LWC SERMON GUIDE
Made whole at His feet
Scriptures to read and ponder…
Main teaching text: Luke 17:11–19
Old Testament background on leprosy and “distance”: Leviticus 13–14
Praise that is willing to look foolish: 2 Samuel 6:14–16; 2 Samuel 6:21–22
Key theme to hold all week: “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (SOZO) Luke 17:19
Sermon Recap
Sermon Recap
1) The A&E faith problem: relief without transformation
The sermon opened with the picture of a man rushed into A&E: bleeding stopped, crisis stabilised, then sent home.
The point: healing is not the same as health; a symptom can stop while brokenness remains.
Many people treat Jesus like spiritual A&E: they come for relief, then leave with no follow-up, no return, no new life.
The Spirit’s push: do not settle for “functional”; press into “flourishing.”
2) “They stood at a distance”: the condition beneath the condition
Ten men with leprosy stand at a distance and cry out for mercy (Luke 17:12–13).
Leprosy functioned as more than illness; it was social exclusion and spiritual dislocation (Leviticus 13–14).
“Distance” becomes the controlling theme: distance from people, worship, intimacy, joy, work, and hope.
Gospel moment: “When he saw them.” Jesus sees what the system excludes.
3) All ten were cleansed: grace makes no exceptions
Jesus sends them to the priests, and as they go they are cleansed (Luke 17:14).
No discrimination. No special cases. No “not for you.”
Grace does not operate by human categories; Jesus is not partial.
4) One returned: the pivot from healing to wholeness
Nine are satisfied with the miracle; one is hungry for more.
He realises: “If I walk away now, I leave with healing but without wholeness.”
Luke notes he was “healed” (iaomai) in the physical sense, but the story moves toward something deeper.
Two versions of faith:
“Jesus, fix my problem.”
“Jesus, fix me.”
5) The path to wholeness: Return, Praise, Surrender
Step 1: Always return to Jesus (repentance)
He stops, turns around, and walks back.
Repentance is not merely remorse; it is a change of direction, a return to the source of life.
Repentance is presented as a discipleship rhythm, daily and ongoing.
Step 2: Praise (audacious, public, loud)
He returns praising God loudly, not quietly.
He likely still looks like a leper to everyone watching; stigma is still in the room, but praise wins.
David becomes the model: dancing before the Lord, despised by Michal, yet choosing worship over reputation (2 Samuel 6).
Praise was framed as a discipleship discipline and a lifestyle, anchored in gathering with God’s people.
Step 3: Surrender (at His feet)
He throws himself at Jesus’ feet and gives thanks.
This is not polite gratitude; it is total life-collapse, a posture that says, “My life is yours.”
Luke highlights he is a Samaritan: outsider, “unqualified,” yet he comes closest.
Core line: surrender is not a reward for the worthy; it is the response of the grateful.
6) The commission: surrender leads to sending
Jesus does not end with comfort; he ends with a command: “Rise and go.”
The word “well” is SOZO: saved, healed, restored, delivered, made whole.
Big idea: he was healed on the road, but made whole at the feet of Jesus.
Outcome: no longer a victim or outsider, but a whole person with a commission.
Memorable quotes
“He has healing, but he does not have health.”
“The crisis passed, but the brokenness remained.”
“Maybe healing was never the end goal.”
“There is a version of faith that only wants relief, and there is a deeper faith that wants restoration.”
“There is a faith that says, ‘Jesus, fix my problem,’ and there is a faith that says, ‘Jesus, fix me.’”
“Remorse says, ‘I feel bad.’ Repentance says, ‘I am walking back.’”
“Surrender is not a reward for the worthy. Surrender is the response of the grateful.”
“He was healed on the road. He was made whole at the feet of Jesus.”
“Surrender is not the end of the journey, it is the point from which you are sent.”
Questions for discussion
Getting honest about “A&E faith”
Where do you most tend to treat Jesus like “spiritual emergency care” rather than Lord of your whole life?
What is one pattern where you seek relief quickly but resist long-term formation?
Distance and belonging
In Luke 17:12, the lepers “stood at a distance.” What does “distance” look like in your own life right now: from God, from people, from church family, from hope?
What voices (shame, disappointment, pain, culture) have taught you that closeness is dangerous?
The turning point: returning to Jesus
What is one concrete “direction” you need to stop walking in, so you can return to Jesus?
How does the sermon’s definition of repentance (returning) reshape your understanding of discipleship?
Praise as discipleship discipline
What most often silences your praise: fear of people, disappointment with God, fatigue, cynicism, or something else?
What would it look like for you to choose worship over reputation this week, like David and like the healed man?
Surrender at His feet
What area of life do you still keep off-limits from Jesus, even though you want his help?
The Samaritan is the “outsider” who comes closest. Where do you feel unqualified, and how might that be the very place Jesus is inviting you into surrender?
Commissioned wholeness (Rise and go)
If surrender is the launchpad for mission, what might Jesus be sending you into this week: home, workplace, a strained relationship, service in the church, witness in the community?
What is the difference between being “patched up” and being “made whole” in your everyday life?
Further reading
Scripture:
Psalm 34
Psalm 103
Isaiah 57:15
Matthew 11:28–30
Romans 12:1–2
Luke 5:12–16
Luke 7:36–50
Reading resources:
A short study on repentance as “returning” (metanoia) and daily discipleship rhythms
A simple guide to building a weekly “praise plan”: Sunday gathering, midweek worship, gratitude practice, and testimony sharing
A reflective resource on surrender and lordship: inviting Jesus into every room of life
Prayer points
Return (repentance):
Jesus, expose every direction I am walking that leads away from you. Give me grace to turn back quickly and consistently.
Father, replace shame-driven distance with Spirit-led closeness. Teach me to come home again.
Praise (audacious worship):
Holy Spirit, put praise back in my mouth. Break fear of people and restore first-love worship.
Lord, make my life an offering of worship: in church gatherings, in private devotion, and in ordinary weekdays.
Surrender (at His feet):
Jesus, I throw myself at your feet. I release control, self-protection, and the need to manage outcomes.
Father, I bring you the hidden places: pain, trauma, habits, bitterness, and fear. Make me whole.
Wholeness (SOZO):
Jesus, I ask for more than symptom relief. Save, restore, deliver, and make me whole in spirit, soul, and body.
Commission (Rise and go):
Lord, as you send me, give me courage, clarity, and compassion. Let my restored life become a witness of your Kingdom in Gibraltar.
Jesus, show me one practical act of obedience this week that proves I am not only healed, but also changed.