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.
Let some member of the church be caught in their sins and the shame of it is what the people within the church begin to fan the flames of the gossip train. They start talking about how bad it is, what a shame, they begin to run them down, and forget the words of Christ when he said he who is without sin you cast the first stone.
The real harm of this action is that sinners get the word and they say that they are so glad that they are not Christians. Why because all we do is talk about each other and the fact that we too have problems? We are human and we have and do and will continue to sin. However, I thank God today that while I was yet lost in my sin Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 these words: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
The Willingness and Compassion found in an able God.
Here is the leper, coming no seeking the aid of Jesus saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
The real question is if we are like the leper, with sins that make us feel unclean, loathsome, and guilty. Then the question becomes are you willing to seek the Lord?
The Word says to seek ye the Lord while he may be found. It does not matter who you are, or what you have done, you need to seek out Jesus. For you have to come to him and today know that he is not far from you. For he told, his disciplines that low I am with you always even to the ends of the earth.
The mere fact that you maybe feeling like a leper that is the proof that Christ is beginning a new work in your life.
The Word said he worshipped him, bringing to my mind that understanding of when you begin to seek Christ, you have to humble yourself, you have to be as we say in the church contrite meaning sorry for the type of life you have lead without him in yours. Realize that we have all sinned and fallen short of God and His glory.
You may have been in the Church all of you life, but the real question is has Christ been in your life?
You have to have faith, you have to become within yourself the leper, and declare to yourself and unto God “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” Lord, you can!
The Willingness and Compassion found in an able God.
. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. In addition, immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Oh! Bless the Lord, Oh my soul and all that is within me, praise his wholly name!
For if, we reach out to Christ, he will reach out and touch you. Right where you are in the mist of your sins someone said in the muck and mire God is able to reach right in and pull you out.
Stop with me if just for a moment, to look at these words just one more time and Jesus put forth his hand, in my mind as he reached for Jesus, Jesus reached for him, if you reach for Christ then Christ shall reach for you.
Not only will he reach for you but also the word says and touched him, Oh! To be touched by Christ is the best thing that could ever happen in your life, what did the song writer say when you are:
“ Shackled by a heavy burden, beneath a load of guilt and shame. Then the hand of Jesus touched me and now I am no longer the same. He touch me, O He touched me, and o the joy that floods my soul; something happened and now I know; He touched me and made whole.”
However, it just did not stop there, for the word says that Jesus told the leper, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
The Willingness and Compassion found in an able God.
Christ is willing to help you for Paul wrote this to speak of the Willingness and Compassion found in an able God.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Paul captured this thought for us, that God loves us so much that while we existed deep in our sins God prepared for himself a body know to us by the picture found in the life of Jesus.
A compassion and willingness found in Christ that, while we were yet sinners he died for us! To make a way for each of us, yes! My God is able for the word says immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Oh, Church, what can wash away my sins?
It took a God that was able. To step down, from upon His Throne in Glory.
It took a God that was able. To make for himself a body fashioned in the shape of man.
It took a God that was able. To endure the sorrows, the shame, the rejection.
It took a God that was able. To be wounded for our transgressions.
It took a God that was able. To be bruised for our iniquities.
It took a God that was able. To be oppressed and afflicted, yet with each stripe we are healed.
It took a God that was able. To endure suffering inflicted while he was on trial
It took a God that was able. To allow sinful men to spite upon Him and to lie on Him.
It took a God that was able. To carry a cross, and to be nailed to it.
It took a God that was able. To be spread between earth and glory so that today I now have a way into the kingdom of God. By the shedding of His blood, I now have the remission of my sins, meaning the forgiveness of my sins. Moreover, if God has set me free I am free indeed.
Church that is what the songwriter meant when wrote:
.
What Can Wash away my Sins?
The response was nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
The response was nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow, not other help I know nothing but the blood of Jesus.
