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.

 

 

 

 

Outsider

Acts 10:34-45

 

Have you ever felt like an outsider; different than those around you? As I considered this devotional I remembered a man who came to our church for awhile. I haven’t seen him lately. He usually sat in the same pew as my wife and I. During the sermon he would knit. I have to confess that I judged him. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t been around.

 

It’s easy to judge others; to put them next to an artificial standard that we have created in order to make ourselves look and feel good. You know the one I’m talking about. You

have to dress a certain way; act and talk a certain way; look a certain way. Otherwise, you just don’t fit in.

 

The backstory to today’s passage is that Peter, a Jew, and Cornelius, a Gentile, have been brought together by supernatural means orchestrated by God.

 

Normally, the culture they live in would not permit this meeting to occur. It was a social and religious culture that put the Gentiles on the outside and the Jews on the inside. In case of point, look at the reaction of the good Jewish people when the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit.

 

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.          Acts 10:44-45 NIV

 

The disdain that the Jews had for the Gentiles was impeding the spread of the Gospel. God’s word, His love, His grace and forgiveness and even His Holy Spirit - were being held captive. Peter had a change of heart that not only changed him, but changed the world around him.

 

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.      Acts 10:34-35NIV

 

Who do you judge and keep in a box? Someone who looks different or acts different from you? Maybe they knit during the sermon. Let the Holy Spirit open your heart so that all might have access to the Gospel of Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you, or touched your heart through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)