A Solution for Sin that is More than Skin Deep

Willing and Able

(Mark 1:40-45, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 29, 2018)

[40] And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” [41] Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” [42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. [43] And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, [44] and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” [45] But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

If you will, you can make me clean.

“And a leper came to him...” Since sin entered into the world, death and the diseases that lead to death have plagued humanity. Whether Mark was referring to Hansen's disease or some other skin malady, the “leper” had external manifestations of biology gone bad and internal hidden enemies that may have been the root cause of severe neurological damage. More importantly, according to Old Testament ceremonial law, the leper had a social problem since his trouble made him ceremonially unclean in a way that was religiously communicable to anyone who touched him. What a vivid picture of the damage that came to mankind through the rebellion of our first parents!

“... imploring him, and kneeling ...” This man took a desperate and dangerous risk in coming near Jesus because he had no other hope. He said to Him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” What would the Lord do with this statement of faith–not necessarily a statement of trust in Jesus as the one who would heal humanity's sin problem, but at least the courage to see this Rabbi as the miracle worker who could heal his leprosy.

Be clean.

Notice that Jesus was “moved with pity.” Here we have a glimpse into the inner holiness of right emotions that filled the perfect soul of the Son of God. When we become hardened to the pain and sorrow of others, we need to see that we have a problem inside us that has outer manifestations in our words, the looks on our faces, and the activity or inactivity of our lives. Too often, our first sin is that we just don't care. Who could ever fix that disease within us?

Jesus did care, and so He did the unthinkable in that Jewish culture governed by lots of biblical and extra-biblical regulations concerning clean and unclean: “He stretched out His hand and touched him.” He added to the wonder of His inner life of perfect caring, the calming impact of just the right words. Proverbs 25:11 says that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver.” Words make a difference. We are creatures that have the divine ability to speak. Jesus had perfect speech. In this case, the man had said “if you will, you can make me clean.” Jesus said to him, “I will; be clean.” What could be better? Maybe it is just what you needed to hear today, even if nothing else makes sense.

Sometimes we would like to say the right thing, and it comes to us the next day. Occasionally we know what to say, and we may even say it well, but then we don't have the power to bring about what we might desire. With Jesus, His Word was always full of strength. Concerning creation, the Apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word.” With the leper, we see that Jesus' willingness was combined with amazing divine power. “And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.” This was an astounding miracle. It may have included the elimination of massive numbers of unseen bacteria combined with the healing of nerve damage and all the externally visible losses. Jesus' touch and His words were part of a merciful deliverance that would change the life expectancy, daily existence, and social and religious isolation of this needy petitioner. Praise God! Who could do such a thing? Jesus could, was willing, and did!

Now what?

When we read Mark we need to realize the historical facts of this book. Mark's gospel is very likely the written record of Peter's teaching. Peter would certainly have begun to bring his message to people geographically and temporally near the time and place it was alleged to have happened, certainly within five years time and five days walk. With all the controversy that Jesus brought to Judaism in those days, if this had all been a fake, it would have been easy to dismantle. But there was no one in Jesus' day who denied that He worked miracles like this. To view this account as mythological is over-skeptical, like doubting if you exist. (Dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum → No way to live.)

So this really happened. Now what? The passage tells us: “Jesus sternly charged him

and sent him away at once, and said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone.'” This was a regular pattern for the Lord. What was it that Jesus sought to avoid? He was not demanding that this miracle never be known. The Scriptures included laws about how a man might give testimony to the rest of Israel about divine healing from the socially isolating disease of leprosy. Jesus said, “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” The man did not do Leviticus 14. His excited report, which did not really go through proper channels, was undeniable to everyone, and most inconvenient for Jesus' ministry of teaching. Because the man “spread the news” the normal way one would, “Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.” Shouldn't we do ministry Jesus' way—the way the Bible directs?

Jesus was willing and able to heal a leper. Why was this significant? What difference should it make in our lives? Take the story forward to the ultimate fulfillment of the plan of God: Jesus will heal all visible and invisible manifestations of sin in our lives.

Applications:

1. What do we want? Health, happiness, prosperity OR to be crucified and risen followers of our Savior? Ouch. Who can heal that leprosy of worldly religion? Jesus.

2. A Spurgeon devotion this week referred to a man who would enter a leper colony and sleep there with the deepest natural revulsion, given the “horrible corruption” in such a place. This dying world is a leper colony. Do we have the heart, the words, and the power of Christ to do what He did or at least to minister in His way? Will we love the offensive with truth or do one of two errors: i) Be disgusted and run away, or ii) Pretend that sin is not sin just to grow? Heal us O Lord! Make us like Your Son (Luke 15).

Again, Jesus will heal all visible and invisible manifestations of sin in our lives. This is our sure destiny. Let's do ministry God's way now. Truth. Love. Obedience.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 68 – Your Procession, O God

New Testament Reading—2 Peter 1:1-15 – Confirming your calling and election