Jesus Cleanses a Leper

April 11, 2016

Be Clean!

Luke 5.12-26

We all need Jesus. Only He can rescue us. That’s true for both the believer and unbeliever. Unfortunately we don’t always recognize that. Sometimes as believers we forget our dire need for Him. We forget that without Him, we are outcasts…on the outside desperately wanting in. Without Him we are spiritual lepers in dire need of healing. Daily we need to throw ourselves at Jesus’ feet, not looking to be saved again (once a child of the King, always a child of the King), but acknowledging our dependence on Him. In what circumstance, relationship, addiction, personality flaw or personal challenge do you need to say to Jesus, “Lord, if You are willing You can…” and to hear Him say, “I am willing.”

If you don’t know Jesus, the first step is to become aware of your desperate need (to be made clean), then approach Him in humble submission (Jesus is the only way) and finally believe that Jesus can save you. Sins 2 opposing lies…the lie of the Pharisee: “I am not a sinner, there’s nothing wrong with me” We are all spiritual lepers apart from Jesus…only He can make us clean. Or the opposite extreme: “I am a sinner, but I’m so beyond help that no one can save me.” No one is untouchable for Jesus. No one is beyond His reach.

If we want to live and love like Jesus, we have to be willing to go to the outcasts, to love the unlovable and bring them to Jesus. It starts with loving them…loving them enough to make the effort, to be persistent and creative. We have to be convinced that Jesus is their only hope and believe that He wants to rescue them. Then tear down some roofs. Have a conversation. Invite them to church or to your community group. Tell them your story, how Jesus ruined you and remade you, how He rescued you and invited you into the greatest fishing expedition ever.

Until next time…stay salty.

“May we recognize our desperate need for Jesus and seek Him often this week.”

This post is based on a sermon from our Luke series, Live & Love Like Jesus: The Great Galilean Ministry. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

September 9, 2015

NT Reading – September 9

Matthew 8

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

8 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

Discipleship Tested

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus Casts Out Demons

28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)