October 30

Luke 17:11-37; Luke 18:1-14 (biblegateway.com)

Faith That Responds, Prays, and Humbles Itself

After revealing His power over death by raising Lazarus, Jesus continues His journey toward Jerusalem. Along the way, He performs miracles, teaches about gratitude, faith, and humility, and prepares His followers to live in anticipation of His return.

In Luke 17:11-37 and Luke 18:1-14, Jesus continues teaching about what it means to live faithfully in a world that often forgets God. On His way to Jerusalem, He meets ten lepers who cry out for mercy. All are healed, but only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks and glorify God. Jesus commends his faith, showing that gratitude flows from a heart truly transformed by grace.

Jesus then warns His followers to stay spiritually alert for the coming of the kingdom. The Pharisees demand signs, but Jesus explains that the kingdom of God is already present among them through His own ministry. He reminds the disciples that His return will come suddenly, like lightning across the sky, and that many will be unprepared, living as though this world were all that matters. The examples of Noah and Lot serve as solemn warnings to live with eternal perspective, not earthly attachment.

In Luke 18:1–14, Jesus teaches two parables about prayer and humility. The Persistent Widow models unwavering faith as she continues seeking justice until she is heard, illustrating the believer’s call to persevere in prayer. Then, in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus contrasts self-righteousness with true repentance. The proud Pharisee boasts of his religious achievements, while the humble tax collector simply cries, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” Jesus declares that it is the humble man, not the proud, who goes home justified before God.

Luke 17:11–37 — Cleansing, Kingdom, and Coming Judgment

Following His teaching on faith, forgiveness, and humble service, Jesus continued toward Jerusalem, where His mission would reach its fulfillment (v. 11). On this journey, Luke records two key moments: the healing of ten lepers and a series of teachings about the coming of God’s kingdom. Together, these passages reveal both the mercy of Christ and the seriousness of responding rightly to God’s grace.

As Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee, He encountered ten lepers who stood at a distance, calling out for mercy (v. 11–13). Because leprosy made them ceremonially unclean, they could not approach others or participate in public worship. Their joint cry for compassion showed both desperation and faith in Jesus’ power. In response, He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, as the Law required for one who had been cleansed. In obedience, they went, and as they went, they were healed (v. 14). The miracle occurred not in the moment of pleading but in the act of trusting obedience, a pattern often seen throughout Scripture.

One of the ten, realizing that he had been cleansed, returned to glorify God with a loud voice and fell at Jesus’ feet in gratitude (v. 15–16). Luke notes that this man was a Samaritan, highlighting the contrast between his response and that of the nine Jews who continued on without returning. Jesus asked where the others were, emphasizing that only one had returned to give praise to God. He told the man that his faith had made him well, a deeper healing that pointed beyond physical restoration to spiritual salvation (v. 17–19).

This account reinforces the truth that outward blessings demand inward gratitude. The Samaritans’ thankfulness demonstrated genuine faith and recognition of Jesus’ divine authority, while the others, though physically cleansed, missed the greater blessing of fellowship with the Savior.

Later, the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come (v. 20). They expected a visible, political display of power, but Jesus replied that the kingdom does not come with outward signs that can be observed or predicted. The kingdom, He said, is “in your midst”, present wherever He reigns (v. 21). God’s kingdom was not something to be looked for externally; it had already broken into the world through the presence and ministry of the Messiah. For believers today, this truth affirms that the kingdom is both a present reality, experienced through salvation and obedience, and a future hope to be fully realized when Christ returns.

Turning to His disciples, Jesus spoke of days ahead when they would long to see the Son of Man but would not (v. 22). Many false claims and premature expectations would arise, but His return would be unmistakable, as evident as lightning flashing across the sky (v. 23–24). Before that day, however, the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected (v. 25). The path to glory would lead through the cross, a truth the disciples still struggled to understand.

Jesus then compared the conditions of the last days to the times of Noah and Lot (v. 26–29). In both generations, people lived ordinary lives, eating, drinking, marrying, building, with no sense of urgency or repentance, until judgment suddenly fell. The flood came in Noah’s day; fire and sulfur fell on Sodom in Lot’s day. These examples warn that the coming of the Son of Man will also arrive unexpectedly. The problem was not the daily activity itself but a careless indifference toward God. When the day of judgment comes, human priorities will be reversed: those who cling to their possessions or seek to preserve life apart from God will lose it, while those who surrender to Christ will be saved (v. 30–33).

Jesus illustrated this further by warning against turning back, recalling Lot’s wife who looked behind her and was destroyed (v. 32). Her glance symbolized divided loyalty, a heart still attached to the world she was leaving. In the same way, disciples must be single-minded in devotion, ready to leave everything behind when Christ returns. Two people may appear identical outwardly, two in a bed, two at a mill, yet one will be taken and the other left (v. 34–36). Salvation is personal; faith cannot be borrowed or inherited.

When the disciples asked where this would take place, Jesus replied, “Where the body is, there the vultures will gather” (v. 37). This cryptic saying conveys that judgment will come wherever spiritual death is found. Just as vultures gather around decay, divine judgment will fall where sin has corrupted life.

Luke 17:11-37 teaches both grace and warning. The healing of the ten lepers reveals God’s mercy and the importance of grateful, obedient faith. The Samaritan, an outsider, becomes the true example of worship and response to grace. The rest of the chapter turns from healing to holiness, and from physical cleansing to readiness for Christ’s return.

For believers, these verses call for a heart of thanksgiving and a life of spiritual alertness. Gratitude must not end with receiving blessings but move toward worship and obedience. The warnings about Noah’s and Lot’s generations remind us that indifference is a greater danger than open rebellion. The kingdom of God is present now in those who yield to Christ’s rule and will one day be fully revealed in glory. Until then, believers are to live faithfully, watchfully, and humbly, trusting in the mercy of the One who calls them clean and preparing for the day when He will return as Judge and King.

Luke 18:1–14 — Persistent Prayer and True Humility

As Jesus continued teaching on the nature of faith and readiness for His coming, He turned to two parables that reveal how genuine disciples should approach God, with perseverance in prayer and humility of heart. These parables are unique to Luke’s Gospel and flow directly from His earlier teachings about the coming of the Son of Man (Luke 17:20–37). Having warned that His return would come suddenly, Jesus now encouraged His followers not to lose heart while waiting for God’s justice and mercy to prevail.

The first parable centers on a persistent widow and an unjust judge (v. 1–8). Luke introduces the story by stating its purpose: that believers “ought always to pray and not lose heart.” In ancient society, widows were among the most vulnerable. Without a husband or inheritance, they depended on the mercy of others for survival. The judge in this story, however, neither feared God nor respected people. He represents the hardness and corruption often found among those with authority. The widow repeatedly pleaded for justice against her adversary, yet the judge ignored her for a time. Eventually, weary of her continual requests, he granted her petition simply to be rid of her persistence.

Jesus used this contrast to reveal a greater truth. If an unjust human judge can be moved to act by persistence, how much more will a righteous and loving God respond to the prayers of His people? God is not reluctant or indifferent; He delights to hear and answer. Jesus assured His disciples that God would bring justice to His chosen ones who cry to Him day and night. The question He left hanging, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” turns the focus inward. The real issue is not whether God will be faithful to His promises, but whether His people will remain steadfast in faith and prayer while they wait.

The second parable (v. 9–14) illustrates the proper attitude of prayer, humility rather than self-righteousness. Jesus told of two men who went to the temple to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee stood confidently, listing his moral achievements. He thanked God that he was not like other people, extortioners, adulterers, or even the tax collector nearby. He fasted twice a week and gave tithes of all he possessed, far beyond what the Law required. His prayer was not true worship but self-exaltation, seeking to justify himself before God.

In stark contrast, the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift his eyes to heaven. Beating his chest, he simply prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man recognized his unworthiness and threw himself upon divine mercy. Jesus concluded that it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God. The principle is clear: those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.

These two parables together portray the heart of true discipleship. Persistent prayer expresses faith in God’s character and timing, while humble prayer reflects awareness of one’s dependence on grace. The widow’s persistence and the tax collector’s humility form a powerful balance: faith that endures and humility that receives.

Luke 18:1–14 reminds believers that prayer is not a mechanical duty but a relationship grounded in trust and reverence. God invites His people to come boldly, not because of personal merit but because of His mercy. The widow’s example encourages perseverance when prayers seem unanswered, teaching that delay is not denial. The tax collector’s posture warns against pride and hypocrisy, showing that God’s favor rests on those who come honestly, acknowledging their need. The challenge is clear — to pray without losing heart, to trust without demanding, and to approach God not with spiritual pride but with the brokenness that invites His restoring grace.

Conclusion

Luke 17:11–37; Luke 18:1–14 call believers to a faith that responds with gratitude, prays with persistence, and walks in humility. The thankful leper reminds us that faith must lead to worship. The warnings about the end times remind us to live ready for Christ’s return. The persistent widow and humble tax collector remind us that God honors those who depend fully on Him. For every believer, these chapters echo a timeless truth: faith that pleases God is not boastful or passive; it is thankful, prayerful, and surrendered. The kingdom belongs not to the proud, but to those who, in repentance and faith, look to God for mercy and live ready for the day of His appearing.