Jesus, Mercy and the Kingdom

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, ¹³they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" ¹⁴When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. ¹⁵Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. ¹⁶He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? ¹⁸Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" ¹⁹Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Although we hardly talk about it, in Second Temple Jerusalem, religion and politics were the same thing. Bible scholars point to Jesus as a political figure because he uses the messianic prophecy of Isaiah to announce a radical social and economic reorganization, which directly challenges the established power structures of his time. Luke was a highly educated and politically aware individual, and he shared many stories about Jesus and his impact on the politics of his day. As Luke was apt to do, he made this Jesus story political when he added the line, “Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (v.18).

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus's first explicitly political act occurs when he begins his ministry by declaring his mission in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4). There, he delivers his inaugural sermon by reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Then he proclaims: 1: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor." 2: "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, and to set the oppressed free,” 3: "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  Beyond that initial scene, Jesus cleansed the Temple (Luke 19), healed on the Sabbath (Luke 6, 13, and 14), and had his Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19).

Jesus’ radical mercy, boundary-breaking inclusion, and very Kingdom of God centered nature challenged his followers to see grace, gratitude, and belonging in a way that made those in power very nervous and anxious. They, in turn, sought to quieten this itinerant preacher from the backwoods of Galilee. But somehow, even as he made so many nervous, to those he healed, it was only about their personal situation. As he moved toward Jerusalem, the city that stood as the epicenter of Israel’s religious and political identity, he did so with divine intention. Christ’s journey was not arbitrary; every step was laden with the sovereign purpose of redemption. He walked the path to the cross, embodying not the politics of worldly power, but the self-giving love and sacrificial grace that define the Kingdom of God. His very movement toward Jerusalem was a demonstration of faithfulness to God and a fulfillment of God’s promises.

               Former Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, was quite famous for using the phrase “All politics is local.” Jesus lived this philosophy by deeply engaging with individuals and their real, immediate needs wherever He went. Rather than being distant or concerned only with grand religious or social systems, Jesus always met people where they were—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

               In today’s lesson, Jesus encounters the ten lepers on the edges of society, left to dwell in isolation and shame. From a distance, they lifted their voices, crying out for mercy to the One they recognized as Master. Unlike the indifferent rulers of the time, our Savior heard their plea and responded with sovereign compassion. He doesn’t first ask about their backgrounds, social status, or race. Instead, He responds to their cry for mercy with personal attention and compassion. Jesus recognizes their suffering and shows them mercy and grace.

               By doing so, Jesus demonstrates that radical inclusion and love are what the Kingdom of God is about. He was not concerned about gaining worldly power or enforcing strict boundaries. Instead, he brought hope, healing, and belonging to the outcasts and marginalized in the real, everyday lives of those he met.

               As expected from our savior, all ten lepers are healed with mercy, but only one—a Samaritan—returns in humble worship and gratitude. The “Samaritan,” the despised rival. The exemplary enemy. The classic antagonist. Christ’s actions challenged accepted boundaries, welcoming those who were outside the covenant community and making them recipients of divine grace. Such a story prompts us to see that the kingdom of God is defined not by the privilege or religious background of those in power, but by gratitude, worship, and the gracious inclusion of those once distant. As Mr. O’Neill said, and Jesus reminds us, all politics are ultimately local, so too our own lives should reflect Christ’s hospitality and loving kindness in our daily interactions and relationships. 

Luke shows us that Christ’s mercy reveals the depths of God’s sovereign grace—a grace that decisively crosses all boundaries: wealth, status, ethnicity, and even reputation. We are reminded that entrance into the Kingdom is not a matter of human merit or religious pedigree, but a response of faith, gratitude, and humble worship, wrought by the Spirit. The Samaritan’s return in thanksgiving is emblematic of true conversion: a recognition that, apart from grace, we would remain spiritual exiles, yet in Christ, we are welcomed, cleansed, and reconciled. Remember Christ never touched the lepers and, in fact, told the Samaritan that it was his faith that healed him. Radical mercy, not human distinction, that is the principle of God’s redemptive kingdom.

So, what do these political, boundary-breaking actions of Jesus mean for us today? Just as Jesus broke social and religious boundaries by healing lepers—individuals who were marginalized and excluded from their communities—we can draw a parallel to contemporary debates around displaced people, refugee resettlement, and even healthcare access. In today's climate, policies and not compassion often dictate who is welcomed or excluded. The Samaritan leper, doubly outcast both by disease and ethnicity, is the one who returns with gratitude, highlighting that divine grace is not restricted by borders or human constructs. Jesus’s response to him challenges us to confront laws and social norms that create division and perpetuate exclusion. If the Kingdom of God is defined by radical mercy and inclusion, then as people of faith, our engagement with issues like immigration reform or healthcare justice should reflect Christ’s compassion—advocating for the dignity and healing of those most often relegated to society’s margins.

In true reflection of Luke’s telling of this encounter with Jesus, let us walk in the design of Christ: extending mercy to the marginalized, practicing hospitality without partiality, and responding continually in grateful worship. Examine your hearts before God—are there boundaries you have erected that the gospel tears down? Pray for the Spirit’s power to love as Christ has loved you. Let your daily living witness to the reality of the Kingdom: embracing all whom Christ calls, and magnifying God’s sovereign grace in both word and deed. May we all reflect upon Jesus’ actions and measure our own against them. AMEN.

Bibliography

NRSVue. (2021). Holy Bible With Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament., Updated Edition. Washington, D.C., USA: Zondervan.