Sermon Bellshill and Bothwell Parish Church Sunday Service October 12th 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Walks in the In-Between Places

Jesus intentionally seeks out those who are excluded and marginalized.

As Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee, He entered the in-between spaces where those who didn’t belong on either side found themselves. These were places of isolation, rejection, and pain—where the ten lepers stood, cut off from community and hope. Yet, Jesus did not avoid these places or the people in them. Instead, He walked toward them, demonstrating that God’s love is found not in the centers of power or comfort, but at the edges where the hurting reside. His presence in these spaces is a reminder that no one is beyond His reach, and that He calls His followers to go where others will not, to see and love those whom the world overlooks. [10:32]

Luke 17:11-14 (NIV)
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

Reflection: Who in your life or community stands at the margins, and what is one step you can take this week to move toward them with the love of Christ?

Day 2: Seeing the Person Behind the Pain

Healing and restoration begin when we truly see those who are hurting.

When Jesus encountered the ten lepers, He did not avert His eyes or ignore their cries. He saw them—not just their disease, but their humanity, their pain, and their longing to belong. This act of seeing is powerful; it is the first step toward healing, inclusion, and transformation. Too often, exclusion and suffering persist because we choose not to see, preferring comfort over compassion. But when we open our eyes to the pain and isolation of others, we become agents of God’s healing grace, offering dignity and hope where there was once only rejection. [11:10]

Luke 17:14 (NIV)
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

Reflection: Is there someone you have overlooked or avoided because of their pain or difference? How can you intentionally “see” them and acknowledge their worth this week?

Day 3: Restoring Community and Belonging

God’s healing is not just physical, but restores people to community and belonging.

Jesus’ command for the lepers to show themselves to the priests was not only about physical healing, but about restoring them to the life of the village. In the ancient world, leprosy meant social death—banishment, humiliation, and isolation. Jesus’ healing work is holistic; He desires for people to be welcomed back, to belong, and to participate fully in community life. As followers of Christ, we are called to be a people who break down barriers, who make space for the excluded, and who ensure that no one stands alone at a distance. [12:09]

Luke 17:14-15 (NIV)
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can help restore someone’s sense of belonging in your church, neighborhood, or workplace this week?

Day 4: The Outsider’s Example of Faith and Gratitude

True faith and gratitude are often found in those the world overlooks.

Among the ten lepers, it was the Samaritan—the double outsider, excluded by both disease and ethnicity—who returned to thank Jesus. His response stands as a powerful example of faith and gratitude, reminding us that God’s grace is not limited by social boundaries. Sometimes, those whom we dismiss or ignore are the very ones who show us what it means to trust God and give thanks. We are challenged to recognize the image of God in every person, especially those on the margins, and to learn from their witness. [12:48]

Luke 17:15-16 (NIV)
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Reflection: Who is someone you might have dismissed or underestimated? How can you honor their story and learn from their faith or gratitude?

Day 5: Becoming a Community of Radical Inclusion

The Church is called to be a place where no one stands alone or excluded.

Jesus calls His followers to be different from the world—a community where grace is not just preached, but practiced and lived. This means breaking down the borders that keep people at a distance, refusing to participate in gossip, exclusion, or prejudice, and instead creating spaces of welcome and belonging. The challenge is to be courageous, to see and stand with those whom the world pushes out, and to ensure that no one has to cry out from the edges for acceptance. In doing so, we reflect the heart of Christ and become a living testimony to His inclusive love. [14:32]

Romans 15:7 (ESV)
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Reflection: What is one barrier—big or small—that you can help break down in your church or community to make it a place of true welcome and inclusion?

Sermon Summary

The story of the ten lepers in Luke’s Gospel invites us to reflect deeply on the pain of exclusion and the call to radical inclusion. As Jesus travels along the border between Samaria and Galilee, he encounters ten men who have been pushed to the margins—not just by disease, but by the social and religious systems that have labeled them as unclean and unworthy. Their suffering is not only physical but profoundly social; they are isolated, humiliated, and forced to live in the “in-between” places, cut off from the warmth and belonging of community life.

Bullying, in all its forms—verbal, physical, social, digital—is a denial of the image of God in another person. It is a misuse of power that seeks to isolate and diminish. Sadly, this is not just a problem “out there” in the world; it can and does happen within the church. We are not immune to gossip, exclusion, or the subtle ways we assert dominance over others. Even small acts—a whisper, a look, a rumor—can create barriers that leave others standing at a distance, longing to belong.

Jesus, however, does not avoid the in-between spaces. He walks along the border, intentionally moving toward those who have been excluded. He sees the lepers, acknowledges their pain, and speaks to them. Healing begins with being seen and known. But Jesus goes further: he sends them to the priests, not just to heal their bodies, but to restore them to community, to give them back their place among their people.

The story’s twist is that the one who returns to give thanks is a Samaritan—a double outsider, rejected by both disease and ethnicity. Yet it is this outsider who models true faith and gratitude. The challenge is clear: do we see those who are excluded, or do we look away? Are we willing to walk the borders, to break down barriers, and to create a community where no one stands alone?

We are called to be a people who practice grace, who see and welcome those whom the world overlooks. The invitation is to walk where Jesus walks, to love as he loves, and to ensure that in our midst, there is no distance between us.

Key Takeaways

1. Bullying Denies the Image of God Bullying, in all its forms, is a direct assault on the dignity and worth that God has placed in every person. When we exclude, mock, or isolate others, we are not just hurting them—we are denying the truth that they are beloved by God. Recognizing this calls us to repentance and to a renewed commitment to honor the image of God in everyone we meet. [02:42]
2. Exclusion Is Both Subtle and Widespread Exclusion is not always loud or obvious; it often manifests in whispers, glances, and the silent treatment. These small acts can be just as damaging as overt hostility, creating invisible walls that keep people at a distance. We must be vigilant in examining our own hearts and communities for the subtle ways we may be contributing to the isolation of others. [05:22]
3. Jesus Walks the Borders and Sees the Excluded Jesus intentionally moves toward those who have been pushed to the margins, walking along the borders and entering the in-between spaces. He does not avert his eyes or avoid the uncomfortable, but instead sees, acknowledges, and welcomes the excluded. True healing and restoration begin when we follow Jesus into these spaces and truly see those whom others overlook. [10:32]
4. Restoration Is About More Than Physical Healing When Jesus sends the lepers to the priests, his goal is not just their physical healing but their full restoration to community. He desires that they be welcomed back, that their social and relational wounds be healed as well. Our calling is to participate in this work of restoration, ensuring that our communities are places of belonging and acceptance for all. [12:09]
5. The Outsider Often Models True Faith The Samaritan leper, doubly excluded by disease and ethnicity, is the one who returns to give thanks and is held up as an example of faith. Sometimes, those on the margins see and respond to God’s grace more clearly than those at the center. We are challenged to learn from those we might otherwise overlook and to recognize the presence of Christ in the faces of the excluded.

** [12:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:29] - Opening Prayer
[01:01] - Defining Bullying
[02:02] - Bullying and Faith
[03:19] - Personal Story of Bullying
[03:48] - The Persistence of Bullying
[04:20] - Bullying in the Church
[05:22] - The Subtlety of Exclusion
[06:24] - The In-Between Place
[07:07] - The Leper’s Isolation
[08:02] - Humiliation and Social Death
[09:22] - Modern Exclusion
[10:32] - Jesus Walks the Borders
[11:19] - Healing Begins with Being Seen
[12:09] - Restoration to Community
[12:48] - The Grateful Outsider
[14:32] - The Call to Radical Inclusion
[16:06] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

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.”

Observation Questions

Where does Jesus meet the ten lepers, and what is significant about this location? ([06:37])
What do the lepers ask Jesus to do for them, and how does Jesus respond? ([10:52])
What is unique about the one leper who returns to thank Jesus, and how does Jesus highlight this? ([12:48])
According to the sermon, what were some of the social and religious practices that made life even harder for lepers? ([08:02])

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus have chosen to walk along the border between Samaria and Galilee, rather than staying within the “safe” areas? What does this say about his approach to those who are excluded? ([10:32])
The sermon says that bullying and exclusion are a denial of the image of God in others. How does this connect to the way the lepers were treated by their community? ([02:42])
The Samaritan leper is described as a “double outsider.” Why do you think Jesus lifts up his response as an example of true faith and gratitude? ([12:48])
The sermon mentions that restoration is about more than just physical healing. What does full restoration look like in this story, and why is it important? ([12:09])

Application Questions

The sermon points out that exclusion can be subtle—whispers, glances, or the silent treatment. Can you think of a time when you have seen or experienced this kind of subtle exclusion, either in church or elsewhere? How did it affect you or others? ([05:22])
Jesus intentionally moves toward those who are excluded. What would it look like for you to “walk the borders” in your own life? Is there someone you tend to overlook or avoid? ([10:32])
The story challenges us to see and welcome those whom the world overlooks. Who in your daily life might be standing “at a distance,” longing to belong? What is one practical step you could take to include them this week? ([06:24])
The sermon says that bullying and exclusion can happen even in the church. Are there ways, even unintentionally, that our church community might be making people feel left out? What could we do differently? ([04:20])
The Samaritan leper models gratitude and faith. When was the last time you expressed gratitude to God for something he has done in your life? How might practicing gratitude help you see others more clearly? ([12:48])
The sermon invites us to be a community where “no one stands alone at a distance.” What is one change—big or small—you could make to help our group or church become more welcoming and inclusive? ([14:32])
The pastor shared a personal story about being bullied and then choosing to be different. Is there a past experience of exclusion or hurt in your life that God might want to use to help you show compassion to others now? ([03:19])

Sermon Clips

When we look at bullying through the lens of faith, then we realize very quickly that what bullying is, is to deny the image of God in another. Our actions tell the one bullied that they don't belong, when Christ says, you are loved, and you are mine. [00:02:28] (24 seconds) #ImageOfGodInEveryone

Today people are still left to stand at a distance. Not because of illness, but because they've been pushed there by us. The child that no one sits with and plays with in the playground. The person talked about, but never talked to. The refugee who is feared rather than welcomed. That neighbour who doesn't quite fit into that social circle on our street. Or perhaps the person in the pew that we look at, but don't know. They don't approach. [00:09:35] (47 seconds) #JesusWalksWithOutcasts

Bullying, prejudice, exclusion, they all push people to the edges. But notice where Jesus goes. Notice where Jesus walks. Jesus walks along the border. Jesus walks in the in-between spaces where the excluded live. He walks towards those whom we ignore, not away from them. [00:10:23] (29 seconds) #HealingBeyondThePhysical

When Jesus saw them, he said to them, go and show yourselves to the priests. Jesus saw those ten men. He didn't avert his eyes or make up an excuse. He didn't go the other way, but he saw them, spoke to them, and welcomed them. And that's where healing so often begins. When we see the exclusion, when we see the embarrassment, when we see the hurt, when we see the pain, when we see the person. [00:10:58] (42 seconds) #RestoringBelonging

And seeing that they are healed, one of them turns back. He praises God with a loud voice and throws himself at Jesus' feet, thanking him. And then we're told something crucial. He was a Samaritan. This man was a double outsider, once excluded by disease, now excluded by race and religion. And yet this outsider becomes the example of true faith and gratitude. [00:12:34] (35 seconds) #ChoosingNotToSee

Those people who chose not to listen, who chose not to help when they cried out from beyond the safety of the walls. Today we're reminded Jesus calls us his Church to be different. To be the opposite of what the world is. World demands. We're called to be a community where no one stands alone at a distance, where grace is not only preached but where it is practiced and lived and known. [00:14:15] (37 seconds) #CalledToBeDifferent

``Because the Samaritan reminds us that sometimes the clearest faith is found among those in the world whom we ignore, the people whom we dismiss and yet in whom we can see the face of Christ. So we are invited to walk where Jesus walks, along the borders towards the in-between places and spaces as we see and know and love those whom others overlook. [00:14:53] (36 seconds) #FaithFoundInTheIgnored

We are challenged to be that kind of community where no one has to cry out from a distance. Because there is no distance between us. Today we are challenged to be courageous, to see, to welcome and to stand with those whom the world pushes out. [00:15:28] (31 seconds) #NoDistanceBetweenUs

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