I’m a Leper

The Life of Jesus Series:

Looking at how Jesus interacted with others.

Luke 5:12-16

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%205%3A12-16&version=NIV;NLT

  

Can you think of a class of people that are considered outcasts? What about homeless people?

Virtually every time we go grocery shopping at Meijer, there’s a homeless person at the corner begging for food, often holding a sign that says, “Homeless - please help” or “Homeless family of three. Can you help?”.

 

Lepers, at the time of Jesus, were banned to live outside of the city. They were banned from going into the temple. And when they approached another person, they had to yell, “Unclean! Unclean!” In fact, they were social, emotional and spiritual outcasts.

 

Desperate and hopeless, the leper fell at Jesus’ feet with his face looking at the ground. He was so ashamed, he couldn’t even look Jesus in the face. With no pride or self-respect left, he literally begged Jesus to heal him; to make him clean. In this setting, Jesus made a bold statement into the leper’s life.

 

¹² While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” ¹³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.                NIV

 

What’s so amazing in this story is not that Jesus healed the leper, but that he actually touched him. Most people wouldn’t have. They would have been afraid of being contaminated. It may have been the first time another human being had touched the leper in weeks, months or even years. And by touching him, according to the law, Jesus himself became unclean.

 

In a way, I’m a leper! We all are. Don’t we all come to Jesus, “covered in sin”? We may not walk around yelling “Unclean”; but we are unclean; we’re sinful. We all need his healing, cleansing and forgiving touch in our life. Like the leper, Jesus’ touch can change our life. But to do that, we have to call out to him.

 

 

 

 

Baptism by Fire

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A1-11&version=NIV;NLT

 

Have you ever felt like you’ve been baptized by fire? When I started in insurance sixteen years ago, I didn’t know anything. Limits of liability, med pay, and uninsured motorist bodily injury were terms that made my eyes glaze over. Probably not too different from what your eyes are doing right now.

 

Baptism by fire is when you are learning something the hard way. It might be because you’ve been thrown into a situation that you aren’t prepared for; or you’re just facing a very difficult circumstance in life. But here’s how John the Baptist spoke of  it.

 

¹¹ “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.            Matthew 3 NLT

 

Baptism by fire includes the death of our old nature. It doesn’t matter what sinful behavior we acted out in the past, or will do in the present or future; we are forgiven.

 

A number of you know from experience what I’m talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list (of sinful behavior). Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.         1 Corinthians 6:11 MSG

 

Baptism by fire for you may have come as the result of the death of a loved one; the loss of a friend; being let go or looked over at work; diagnosis of a deadly disease; or dealing with an addiction. You don’t feel prepared; nobody educated you on how to deal with something like this. Yet here it is.

 

Just know that through Jesus’ Baptism by Fire he has made it possible for you to live a new life, free from the power of sin; free to love and to serve him. He gives you hope; gives you a fresh start; gives you renewed purpose.

 

We’re not perfect… just forgiven.