Transformed By The Master's Touch

Transformed By The Master’s Touch

Mark 1:40-45

Have you ever had an encounter with an individual that changed your life forever? Maybe you had one of those love at first sight (movie moment) encounters with your spouse. You knew instantly that they were the one for you. (I didn’t have that; I spotted Amber 4 years before she knew I existed!) Maybe you met someone and they impacted you in such a way that they had a great influence on the rest of your life.

I met someone a while back who had what was considered to be a terminal disease. He had traveled to other states, tried different types of surgeries and medicines with no success. He was at the end of his rope and was at the point of making plans for his own funeral. Then someone referred him to another doctor who had a radical plan, (a last ditch effort so to speak) that could possibly help this individual. This man had nothing to lose and trusted the doctors advice. As a result of meeting this doctor and taking a chance on a risky surgery this man was completely healed.

This reminds me of another encounter in the bible. We are told in Mark 5:25-34 of a lady who had an “issue of blood” for 12 years. She had tried everything and spent all that she had with no success. Then she thought if she could touch the hem of Jesus’ garment she would be healed. You know the story, she did and she was!! Her life was changed when she encountered Jesus.

In the verses preceding our text we read where many lives were changed when people met Jesus. Look with me if you will to Mark 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

In verses 40-45 we find an in depth account of a leper coming to Jesus for healing. Jesus touched this man and changed him forever. If you are here an you have been born again, you have experienced this. Jesus has touched you and changed your life forever!

If you have not been saved, you can be today. This may be the day that your life is changed forever! Join me if you will as we consider the thought “ Transformed By The Master’s Touch” This account begins with:

I. A Deadly Disease - v40 ¶And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

This man was in bad shape. Here we see him described as a leper. “And there came a leper to him” (I have preached on lepers in the past. There is Naaman, this man here & there is an account of where Jesus healed 10 lepers. I always love to watch folks faces when I look in depth at the horrific description of leprosy.)

Leprosy is a disease that begins with little white spots appearing on the skin.

Those spots begin to harden and turn from white to pink to brown and become very scaly.

Those sores then began to spread all over the body.

They would afflict the face first; soon the appearance of the face would change.

These sores would begin fill with puss and they would begin to run all over the body.

There was a foul odor and others couldn't even stand to smell the odor.

Leprosy began to totally consume one’s body.

The eyebrows would fall out, and then the hair would turn white.

A person with Leprosy is someone who is literally rotting away.

Fingers would fall off and the toes of the feet would begin to fall off.

Leprosy lasted an average of about 9 years until the victim would collapse and waste away.

Though this is a gruesome description of a physical disease, it is a great illustration of a spiritual disease. Leprosy paints a vivid picture of sin!

In the beginning of leprosy it didn’t look bad, it actually starts with the individual feeling tired, and then those spot begin to appear, and then they spread. Sin usually begins with a whisper…IT BEGINS WITH GIVING IN TO TEMPTATION and then leads to bigger issue.

Let’s say you are tempted by a member of the opposite sex. That temptation leads to lust. That lust leads to flirting. That flirting leads to an affair. That affair must be covered by lies. One lie leads to another and another to cover up the one before it. You think that you are happy and that you are living it up. Then you get caught. You lose your spouse. You lose your children. You find yourself lonely, broken- hearted and miserable. And it all started with a look that lingered and lead to lust which ultimately lead to loss!