Gratitude: The Key to Wholeness and Worship

Today, we gathered in gratitude, reflecting on God’s faithfulness over the past 20 years and the journey that has brought us to this moment. We celebrated not only the milestones but also the people who have walked alongside us, especially those who have served tirelessly and sacrificially. As we look back, we recognize that every step and every leap has been orchestrated by God, who is not only the God of incremental growth but also of quantum leaps—seasons where transformation happens suddenly and powerfully.

We explored the story of the ten lepers in Luke, focusing on the one who returned to give thanks. This narrative challenges us to consider the difference between being healed and being made whole. All ten were cleansed, but only one received the deeper blessing of “sozo”—a comprehensive wellness that touches body, mind, and soul. This wholeness is available to those who practice intentional reflection, remembering God’s goodness and refusing to let spiritual amnesia rob us of gratitude.

Worship, we learned, is rooted in memory. It is impossible to be a true worshiper with a bad memory. When we forget what God has done, we lose our reverence and our gratitude. God Himself models selective recall, choosing to remember our sins no more, and calls us to remember His faithfulness. This intentional reflection leads to organic worship—a response that flows naturally from a heart full of remembrance.

We also confronted the reality that sometimes those who seem least likely to get it right—like the Samaritan—are the ones who model true gratitude and love. This is a call to humility, to recognize that right doctrine without right practice is empty. The story reminds us that God values a heart of gratitude and allegiance over mere religious performance.

Finally, we considered what it means to be a people and a church marked by gratitude, absolution, and allegiance. We are called to arrest spiritual amnesia, accept the forgiveness Christ offers, and align our loyalty with God above all else. This is not just a personal call but a corporate one, shaping the culture and mission of our church as we move forward in excellence, integrity, and kingdom purpose.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Spiritual Quantum Leaps Are Possible God is not limited to slow, incremental growth; there are seasons when He orchestrates sudden, exponential transformation in our lives. Recognizing these moments requires faith to move beyond what is logical or comfortable, trusting that God can accelerate our progress in ways we never imagined. Every year can be a leap year when we walk in expectation of God’s power to orchestrate both our steps and our leaps. [13:15]
• 2. Worship Flows from Intentional Remembrance True worship is anchored in remembering God’s past faithfulness. When we intentionally reflect on what God has done, gratitude becomes a natural, organic response—not something forced or dependent on emotion. Forgetting God’s goodness leads to entitlement and spiritual amnesia, but remembering fuels reverence and authentic worship wherever we are. [19:39]
• 3. Gratitude Is a Decision, Not Just an Emotion The one leper who returned to Jesus made a conscious choice to give thanks, demonstrating that gratitude is an act of the will, not just a feeling. Even when we don’t feel like worshiping, commanding our soul to bless the Lord is a powerful spiritual discipline. This kind of gratitude is contagious and transformative, shaping not only our relationship with God but also the atmosphere around us. [30:29]
• 4. Wholeness (Sozo) Goes Beyond Surface Healing Jesus offers more than just physical or situational healing; He offers comprehensive wellness—sozo—that addresses our emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. Many receive God’s blessings but never experience true wholeness because they stop at the surface. Only those who return in gratitude and surrender receive the deeper work of restoration that God desires to do in every area of our lives. [47:05]
• 5. Loyalty to God Requires Intentional Choices Allegiance to God is not passive; it demands that we prioritize Him above all else, even when it means making difficult choices about our relationships, values, and practices. Divided loyalty leads to idolatry, but wholehearted devotion positions us to experience God’s best. As a church and as individuals, our worship is expressed not just in song but in our commitment to do things God’s way, with excellence and integrity. [57:19]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [04:54] - Honoring 20 Years and Family
• [10:00] - A Fresh Word: Spiritual Quantum Leaps
• [13:15] - God Orders Steps and Orchestrates Leaps
• [14:46] - The Discipline of Remembrance
• [17:04] - God’s Selective Recall and Mercy
• [19:39] - Reflection as the Root of Worship
• [22:52] - The Ten Lepers: Faith and Obedience
• [27:18] - The Danger of Spiritual Amnesia
• [29:16] - Gratitude as a Decision
• [32:43] - The Samaritan’s Example and Right Practice
• [35:49] - The Image of God and Human Goodness
• [39:56] - The Transformative Power of Gratitude
• [42:27] - Christology, Soteriology, and the Hypostatic Union
• [47:05] - Sozo: Wholeness Beyond Healing
• [49:02] - Three Essentials for Wholeness
• [56:01] - Worship, Loyalty, and Allegiance
• [58:06] - Loyalty’s Cost and Kingdom Culture
• [61:02] - The Call to Kingdom Excellence and Integrity
• [69:10] - Invitation, Benediction, and Sending Forth

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Gratitude, Wholeness, and Allegiance”

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### Bible Reading

Luke 17:11-19 (ESV)
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance
13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

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### Observation Questions

1. What instructions did Jesus give to the ten lepers, and what happened as they obeyed? (Luke 17:14)
2. According to the passage, how did the one leper’s response differ from the other nine after they were healed? (Luke 17:15-16)
3. What word does Jesus use to describe the deeper blessing the one leper received, and how is it different from being “cleansed”? ([47:05])
4. In the sermon, what does the pastor say about the connection between memory and worship? ([19:39])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why might Jesus have emphasized the difference between being “cleansed” and being “made well” (sozo) in this story? What does this suggest about what God desires for us? ([47:05])
2. The pastor says, “It is impossible to be a good worshiper with a bad memory.” What does he mean by this, and how does forgetting God’s goodness affect our worship? ([19:39])
3. The only one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, someone considered an outsider. What does this detail reveal about gratitude and spiritual insight? ([32:43])
4. The sermon talks about “spiritual amnesia.” What are some signs that someone might be experiencing spiritual amnesia, and how does it impact their relationship with God? ([27:18])

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### Application Questions

1. The pastor says, “Gratitude is a decision, not just an emotion.” Can you think of a recent time when you had to choose gratitude even when you didn’t feel it? What helped you make that choice? ([30:29])
2. The sermon challenges us to practice “intentional reflection” to fuel authentic worship. What is one practical way you can build a habit of remembering God’s faithfulness in your daily or weekly routine? ([19:39])
3. The story of the ten lepers shows that it’s possible to receive God’s blessing but miss out on deeper wholeness. Are there areas in your life where you’ve settled for surface-level change instead of seeking true wholeness? What would it look like to pursue “sozo” in those areas? ([47:05])
4. The pastor mentions that sometimes those who seem least likely to “get it right” are the ones who model true gratitude and love. Have you ever learned something about faith or gratitude from someone you didn’t expect? How did it impact you? ([32:43])
5. The sermon calls us to “arrest spiritual amnesia.” What are some things in your life that make it easy to forget God’s goodness? How can you guard against this kind of forgetfulness? ([49:02])
6. Loyalty to God sometimes requires making hard choices about our relationships, values, or practices. Is there an area where you feel torn in your loyalty? What would it look like to put God first in that situation? ([57:19])
7. As a church, we are called to be marked by gratitude, absolution, and allegiance. What is one step you can take this week to help shape the culture of our church in this direction? ([58:06])

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite group members to thank God for specific things He has done in their lives, and to ask for help in remembering His faithfulness and living with gratitude, wholeness, and loyalty.