily. But no, he had to go out with the rocks God gave him and trust that God would guide them to their target. He had to step out in faith.

So did these lepers. Jesus sent them away with the leprous skin still white upon their bodies. But something happened as they walked. They began to be healed.

You can imagine the scene - "Hey Simon, uhh, your skin just cleared up. Hey, mine too. Wow, this is neat. Hey, we got our lives back. Let's go see our families and friends!"

And they all began to scurry across the landscape headed for home. But one …

One man out of ten, one man, when he saw that he was healed, turned back. One man out of ten remember his savior, his deliverer, his healer, his benefactor when he saw that he had been healed, just as Jesus had said. One man turned around and said, "Thanks!" One man turned back to worship the Lord who had healed him.

Jesus marvelled that only one, and he a Samaritan, those people the Jews hated and did not respect. Those whom the Jews considered false religion.

Isn't it amazing that the church crowd ran off with no thought of thanking the Lord who healed them, but the one 'sinner' among the group turned back to worship God?

Several things come to mind:

• Since the healing was gradual or delayed, they failed to acknowledge it. If the leprous skin had just fallen off as soon as Jesus spoke, they may have said, at least, "Thanks Lord." But since they had walked away without the instant miracle, they just kind of forgot. Don't we do that? We ask God for something, and if it doesn't come immediately, we just forget about it, and when it does happen, we forget who did it.
• Some may have thought, "Well, He's healed so many people he wouldn't even remember me." Do you think the Lord could emit virtue from his body and heal someone and not remember it? He knew when the woman with the issue of blood touched him in the crowd, even though hundreds were pressing against him. Of course he would remember you. He knows your name and Social Security number.
• Another may have thought, "He doesn't expect thanks. He's just doing his job." Hey, remember, the Lord doesn't have to do anything for you. It's his mercy and grace, not his job, that saves, heals, and provides for you. Remember, he came to you when you were a sinner and an enemy.
• Some of them may have just had bad manners. You know, some people are just not taught (or just don't learn) that it's polite, it's common courtesy to say thanks.
• Maybe a few just got so excited about their healing and their new lease on life that they just forgot to turn around and say, "Thanks". We do that sometimes. We're gathered around the Christmas tree and we open that gift that we have so longed for and get so excited that we focus on the gift and forget the giver.
• And maybe some of them were just so self centered that they got what they came for and that was all that mattered. They felt no obligation toward the healer, as long as they were healed, that's all they cared about.

It's just plain good manners. It's polite and we should just do it. Why do we have to have some philosophical, logical reason to do what is right. Just do it!

Others need to hear it. Now, maybe the Lord is big enough that He doesn't need stroking, but He's the only one. Everybody else I know needs to hear and heartfelt, "Thanks", every once in a while.

Saying thanks protects you from the self-centeredness that is so prevalent in the world. To think of someone else while you enjoy your blessings is good for you. It keeps you for closing in on yourself.

Finally, saying thanks focuses your attention on the true source of your blessings. What do you have that has not been given to you. Paul said, "By the grace of God I am what I am."

In 1Co 4:7, he says:

We somehow think, or at least we act like, we got something we deserved. No! If we got what we deserved we'd all be toast. No! What we got is grace and nothing but grace - totally undeserved.

We'd better thank God every chance we get - every time we think of how he has blessed us.

To the man who turned and thanked and worshipped Him, Jesus said, " Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." Did he say that to any of the others? No! Why? Because they didn’t come back. They went on their merry way, and I can't help but wonder how many of them retained their healing.

I can't help but think that self-centered believers who barrel through life as if they have it all under control will eventually shipwreck their souls, because they have their eyes on themselves and their blessings rather than on the Lord who provided those blessings.

Everything we can do to acknowledge God's sovereignty and blessing, whether it be giving thanks, paying tithes, serving Him, praying - literally everything we do focuses attention on something or someone. Let it be God. Give thanks!