The Silent Epidemic Part I
Scroll to read a recap of Pastor John’s sermon from November 16, 2025
Let’s Break it Down
Ten lepers were healed, but only one returned to say thank you. What made the difference? The answer might surprise you and challenge how you view your own relationship with God. Are you standing at a distance when He's waiting to run toward you?
Key Takeaways
Only one out of ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus, showing that gratitude is not automatic but requires intentional choice
Thankfulness is synonymous with giving God glory - our gratitude actually brings honor to Him
No matter how far we are from God, He sees us and runs toward us when we turn to Him, just like the father of the prodigal son
There's a difference between knowing Jesus as Savior and surrendering to Him as Lord - true Christianity involves both
The distance between us and God is always a distance we choose - He desires no separation from us
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5 Day Devotional
Day 1:The Distance We Choose
Devotional: Have you ever felt far from God? Like there's an invisible wall between you and Him? In Luke 17, we meet ten lepers who literally had to keep their distance from Jesus. Their condition forced them to stand 'afar off' and cry out from a distance. Yet something beautiful happened - Jesus heard their cry and responded with healing. Here's the truth that can change everything: physical distance doesn't determine spiritual closeness. Those lepers were physically separated but spiritually connected the moment they cried out in faith. Today, you might feel distant from God because of past mistakes, current struggles, or simply the busyness of life. But remember, God isn't the one who moved. The beautiful reality is that no matter how far you feel from God right now, He's waiting for you to turn toward Him. Like a loving father watching the horizon for his child's return, God is looking for you. The distance between you and God isn't measured in miles or years - it's measured in the direction of your heart. Maybe you've been standing 'afar off' for too long. Maybe you've convinced yourself that you need to get your life together before approaching Him. But just like those lepers, all you need to do is cry out. He's listening, He's waiting, and He's ready to respond to your heart's cry for mercy and connection.
Bible Verse
'And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' - Luke 17:12-13
Reflection Question
What has been keeping you at a distance from God, and what would it look like to take one step closer to Him today?
Quote The only distance between you and God is the distance that you choose.
Prayer
Father, I confess that sometimes I choose to keep my distance from You. Help me to see that You're always waiting for me with open arms. Give me the courage to cry out to You, knowing that You hear me and want to draw me close. Amen.
Day 2:The Heart That Returns
Devotional: All ten lepers received what they asked for - complete healing. Imagine their joy as they discovered their bodies were whole again! Nine of them continued on their way, probably rushing to show the priests and rejoin society. But one did something different. One turned back. This Samaritan leper didn't just receive healing; he received revelation. While the others saw Jesus as a miracle worker, this man saw Him as Master. He fell at Jesus' feet, not just saying thank you, but worshipping. His gratitude wasn't just politeness - it was recognition of who Jesus truly was. What made the difference? The nine were grateful for what Jesus did. The one was grateful for who Jesus is. There's a profound difference between appreciating God's gifts and appreciating God Himself. When we truly encounter Jesus, thanksgiving becomes more than good manners - it becomes worship. This man's response teaches us that genuine gratitude always leads us back to the source. When we understand that every good thing in our lives flows from God's heart of love, we can't help but return to Him with praise. His thankfulness wasn't an obligation; it was an overflow of a heart that had been touched by divine love. The question isn't whether God has been good to you - He has. The question is: will you be like the nine who took the blessing and ran, or like the one who took the blessing and returned to worship?
Bible Verse
'And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.' - Luke 17:15-16
Reflection Question
When you think about God's goodness in your life, does it lead you to simply count your blessings or does it draw you into worship and deeper relationship with Him?
Quote Isn't it amazing that thankfulness is synonymous with giving God glory?
Prayer
Lord, help me to have a heart like the grateful leper. Don't let me just receive Your blessings and move on. Draw me back to You in worship and thanksgiving. Let my gratitude be an expression of my love for who You are, not just what You do. Amen.
Day 3:From Knowing About to Knowing Him
Devotional: There's a world of difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. You might know facts about a celebrity - their birthday, their movies, their achievements - but that doesn't mean you know them personally. The same principle applies to our relationship with God. Many people grow up hearing about God, learning Bible stories, and attending church services. They know the facts, the doctrines, and the traditions. But somewhere along the way, head knowledge never made the journey to heart knowledge. Information never became transformation. Knowing about God never became knowing God. The grateful leper experienced this transformation. He didn't just know that Jesus could heal - he discovered who Jesus was. When he called Jesus 'Master,' he was acknowledging not just power, but authority. Not just ability, but lordship. This wasn't academic knowledge; this was personal revelation. Perhaps you've been living on borrowed faith - your parents' faith, your church's faith, your culture's faith. But God wants more than secondhand relationship. He wants you to know Him personally, intimately, genuinely. He wants to move from being a concept in your mind to being the Lord of your heart. The journey from head to heart might be the longest distance you'll ever travel, but it's also the most important. When God becomes real to you personally, everything changes. Prayer becomes conversation, worship becomes natural, and obedience becomes love in action.
Bible Verse
'That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death' - Philippians 3:10
Reflection Question
If you're honest with yourself, do you know about God or do you actually know God personally, and what's one way you could deepen that personal relationship this week?
Quote I was raised in a house that talked about God, but I wasn't raised in a house that taught me how to know Him.
Prayer
God, I don't want to just know about You - I want to know You. Help me move beyond head knowledge to heart knowledge. Make Yourself real to me in a personal way. I want to experience You, not just understand You. Amen.
Day 4:The Lordship Question
Devotional: The word 'Lord' gets thrown around casually in Christian circles, but it carries tremendous weight. When the grateful leper called Jesus 'Master,' he was using a term that meant 'supreme in authority.' This wasn't just a polite title - it was a declaration of surrender. Many people know Jesus as Savior - they understand He died for their sins and offers eternal life. But knowing Him as Lord is different. Lord means He has the right to rule, to direct, to command. It means His will supersedes our will, His plans override our plans, His way becomes our way. Here's the challenging truth: if He's not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all. You can't compartmentalize Jesus, giving Him Sunday mornings while keeping Monday through Saturday for yourself. You can't make Him Lord of your spiritual life while maintaining control of your finances, relationships, or career. Lordship is about surrender - complete, ongoing, daily surrender. It's not a one-time decision but a lifestyle of yielding. Every day brings new opportunities to either submit to His authority or assert our own independence. Every decision becomes a chance to honor His lordship or ignore it. The beautiful paradox is that surrendering to His lordship doesn't diminish us - it fulfills us. When we stop fighting for control and start trusting His leadership, we discover the peace and purpose we've been searching for. His lordship isn't a burden; it's a blessing.
Bible Verse
'And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?' - Luke 6:46
Reflection Question
In what areas of your life have you been calling Jesus 'Lord' with your words but not surrendering control with your actions?
Quote My pastor used to say, if he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all.
Prayer
Jesus, I want You to be Lord of every area of my life, not just the parts I'm comfortable surrendering. Help me to stop fighting for control and start trusting Your leadership. Show me where I need to surrender more fully to Your authority. Amen.
Day 5:Running Toward Home
Devotional: Picture this: a father stands on his porch every evening, scanning the horizon for a familiar silhouette. His son has been gone for months, maybe years, living in rebellion and shame. But love keeps the father watching, hoping, waiting. Then one day, while the son is still a great way off, the father sees him and runs. This is the heart of God toward you. No matter how far you've wandered, no matter how long you've been away, no matter what you've done in the distant country of your rebellion, God is watching for your return. He's not waiting with crossed arms and a lecture prepared - He's waiting with open arms and a celebration planned. The prodigal son's journey home began with a simple turn. He stopped walking away and started walking toward. That's all it took. The moment he changed direction, he was on his way to restoration. The same is true for you today. Maybe you've been living in a spiritual pigsty, sick and tired of being sick and tired. Maybe you've convinced yourself that you've gone too far, stayed away too long, or messed up too badly. But here's the truth that can change everything: as soon as you turn toward God, He's running toward you. You don't have to clean yourself up first. You don't have to earn your way back. You don't have to prove you're worthy. You just have to turn. Take one step toward home, and you'll find that God has already covered the distance between you.
Bible Verse
'And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.' - Luke 15:20
Reflection Question
What would it look like for you to stop walking away from God and take one step toward home today?
Quote No matter how far away from God you are, as soon as you turn towards him, he's running to you.
Prayer
Father, thank You for watching and waiting for me with such patient love. Help me to stop running from You and start running to You. Give me the courage to turn toward home, knowing that You're already running to meet me. Amen.