Hi Mike,

I was wondering what the spiritual significant of the ten lepers who were healed, but only one returned to honor the Lord in Luk 17:11-19?
Thanks a lot.
Your brother in Christ,
B____

Hi B____,
You ask:

What [ is] the spiritual significance of the ten lepers who were healed, but only one return to honor the Lord in Luk 17:11-19?

The spiritual significance of that true story is that many are called and even healed of their incurable diseases, and yet few are chosen to appreciate what has been given to them.
The number ‘ten’ tells us that this story has to do with fact that perfection in the flesh is not perfection in spirit. It is significant to notice that the only one of the ten who returned was a Samaritan:

Luk 17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luk 17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

But the spiritual message is not that the Samaritan is Mike Vinson and the nine other lepers are those poor Babylonians out there somewhere in the world. The spiritual significance of this true story is that if I do not see that those nine lepers who consider themselves to be God’s own elect, healed of the incurable disease of death; if I do not recognize that that ungrateful spirit of the nine is in me and must be judged and destroyed in me, then I will never become the “Samaritan… stranger” who was grateful for the healing given to me when I became aware of the need to be healed of an ungrateful spirit which is part of the marred vessel of clay which we all are by nature. In other words:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

As Christ told the Pharisees:

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

So is it in every instance. In this instance it is through acknowledging our lack of gratitude for what God has done in our lives that we become grateful.
I hope you see what the spiritual significance of this event in our Lord’s life is. It is those who think of themselves as God’s only people who are most apt to be lacking in gratitude for what has been done for them. My prayer is that I apply this story to me and not to you or someone else. This is what each and every one of us who claim to be in Christ should do.
Mike