WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.679
 So, simple story we're going to unpack and it's really fun, but really I want to fast forward a little bit just to take a peek.

00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:13.980
 So if you're following me, chapter 5 verse 17 says this, and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

00:00:15.200 --> 00:00:17.120
 And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

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 So we talk about the Holy Spirit as we're going through the book of Luke and how really the gospel is spread.

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 You see actually even Jesus as he begins this message, as he's anointed with the Holy Spirit, it's that spirit, it's that power that allows him to heal.

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 And so we see him as he's healing.

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 We're really going to talk about healing and this is a hard one because I have no doubt that we all have things that we would like God to heal in us.

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 Actually, maybe we have people who, in our families, our loved ones, who we would love for him to heal.

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 And the truth is we see Jesus healing a lot, but he doesn't heal everyone.

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 So the question really is, we ask this question and we get this a lot.

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 And maybe in the Chinese culture especially, I mean, health is just such a crucial, crucial thing.

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 It's the thing that we really, maybe especially as a culture, we hold on to the most.

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 And actually we also, maybe some of us know that when you are dealing with ill health, when you are dealing with sickness, how in tune with your own futility you are.

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 I was just talking to Rachel earlier, just when, when just imagining someone going through a chronic illness and just the challenge that they must face, knowing that actually they may never get better.

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 I know that we have doctors in our midst as well.

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 And we have a case here which Jesus does heal.

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 And actually there's another example in John 5 where he does heal.

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 He heals the cripple who's been crippled for 38 years by the pool waiting to be healed.

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 And he goes and heals that person and you're like, great, Jesus does all the healing.

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 But then he only heals that person and then he leaves.

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 There's a whole bunch of other people who have been dealing with things for the whole of their lives and he doesn't really heal them.

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 So this question of does Jesus heal and how does he heal, who does he heal, is actually a very perplexing one.

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 And I'm here to tell you that I don't truly know the answer, but I can tell you a little bit more about why.

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 As I look at the scriptures, I look at Jesus is trying to tell a story.

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 He's trying to teach us something.

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 Last week I asked you, why did he even perform miracles in the first place?

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 It wasn't just because he wanted to grab attention.

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 He did it because Nathan told us last week, just because he can.

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 But really what he's doing is he's revealing to us a deeper reality.

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 That there is more to this world than we can see.

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 Those of us who practice medicine, you'll know that you've been studying that actually the human body works in such a way.

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 But what you see is that there's laws to the way the body works.

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 But every time Jesus does a healing, he's basically peeling back the curtain and saying, but there is more.

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 I'm not fine.

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 I'm not restricted by the laws of nature here.

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 I can come in and I can do whatever I want.

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 I transcend those laws.

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 So he's revealing a deeper reality that there is more than what we can see.

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 And then he's also revealing his authority.

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 He's displaying his authority saying, I have power even over these things.

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 Jesus often told stories.

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 He was one of the greatest storytellers.

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 He would tell stories through parables.

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 And actually Keller was the one who said that actually Jesus told stories through healing.

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 Because he doesn't heal everyone.

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 But through the healings that he does, he's trying to tell us something.

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 He's trying to teach us something.

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 Another quote that I heard was, Jesus heals because healings preach.

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 Jesus heals because healings preach.

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 Through the healing, he's trying to show people something.

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 Are you tracking with me?

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 When he's choosing to heal someone, yes, he does care about their overall just health.

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 But he's trying to do something more.

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 He's trying to show something more.

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 Jesus is more concerned with our eternal dwelling as opposed to just our earthly well-being.

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 When we're thinking about this whole topic of healing,

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 we have to recognize that actually there is something bigger here.

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 Often, often for us, God gets our attention the most when we have physical struggles.

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 When we have ill health.

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 When we have mental health challenges.

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 And it's in those moments we're asking God, can you heal?

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 And he heals in his own time.

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 Sometimes he heals well, immediately.

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 And other times, seemingly, he doesn't heal at all.

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 And we're here to unpack, well, what is that really all about?

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 And if we zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom out,

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 what we see here is that actually there was never supposed to be death in the first place.

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 He created Adam and Eve for just communion with him.

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 But at the moment, they turn their backs on him.

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 They introduce sin.

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 And what does sin lead to?

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 Sin leads to death.

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 And of course, Jesus doesn't heal everyone.

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 Because if he heals everyone, then none of us would die.

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 Because it's our bodies slowly breaking down.

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 But he has something that he's more concerned with.

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 And that is our eternal well-being.

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 You see, even the Apostle Paul says,

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 three times I've asked God, can you take this thorn in the flesh away from me?

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 And yet he doesn't.

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 And what does he say?

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 My grace is sufficient.

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 His power is made perfect in my weakness.

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 His grace is sufficient for me.

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 So we're going to unpack that a little bit and go through this.

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 So we start, verse 12.

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 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy.

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 So Luke's a little bit vague.

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 It's just one of the cities.

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 There came a man full of leprosy.

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 Now, so leprosy, I'm not a doctor.

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 But I'll tell you a little bit about it.

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 And it was a skin infection.

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 Actually, in the Bible, it was a series of skin infections.

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 And then as I was thinking about looking more into this,

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 I was actually, you know what?

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 We have some doctors in our midst who actually are maybe even much more informed about this.

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 I've got Dr. Wendy right there, who's a dermatologist.

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 I didn't dare ask Dr. Wendy, but I decided to ask her daughter, Annabelle,

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 who sang for us today.

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 So I'm going to invite Annabelle up to actually share with us a little bit.

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 Give her a round of applause.

00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:45.419
 Hey, Annabelle.

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 Yes.

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 So Annabelle has graciously agreed to share with us a little bit about this topic of leprosy

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 and the case of leprosy.

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 Just for us to paint a picture, she was like, do you want me to bring slides?

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 I was like, no, no slides.

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 No slides.

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 But we also did say, if you are really interested,

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 feel free to Google whilst we're talking about leprosy.

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 But anyway, let's start.

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 Annabelle, what area of medicine are you in?

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 So I'm an infectious disease specialist, so this is really up my stream.

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 So thank you for inviting me.

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 And I didn't bring slides, unfortunately.

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 What compels one to go into specializing in infectious disease?

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 I think infectious disease is one of the few medical specialties you can cure.

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 Because a lot of medical specialties like diabetes, heart disease,

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 you take medicine and you kind of control it.

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 But infectious disease, you can get rid of the infection

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 and the patient can just walk out without just medicine free.

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 It takes a while, but it can get kind of disgusting sometimes.

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 But I think, for me, it gives me that satisfaction.

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 Okay.

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 And so those of us who have grown up in the church will have heard of leprosy a lot.

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 Oh, yeah, the guy with leprosy.

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 But it's not something that we really hear in kind of modern-day world.

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 So what is leprosy?

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 And tell us a bit more about it.

00:07:10.699 --> 00:07:14.540
 Okay, so leprosy, okay, a bit of biology background here.

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 Yeah.

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 So in the world, we have something called bacteria.

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 And bacteria are microscopic organisms, like things that infect our bodies.

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 And leprosy is actually caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae.

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 So Mycobacterium is in the same family of bacteria as tuberculosis,

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 which you've probably heard of, TB, and also other very slow-growing bacteria.

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 And leprosy, the root of the name leprosy is actually for scaly in Greek.

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 Because when you get leprosy, your skin starts to become very scaly and thickened.

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 Because it's a bacteria that infects not only your skin cells, but also deeper.

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 It can infiltrate into the layers of tissue under your skin, even nerves, and even bone.

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 So it's a very, very slow-growing thing.

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 And if you get it, you may only start developing visible symptoms maybe like six months to a year later.

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 And lepers are easy to spot because obviously your skin gets infected,

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 and the face is especially affected.

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 So lepers have things called leonine facies.

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 So leonine facies, it's also Latin for being like a lion.

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 So the skin of the face can be infected to the degree that it's so thickened that you look like a lion.

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 Basically, you look like really thick skin.

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 They affect the nose.

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 They affect the bridge of your nose.

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 So the bridge of your nose kind of collapses, and you have this like the saddle of your nose collapses.

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 So you have a flat nose, and then you get like blobs on your face.

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 And then it just, it's very easy to spot because your face is disfigured.

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 Now, I mentioned that it also infects the nerves.

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 So we have nerves all over our body, down to the tips of our fingers.

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 And if the nerves are affected, you can't feel anything through your fingertips or your toes.

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 So that's how people actually, if they walk, or when we walk and when we touch things and when things are hot,

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 we withdraw a hand because it can hurt us.

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 But if people's fingertips are nerveless, then they don't feel it and they get hurt.

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 So lots of lepers actually have lost fingers, have lost toes, have lost the tip of the nose or tips of the ears, the entire ear.

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 So it's actually very visibly deforming.

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 And we've, I'm assuming it's very painful and itchy.

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 It's probably not as painful because you have lost all sensation.

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 But it's painful psychologically because you are stigmatized.

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 You are, because in the past, leprosy is almost as taboo as the plague.

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 So you would, actually, leprosy is still very prevalent in the world.

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 There are about 200,000 new cases every year, especially in Southeast Asia.

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 And there would be things in the past called leper colonies where they would isolate lepers and they would put them in colonies where they wouldn't live with normal people.

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 And they would live with one another and just make a living or just survive by themselves.

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 And there are still leper colonies in the world.

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 I think probably there are a few.

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 There's one that I searched is in Romania and has like 50 patients still.

00:10:47.060 --> 00:10:47.139
 Yeah.

00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.600
 And how does one contract leprosy?

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 So leprosy is actually not as easily transmitted as we thought.

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 So till now, we don't exactly know the route, but we suspect that it's caused by respiratory droplet transmission.

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 So if you cough into someone or if you like sneeze and you kind of share the same like handkerchief, towel or you sneeze.

00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:16.580
 But it's not transmitted by sitting next to one another, hugging, sharing meals.

00:11:16.860 --> 00:11:19.539
 It's usually by like very close contact.

00:11:19.659 --> 00:11:29.460
 And when I say close contact, I mean maybe like taking care of someone with leprosy, maybe with like more than 40 hours of contact per week, something like that.

00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:29.720
 Yeah.

00:11:30.340 --> 00:11:31.580
 Maybe final question.

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 And do people who suffer from leprosy end up recovering or what's the likelihood?

00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:37.879
 Okay.

00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:43.939
 So in the modern world, back in maybe 50, 60 years ago, there was no cure.

00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:49.100
 But in the modern world, you can take medicine to try to treat it like tuberculosis.

00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:56.059
 There are three medicines, like in a combination therapy, and it takes six to 12 months depending on the severity of your disease.

00:11:56.139 --> 00:11:58.939
 And it's six to 12 months, not just that.

00:11:59.179 --> 00:11:59.259
 Yeah.

00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:00.639
 Well, thank you.

00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:02.200
 Round of applause for Dr. Annabelle Choi.

00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:03.899
 Thank you.

00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:14.419
 And just to – I wanted to have Annabelle share a little bit because it's something that we hear about and then we kind of just gloss over.

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 Someone who has leprosy and then you kind of just – you move on.

00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:22.220
 But something that maybe – that you mentioned the most, just the psychological pain that came with it.

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 It was back in that time, especially a social and spiritual death sentence because you're sent away.

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 There is stigma, and actually you were told, hey, actually, you can only be admitted back into community once you are completely healed.

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 And it had to be a priest that actually checks, examines you, and then approves you back to go into community.

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 And in the meantime, you are sent out of the city.

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 You're not even allowed in the city.

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 And wherever you are near people, you would have to shout, unclean, unclean.

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 You had to warn people about this.

00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:58.659
 And actually, if you wanted to find out a little bit more, there are very detailed instructions from God to the Israelites in the Old Testament in Leviticus chapter 13,

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 which talks a lot about what they have to do and how they have to be quarantined.

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 And quarantined, the word is still pretty fresh on our minds in terms of what it meant.

00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:07.899
 So actually some of the stigma there.

00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:11.319
 And the stigma really is like the plague or maybe now is like AIDS.

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 There was lack of understanding.

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 There was a lot of fear.

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 And people would just be completely kicked out of society.

00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:21.460
 So it's in that context that we have in mind as we move on here.

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 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy.

00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:29.240
 So we can only imagine that this was someone who didn't just have a mild case.

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 He was full of it.

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 So he was covering all over his body.

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 And he was sent out of the city.

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 And just to even stop there for a second, and I've really not paid attention to this before.

00:13:39.700 --> 00:13:42.259
 There came a man full of leprosy.

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 And I started, wait, how did this man even get there?

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 He was supposed to be outside of the city.

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 He's not actually supposed to be allowed in the city.

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 So how did he arrive?

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 Or rather, what did he have to risk to get there?

00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:59.400
 I can imagine what would have happened if he'd heard about this Jesus.

00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:02.940
 Heard about these healings that were happening outside of the city.

00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:04.580
 And they were, hey, did you hear about that guy?

00:14:05.040 --> 00:14:06.820
 He healed so-and-so's nephew.

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 He healed that auntie from this.

00:14:09.060 --> 00:14:10.580
 And then so he's hearing about these things.

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 He's like, oh, I would love, I would love to meet this rabbi who can heal.

00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:20.279
 You can sense the desperation, though, in the fact that he even made it into the city

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 because that would have been a huge gamble.

00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:24.879
 Now, no one would have touched him because they didn't surely understand the disease.

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:30.300
 So him taking that gamble to go into the city wall probably would have risked being stoned to death.

00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:34.219
 So you can imagine he sat outside the city wall going, do I go in?

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.019
 Do I not?

00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:36.519
 I need to.

00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:38.000
 I'm desperate to.

00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:39.359
 But can I?

00:14:39.579 --> 00:14:39.939
 Should I?

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.459
 What will happen to me if they catch me?

00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:44.899
 What if I cover up and I run in and don't look at anyone?

00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:46.799
 Hopefully no one will catch me.

00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:49.079
 And of course he gets there.

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:54.019
 So even just that term, sometimes we look at scripture, we're like, oh, yeah, it's just a story about a leper that gets healed.

00:14:54.019 --> 00:15:00.159
 But then those of us who have been through serious health conditions, you know, this is not quite as simple.

00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:03.340
 When it hits you, it becomes a very real story.

00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:08.699
 Someone who is completely isolated from society takes this risk, risk of being stoned to death,

00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:12.659
 runs into the city walls to try and find this man.

00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:15.879
 And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him.

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:22.320
 This is the second time now in a very short space of time we see a man falling at the feet of Jesus.

00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.879
 For different reasons, of course, I guess.

00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.860
 Peter was aware of his spiritual state.

00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:31.860
 The leper was aware of his physical state.

00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:34.000
 But there's a humility that comes with that.

00:15:34.419 --> 00:15:39.240
 There's a humility that comes when you approach Jesus, you fall at his feet because you know that this person is different.

00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.879
 You know there's something different.

00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.519
 And so if you walk towards Jesus and you approach his throne with your head held high, with your chest puffed out,

00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.860
 then you've got a misconception of Jesus there.

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:51.220
 And I talked a little bit about this last week.

00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:53.240
 There's a humility that is required.

00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:58.980
 It's the only entrance requirement into the kingdom of heaven is where you go to Jesus falling at his feet,

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:03.399
 recognizing that his throne is filled with grace and mercy that awaits you.

00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:05.580
 And so he falls at his feet and he begs him,

00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:10.120
 Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.

00:16:11.059 --> 00:16:15.080
 Interestingly here, my second thought was, wait, he actually doesn't say, Jesus, can you heal me?

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:23.399
 No, he says, Lord, if you will, if you want to, if this is your desire, you can make me clean.

00:16:23.439 --> 00:16:25.519
 He doesn't even dare ask him, can you make me clean?

00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:28.399
 He's just stating the fact that you can do it.

00:16:29.740 --> 00:16:31.439
 You can do it only if you're willing.

00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:36.860
 Just contrast that with the desperation that he would have had to have had,

00:16:37.280 --> 00:16:40.560
 the fear that he would have had to live with running into the city.

00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:46.740
 And when he gets to the feet of Jesus, he still doesn't demand a healing.

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:52.960
 He falls at his feet and says, if you will, if you want to, you can heal me.

00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:54.180
 And then he stops there.

00:16:55.460 --> 00:17:02.080
 Once again, the humility that is involved that actually for me, sometimes we get, God, why me?

00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:04.620
 Why am I still suffering from this?

00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:07.239
 Why have you allowed this to happen?

00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:11.019
 When really, if we really think about that, well, why not?

00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:15.119
 This world, the moment sin entered this world, it was destined for decay and death.

00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:16.579
 Why not us?

00:17:17.859 --> 00:17:21.419
 We have an entitlement sometimes when we go to God that you should be doing good things to me.

00:17:21.479 --> 00:17:21.839
 You're good.

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:23.479
 And you should be good to me.

00:17:24.899 --> 00:17:25.979
 But this leper just goes, no.

00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:29.819
 If you're willing, you can make me clean, but I'm just going to leave it there.

00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:31.680
 Because it really is up to you.

00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:33.480
 Are you willing?

00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.099
 And then the next thing.

00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:41.779
 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and saying, I will be clean.

00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:46.839
 That word clean there, I just want to hold on to just for a little more.

00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:50.960
 Because he didn't say, Jesus, can you come and heal me of my leprosy?

00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:53.660
 Because it's really inconvenient.

00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:56.580
 He's saying, make me clean.

00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:57.360
 What is he saying?

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.580
 What's the thing that he's actually hungry for the most?

00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:03.100
 He's hungry for that moment where he can be declared clean again.

00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:05.600
 Because when he's declared clean again, what is he allowed to do?

00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:07.740
 Go back into community.

00:18:09.340 --> 00:18:11.840
 So he's not saying, Jesus, heal me of this disease.

00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:14.620
 He's saying, let me get back into community.

00:18:16.340 --> 00:18:19.680
 Let me get back into being with my people, being with my family.

00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.200
 Because isolation is killing me.

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:23.060
 The psychological pain is killing me.

00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:26.339
 The spiritual and social death sentence that I'm experiencing is killing me.

00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:32.759
 Declare me clean so I can go back into my community, so I can be accepted again, so that I can belong.

00:18:34.679 --> 00:18:37.879
 This is way deeper than just a physical healing that he's after.

00:18:38.659 --> 00:18:41.460
 And Jesus says, I will be clean.

00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:44.819
 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.

00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:54.360
 If you know Jesus, by this point, you'll know that he doesn't need to touch anyone or anything to do any healing.

00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:56.039
 He can just say the word.

00:18:56.059 --> 00:18:57.039
 He doesn't even need to say it.

00:18:57.100 --> 00:18:58.019
 He can just think it.

00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:00.139
 And the miracle will happen.

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:04.420
 He didn't need to put his hand into every water jar to turn it into wine.

00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:07.259
 There wasn't a little dance or ritual that he had to do to do it.

00:19:07.639 --> 00:19:12.220
 He could just do it because he transcends just everything in this world.

00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:16.619
 And yet he decided to stretch out his hand and touch.

00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:23.539
 And now we know that actually that is something that, at least in that time, would have been completely frowned upon.

00:19:24.479 --> 00:19:25.599
 Why did he do that?

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:28.359
 What was he trying to show him?

00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:30.339
 What was he trying to show the people?

00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:33.239
 What was he trying to show his newly recruited disciples?

00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:35.099
 Have a think.

00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:38.659
 What was he actually trying to do there?

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:44.659
 He's trying to show them he's not scared of anything.

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.800
 He's not scared of doing this.

00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:54.400
 He's trying to show them he's actually he's here to reach out to those who are the outcast, to those who are the weak.

00:19:54.740 --> 00:20:02.420
 He's trying to show that he knows the thing that the leper desires the most is connection.

00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:03.800
 And he was here to give it to him.

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:06.759
 He was here to stretch out his hand and touch.

00:20:08.540 --> 00:20:09.519
 Isn't it fascinating?

00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:15.480
 As I just two verses in, I've just seen so much of what Jesus is actually wanting to do here.

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:19.359
 Something else that would have been interesting would have been Peter, James and John, who had just followed him.

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:22.700
 Who would have known about leprosy, been afraid of leprosy.

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:26.059
 And they see Jesus reach out and touch this leper.

00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:29.539
 And they were like, what do we do?

00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:42.500
 But they're starting to get a glimpse that the man that they decided to follow is very different.

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.299
 He doesn't have the same fears.

00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:47.639
 He doesn't do things in the same way.

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.920
 And he reaches out his hand and touches the leper.

00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:57.240
 What's even interesting about that is the moment he touched the leper, what would that mean for Jesus?

00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:00.980
 He himself would now be excluded.

00:21:01.300 --> 00:21:03.900
 He himself would now need to be quarantined for seven days.

00:21:05.800 --> 00:21:10.620
 And in that one act of saying, hey, I will be clean.

00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:15.920
 He touches the leper and basically swaps places with the leper.

00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:18.140
 Isn't that powerful?

00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:20.500
 I don't know if I was truly aware of that before.

00:21:21.360 --> 00:21:25.039
 Because at that moment, he would now have had to be banished out of the city.

00:21:25.860 --> 00:21:27.840
 Because he's touched and they would be scared of him.

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.620
 And yet he didn't care.

00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.320
 He didn't have to.

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:32.320
 He could have just clicked his fingers.

00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:38.820
 And yet here we have a Lord who was reaching out, paying the price and doesn't care what people think.

00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:43.279
 And then the next thing here is, and immediately the leprosy left him.

00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:48.860
 I like this and I like the wording in this because the leprosy left him.

00:21:48.859 --> 00:21:51.099
 The leprosy was never supposed to be part of him.

00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:53.139
 Some of us have sicknesses.

00:21:53.199 --> 00:21:57.119
 Some of us have things that we're facing that we have taken on to be our identity.

00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:59.119
 We have become a permanent leper.

00:21:59.979 --> 00:22:03.439
 When actually, that is never really what our identity actually is.

00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:07.639
 The moment Jesus touches us, that part that was never supposed to be leaves us.

00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:10.500
 And we're now back to our own identity.

00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:17.340
 I don't know what you're going through, whether it's depression and you've allowed depression to be the thing that basically you have identified with.

00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.259
 That you've even lost your own name because you just think, I'm just someone with depression.

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:23.580
 Or I'm just someone with this.

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:25.060
 Or I'm just someone with that.

00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:27.420
 And you see here, the leprosy left him.

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.340
 Whatever you're struggling with, whatever sickness you have, that is not who you are.

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:35.259
 So allow Jesus to bring help.

00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:36.799
 Allow Jesus to separate you.

00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:39.679
 Let us not make it into our identity.

00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:43.459
 So we've just talked about the man who is full of leprosy.

00:22:43.659 --> 00:22:46.619
 To continue to talk about the man who heals.

00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:47.439
 Verse 14.

00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:49.500
 And he charged him to tell no one.

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.639
 Well, let's just stop there.

00:22:51.919 --> 00:22:52.500
 We've seen this.

00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.299
 We've heard this before.

00:22:53.439 --> 00:22:54.299
 Jesus does a miracle.

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:57.759
 And then he says, hey, I know you're happy now.

00:22:58.279 --> 00:22:59.379
 I know you're cool.

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:01.960
 I know you want to put it on your TikTok.

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.139
 But don't.

00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:06.720
 Keep quiet about it.

00:23:07.019 --> 00:23:07.879
 Why does he do that?

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:10.500
 Why does he do that time and time again?

00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:14.059
 A little bit of interaction.

00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:15.119
 Two minutes.

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:16.240
 Turn to the people next to you.

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:19.839
 Why does Jesus time and time again keep telling people, hey, don't talk about this.

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:20.619
 Don't share about this.

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:21.899
 Wait.

00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:22.519
 Go on.

00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:22.899
 Have a go.

00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.740
 And then ask some questions.

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:23.899
 Go.

00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:29.099
 All right.

00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:29.399
 Okay.

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:32.399
 Let's hear some stuff.

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:34.200
 We've got Brayden who's going to answer the first.

00:23:34.639 --> 00:23:35.319
 Give us the first answer.

00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:35.799
 Go on, Brayden.

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:36.859
 Brayden.

00:23:37.419 --> 00:23:40.299
 Like, Jesus is not trying to clout chase.

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:44.159
 The young people laugh.

00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:46.159
 And the older people are perplexed.

00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:49.000
 Clout chase.

00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:52.619
 He tells them not to tell other people because he doesn't want to clout chase.

00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:57.419
 Can you define to us in kind of normal language what clout chase is?

00:23:57.419 --> 00:23:58.539
 What clout chase is?

00:23:59.179 --> 00:24:00.619
 It's like...

00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:06.459
 It's like chasing after followers or like fame.

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:10.720
 Chasing after followers or fame.

00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:15.680
 So he says, hey, don't tell people because if you do, then I will gain clout.

00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:19.600
 And I don't want no clout.

00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:24.980
 You're laughing at me.

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:25.220
 Okay.

00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:25.600
 Right.

00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:26.000
 All right.

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:26.679
 What else?

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:29.619
 Ellie, what else comes to mind?

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.459
 Okay.

00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.599
 He shared that...

00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.279
 Can I share what you said?

00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:36.639
 Of course.

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:38.039
 You can share what Dr. Sigmund said.

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:42.039
 So she said it's because of humility he wants us to remain humble.

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:42.460
 Hmm.

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:48.659
 And she feels that it's because he wants us to focus on the Son of God.

00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:49.180
 Wow.

00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:49.740
 Wow.

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:52.740
 So there's a humility involved because he knows that he will gain clout.

00:24:52.899 --> 00:24:54.779
 And the clout won't be about who he actually is.

00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.759
 It will just be what he can do.

00:24:56.139 --> 00:25:01.059
 And so he decides to actually keep it quiet because he wants people to follow him as opposed

00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:01.960
 to the things that he can do.

00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:03.339
 That is interesting.

00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:04.399
 One more over there.

00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:05.319
 Let's go.

00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:06.240
 Darren.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:06.519
 Darren.

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:06.639
 Darren.

00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:06.639


00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:09.880
 What have you got?

00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:11.580
 Your wife is just laughing at you.

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:15.259
 Jesus doesn't want to be objectified.

00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:17.380
 Jesus doesn't want to be objectified.

00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:21.000
 Yeah.

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:24.060
 That's brilliant.

00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:24.720
 And I think that's right.

00:25:25.080 --> 00:25:26.280
 I think there's...

00:25:26.280 --> 00:25:26.980
 Just imagine.

00:25:27.560 --> 00:25:29.220
 You're struggling with something.

00:25:30.580 --> 00:25:34.180
 And you hear about this guy who can basically take it away.

00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:36.440
 You're obviously going to go see.

00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:38.780
 I don't blame the crowds for gathering.

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:40.420
 Because I'd be like, oh, I...

00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:43.900
 He might even be able to help male pattern hair baldness.

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.540
 I'm going to go and...

00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:46.460
 Maybe he'll touch me and...

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:49.320
 Maybe that will work.

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.000
 You would go.

00:25:53.780 --> 00:25:55.700
 You would go because of just what he can do.

00:25:56.020 --> 00:25:57.840
 And not really any interest in who he is.

00:25:58.020 --> 00:25:59.120
 Interested in who he is at all.

00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:01.899
 And part of that is not wanting to have that hype.

00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:06.599
 The other thing is because the moment he gets that hype, he knows he's getting a lot more attention from the authorities.

00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:08.579
 And it's not what he's here to do.

00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:09.599
 And it goes back to that same thing.

00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:11.119
 He's not here just to perform tricks.

00:26:11.179 --> 00:26:13.319
 He's not here just to do healing.

00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.099
 He's not here...

00:26:14.099 --> 00:26:16.559
 He's not just concerned with your earthly well-being.

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:18.399
 So you will be healthy and fit.

00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:21.519
 But he's here to try and preach the good news of the kingdom of God.

00:26:21.539 --> 00:26:24.000
 That there is something bigger than what is here on this planet.

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.879
 And that he's pointing people to that.

00:26:25.879 --> 00:26:29.019
 Now, he will use healings when he wants to.

00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:30.900
 Because they will be the things that help him preach.

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.740
 But it isn't the final goal.

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:35.099
 It isn't really what he's here for.

00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:37.039
 And then he says something really interesting here.

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:38.359
 We're carrying on.

00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:39.460
 Thank you for all those who've answered.

00:26:39.619 --> 00:26:40.799
 And he charged him to tell no one.

00:26:41.139 --> 00:26:44.200
 But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing.

00:26:44.500 --> 00:26:46.500
 As Moses commanded for a proof to them.

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:48.019
 So he's saying, don't tell anyone.

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:49.059
 Don't put it on TikTok.

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.039
 Don't want no clout.

00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:51.180
 But yet, here we go.

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:54.319
 I want you to go and hand in the paperwork.

00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:58.579
 I want you to go and follow the laws that actually you have known all this time.

00:26:59.019 --> 00:27:00.579
 It's just, again, it's fascinating.

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:04.379
 Because there were people there who really wanted him to be the leader of the revolution.

00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:07.220
 That, hey, if you can click your fingers and do this.

00:27:07.379 --> 00:27:08.839
 Then we want you to be our leader.

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.480
 And you can maybe click and the Roman Empire can disappear.

00:27:12.099 --> 00:27:12.759
 Maybe if you can.

00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:13.980
 That will be amazing.

00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:15.960
 And that we can be the rulers of the world.

00:27:16.599 --> 00:27:17.460
 And he's saying, don't do that.

00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:19.139
 Actually, you need to follow the laws.

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:21.839
 So he could have constantly have this kind of.

00:27:22.119 --> 00:27:23.980
 He could have really bought into the hype.

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:25.819
 And the spirit of revolution.

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:27.619
 Yeah, you don't need to.

00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:29.039
 You don't need to see the priests anymore.

00:27:29.199 --> 00:27:29.659
 I'm here.

00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.719
 I am the one.

00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.319
 I am him.

00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:32.239
 Forget the priests.

00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:33.639
 They don't really know what they're talking about.

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:35.639
 And yet he respects the law.

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:39.279
 He says, continue to follow the law of Moses.

00:27:40.239 --> 00:27:40.639
 Continue.

00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:43.039
 Go to the priest and let them approve you.

00:27:43.179 --> 00:27:45.359
 And let them admit you back into community.

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.679
 He wants them to do that.

00:27:46.739 --> 00:27:47.979
 He wants him to do that.

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.779
 The leper to do that.

00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:52.619
 Because then that person with the leprosy can go back into community.

00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:55.039
 Because without that piece of paper.

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:58.740
 Without that priest saying, okay, you are now healed of leprosy.

00:27:58.879 --> 00:28:00.879
 He won't be allowed back to be with his family.

00:28:01.899 --> 00:28:03.720
 Like we, again, it's back to that same thing.

00:28:03.859 --> 00:28:05.639
 We reduce him to just a leper.

00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:08.220
 When this man probably had a family.

00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:10.759
 Maybe a wife.

00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.720
 Maybe children.

00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:14.160
 Maybe elderly parents to look after.

00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:15.480
 Maybe just friends.

00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:16.480
 We all need people.

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:20.799
 And so that leprosy, it isn't just a physically crippling thing.

00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:23.519
 This is a socially crippling thing.

00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:25.920
 So how desperate he would have been to be clean.

00:28:26.059 --> 00:28:27.579
 So that he can be declared clean.

00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:30.440
 So he can go back into community once again.

00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:32.759
 And so Jesus says, let's do it properly.

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:35.120
 Yeah, you can go back in and you can prove it.

00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:36.079
 But let's just do it properly.

00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.159
 Okay.

00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:39.220
 Again, you just see here.

00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:42.559
 The person that they were trying to basically overthrow all authorities.

00:28:42.679 --> 00:28:43.859
 Was still telling them, hey, follow.

00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:47.039
 The humility that's involved.

00:28:47.199 --> 00:28:49.639
 The patience that's involved in all of that.

00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:52.740
 And again, but sadly, his clout does build.

00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:55.559
 Because his, I'm totally using it in the wrong way, I think.

00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:58.799
 But now, even more, the report about him went abroad.

00:28:59.399 --> 00:29:00.439
 He got a lot of followers.

00:29:00.639 --> 00:29:02.379
 And great crowds gathered to hear him.

00:29:02.379 --> 00:29:04.339
 And to be healed of their infirmities.

00:29:04.439 --> 00:29:04.919
 There we go.

00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:06.899
 People still hear.

00:29:07.199 --> 00:29:08.079
 People still catch on.

00:29:08.179 --> 00:29:09.519
 People still have sicknesses.

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.199
 People still want to be healed.

00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.619
 And so they chase after him.

00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:16.799
 And here is the final one that actually, I think, really proves Dr. Sigmund's point over there.

00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:17.859
 Verse 16.

00:29:18.139 --> 00:29:20.899
 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

00:29:21.639 --> 00:29:26.980
 This is the exact opposite of what we would do if we were trying to build a reputation.

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:29.559
 As the hype was building.

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:31.500
 You can imagine Peter, James, and John.

00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:34.480
 Who, of course, whose friends and family are still like, wait, what did they do?

00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:37.599
 Did they just give up our whole fishing business to follow this random guy?

00:29:38.339 --> 00:29:39.259
 What are we going to do?

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.720
 What's Zebedee going to do?

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:42.620
 He's just going to have to fish to the old age.

00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:43.599
 And then that's it.

00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:47.240
 They would have loved to tell them, hey, see?

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:50.039
 Our decision to follow this man is now vindicated.

00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:52.379
 Look at all the attention he's grabbing.

00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:54.039
 Look at our status rising.

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:55.519
 Look how many followers we have.

00:29:57.359 --> 00:30:00.180
 And yet their leader decides to disappear.

00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:02.579
 Completely just goes.

00:30:03.859 --> 00:30:05.379
 As the hype builds, he disappears.

00:30:06.200 --> 00:30:08.920
 He withdraws to desolate places to pray.

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:15.879
 It tells me about something is, actually, I think that gives us a glimpse into where Jesus even gets the power to do what he does.

00:30:17.879 --> 00:30:19.899
 Because, yes, he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:22.879
 And so he could just go around just constantly just healing people.

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:24.159
 Left, right, and center.

00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:26.700
 Building the hype, building a follower.

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:30.259
 It would be easy, honestly, if you had someone, if you had that power.

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:32.299
 And yet he goes.

00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:32.759
 He disappears.

00:30:33.299 --> 00:30:36.039
 And it makes me think, actually, where do I get my strength from?

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:40.319
 Where does Sam get his strength from when he's playing his piano?

00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:47.700
 Where does Mehi get her strength from when she's leading us in worship using musical song?

00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:50.440


00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:21.519
 Let me just keep riding that wave.

00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:24.700
 Let me just keep taking advantage of every step and every door that's opening.

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:26.119
 But Jesus keeps going away.

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:28.119
 Stepping away and going, no, it's not even about that.

00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:28.680
 It's about him.

00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:32.319
 I'm going to go back to those places and pray.

00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.639
 It reminds me of another incident.

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:41.000
 In Mark 9, there's the Mount of Transfiguration where Jesus goes up and hangs out with his heavenly beings.

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:42.720
 And then Peter, James, and John are shocked.

00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:44.700
 And they want him to build a tent for him to stay there.

00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:45.319
 They don't.

00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:48.879
 We have to come down from the mountain because we're not supposed to stay on the mountain.

00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:51.500
 We have to go back into the valley because there is need in the valley.

00:31:51.639 --> 00:31:52.740
 There is pain in the valley.

00:31:52.919 --> 00:31:54.419
 There is healing that's needed in the valley.

00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:55.500
 So they go back down.

00:31:55.639 --> 00:32:01.460
 And then there's this whole commotion because they're not able to perform the kind of miracle that they want to perform.

00:32:01.879 --> 00:32:02.899
 And what does Jesus say?

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.539
 Jesus does it.

00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:04.460
 And then they ask him, hey, why?

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:07.839
 How did you manage to drive that evil spirit out and not us?

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:08.960
 What was the difference?

00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.960
 Does anyone remember what Jesus says?

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:15.140
 Go on, Gabs.

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:15.519
 You're whispering.

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:23.940
 He's like, this kind of thing can only be cast out by prayer.

00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:32.480
 What he's actually saying is this kind of power can only be displayed and used when you are deeply connected to the source of that power.

00:32:33.940 --> 00:32:35.340
 It is not your own gift.

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.360
 It is not your own power.

00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:40.799
 It is if you are connected to the source of the power, then you will be able to do these things and more.

00:32:41.840 --> 00:32:47.840
 And so we see here he constantly goes back away from the attention and withdraws to spend time to pray.

00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:59.440
 So as I conclude here, this little story about this man full of leprosy, filled of desperation, charges into the city, falls at the feet of this rabbi, says, if you will, you can make me clean.

00:33:00.120 --> 00:33:02.279
 You can help me get back into community.

00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:04.980
 You can help me get back to be with my family.

00:33:05.460 --> 00:33:06.720
 But only if you will.

00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:11.380
 And then he receives the touch of Jesus that he didn't have to.

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:13.759
 And that he is.

00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:16.600
 And then he goes, he's told to go, hey, observe the law.

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.500
 Follow the instructions.

00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:21.220
 Get yourself back into community in the right way.

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:27.579
 And then the hype builds and this man runs away from the hype and goes to pray.

00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:33.860
 Realize on the source of the power and not just benefits from the power itself.

00:33:34.759 --> 00:33:39.200
 The simple story about a leper meeting a savior.

00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:41.180
 What does this tell us about us?

00:33:41.900 --> 00:33:45.640
 I think number one, it's got to tell us, hey, let's go to God humbly.

00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:51.960
 Whether it's Peter, whether it's Leper, do we every time go to God with a sense of humility, going, God, I need you.

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:54.920
 Because if you are filled with yourself, then he won't be able to heal you.

00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:57.060
 Then you won't be able to save yourself.

00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:59.380
 If you think you can do it by yourself, then you won't be.

00:33:59.560 --> 00:34:02.580
 Then it goes against what even the gospel is about.

00:34:02.579 --> 00:34:08.980
 Are you willing to humble yourself and say, God, I chose the wrong way.

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.819
 I need you.

00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:17.179
 Are you willing to have that sense of humility as you approach him, acknowledging that you can't heal yourself?

00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:19.099
 And then acknowledge that he can heal you.

00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:19.940
 He can.

00:34:20.699 --> 00:34:24.079
 But whether he does or not in that exact moment is up to him.

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:26.400
 He will be the one that decides.

00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:30.559
 Knowing ultimately, though, that he will bring healing.

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:32.700
 Complete healing.

00:34:33.240 --> 00:34:36.559
 He's promised it in Revelation chapter 21 that there will be no more sickness.

00:34:36.680 --> 00:34:37.440
 There will be no more death.

00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:38.539
 There will be no more tears.

00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:42.139
 That we will get back to that point again.

00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:44.840
 So he will bring healing at some point.

00:34:45.019 --> 00:34:46.559
 But right now, would you trust him?

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:48.880
 Would you trust him?

00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:55.180
 And would you allow him, allow him to form you with the greatest priority in mind?

00:34:55.300 --> 00:34:57.519
 Not your earthly well-being, but your eternal dwelling.

00:34:58.539 --> 00:34:59.660
 That's what he's trying to do.

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:01.579
 That's what he's trying to form.

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:06.500
 Also, will we remember that our sickness, our challenge is not our identity.

00:35:07.700 --> 00:35:08.880
 That it is separate from it.

00:35:08.900 --> 00:35:10.280
 It is something that we are struggling with.

00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:12.579
 It is something that we are suffering through.

00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:14.280
 But it is not who we are.

00:35:15.140 --> 00:35:18.260
 Whatever you are going through does not define who you are.

00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:19.600
 It can be separated.

00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:21.640
 Allow the Lord to be the one.

00:35:21.720 --> 00:35:23.480
 The great physician to be the one that separates.

00:35:26.960 --> 00:35:28.980
 And that our deepest desire is actually connection.

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:33.180
 We just want to be with people.

00:35:33.640 --> 00:35:35.060
 We just want to be accepted.

00:35:35.720 --> 00:35:36.780
 We just want to belong.

00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:38.980
 And Jesus knows that.

00:35:39.520 --> 00:35:40.640
 And comes to deliver that.

00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:42.540
 By stretching out his hand.

00:35:43.620 --> 00:35:45.260
 And finally, what does it even tell us about God?

00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:46.480
 He cares.

00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:47.099
 He cares.

00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:49.619
 He cares about the challenges that we go through.

00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:53.000
 More specifically, he cares about the weak.

00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:55.039
 The outcast.

00:35:56.579 --> 00:35:59.199
 Maybe as we sat here in Hong Kong.

00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:00.760
 In Admiralty.

00:36:01.240 --> 00:36:03.019
 In a tower overlooking the harbor.

00:36:04.199 --> 00:36:08.880
 Maybe there are less of us here who truly understand what it means to be an outcast.

00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:10.380
 To be weak.

00:36:11.260 --> 00:36:12.079
 To be vulnerable.

00:36:14.660 --> 00:36:18.780
 Or we really do, but we're just trying to fake it and pretend that we don't.

00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:22.200
 God cares about our challenges.

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:24.840
 And he cares about those who are weak.

00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.200
 Who are sick.

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:27.840
 Who are the outcast.

00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:30.620
 When he made that mic drop announcement, he said, I am here.

00:36:30.720 --> 00:36:35.019
 The spirit of the Lord is on me to preach this good news to the poor, to the captive, to the broken.

00:36:35.720 --> 00:36:36.360
 To the blind.

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:39.100
 God cares.

00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:40.639
 I don't know what you're going through.

00:36:41.119 --> 00:36:43.219
 I don't know what sickness you have.

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:46.559
 It is not your identity and God cares about you.

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:50.460
 And he desires to bring healing to you.

00:36:51.619 --> 00:36:52.420
 Would you trust him?

00:36:53.799 --> 00:36:54.639
 Would you trust him?

00:36:56.819 --> 00:36:59.480
 The leper takes a gamble and travels into the city.

00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:01.500
 He's like, you know what?

00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.940
 He's probably saying, you know what?

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.159
 My life isn't worth living anyway.

00:37:04.420 --> 00:37:08.059
 If I can't be with people, if I have this sickness, then I might as well give this a go.

00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:09.699
 And if I get stoned to death, I get stoned to death.

00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:10.599
 It's a win-win.

00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:13.599
 So he has nothing to lose.

00:37:13.719 --> 00:37:15.980
 And he makes that jump and travels into the city.

00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:20.800
 And he thinks that he's the one who has chased Jesus down.

00:37:21.119 --> 00:37:25.980
 When now we know, many thousands of years later, that actually it wasn't us chasing Jesus down.

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:28.380
 Jesus was the one chasing us down.

00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:33.980
 The leper may have taken that step from outside the city into the city walls.

00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:41.260
 But now we know that Jesus Christ took the step from heaven into humanity to dwell among us.

00:37:42.380 --> 00:37:47.260
 That's the beautiful moment in our Christian journeys when we've been chasing after God.

00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:51.400
 When we finally realize it's actually been him who has been chasing us all this time.

00:37:53.559 --> 00:37:56.840
 And so God reaches out to us and brings healing.

00:37:56.840 --> 00:38:02.800
 And of course, that moment where he touches the leper and basically swaps places.

00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:04.559
 Hey, you be included.

00:38:04.940 --> 00:38:06.140
 I'll be excluded.

00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:11.700
 If there was one miracle, maybe this is Paul in all his genius, why he loved this miracle the most.

00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:16.840
 Because this miracle in these short few verses basically sums up the whole gospel.

00:38:18.220 --> 00:38:20.940
 That he who was rich became poor.

00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:24.300
 He came to swap places with us.

00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:28.480
 He suffered the estrangement of the leper from God.

00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:34.059
 So that we could be included into the kingdom of God.

00:38:34.360 --> 00:38:40.300
 In that one act, in that one moment of stretching out and not needing to touch him, yet still touching him.

00:38:40.340 --> 00:38:42.840
 He's saying, hey, you take my place.

00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:45.079
 You swap with me.

00:38:45.079 --> 00:38:47.920
 Hey, you're about to die.

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:49.179
 Let me die in your place.

00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:53.039
 And so that in me you can have life and life to the full.

00:38:54.319 --> 00:38:55.179
 Isn't that beautiful?

00:38:56.380 --> 00:39:00.759
 Isn't that just the gospel summed up in just this nice little piece?

00:39:00.799 --> 00:39:01.480
 And we see it.

00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:03.079
 When Jesus, he's on the cross.

00:39:03.299 --> 00:39:04.319
 He quotes Psalm 22.

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.440
 He says, my God, my God.

00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:07.960
 Why have you forsaken me?

00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:08.579
 Psalm 13.

00:39:08.659 --> 00:39:11.039
 Why have you turned your face away from me?

00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:18.179
 He who was in the form of God, who had complete unity and communion with God, decided to step out of that so that we could come in.

00:39:20.199 --> 00:39:23.860
 That is exactly the story of the leper right here.

00:39:25.779 --> 00:39:28.239
 Forgiving our sins and giving us life.

00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:39.779
 So when Paul has his thorn in the flesh that he just wants to be rid of, he's saying, but his power is made perfect in me.

00:39:40.759 --> 00:39:43.219
 His grace is sufficient.

00:39:45.079 --> 00:39:46.659
 Juyun sound joy.

00:39:47.859 --> 00:39:48.419
 And why?

00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:49.759
 Because he has the cross to look to.

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:52.799
 He looks at the cross and goes, I should have been the one there.

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:55.679
 I should have been banished.

00:39:55.819 --> 00:39:56.679
 I should have been excluded.

00:39:56.679 --> 00:40:00.719
 And yet praise be to God.

00:40:01.799 --> 00:40:04.919
 And the grace that Jesus Christ showed me, that he would swap places with me.

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:13.539
 The beauty of the story is that we realize that we are the leper.

00:40:15.159 --> 00:40:17.019
 That we are the one that was excluded.

00:40:17.339 --> 00:40:20.599
 That we are the ones that have no way in saving ourselves.

00:40:20.599 --> 00:40:25.980
 That we are suffering through a sickness, an illness, an isolation, an exclusion.

00:40:26.679 --> 00:40:30.059
 That we had no way of coming back around ourselves.

00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:36.899
 And yet someone reached out to us and touched us when we were the most in need, most desperate.

00:40:38.599 --> 00:40:40.460
 And yet turned things around completely.

00:40:40.460 --> 00:40:46.240
 That is who you are.

00:40:47.380 --> 00:40:48.139
 You are good.

00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:54.599
 What can that be our response?

00:40:56.539 --> 00:40:58.099
 To any and every circumstance?

00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:03.920
 Whether in sickness or in health.

00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:09.840
 God is good.

00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:09.840


00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:12.360
 And that is who you are.

00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:13.780
 And we cast our eyes on you.

00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:17.519
 We know you can.

00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:19.099
 We know you care.

00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:23.079
 That is who you are.

00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:24.519
 That is all we need to know.

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:29.400
 Your power is made perfect in our weakness.

00:41:29.839 --> 00:41:31.159
 Your grace is sufficient.

00:41:32.219 --> 00:41:36.360
 It was sufficient 2,000 years ago and it continues to be sufficient right now.

00:41:40.900 --> 00:41:41.639
 Thank you Lord.

00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:49.940
 it's in your precious

00:41:49.940 --> 00:41:50.920
 powerful

00:41:50.920 --> 00:41:55.099
 name we pray

00:41:55.099 --> 00:41:57.339
 Amen