Sermon Notes

It’s Possible to Have a Misplaced Sense of Gratitude

Scripture: Luke 17:11–19 (NIV)

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Observation: Ten people received a miracle that day — but only one turned around to express gratitude.

When Gratitude Gets Misplaced

1. The Rich Young Ruler — Gratitude for Wealth

• Rooted in what we have rather than who we have.
• Becomes self-serving instead of self-surrendering.

2. Jonah and the Plant — Gratitude for Comfort

• Jonah 4:6 (NIV):

Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.

• Gratitude focused on personal comfort, not God’s purposes.

3. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector — Gratitude for Self

• Luke 18:10–13 (NIV):

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

• Gratitude that centers on self-inflates pride and diminishes true worship.

The Consequences of Misplaced Gratitude

1. Blinds us to our dependence on God

• Luke 12:34: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

2. Inflates pride and dulls compassion
3. Replaces worship with self-congratulation

• Example: The Pharisee left full of pride; the tax collector left forgiven.

The Purpose of the Gift

• Every good thing in your life is an invitation — not to comfort, but to communion with God.
• Gifts are meant to make us worshipful, not self-sufficient.
• James 1:17 (NIV):

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Closing Challenge

• Gratitude is more than a feeling we express once a year — it’s a posture of the heart.
• It’s a daily reminder of who God is and how dependent we are on Him.
• Every blessing is an invitation — not to comfort, but to come closer to Jesus.