R.A. Torrey explores the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and the response to God's mercy. While all ten lepers were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus, highlighting the tendency to focus on blessings rather than the Blesser. The sermon reflects on the characteristics of true faith, which leads to obedience and thanksgiving, and contrasts the grateful Samaritan with the nine who forgot to express their gratitude. Torrey challenges the audience to consider their own responses to God's gifts and the joy or grief they may bring to the Lord through their ingratitude or thankfulness.

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. “Master, Have Mercy on Us,” vv. 11–14 Whither was our Lord journeying? Was it important that He get there? With all His eagerness to get there what did He find time to do by the way? Where was He when the miracle was wrought? Who met Him? What sort of a spectacle did they present? Was He repelled by the spectacle? Of whom are the lepers a type? In what respects? How did there come to be so many of them together? How did a Samaritan leper come to be with Jewish lepers? Was the meeting accidental on their part? How did they come to go out to meet Him? Why was it well for them that they went to meet Him that day? (He never went that way again.) What position did they take? Of what is that a type? (Eph. 2:13.) Did any of them ever come nigh to Christ (v. 16)? What brought him nigh? What brings the sinner nigh? Why did they stand afar off? (Lev. 13:45, 46; and their own feeling.) Was there ever a leper who did not stand afar off? (5:12, 13.) As they stood afar off what did they do? What was their cry? Did that cry fall on the ears of our Lord on any other occasion? (18:38, 39; Matt. 9:27; 15:22; Luke 18:13.) Was that cry ever unheeded? Will it ever be? (Ro. 10; 13.) What is all the poor leper has to do today to be saved? What did these lepers believe? What did they get? What will we get from Him? (Matt. 9:29.) What were the characteristics of their prayer? Had our Lord seen them up to this point (v. 14)? Did He touch them? Why not? (Compare 5:12, 13.) What did He do? What had they sought? What did they get? Do we ever seek blessings and get commandments? What was the purpose of that command? (Lev. 5:14, etc.; Matt. 8:4.) How did they show their faith? Was there any change in them when they started? When was the change wrought? (2 Kings 5:14; John 4:50, 53; 9:7.) What is the surest way of getting Christ’s blessings? (John 14:21, 23.) 2. “Where are the Nine?” vv. 15–19 How many of them turned back to give thanks? What became of the others? What were the nine occupied with? (The gift.) What was the one occupied with? (The Giver.) Are we ever so occupied with the gift that we forget the Giver? Is there any command in God’s Word that we give glory to Him? (Ps. 29:1, 2; 50:23; 107:20–22.) What is His purpose in conferring His blessings upon us? (Ps. 30:11, 12.) What will be the result if men do not give glory to Him for the blessings conferred? (2 Chron. 32:24, 25.) How soon did the one turn back? Ought our giving thanks to be as specific as our prayers? Is it? Is our gratitude as hearty as it should be? Are men usually as hearty in their praise as in their prayers? Did the one do anything beside return thanks? Was it right for him to worship our Lord? (John 5:23.) Of what is the way in which He received this adoration a proof? (Acts 10:25, 26; Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9.) What nationality was this one? Is there any lesson in that? Had the fact of his being a Samaritan anything to do with Luke’s recording the incident? (10:33–35.) At what two things was our Lord astonished? Is He any less astonished at our ingratitude today? Who were the three who in our Lord’s life received especial praise for their faith? (Matt. 8:10; 15:24–28; text.) If He were here today who would receive His especial praise for their faith and appreciation—we in Christian or those in heathen lands? Who will have the higher places hereafter? (Matt. 19:30.) Was our Lord grieved at this rank ingratitude? Is He at ours? Did He withdraw the healing from the ungrateful nine? What did He call the Samaritan? As an alien of whom is he a type? What did He say to him? Had he any larger blessing when he left our Lord this time than when he left Him first? When do we get the largest measure of blessing from Christ? Had he brought any joy to our Lord? (Heb. 13:15, 16.) What had saved him? How had he shown it? Was the salvation he got mere healing? CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. Our Lord His divinity, 16; humanity, power, compassion, 14; readiness to help, swiftness to hear, 11–14; severity, amazement, grief at ingratitude, joy at gratitude, 17, 18. Are you causing Him joy or grief? Is He amazed at your forgetfulness or love? 2. The Samaritan Leper (1). What he was: Defiled, outcast, helpless, perishing, a leper, 12. (2). What he did: Heard of our Lord, 12; came to meet Him, 12–19; obeyed Him, 14; returned to Him, 15; gave thanks to Him, worshiped Him, 16. (3). What he got: Cleansing, 14; joy, 15; salvation, 19; commendation, 18. 3. The Nine Needed our Lord, sought Him, 12; were blessed by Him, 14, 17; forgot Him, grieved Him, 17, 18; missed the larger blessing from Him, 19; were rebuked by Him, 18. 4. An Answered Prayer Humble, 12; earnest, believing, brief, specific, 13. 5. Faith Leads to our Lord, 12; to prayer, 13; to obedience, 14; to thanksgiving, 15. An imperfect faith occupied with the gift; a perfect faith occupied with the giver. 6. Afar Off and Made Nigh Afar off by sin, 12; made nigh by redeeming love, 16.