The King Kindness to Outcasts. Mark 1:40-45.
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will be clean.”And immediately leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, And said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them. But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Dear Aliens and Strangers in this World,
Earnest Request (v. 40). Lepers were outcasts in Israel. They were not permitted to mix with other people and generally stayed in lepers’ colonies. They had to announce to everyone who approached them, “Unclean! Unclean!” So it took courage for this leper to come to Jesus. His request to Jesus is interesting because it is more of a statement – that if Jesus is willing, he can make him clean. That he knew Jesus was able is not in doubt. But since it was believed that leprosy was a form of punishment for sins, the leper may not have been sure that he deserved mercy.
Empathetic Response (vv. 41-44). Jesus not only expressed his willingness to cleanse the leper, He demonstrated his compassion in a way no one else would have dared. He touched the leper! That was unheard of. Jesus instructed the man to keep mum about it but follow the law of Moses on being declared clean, including showing himself to the priest for verification and offering a gift at the temple.
Eager Reaction. (v. 45). But the man did not keep quiet. He went broadcasting his experience everywhere. One can hardly blame him. From the confinement and exclusion of leprosy and a certain, painful, slow death, he could live and hope again. But his excited outbursts of joyful testimony actually hampered Jesus’ movement. Healing and miracles, as important as they were, were not the core of the mission of Jesus, which was to proclaim the kingdom.
Jesus would now be mobbed by people who would be impatient with his teaching, waiting for the next dramatic miracle, so that he had to change his strategy and go to “desolate places” and have the people come out to him. Even when we are excited, we should consider the impact of our actions on God’s mission. We may end up hampering that which we are so excited about.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.