Our theme this month is Stories of Thanksgiving. Have you ever done something for someone and had them NOT express gratitude in some manner? How did it make you feel when they didn't reply or respond with a “thanks” or some other form of gratitude? Gratitude Gap - a growing problem today. Some reasons may be social ineptitude, lack of training and modeling, and that many have been so accustomed to receiving blessings that we forget to appreciate the One who gives them. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we are not immune from this kind of an attitude: We pray when we are in trouble, but forget to praise God when the trouble is over. We cry out when we need a door of opportunity opened, but forget to thank Him for the open door. We ask God to heal our bodies, provide for our families, protect our children, and make a way out of no way, but when He answers, our consistency of thanksgiving does not match the intensity of our praying. We are often passionate about asking, but casual about thanking! Our message today is “Sam the Leper.” Theme: The Power of a Grateful Heart. Luke 17:11-19 The nine took the physical blessing and hurried onward, forgetting or neglecting the One who performed the miracle. Perfunctory obedience: following rules, instructions, or duties in a mechanical, surface-level way; doing only the bare minimum required and not be invested emotionally. Luke 17 teaches us that thanksgiving is a lifestyle. We must remember to stop, turn around, and say thank you! 1. A grateful heart recognizes where the gift came from. Luke 17:11-13 The grateful person recognizes that behind every good gift is a good God. James 1:17 Thanksgiving begins when we recognize the source of our blessings. 2. A grateful heart knows when to turn around. Luke 17:14-18 Ten men met Jesus. Ten men experienced mercy. Ten men were healed. But only one turned around. One Samaritan and nine Jews; the person least expected to return was the one who came back. Gratitude is not determined by our background, our education, our social position, or how long we've been around church. It is a matter of the heart. You can be a lifelong church attender and still be an ungrateful wretch toward God's greatness and a consumer of God's goodness. Thanksgiving is a choice to honor the giver more than the gift. 3. Gratitude gives evidence of our faith in God. Luke 17:19 Jesus said “your faith has made you whole.” The Greek word translated "whole" is associated with being saved, made well, or restored. Jesus spoke to this man about wholeness. The text points beyond the physical blessing to the importance of a personal relationship with the Lord. Gratitude comes from seeking God's heart, and not just God's hand. We have to remember to stop, turn around, and say thank you!