A Transforming Touch

Mark chapter 1 verse number 40, I'm not so sure that Ted May and may be called into the ministry to preach cuz only a preacher can speak about 30 minutes of material in about 15 minutes in a 5 minute time slot. So I'm getting brother, I appreciate you. And I tolerate Mary. Okay. So amen.

Mark 1:40. This is now a leper came to him, came to Jesus imploring him. Kneeling down to him and saying to him. If you are willing, you can make me clean. Then Jesus moved with compassion stretched out his hand and touched him. And said to him, I am willing be cleansed. as soon as he had spoken, medially the leprosy left him and he was cleansed and he strictly warned him and sent him away at once and said to him, see that you say nothing to anyone. But go your way, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing, those things, which Moses commanded as a testimony to them. However, he went out to began to Proclaim it freely. And to spread the matter so that Jesus could no longer openly, enter the city but was outside and deserted places and they came to him from every direction. Let's pray together, father we thank you Lord, for the Testimony that we've heard. The testimony of salvation. The testimony of sanctification. How that's those who have called upon you. And you have saved Lord, you do not leave alone. You can inform them into the image of your dear son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we've seen that with a testimony of Ted this morning and follow me, just asked you that you have blessed this time of preaching. Father, I pray that you would give us listening ears and hearts that are receptive, Lord help us to see Lord, the spiritual application, Lord of this text or scripture. As we think about this transforming touch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, we love you. And we ask all of these things and Christ name and all of God's people said, amen. Well, we know the gospels do not even come close to recording every single miracle that the Lord had ever performed here during his Earthly ministry. As a matter of fact, John the Apostle John suggest that to record. There's no way for them to record all of those things. For if they could or if they did, it wouldn't have. It wouldn't be possible. The Apostle John said, there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. and if you think about it, the extent of Christ healing Ministries, perhaps, Capture best in the words of Luke. In Luke 6:19 where it says, and all the people were trying to touch him, trying to touch Jesus for power for power was coming from him and he was healing them. All Luke is telling us that on just that one day, Jesus healed, all who came to him and at meaning that his healing Miracles, likely numbered in the hundreds that day, if not the thousands. And just that one day, And so the gospel writers provide for us. In the end, the four gospels, only a sampling, only a fraction of all the supernatural signs and miracles that Jesus performed while on this Earth. Now, as it relates to our text, it is very likely. They're likely that he raised and healed, not just one lever, but many many lepers in his day. But the question is there, such as it relates to our text? Why is this healing of the leper recorded for us in the gospels where I believe part of that answer to that question is found in the effects that this healing had on Jesus public Ministry. After this healing remember Jesus told him hey don't say anything to anyone. Don't publicize it. Well, you know the scriptures there that this man he could not hold it in and he went freely publicizing to everyone. What Jesus had did what Jesus did for him. And so because of that, Jesus popularity skyrocketed skyrocketed to such a degree that he was not. He cannot even enter into a City without not to being without being mobbed and just Thrones of people surrounding him. Sober 45 tells us that since he could not just enter into a city, he had to stay in unpopulated areas. He had to stay isolated because this dear leper who is healed? Did not obey the word of Christ. but there's another reason that this account is so important and that is, is because it serves as a powerful analogy to the truth of salvation,

Illustrating the spiritual restoration centers experience. When they respond to Faith In The Gospel of Jesus Christ, you see on one hand? The leper was an outcast. He was ostracised, he was isolated, he was forced to stay in those isolated places. He was not really allowed to go into the city. But he ventured into the city, he met Jesus. And there he was miraculously healed On the other hand, Jesus who was initially in the city, after healing the leper, then, relocated himself into isolated deserted places. Jesus had to withdraw himself many times. And to those isolated places. And so in order to heal this man of his leprosy, I noticed this, the Lord had to trade places with this man. so in that the Savior was willing to become an outsider, he was willing to become ostracize so that an Untouchable leper, who was the ultimate Outsider in that Society could be rescued and could be. Restored. So Darren is the picture. the reality of the Gospel, beloved Is Jesus Trading Places with centers in order to deliver them from their sin. We believe in the substitutionary atonement where Jesus took our place. They're on the cross. Remember, on the cross was it was outside the city of Jerusalem. They are Jesus was treated as an outcast. So that those who truly were outcasts might be reconciled to God and accepted as citizens of his Heavenly City. I want to notice first of all this morning, the desperate Cry, The Desperate Cry of this left or we see Universe 40. Now, leper came to him. Imploring him. He was beseeching him. Pleading with Jesus kneeling down to him and sings him. If you are willing, you can make me clean. So as Jesus was traveling, and ministering Jesus is meant by this leper. now, when we, when we read this text in our twenty-first-century lens, we do not catch where the impact of this We don't think much about it. Okay, I left her comes to Jesus big deal. However, this encounter in Jesus day, In the Bible times, was an absolutely startling account encounter. It was a very offensive encounter. You see a leopard with a man whom the culture considered as an outcast? The old levitical law judge Tim. The people deem him cursed by God. A leper was to stay about fifty Paces from others. And so the fact that this leper came near to Jesus so close that Jesus could touch him was absolutely Unthinkable in those days. And this poor lepers courage. Was so high. His courage was so high that he was able to break through societies, cruel restrictions and cast himself at the very feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. When he arrived, he fell on his face before the Lord Jesus. And you can just imagine as he is falling on his face before the Lord Jesus. And there, he lies a mass of Rotting Flesh. Luke tells us in his gospel and remember, Luke is a physician Luke houses and his gospel that this man is covered in leprosy. He is full of leprosy. The disease had run its course.

Most of us, don't need details. A detailed description of the Poor Man's horrible appearance. If you have at some point in your life, seen a person who has absolutely covered and leprosy, you don't need to see another picture. It's absolutely gross.

But what is important to notice is that leprosy? Or what is now known as Hansen's Disease. Is not a rotting infection as is commonly thought. In recent years that you research of dr. Paul brand, who passed away in 2003. Has proven that the disfigurement associated with leprosy or Hansen's Disease comes solely because the body's warning system. Of pain is removed and destroyed. The disease acts as an anesthetic. Bringing numbness to the extremities as well as to the ears, the eyes and the nose. And the devastation that follows by not having that warning system that warning you of of pain in and such things. The devastation that follows comes from such incidents as washing, one's face, with scalding water and not even knowing it. are gripping a tool, so tightly that the hands become traumatized and eventually stump like in third world, countries rats, sometimes shoe on sleeping lepers. Without them, even knowing it. Doctor brand cause the disease, a painless hell and indeed it is. So the poor man in our story has not been able to feel for years and its body was full of left leprosy. So he is mutilated from head to foot in and there is this rotten stinking repulsive. Body. And obviously, this poor leper. He knew very well if his miserable condition. He knew of his horrible condition. And if for some reason he suffered some type of lapses of reality, all he had to do was raise one of his infected rotting limbs before his that he would be reminded of his horrible condition. But even more than that. The rest of the world was there to remind him of his pitiful condition. As a matter of fact, Leviticus gives us some detail as to what a leper was to do in these days. Leviticus chapter 13. Read a couple of verses

A 45. It says, the person with such an infectious disease must wear torn. Clothes, let his hair be unkept cover, the lower part of his face and cry out unclean unclean. As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean, he must live alone. He must live outside the camp and bloodless and we cannot hardly imagine whatsoever the humiliation. We cannot imagine the isolation that this leopard felt and all those lepers in Jesus day felt he was ostracized from society because it was thought, at that time, that leprosy was highly contagious. Which it actually is not. As matter of fact, I read this morning that 95% of the world and the world's population has now a natural immunity to that, but this leper had to assume according to scripture and unkept appearance. He had bad head. And that was why it was supposed to be. This disheveled. Look, he was to cry unclean unclean whenever he came in range of the normal population. So, just think about how you would feel. Challenge outing this, why you entered into maybe a grocery store or the mall? when you're shouting this and you, it is a constant reminder of your worthlessness

And by Jesus time. The rabbinical teachings. And made matters worse. They just added more laws upon these laws. And they said, if I left or even stuck his head inside of a house, it was then pronounce unclean. And they said it was even illegal to greet, our to talk to a leper. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, summarized, by saying that the lepers were treated as if they were in effect dead men. I saw there was no wandering in this lepers life as to who he was and what his condition was. But please understand this, this morning, the spiritual reality for all of us is that we are all spiritual lepers. We were all born in sin. We were all born with this really enmity toward God. We're spiritually outcasts before God. And this is what the image is meant to teach us here. One commentator said this, when you read the test for leprosy in Leviticus chapter 13, you can you can see clearly have the disease is a picture of sin. I like seeing leprosy is deeper than the skin. Leviticus chapter 13, verses three and then you'll read that it spreads. Verses 44 through 46, it defiles and isolates, and then, the latter part of Leviticus 13, talipes teaches us. That it renders things fit. Only for the fire And like those with Leprosy. Here's here's the issue. Most centers are numb to their own sinful condition.

Like a leper who cannot feel his extremities. He cannot feel his limbs. So too are many senators who are numb to the realities of their sins six. So

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to preach. And pass out. Gospel. Track sets. The gay pride parade in North Little Rock.

At least 1,000. Homosexuals. Transgender folks were there.

It was absolutely sickening.

But I long to share the gospel with them.

and I would talk to individuals to whom I would preach and then there'll be some. He would come to me individually and I would begin to tell them individually the gospel. And what sin is and why they need to repent of their sin. But sadly, most of them said, something like this. I'm good. I'm okay. Jesus Loves Me the Way I Am. He made me perfect. Totally blinded to their sinful condition. They're numb, just like a leper of old was Norma, could not feel. The extremities. So what is common today to hear? People say, hey, hey look, I'm okay. While all the while they have the death of leprosy. And their very Souls. But that his wife in preaching and sharing the gospel of the good news, it is our fundamental duty to alert people to their sinful situation. and though, I may preach to too many people walking by there's always a handful of people. He will get so pricked in their heart. That'll come up to me and maybe belligerently. Yell at me. But I'm able to speak to them about the truth of scripture. And give them a gospel tract, in the very least.

Let me ask you this morning. Can you see your spiritual leprosy? Can you see your sin? I hope so because if you can you are on the threshold.

Of the Kingdom.

This leper knew how bad off he was. But also notice he had confidence in Christ. He not only knew his his condition but he had the confidence and crying. She said, if you are willing you can make me clean. I saw this leper. Believe Christ could cure him. Begin. The fact that this leper came to Jesus in a public setting would have been shocking to all who were there. Here is his leper who is driven by his desperation? He's violating all of the necessary standards of exclusion. He made his way to the great position. He is beseeching him and pleading with him and falling on his face before the Lord Jesus Christ. Here. We see his actions may have been socially unacceptable in those days, but his attitude toward Jesus was both respectful and reverential.

He flattened himself. In Humble, adoration before Jesus? He was recognizing his unworthiness. The leopard Lux account called Jesus Lord. Any and Trust himself to the savior's Sovereign prerogative by saying if you are willing. All the leopard saw himself. Not only as being a despised man, but also as a man who was cursed by God, Because the common theology in that day was if a person was physically sick, then that person was receiving a consequence of their sin. And this leper, surely considered himself to be a center. And so, in desperation, he came and took Jesus to beg for deliverance. And he knew that he could not just presume Upon Jesus Mercy. This is why he says to Jesus Jesus. If you are willing yet, his requests also exemplified boldface. Based upon what Jesus. What he knew Jesus could do. He also had no doubt about Jesus power. This is why he confidently affirmed. You can make me clean. You can do this. I know you can. So you look at that face. This man exemplified and you say, wow. This paper really is astonishing. When you think about all of these societal restrictions, that this man was supposed to live by.

This man comes to Jesus with great courage. He comes to Jesus, with great humility, he comes to Jesus with great face. And listen. This leprechaun comes to Jesus the same way, we do our sin fix centers must come to Jesus. He came believing in the only one who could change his life and make him whole. Noticed quickly, a Divine Touch. All from the lepers cry. We turn to the left to the Lord's answer. We see a Divine Touch and verse 41. It says Ben Jesus moved with compassion. stretch out his hand and touched him and said to him I am willing Be cleansed. It's always see. Jesus answer this man.

By his compassion that he showed upon this man. Jesus Answers by touching this man. And Jesus Answers by speaking to this, man. number 41 said that our Lord was moved with compassion, Which was really the natural reaction of Jesus Christ. That was his character. That was his very nature to be compassionate to those who are hurting. That is he sympathize with this man's condition? He felt the agony of this man's isolation. He felt the distressing and grief at the effects of sin in this world. So Jesus motivated by genuine compassion. Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. I think about this. Ever since this man was diagnosed as a leper, no one had touched him. No one. Yet here as he lay in the dust. Begging for deliverance. The Son of God himself reached out and killed him with a touch from the Master's Hand.

I'll listen. There are no less than eight touches recorded for us in the Book of Mark. We've read already where Jesus touched Peter's mother-in-law and healed her. We read that he touched this leper. In chapter 5 will read about how Jesus touched Jerry has his daughter and raised her from the dead and chapter 6. He will lay his hand on a few more sick, people and heal them. And chapter 7, he encounters a deaf man and touches him and he loves him and chapter 8. He heals the blind man by touching him. Chapters 9 and 10, in the midst of his busy Ministry, he repeatedly took the little children and his arms, and in chapter 9, finally, we see him raising up the formerly demonized, boy. We know that Jesus did not touch them in order to heal them. Jesus didn't have to physically touch them, right? So why don't why Jesus touch these individuals? Because he was moved with compassion, right? And listen, it was his Delight to do. So. He was delighted to do so. And again, since this man was full of leprosy, we can reasonably assume that he had not been touched by a soft helping hand in here.

If he had a wife, he had known her touch, much less her and brace for many long years.

If he had children, there had been no kiss from them, no touch not even once. But listen, whatever his family status was, he must have longed for a touch. And hear Jesus touches him.

One commentator says the word express, is more than just a superficial contact. It is not that Jesus just touches him. Variety of the word can be translated to take hold of to embrace. And so you cannot imagine. how this poor leper, felt Being embraced. By the Lord Jesus Christ.

You could imagine the onlookers how shocked they were. How the disciples were also very shocked that because now Jesus has touched a leper. Then now Jesus is ceremonially considered to be unclean. Jesus now, is ceremonially considered to be defiled. and besides, He might catch the disease are so they. So they thought So why did Jesus do this? Well, aside from the reason that we have mentioned that this was Jesus, natural reaction He wanted the leper to, to steal his willingness. You wanted the leper to feel his sympathy. Those are the human reasons but they're also an overseas out over shadowing. See a logical reason and that is a touch of Christ. Pure hand on the rotting lepers flesh. Listen to me is a picture of a glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Listen Jesus in his incarnation. Cook on human flesh. He became sin for us. He did not commit any sin. He did not sin in himself, but he became sin and US gave us his purity. The Bible tells us in 2nd Corinthians that God made him Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us. So that in him, we might become the righteousness of God through Jesus. Lay hold of our flesh, he touched us and he healed us and beloved that is the gospel in a nutshell. So we see GI, we see the leper is just a desperate cry. We see a Divine touching and finally we see the delightful pure. The delightful cure. Marsh 42. Wearied of the miracle. As soon as he had spoken. Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cleanse. The healing of the slipper was instantaneous. It was instantaneous immediately the leprosy left him. He was cleanse. There is no. Of recovery. There was no. Of Rehabilitation. He had come just figured he had to come to filed. He had he had Tom despicable but yet now he was instantly transformed into a man full of Health. Completely cure. I mean, just imagine if you were there that day or if you were imagine, if you were that left four, Watching his feet. Watching his toeless, ulcerated stubs. Now, they have become whole. The Nubs of his hands. Now group fingers. His hair came back. His eyebrows, eyelashes. His ears in his nose, his skin was shuffling soft. I make you just imagine the multitude gathered around how loud that must have been seeing this before their eyes.

And can you hear the man crying? Not unclean unclean, but you can hear the man crying I'm clean. I'm clean. Listen, that is what Jesus Christ can do for you or anyone in an instant, in a split-second of belief. Salvation is not some process salvation is just as instantaneous as the moment that Jesus healed, this leper.

And ironically is I mentioned earlier, Jesus and the leper here have traded places.

I traded places. The leper. Is now on the inside. With his family and with his friends. Jesus. Is only outside. And a lonely. And desolate place. But listen, this is the picture of the substitutionary atonement. The picture of substitution listen is the very heart of the Gospel. This is why Jesus came This is why he came he will take on himself RCN.

Take upon himself, our sorrow, our shame. In return. He gives us his forgiveness. He gives us his Holiness, his righteousness. So my what and exchange it is, right, the Great Exchange Until the healing of Christ and salvation from seeing again is instantaneous. It is complete. The blood of Jesus, his son, the scripture tells us cleanse us, it purifies us from all sin. so all of my confidence, everything that I am all I represent all preaching, rest in this

and so this morning, if you realize that the leprosy of sin has infected your person Then you have no doubt that you are a sinner. One of the hardest things to find in 2022 is just an old fashion center.

Anything Goes. And whatever I do is okay. It's harder and harder to try to find a center. But if you're here this morning and you realize that you are a sinner,

you're my soul. Listen. If you believe that, there is no reason why you should not go immediately to Christ even at this very moment. Why? Because she has compassion upon you.

and just as he was willing to heal that leper, Jesus is willing to save you. Jesus said in John chapter 6, all those at the father, give to me shall come to me. And those who shall come to me, I will in no wise cast out. Jesus is willing to save. He's willing to save, Hallelujah, for that. So can you humble yourself? To say. I know Jesus that you are willing. Make me clean. if you can say that, And do it now. Even as I pray. You pray with in your heart. Jesus. I know I'm a sinner.

Cleanse me. Save me. Let's pray together.

More were thankful.

You're transforming touch.

We're thankful Lord that you give us. Such vivid pictures. Of the Gospel.

Things that are.

So clear.

And Lord, it is. Clear? Because the Holy Spirit has illuminated our our hearts and given us an understanding of the truth. Father, I pray that if There are those who admit.

They are sinners. that they are the ones who are the outcast before you

I pray that today they would trust you. And believe the gospel of Christ. Follow you all the days that you give them.

Father, I pray. That's wizard Church. We will learn from Jesus here.

To have compassion. On those who maybe Society deems as an outcast.

Lord, may we be moved just out of our genuine love for people.

Meet their need.

And to point them to their ultimate need. Salvation.

Father, give us hearts.

Why can the Jesus hard? And father, give us Souls. Liking to that. Leper. Who humbly about himself before Christ?

And with gloriously killed.

father, I pray that you would grants us.

Salvations, Lord.

For Your Glory.

Play Lord. You blessed remainder of this day. With all of these things in Christ name, amen.

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