I The Leper
Luke 5:12-16
My name isn’t important - no one used it anyway. Leper- That was the only name they knew. This is my story- a lepers story
It all started one day as I was getting ready for work. I noticed a small discolored patch on my right arm. I didn’t think much of it at first but a couple of days later I noticed it was bigger. I knew the stories and I knew the Law- any blemish like this had to be examined by the priest- If it was leprosy- it meant I would loose everything. I remember I was so scared. I hid it for a while but I knew I was breaking the Mosaic Law. So I went to the priest- My worst nightmare came true- It was leprosy- I was cast out, unclean.
Leprosy you see is worse than death. It was torture. I could not go to worship in the Temple. I could not associate with my friends and family. I could not even live in the village. I had to make camp outside the village. When I walked the streets I had to call out Unclean, Unclean to all who were near me. How humiliating those words would become. Shouting out to everyone that I was cursed and unclean. Crowds parted as I drew near. Children laughed at me and threw stones, they mocked my cry of unclean.
Thats not the worst part- I was untouchable- no one would touch me or they would be unclean as well.
Can you imagine the pain of going untouched by human hands. Never feeling the warmth of anothers love or touch. Never clasping the strong hands of friends.
I longed to be wanted and needed. I longed to have friends and children of my own.
I longed to simply have a name - You see why no one cared about my name-
I was simply the Leper.
Until Jesus Came-
I had heard about this man from God. A great prophet like Elijah of old. He went all around this area healing people and teaching them new things. I heard that He had healed the lame and cured the blind. I had even heard that Lepers were cleansed like me. I went to see Him once as He taught - His name was Jesus - a Nazarene. But His teaching was more powerful than you can imagine. When I first saw Him I knew that He had the answer to all my problems but I couldn’t get to Him. He stepped down among the crowd and He was gone.
Then came the day - I heard a the noise of a crowd in the streets ahead of me. Then someone cried out the name Jesus. Jesus was coming. He was here in our own little town. I ran in the direction of the crowd- Unclean I cried as I ran, Unclean. I am not sure really how it happened but the next thing I knew He was standing right in front of me.
I did the only thing I knew to do. I fell on my face in front of Him. I was ashamed to even speak to Him. I was dirty and disfigured a grotesque parody of a man. I could hardly find the voice to speak but I cried out
Lord, If you are willing, you can make me well. I closed my eyes. I guess I expected Him to treat me like everyone else did and walk away disgusted. I knew He could heal me I just couldn’t dare hope that He would. I could hear the jeers of the crowd and the disgust of the people standing near. I listened for his footsteps to pass me by. But I will never ever forget what He did.
He touched Me- I couldn’t believe it as first- He touched me. I had been years since anyone had touched me- But Jesus touched me.
I can still remember the warmth of His hand- the gentle embrace of His fingers on my arm. I looked up from the ground and my eyes met His and there was no disgust, no loathing, no fear- He loved me- I could see it there in His eyes - He loved me.
Then He spoke- I am willing- he said- be cleansed- At first I didn’t notice anything then I looked at my hands- the sores were gone- the two fingers I had lost were back on my hand. Slowly I took the cloths away from my arms and instead of tattered flesh I saw my arms as they had been before the leprosy. Jesus had healed me- He had cleansed every spot from my skin. I fell on my face again before Him and thanked Him and praised Him. But He pulled me to my feat.
The silent crowd looked at us as He told me not to tell anyone of what He had done. I was to go to the priest and show myself to Him and bring my offering.
But I confess that I didn’t do what Jesus told me to. I’m ashamed of my disobedience but I just couldn’t help it. As I walked through the streets people didn’t shy away from me in horror. They didn’t rush to move away from me. Then before I knew what I was doing I was running through the streets yelling Clean- I’m Clean-
I saw the children who mocked me - Clean I shouted at them
I saw the merchants who shunned me - Clean I shouted at them
I saw the people who feared me - Clean I shouted at them as I touched them for the first time.
Jesus had made me clean. You should have seen the crowds that came after that.. They came from all over bringing sick people to see Jesus. I never saw Him again after that day but I will someday. You see it was only a short time later that I heard that Jesus the one I loved so much had been crucified in Jerusalem. Crucified can you imagine. But then I met some of His disciples and they told me the good news. Jesus isn’t dead you see- God raised Him from the dead- He’s alive- They showed me according to the scriptures how that this prophet Jesus was really the Messiah the Christ. And I believed them.
No one ever loved me like Jesus did
No one would touch me but Jesus did
No one could cleanse me but God did in His Messiah- Jesus
I am a Christian now- I serve the one who set me free from leprosy and from Sin.
Now I travel around and talk to groups like yours- And you know some of you are no different than I was when I was a leper.
-Some of you are outcasts and untouchable- You feel violated and unclean- you feel like no one cares about you- and you feel like giving up.
I want to tell you this morning that Jesus cares- and He wants to touch you just like He touched me. He wants to pick you up off the ground and set you on your feet again. He wants to help you live for Him.
- Some of you are unclean - you have leprosy as surely as I did. Maybe not on your skin but you have leprosy of the heart- Sin is eating away at you from the inside. If you will call on Him today He will wash your leprous heart clean and make you live again. He wants to heal your heart and make you whole.
This is my story- a lepers story
It all started one day .
Leprosy you see is worse than death. It was torture.
I could not go to worship in the Temple. ass. with my friends and family.
not even live in the village. I had to make camp outside the village.
streets I had to call out Unclean,
Crowds parted as I drew near.
Children laughed at me and threw stones, they mocked my cry of unclean.
Thats not the worst part- I was untouchable-
Can you imagine the pain of going untouched by human hands.
I longed to be wanted and needed. to simply have a name
I was simply the Leper.
Until Jesus Came-
A great prophet like Elijah of old.
I went to see Him once as He taught -
Then came the day
He was standing right in front of me.
Lord, If you are willing, you can make me well.
I closed my eyes
He touched Me
- I’m Clean-
had been crucified in Jerusalem.
But then I met some of His disciples
No one ever loved me like Jesus did
No one would touch me but Jesus did
No one could cleanse me but God did in His Messiah- Jesus
-Some of you are outcasts and untouchable-
- Some of you are unclean -
