Mark 1:40-45 ~ clean

Mark 1:40-45

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

People who are not acquainted with the Scriptures don't have any desire to be. What would ever draw them to Scripture? Jesus is a leper to them. No slice of 'Christianity' on my plate today, please.

Test yourself. Where is your faith going.

I've heard people say the Scriptures were written by the 'man' to control the masses. " Jesus visited the lepers because the leper union wanted compensation" - so they wrote that part in.

And yet.... the Scriptures give real insight.

Mark 8:22-26
²² And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” ²⁵ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

When a blind man is healed, it would take the brain a while to understand the images the eyes see - Are you incredulous the Scriptures would know this?

The Church, using human hands, human faults tries to do the work of Jesus. For 2,000 years the Church has made mistakes but gets back up and tries again. We all play a different part each day. Some days we are the leper - needy. Some days we are Jesus - the healer, the needed hand to touch and comfort. Some days, sadly, sadly, sadly - we live in a world where Jesus is the leper.



Faith is a gift. But Faith is fruit. It requires some tending. Just as it isn't good to put an elderly parent in a corner and say, "Be well." Life is busy. Especially for the family with 2 careers - where the candle goes at both ends. I remember a long-ago college friend named Suzanne - she wanted so much to attend Church - but it was overwhelming for her. Who are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John???

The message to the Christian is be like Jesus. We cannot possibly know what goes on with others. We can only make an uniformed guess. Jesus didn't ask the leper if he picked it up at a bar - He reached out to help. He didn't ask the leper to be anything but Glad of Salvation. He cleansed the leper because He Loved him. Just that way, warts and all.

John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

The message to the borderline is this - do not even enter the village. What? If your Sundays are so busy you can't get to Church - then sit and rest. If you have the energy to clean the house, shop and make the day pleasant - you are not treating Jesus with anything but leprosy. Your grandchildren are going to be telling you at Christmas that they don't believe in that angel business. Do the work of Faith. Feed your soul and feed those around you - for eternity. Commandment #8 was arrived at with work and determination. For you.

The message to the people further out on the border is this - if you do have some eyes of faith and you see the truth in Jesus healing in Mark 8 - knock the sleep out of your eyes. Tend the faith.

Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Hebrews 3:5
Scripture says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be stubborn. Don't be stubborn like those who rebelled."

Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Honor Commandment #8.


Here was our Sermon, at HopePointe - Rev. Clark Lowenfield, on 1 John 5.

All Sermons on 1 John, Walking in the Light.



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