Lord, Are You Willing? Series

Matthew 8: 1 – 4

Lord, Are You Willing?

Matthew 8, “1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

For better or worse our faith affects others. You see you are important to God’s interests in affecting the world. You may not know it but you have an impact on many people. Just think about your own family; your kids, parents, grandparents; neighbors, relatives, co-workers. The vendors, that you normally purchase your coffees or lunch. I am sure you can include many more to this list.

Today we are going to look at a man full of a disease approach a Man Who Is filled with The Holy Spirit. They are not at odds. The one is seeking something more than a healing from the One Who he has heard about as the Promised Messiah, The Son of God.

He will seek to be ‘clean’. This is different. In his condition, this man has been cut off from every human being and more importantly, he has been cut off from worshiping Yahweh Elohe Yisrael – The Lord God Of Israel. This is the area most painful for him to endure.

Now, as you know there were two other documents in circulation and they were the Gospels of Mark and Luke. As you know, Matthew was an apostle who was with our Lord Jesus Christ for over three years and was an eye witness to all that our Lord said and did. Mark, on the other hand, was probably the young man whom we read about in his gospel who ran away naked during our Lord’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He heard all the information that he recorded from the apostle Peter. Luke was the friend and disciple of the apostle Paul. Around 15 years after Matthew was penned, Luke put down on paper his findings after talking to first hand witnesses.

So, to get a full picture let us take a quick look at both Gospels and see if there is any other information that would bless us.

Luke 5: 12 – 16, “12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” 15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Mark 1, “40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.”

Now putting all these together, our Lord Jesus has just completed the Sermon on the Mount and is coming down the mountain toward the city of Capernaum. Just before He arrived at the city this man came up to Him; knelt before Him; and worshiped Him

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Look at the attitude of this man. No one knelt down and worship a man. This leper understood that Jesus Is Lord and God and worshipped Him.