Do You Have Leprosy Series

Mark 1: 40 – 45

Do You Have Leprosy?

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.

In our study today, I am going to let you know up front that there were two other listings of the events that we are going to study today. In case you did not know this, Mark received all his information from the apostle Peter, who was an eyewitness along with Matthew.

Luke was a great investigator. He interviewed, like a police Detective, a lot of people who were eyewitnesses to these events and he is able to shed some more light which I for one am very appreciative.

So, let me just list for you the record accounts that Matthew and Luke gave regarding these specific incidents.

Matthew 8:1-4, “8 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.”

Luke 5: 12 – 16 “2 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.

At first glance you may at first think that there is some irregularity here when you look at all three Gospels. Let me assure you that there isn’t any irregularity.

In Matthew’s account we see our Lord descending a mountain and the leper is introduced. In Luke however, we read, ‘and it happened when He was in a certain city.’

Both writers are correct. You see our Lord had just come down the mountain and was at His ministry headquarters in Capernaum. Remember, Matthew was an eyewitness, so he walks us through the continual flow of our Lord’s activities. Luke on the other hand went back to Jerusalem, and after interviewing eyewitnesses, picks up the story in the area where our Lord and the leper interacted. Okay?

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 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.