Good weekend to you, my walking with Jesus friends. Yes, this is Pastor Doug Anderson, and we are experimenting with giving you a little live look into the place where I produce walking with Jesus every day.
When you hear the word “untouchable”, what comes to your mind? In many parts of the world there have been terrible diseases thought to be highly contagious and therefore people who had those diseases were often considered “Untouchable”.
Leprosy, of course, has been one of those terrible diseases through the centuries. Lepers through history have often been driven out of their villages to live away from healthy people. In some societies they were forced to carry a cow bell and ring that bell if a person came close not knowing they were a leper.
In the first century Jesus several times encountered Lepers. Of course, they and their families were intrigued to consider that with the miracles Jesus was doing perhaps He could actually help lepers, maybe even cure some, enabling these leprous people, who had been excluded from society, to return to their families and maybe even somewhat normal lives. Today let’s watch as a leper comes to Jesus seeking help.
I find this story in Matt. 8:2-4; Luke 5:12-14 and I invite you to join me in Mark 1:40-45. Mark describes this unexpected encounter as a leper approaches Jesus and falls on his knees before Jesus, and cries out: “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40) That tells me this leper had heard some miracle stories about Jesus. Who knows, maybe somewhere along the line this leper had actually met a person whose life had been changed by a Jesus miracle?
What do you hear in the Leper’s words? I hear confidence, courage and hope that Jesus would view the leper very differently from others who saw him as an ‘untouchable’.
Amazingly Jesus paused, looked compassionately at the man and did something unthinkable! Jesus touched him! And more, I think Jesus helped the leper to stand up on his leprous feet! Jesus didn’t run or tell the leper to keep his distance. Jesus actually reached out and touched the leper!!
I presume some of Jesus’ followers were with him and perhaps they had backed away as the leper approached Jesus. Maybe they had pulled their sand scarf over their faces as they would in a sandstorm, only this time to keep from inhaling any ‘leper germs’!
But now, as they watched Jesus touch the man, lifting him to his feet, Jesus’ followers were stunned into disbelief. Jesus would now be unclean for having touched this leper…what was Jesus thinking? Why would Jesus run this risk of becoming a social ‘untouchable’?
Pause and think about this for a moment. Have you ever risked your reputation by helping a person others viewed as ‘untouchable‘? Our world is filled with ‘untouchable’ people, isn’t it? So, who are they in your city? Addicts, homeless, people with a prison or criminal record, school dropouts, pregnant teens, kids from broken families? Does your social awareness and your social status lead you TO or AWAY from ‘untouchables’? And if you are a religious person, does your religion lead you TO or AWAY from untouchables? And what about if you claim to be a follower of Jesus??
As Jesus helped the leper to his feet Jesus said something those who heard it would never forget: “I am willing, be clean!!” Brows furrowed, people stepped back even further. And then eyes widened and jaws dropped open and people leaned in for a closer look, a more careful examination.
The unimaginable was happening right before their eyes. The white leprous spots, the ugly sores on this man were miraculously healing. His skin was becoming normal, in fact more beautiful than normal, his skin was becoming perfectly clean!!
The leper began unwrapping the cloths on his hands, arms, legs and even around his neck. Those filthy cloths hid the ugly sores. I wonder if maybe Jesus reached out to help the man unwrap himself, showing to the leper and all who were watching, that his skin was perfect!? Now the onlookers are taking a few steps closer to Jesus and the leper. Were their eyes deceiving them? Could it really be true?
Did Jesus actually cleanse a leper from his contagious leprosy with only a few words? No potions, no magical incantations, no outrageous demands, not even a hefty payment, or bloody surgical procedure… only words and this leper’s very strong belief that Jesus could heal him! Is it really possible, really true?
Now of course Jesus knew this news had the potential to spread like wildfire and every leper in Israel would be looking for Jesus, so Jesus said to the healed leper man: “Don’t tell this to anyone. But go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded for your cleansing…” (Mark 1:43,44) Why did Jesus say that? TIME my friends. Jesus knew His mission would require TIME to complete and the timing of His atonement death must be carefully watched since His atonement death would be most impactful, especially for Jews, if it happened at Passover time!
Why go show himself to the priest? Jesus knew that in the days of Moses God had given clear instructions for how people with infectious and contagious skin diseases were to be declared officially cleansed, if they believed God had rescued them from their terrible disease.
It was not a medical doctor but a spiritual leader they would show their cleansed skin to, declaring it was God’s healing work, and then offering the appropriate sacrifice in worship, thanksgiving and praise! (Lev. 13:1-17; 14:1-32)
Well, my friends, what would you have done if you were that leper experiencing your first few minutes of clean skin and fully restored health? Mark tells us: “Instead the man went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news of his healing…” Of course, that created quite a stir especially among his family and those people who had known this leper personally and grieved with him about his terrible, humiliating disease.
Word did spread, like wildfire and people came from everywhere as soon as Jesus was found to be in any town. This is part of the reason Jesus kept moving, from town to town, bringing the message and hope of God’s Redemption plan to people throughout Israel.
Let’s pause here and ponder this remarkable miracle and the difference it made in this leper’s life, his family and his town. From isolation and shame to a joyful, celebrative life reunited with his family because Jesus was willing… to touch him when no one else would, and to unleash God’s power in healing this leper. Are you at a point in your life where you are nearly as desperate for God’s powerful healing touch? Can you invite God’s touch with as much confidence as the leper did?
Some great reflection “Lessons Learned” notes are at the Grand Narrative link below, and then a wonderful worship song that may help you invite Jesus to unleash His mighty healing power into your ‘untouchable’ need. And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow…
Today’s Scripture: Mark 1:40-45.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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