The Willingness And Compassion Found In An Able God.

1. When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Introduction:

The scriptures have just revealed that Jesus has just come down from the mountain. He has just finished his “Sermon on the Mount.” Where he spoke more than just the “Beatitudes.” Those Blessed are…

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

With these words Jesus communicated the understanding, that his kingdom was not of this world. The poor in spirit they are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, they understand their guilt, and they thirst after a Redeemer. They that mourn, shall be comforted for that godly sorrow aids in the working of true repentance. The meek, they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake all reflect characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

There upon the mountainside is where Jesus told us that, the world will not except you for your new ways will be strange to them. They will lie on you, they will hate you, they will try to hurt you, but think it not strange for the world has always done this. for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Here on the side of the mountain Jesus says to us: Ye are the salt of the earth: we have been commissioned to change the spirit of man within the world, and if we should lose this desire within our selves we become useless, and ineffective in our ministry.

There on that mountainside, Jesus spoke the wisdom of the ages in terms of just what it means to become a Christian. The law of love explained. 5: (43-48) How to pray.6: (9-15) Respecting fasting. 6:(16-18) Evil of being worldly-minded. (19-24) Trust in God commended. (25-34). Christ reproves rash judgment.7: (1-6) Encouragements to prayer. (7-11) The broad and narrow way. (12-14) To be doers of the word, not hearers only. (21-29).

The time now, in our text is when he came down from being upon that mountainside.

Can you imagine the power of the Spirit of God upon him as he begins to leave this place and he is confronted by a leper who came bowed down to worship him and said these words; “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”.

The Willingness and Compassion that is found in an able God.

Let me stop in the middle of this, and talk about leprosy.

Leprosy is a disease in the day of Christ, which resulted in one of the cruelest ways people of his day, could die. Leprosy was fearfully contagious, exceedingly painful, and loathsome and was considered incurable by human agency or standards.

Leprosy by its nature starts small in one part of the body and then spreads out over the entire body with sores and exposed skin. Anyone who had this disease was forced to live outside of the community to live out the rest of their existence alone suffering.

The Law was that they had to cry out unclean, unclean in order to warn other of their state and lot in life.

I would have you know today that, sin is the true leprosy of men today. It always starts out small in one part of our lives and spreads out to the corruption of our lives. Sin also is fearfully contagious and is incurable by human agency or standards.

Maybe, you do not understand what I am talking about when I said it was fearfully contagious and let me now say that it loves company also. Just what do I mean, let someone be caught up in there sins; and the first thing, you will hear is them saying you were there too.