Matthew 8-11.29.22
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 8:1-4
"When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed Him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
OBSERVATION:
Jesus had just come down from the Mount of Beatitudes. His miracles and teaching had attracted a great deal of attention, and great multitudes followed Him. A leper came and worshipped Him. Being a leper in the ancient world meant that you literally had no hope of recovery. Leprosy is a horribly progressive disease that may begin with the loss of all sensation in some parts of the body, the muscles waste away, the tendons contract until the hands and feet are like claws. There follows ulceration of the hands and feet. Then comes the progressive loss of fingers and toes, until in the end a whole hand or a whole foot may drop off. The duration of that kind of leprosy is anything from twenty to thirty years. (Barclay)
UNDERSTANDING:
The condition of leprosy is a model of sin and its effects. It is a contagious, debilitating disease that corrupts its victim and makes him essentially dead while alive! Rabbis especially despised lepers, and saw them as people under the special judgement of God, deserving no pity or mercy. This desperate leper came to Jesus by himself. He knew how terrible his problem was, and he knew other people had given up on him as having a hopeless condition. He had no one who would or could take him to Jesus. He had no invitation from Jesus or the disciples. He must have felt ashamed and alone in the crowd. Despite his desperate condition, this man not only begged Jesus, he also worshipped Him. He worshipped Him by bowing before Jesus. He called Him, "Lord", and he humbled himself by not demanding - but leaving the request up to the will of Jesus. He worshipped Jesus with his confidence that Jesus could heal him IF HE WAS WILLING! The leper wanted more than healing, he wanted cleansing; not only from the leprosy, but also from all its terrible effects on his life and his soul. Jesus was willing! He moved with compassion and put out His hand and touched the leper, and immediately the man was cleansed! Then Jesus commanded the man to give testimony of his healing to only the priests! (enduringword.com).
LIFE APPLICATON:
We were all born in sin. Our sin is what kept us from being able to have a relationship with God. BUT, in His mercy and grace God extended His love toward us, and was willing to send His Son Jesus to die on the cross in order to pay the full penalty for our sins. Through Jesus we have been forgiven, and we have been made right with God! Not because of anything we've done, but because of Jesus! We are now able to stand before God as righteous and justified! (JUST AS IF WE'VE NEVER SINNED!) Despite our past desperate condition, we are now able to stand in God's presence and enjoy a personal, lasting relationship with Him. We are no longer victims of being dead while alive! We have been born-again! We have been cleansed and made right before our Heavenly Father.
I'm so very grateful that when we call out to Jesus, and believe He is Lord, He is not only able to touch us and heal us... He is willing!
-Robin Orefice