As you think back over your life, do you remember a time when you felt utterly desperate, totally
powerless to bring the change that you longed for?
This morning as we continue on with the story of Jesus, we're going to hear the story of
a man who was in that place.
Sometime after Jesus had begun to call his disciples to follow him, he came to a town and while
Jesus was in this town, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.
Luke describes the condition of this man with just a few words.
He was covered with leprosy.
Now the word that's used here for leprosy was a broad term that included various kinds of
skin diseases back then.
Most of the time when we hear that word, our minds go immediately to Hansen's disease.
And if you know anything about Hansen's disease, it's a chronic infectious disease caused by
certain variety of bacteria.
It primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract, and eyes.
And left untreated, Hansen's disease can do irreparable damage to a person's body.
Just a few pictures taken from an online encyclopedia.
According to some of the sources I found online, the disease itself actually doesn't directly
cause all the visible damage.
Rather, it causes nerve damage, which prevents people from feeling sensations and pain, which
then leads to subsequent injuries and infections and exposures that are responsible for the deformities
and the damage that you can see in the skin.
But as I said a moment ago, the word used here by Luke was commonly used to describe various
kinds of serious skin diseases.
So Hansen's disease may have been what this man had, but there are also a number of other
serious chronic skin diseases that are possibilities as well.
Some of them are more contagious than others.
From a medical standpoint today, we don't know exactly which skin disease he had, but we do
notice the description.
He was covered with leprosy.
Whatever this man had, it was all over his body, and it was obvious.
It was noticeable.
Most of us today can't even begin to imagine what this must have been like for this man.
But one thing is certain.
It would have led to him being very lonely, isolated, and ostracized by nearly everyone.
First, there's the very visible difference of his appearance to everyone else.
Whether it was scales or open sores or deformity or discoloration, these things are obvious and noticeable.
And it's common for people when they see others who have that kind of a thing going on to just have this gut reaction,
to turn away, to look away, to move away from people who appear to be infected with a skin disease like this.
Second, there is concern by many that they might become infected should they have too close a contact with a person that has this obvious skin disease.
Is it contagious?
Will it spread to me?
And then finally, on top of all that, we read back in the Old Testament about how God had given specific instructions about what they were to do
when people contracted various kinds of skin diseases.
They were to be examined by the priest.
They were then pronounced ceremonially unclean.
And they were put into quarantine outside the camp.
After a while, they could be checked on to see if what they had was healed.
But if it was determined that they had a chronic skin disease, something that would just be ongoing,
they were considered unclean for as long as they had the condition.
They were to wear torn clothes, cover the lower part of their face,
and cry out, unclean, to keep people away from them.
They were to live alone outside the camp.
It's difficult for us today even to imagine what this would have been like for people back then.
According to the regulations that God gave for his tabernacle and temple,
you were not permitted to come worship at the temple if you were unclean.
And in the case of lifelong chronic skin diseases like this,
you were not permitted to live among people at all.
And so people with chronic skin diseases,
they often ended up in small leper colonies
where they lived together,
shut out from society.
Now some have wondered why God gave such a law
about uncleanness and cleanness
in this case.
This would have basically severed a person completely
from all worship
and cut off one of the key components
of having a relationship with God in those days,
which was participation in the temple
and the festivals.
And then to add to that,
being forced to live alone
as an outcast.
And the answer to this is somewhat complicated.
Some have suggested that
back then, God
almost always gave diseases like this
to people as punishment
for wickedness.
Some would argue that
if people were truly sorry
and repentant for their sins
after contracting a disease like this,
that God would always heal them
of a disease like this.
So some suggested
this was the normal way
that God related to his people
under that old covenant law
given through Moses
in the ancient times of Israel.
And it is true
that God
sometimes used plagues
and sicknesses
in the Bible
as punishment
for wickedness.
It's also true
that God provided
complete healing
and recovery
when wicked men
humbled themselves
before him
who had become sick
with things like this.
But I'm not sure
that it's as simple
as people
with chronic skin diseases
always being guilty
and under God's punishment.
still you can imagine
how this would have affected
the attitude
of the healthy people
in the community
towards
people with
these kinds of conditions.
It was common
for them to look down
upon people
with chronic sicknesses
to think of them
as people
who are just
rotten sinners
suffering
God's judgment.
So imagine
at least as far
as we can
what it would have been like
for this man
who was covered
with leprosy.
What a hard life
to watch people
always turning
their faces away
in disgust
to see parents
grabbing their children
and pulling them away
to see that look
of fear
in the eyes
of people
and to have to
announce
your uncleanness
whenever you approached.
Think about
the reality
that everyone
who had
this kind
of a sickness
every one of them
had a mother
and father
perhaps siblings
a family
from whom
they were cut off
and separated.
One of my favorite
things to do
every single day
is to just pick up
my baby boy
Joseph
and hug him tight
and kiss his
chubby little cheeks
and see his smiles
and his laughs
but for the leper
that closeness
with family
was lost forever.
You didn't dare
get close
to the people
living in the colonies.
You didn't dare
touch them.
Can you imagine
going years
without the touch
of your family
without the touch
of another human being?
We thought
the COVID regulations
were bad
and we were
absolutely done
with them
by the end
of what
two years
but imagine
being cut off
from your family
and friends
for the rest
of your life
and for lepers
it wasn't
controversial
back then.
It was firmly
embedded in society
unclean
stay away
don't even
let them
get near you.
so this man
covered with leprosy
comes to Jesus
when he saw
Jesus
he fell
with his face
to the ground
and begged him
Lord
if you are willing
you can make me
clean
do you see
the desperation
in this man?
he fell
with his face
to the ground
before Jesus
he humbled himself
as low
as a person
can go
face down
probably not even
making eye contact
with Jesus
the smell of the dirt
in his nostrils
and he begged
Jesus
says he begged
he pleaded
with him
do you see
his desperation?
he says
Lord
if you are willing
you can make me
clean
this is amazing
somehow
word has traveled
the news has spread
and this man
has been hearing
about how Jesus
has been healing
people of all
kinds of
sicknesses
illnesses
diseases
and at some point
after hearing
about this enough
this man has come
to the conclusion
not that Jesus
might be able
to heal him
but that Jesus
does have
the power
to heal him
look carefully
at his words
if you are willing
you can
you are able
to make me
clean
it's not a question
in his mind
of whether Jesus
has the ability
to do it
it's a question
in his mind
of whether Jesus
is willing
to do it
if you are willing
do you want to
we don't know
what the man
was thinking
could he have been
wondering about
whether God
really had been
punishing him
with this condition
could he have
wrestled so deeply
with the question
of why God
had allowed this
to happen to him
that he doubted
the kindness
and mercy
of God
we don't know
what's amazing
though
is that he
believes Jesus
is able to
cure
his
incurable
condition
despite having
never seen
or witnessed
a healing
or a miracle
of Jesus
before
but is he
willing
will he care
about me
this man
has probably
known an
abundance
of cruelty
from others
it's probably
become
the normal
scorn
derision
it's what
he expects
from virtually
everybody
Lord
if you are
willing
you can
make me
clean
Jesus
reached out
his hand
and touched
the man
I imagine
that at this
moment
any bystanders
and Jesus
disciples
who were
probably all
keeping a good
distance themselves
I imagine
that they all
gasped
in this
moment
Jesus
just touched
a leper
he just
touched
an unclean
man
what does
this mean
does that
mean that
he's unclean
too
do we need
to keep
our distance
now from
him
until he's
gone through
the purification
rites
who knows
what they
were thinking
but can you
imagine what
this moment
must have
felt like
for this
man
to watch
Jesus
reach out
his hand
toward him
and touch
him
something
nobody had
done
for a long
time
I am
willing
Jesus
said
be clean
and
immediately
the
leprosy
left
him
what
must
those
words
have
meant
to
the
man
I
am
willing
I
want
to do
this
for you
and
then
this
mysteriously
authoritative
command
be
clean
in the
original
language
this was
written
in
it's
just
one
word
Jesus
speaks
one
word
and
immediately
the
leprosy
left
him
we're
talking
instant
visible
skin
transformation
all over
his
body
this is
when I
imagine
all the
bystanders
and Jesus
disciples
gasping
twice as
loud as
the first
time
did you
see that
look
his skin
is changing
verse 14
then Jesus
ordered him
don't tell
anyone
but go
show
yourself
to the
priest
and offer
the
sacrifices
that
Moses
commanded
for your
cleansing
as a
testimony
to them
there's
all kinds
of ideas
here about
what
as a
testimony
to them
means
was it
to prove
that he
was
clean
so that
he could
regain
acceptance
into
society
was it
to testify
to them
that Jesus
does indeed
have the
power to
heal the
sick
think about
the bystanders
for a
moment
if this
man was
unclean
and Jesus
just said
be clean
and now
he's healed
does that
mean that
Jesus has
the power
to actually
make people
clean in
relation to
God
he
did that
he
I
mean
usually
in this
situation
it's
the priest
who
pronounces
a person
clean
and it
has to
be after
examining
the man
to confirm
that he
no longer
has the
skin
disease
but in
this case
it's
almost as
if Jesus
did even
more than
the priest
could do
he didn't
just
pronounce
the man
clean
he made
him
clean
who
knows
what the
bystanders
were thinking
what about
you
Jesus
were you
not made
unclean
by touching
him
but now
he's
clean
this is
how it
typically
worked
if you
did
something
that made
you
unclean
or if
you had
close
contact
with
someone
else
who
was
unclean
it
made
you
unclean
but
after
witnessing
this
it
makes
you
wonder
maybe
it's
the
opposite
with
Jesus
maybe
he
is
the
only
one
who
truly
has
the
power
of
God
to
cleanse
others
that
when
he
touches
them
they
become
clean
before
God
acceptable
before
God
Jesus
told the
man not
to tell
anyone
he's
already
being
swarmed
by
people
daily
and
news
of
these
healings
just
adds
fuel
to
the
fire
in
the
gospel
of
Mark
we're
actually
told
that
he
doesn't
listen
to
Jesus
he
goes
out
and
he
starts
telling
everybody
freely
the
news
and
the
result
of
this
is
that
Jesus
is
not
even
able
to
enter
a
town
openly
anymore
because
of
all
the
crowds
that
are
coming
to
him
imagine
him
trying
to
make
his
way
!
through
the
streets
yet
the
news
about
him
spread
all
the
more
so
that
crowds
of
people
came
to
hear
him
and
to
be
healed
of
their
sicknesses
but
Jesus
often
withdrew
to
lonely
places
and
prayed
with
the
constant
time
spent
with
people
all
day
every
day
you
can
imagine
how
Jesus
would
have
needed
and
cherished
moments
of
solitude
time
alone
with
the
father
if
even
Jesus
needed
that
and
sought
that
out
so
should
we
if
Jesus
could
find
time
in
an
even
busier
schedule
than
we
have
to
be
with
God
and
to
pray
so
can
we
it
might
require
some
intentionality
it
might
require
some
creativity
but
we
need
to
find
the
lonely
places
and
the
lonely
times
for
prayer
well
what
are
we
to
take
from
all
this
I
hope
that
you
are
in
awe
at
the
power
of
God
immediate
visible
healing
of a
chronic
skin
disease
Jesus
accomplishes
this
with
just
a
word
he
changed
this
whole
man's
life
with
just
one
word
he
spoke
and
the
man's
flesh
was
made
new
right
in
front
of
their
eyes
in
an
instant
it
demonstrates
the
power
of
God
as we've
been
talking
about
in this
series
through
Luke
it
demonstrates
also
the
authority
that
Jesus
has
over
the
stuff
of
nature
over
the
bacteria
over
the
viruses
things
that
would
cause
permanent
damage
to this
man's
body
it
would
seem
that
the
body
of
the
man
itself
responds
to
Jesus
word
and
instantly
begins
to
heal
this
is
amazing
but
perhaps
the
thing
that
touches
me
most
in
all
of
this
is
how
this
particular
healing
demonstrates
the
kindness
and
compassion
of
Jesus
I
love
how
he
reaches
out
and
touches
the
untouchable
man
I
love
what
he
says
to
him
he
proves
that
yes
God
really
does
care
for
you
I
am
willing
I
see
I
know
what
you've
been
living
through
up
until
now
and
I
desire
to
remedy
it
in
Mark's
gospel
it
says
that
Jesus
was
deeply
moved
by
the
plea
of
this
man
deeply
moved
do
you
know
that
our
suffering
moves
the
compassionate
heart
of
God
the
compassionate
heart
of
Jesus
maybe
there's
something
going on
in your
life
today
which
has
you
feeling
desperate
something
you feel
like
you're
not
in
control
of
I
can't
tell
you
that
this
passage
is
a
guarantee
that
God
will
instantly
remedy
whatever
it is
that
you're
facing
with
a
miracle
I
don't
think
the
point
of
this
is
that
God
will
always
heal
that
he
will
always
do
the
miracle
we
ask
for
but
I
can
tell
you
that
this
passage
shows
us
what
we
should
do
when
we're
desperate
with
anything
in
our
lives
and
that's
to
come
to
Jesus
to
fall
on
our
knees
before
him
to
humble
ourselves
before
him
and
to
call
out
to
him
in
prayer
for
help
believing
that
he
does
have
the
power
to
fix
whatever
it
is
that's
going
on
in
our
lives
and
one
way
or
another
if
not
immediately
then
eventually
Jesus
will
answer
and
he
will
deliver
his
people
from
everything
that
afflicts
us
let's
look
ahead
for a
minute
to
what
Jesus
revealed
about
what's
coming
at the
very
end
for
all
who
believe
in
his
name
this
is
from
the
book
of
revelation
at
the
very
end
of
the
Bible
chapter
21
verse
3
and
I
heard
a
loud
voice
from
the
throne
saying
look
God's
dwelling
place
is
now
among
the
people
and
he
will
dwell
with
them
they
will
be
his
people
and
God
himself
will
be
with
them
and
be
their
God
he
will
wipe
every
tear
from
their
eyes
there
will
be
no
more
death
or
mourning
or
crying
or
pain
for
the
old
order
of
things
has
passed
away
he
who
is
seated
on
the
throne
said
I
am
making
everything
new
write
this
down
for
these
words
are
trustworthy
and
true
bring
your
desperation
to
Jesus
bring
your
hopelessness
to
Jesus
cast
your
cares
upon
him
he
has
promised
to
deliver
us
from
all
of
our
troubles
if
not
our
way
then
his
way
and
if
not
now
then
soon
when
he
returns
we
might
be
tempted
at
times
when
things
are
tough
to
wonder
does
God
really
care
about
me
is
he
really
kind
he
is
see
his
hand
reaching
out
to
touch
the
leper
hear
his
words
I
am
willing
let's
pray
Lord
Jesus
thank
you
for
letting
us
see
into
what
happened
in
that
moment
precious
moment
day
when
that
man's
life
was
turned
upside
down
Lord
I
thank
you
that
you
desire
to
do
a
similar
kind
of
working
in
all
of
our
lives
to
turn
our
lives
upside
down
but
sometimes
you
allow
us
to
go
through
things
so
that
we
come
face
to
face
with
you
so
that
we
can
see
your
care
your
love
for
us
your
deep
love
for
us
even
in
the
hard
things
Lord
we
can
say
blessed
be
your
name
your
design
for
allowing
them
is
good
draw
us
near
we
pray
we
bring
our
desperation
to
you
we
lay
it
at
your
feet
and
we
ask
for
you
to
work
with
power
in
all
of
those
situations
in
our
lives
now
pray
this
in
your
name
amen