Sermon Central
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Healed But Not Whole
Contributed by Rex E. Faile on Jan 31, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: This story of the 10 lepers which Jesus healed is a perfect example to some of our problems today. That which we seek is not what we really need. In the process we put ourselves and others under pressure to make us whole when only Christ can do this.
Healed But Not Whole
Pastor Rex E. Faile, Sr.
Lakewood Christian Church
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
(KJV)
Lev 14:1-20
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel
I. The Scourge of Leprosy
Introduction: This story of the 10 lepers which Jesus healed is a perfect example to some of our problems today. That which we seek is not what we really need. And we put ourselves and others under pressure to make us whole and happy which they will never be able to do. This 10th leper understands this and because of it he is told to go his way for his faith has made him whole. Wholeness reaches far beyond the temporal and the physical. It reaches to the depths of our soul answering the quest of all mankind and that being the meaning and purpose of life.
A. The physical pain
(Geikie in his "Life of Christ" says: "Leprosy signifies smiting, because it was supposed to be a direct visitation of Heaven. It began with little specks on the eyelids and on the palms of the hands, and gradually spread over different parts of the body, bleaching the hair white wherever it showed itself, crusting the affected parts with shining scales, and causing swellings and sores. From the skin it slowly ate its way through the tissues, to the bones and joints, and even to the marrow, rotting the whole body piecemeal. The lungs, the organs of speech and hearing, and the eyes, were attacked in turn, till at last consumption or dropsy brought welcome death. The dread of infection kept men aloof from the sufferer; and the law proscribed him as above all men unclean. The disease was hereditary to the fourth generation."
B. The Social Pain
1. It separated the Leper from their family, the community
Lev. 14:8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
C. The Spiritual Pain
1. Unclean - Cut off from the temple
2. Atonement must be made in behalf of the cleansed leper before he is dceclared "spiritually clean"
Lev. 14:11 And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
12 And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:
13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
