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5. Jesus Heals a Leper (Mark 1:40-45)
MARK 1:40-45
40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” 41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. 43 He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out, 44 and said to him, “See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere.
At the time of Jesus, the synagogue considered leprosy as a punishment of God for an undisclosed sin. Therefore, they drove the leper away scornfully, and he who suffered both in body and in soul became overloaded with the wrath of God.
One of these hopeless lepers heard about Christ’s kindness and power. He ran towards him from afar, and knelt down before him believing that Jesus is the Lord and the Almighty who could cure his body of leprosy, and his soul from the wrath of God. He committed himself unconditionally to the care of this merciful Savior.
Jesus saw in his heart the hunger for love, salvation, and healing. He did not drive away a sinner coming to him with repentance and faith, for he came to our world to destroy the works of the devil, and to build the kingdom of God. Jesus felt compassion for the poor man. He even touched his corrupt skin that the leper might observe the great mystery: The Son of God loves me. He heals and saves me. He is my only friend.
Then Jesus spoke a unique word proclaiming the will of God in principle: “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Do you recognize the comprehensive will of God in this statement? The Holy One “wills” you and all men to be saved, blessed, and filled with his eternal life. God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Is your will in accordance with God’s pleasure? Christ is prepared to save you eternally and completely. Come to him, kneel down before him, and ask for healing and salvation clearly in your prayer.
Christ cleanses you. The Son of God forgives you. The Merciful One sanctifies your mind. The Holy One fills you with his pure love. Your mind will become illuminated, and your eyes will shine joyfully, for Christ becomes the light of your life. He is the sun of our righteousness and the comfort of the hopeless.
Christ did not want to send the healed man to the clamor of men, but sent him to calmness before the face of God that he might think, thank, praise, and recognize through his healing that in Christ Jesus all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily.
Jesus also sent him to the priests that he might appear before the religious leaders as healed, that they also might recognize the approach of the kingdom of God to them. The leper was a testimony before the Jewish leaders that the Son of God dwelt among them as a Worker, Healer, and Savior.
Yet, out of his exceeding joy, the healed man forgot Christ’s demands. He did not go quietly to pray, but went away and began to tell everyone what had happened to his body, and the multitudes hurried to Jesus and crowded around him that he might heal them. But Jesus did not intend to heal the bodies only. He wanted to lead the hearts into change of mind and everlasting renewal, since every man is sick in his heart, and sin generally defaces God’s image in us. Jesus came to save us from the leprosy of sin, and to bring the image of God back to our faces, hearts, and whole life.
PRAYER: O Lord Jesus, we worship you for you are Almighty. You healed the leper with the word of your power, and today you want to cure us of our sins, pride, and diseases. Create in us willing trust in harmony with your will and love that your power may become strong in our bodies, and we may experience complete healing and true salvation from all impurity. Amen.
QUESTION:
- What is the comprehensive will of God?